Electrical power train for a fuel cell vehicle, comprising an electrical dissipation element

• US 20050241865A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A. (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA), Paul Scherrer-Institut (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Original Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A. (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA), Paul Scherrer-Institut (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft)
• Inventors: Varenne, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/16 of electrical drive trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/46 Heat pumps, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0076 relating to braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/06 Limiting the traction current under mechanical overload conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 : characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An electrical power train for a vehicle, the power train comprising an electrical line (61), a fuel cell (3) connected to the electrical line (61), an electrical energy management unit (6) comprising a module controlling the fuel cell, a control device available to the driver of the vehicle for controlling deceleration of the latter, the control device being connected to the management unit, at least one electrical machine (4) connected to at least one driving wheel (40) connected to the electrical line (61) by means of an electronic module controlling the electrical machine, the electrical machine (4) being connected to a second cooling circuit (2) in which a cooling liquid circulates, independent of the first cooling circuit (1), an electrical dissipation element (8), and means for ordering the control module of the fuel battery to stop the process of producing electrical energy while connecting the said dissipation element (8) to the electrical line (61), in the event of a deceleration demand and when the management unit (6) detects that the power absorbed by the loads is less than the power sent over the electrical line (61).

Claims

1. An electrical power train for a vehicle, the power train comprising:

an electrical line to which the auxiliary loads are connected;

a fuel cell connected to the electrical line, a first cooling circuit, providing the cooling of the fuel cell by means of a first heat-transfer liquid charge, the first cooling circuit comprising a first radiator for dissipating heat to the ambient atmosphere;

an electrical energy management unit comprising a fuel cell control module;

a control device available to the driver of the vehicle in order to control deceleration of the vehicle, the control device being connected to the management unit;

at least one electrical machine connected to at least one driving wheel connected to the electrical line by means of an electronic control module for the electrical machine;

an electrical dissipation element; and

means for ordering the fuel cell control module to stop the process of producing electrical energy while connecting the dissipation element to the electrical line, in the case of a demand for deceleration and when the management unit detects that the power absorbed by the auxiliary loads is less than the power sent over the electrical line.

2. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the electrical machine is connected to a second cooling circuit which comprises a second radiator for dissipating heat to the ambient atmosphere, the second cooling circuit using another heat-transfer liquid charge independent of the charge used in a first cooling circuit, the second cooling circuit also being thermally independent of the first cooling circuit.

3. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the electrical dissipation element is immersed in the first cooling circuit.

4. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is supplied with oxygen by compression of ambient air.

5. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is supplied with pure oxygen.

6. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is selected from the group consisting of polymer membrane cells and alkaline cells.

7. The power train according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control module for the electrical machine is an inverter.

8. The power train according to claim 1, comprising various electronic management modules, wherein the second cooling circuit establishes a circulation of cooling liquid in several electronic management modules.

9. The power train according to claim 1, wherein an electrical energy storage device is connected to the electrical line via the electrical energy management unit.