FUEL CELL VEHICLE

• US 20120138261A1
• Filed: 06/06/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Park, Jeong Kyu, Kim, Hyun Jun, Ye, Chang Hwan, Park, Jong Hun
• Granted Patent: US 8,875,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00385 for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0092 in the interior of the HVAC unit, e.g. by spraying substances inside the unit
• 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 1/06 using only one supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/08 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention provides a fuel cell vehicle, particularly a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a moisture remover that removes moisture from an air conditioner evaporator. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a fuel cell stack as a power supplier; an electric heater operated by power from the fuel cell stack; a blower fan for providing air to the electric heater; an air channel configured to supply the air passing through the electric heater to an air conditioner evaporator; and a controller for controlling the operations of the electric heater and the blower fan, whereby moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator by supplying air heated by the electric heater to the air conditioner evaporator. The fuel cell vehicle effectively removes moisture from an air conditioner evaporator, solves the problem of a bad smell in the related art, and further removes the oxygen and the stack voltage which remain in the cathode, such that it is possible to avoid cathode oxygen depletion of the related art.

Claims

1. A fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a fuel cell stack as a power supplier;

an electric heater operated by power from the fuel cell stack;

a blower fan configured for providing air to the electric heater;

an air channel configured to pass air heated by the electric heater to an air conditioner evaporator; and

a controller configured for controlling the operations of the electric heater and the blower fan,

whereby moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator by supplying the air heated by the electric heater to the air conditioner evaporator.

2. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electric heater, using the power from the fuel cell stack in shutting down a fuel cell system, such that oxygen and voltage remaining in a cathode of the stack is removed and moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator, by the electric heater.

3. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric heater and the blower fan are disposed in connection with an air-conditioning duct connected to the interior of the vehicle for heating the interior of the vehicle,

wherein the air channel is a diverging channel that diverges from the air-conditioning duct and extends to the air conditioner evaporator, and

the fuel cell vehicle further comprises an opening/closing device disposed to selectively open/close the diverging channel, whereby the opening/closing device is configured to open the diverging channel in response to a control signal from the controller to remove moisture.

4. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 3, wherein the opening/closing device for opening/closing the air channel is a damper door device that switches the air flow passage between the diverging channel and the air-conditioning duct.

5. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric heater and the blower fan are configured for heating the interior of the vehicle, and are disposed in connection with an air-conditioning duct connected to the interior of the vehicle, wherein the air channel extends from the interior of the vehicle to the air conditioner evaporator, and

the fuel cell vehicle further comprises a second blower fan controlled by the controller and configured to provide heated air from the interior of the vehicle to the air conditioner evaporator.

6. A fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a fuel cell stack as a power supplier;

an electric heater attached to an air conditioner evaporator, the electric heater being operated by power from the fuel cell stack; and

a controller configured for controlling operation of the electric heater,

wherein the electric heater is operated by power from the fuel cell stack to heat the air conditioner evaporator and remove moisture.

7. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electric heater using power from the fuel cell stack in shutting down a fuel cell system, such that oxygen and voltage remaining in a cathode of the stack are removed and moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator by the electric heater.

8. A moisture removal system for an air-conditioner evaporator of a fuel cell vehicle comprising:

an electric heater operated by power from a fuel cell stack of the vehicle;

a blower fan configured for providing air to the electric heater;

an air channel configured to pass air heated by the electric heater to the air conditioner evaporator; and

a controller configured for controlling the operations of the electric heater and the blower fan,

whereby moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator by supplying the air heated by the electric heater to the air conditioner evaporator.

9. The moisture removal system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electric heater, using the power from the fuel cell stack in shutting down a fuel cell system, such that oxygen and voltage remaining in a cathode of the stack is removed and moisture is removed from the air conditioner evaporator, by the electric heater.

10. The moisture removal system of claim 8, wherein the electric heater and the blower fan are disposed in connection with an air-conditioning duct connected to an interior of the vehicle for heating the interior of the vehicle,

wherein the air channel is a diverging channel that diverges from the air-conditioning duct and extends to the air conditioner evaporator, and

the fuel cell vehicle further comprises an opening/closing device disposed to selectively open/close the diverging channel, whereby the opening/closing device is configured to open the diverging channel in response to a control signal from the controller to remove moisture.

11. The moisture removal system of claim 10, wherein the opening/closing device for opening/closing the air channel is a damper door device that switches the air flow passage between the diverging channel and the air-conditioning duct.

12. The moisture removal system of claim 8, wherein the electric heater and the blower fan are configured for heating an interior of the vehicle, and are disposed in connection with an air-conditioning duct connected to the interior of the vehicle, wherein the air channel extends from the interior of the vehicle to the air conditioner evaporator, and the fuel cell vehicle further comprises a second blower fan controlled by the controller and configured to provide heated air from the interior of the vehicle to the air conditioner evaporator.

13. A moisture removal system for an air-conditioner evaporator of a fuel cell vehicle comprising:

an electric heater attached to the air conditioner evaporator, the electric heater being operated by power from a fuel cell stack of the vehicle; and

a controller configured for controlling operation of the electric heater,

wherein the electric heater is operated by power from the fuel cell stack to heat the air conditioner evaporator and remove moisture.