Cold start hybrid system for automotive hydrogen fuel cell packs
AssigneeInternational Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
InventorsAlex Mack, Paul L. Berke, Stephen Lawrence Kadolph, Louis Maza, Steven Joseph Dickerson, Andrei Makartchouk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cold start hybrid system combines an internal combustion engine and a hydrogen fuel cell pack. Specifically, under extreme cold ambient temperatures, the internal combustion engine may be utilized to both run the vehicle and supply heat to the hydrogen fuel cell pack during the hydrogen fuel cell pack's initialization at cold start. Upon reaching appropriate temperatures for operating conditions, the system will switch from the internal combustion engine to the hydrogen fuel cell pack.
Claims15
A cold start hybrid system for automotive hydrogen cell packs comprising:
- a vehicle;
- a hydrogen fuel cell pack within the vehicle, wherein the hydrogen fuel cell pack is configured to provide power to drive the vehicle;
- an internal combustion engine within the vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to provide power to drive the vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises a first exhaust pipe for exhausting exhaust flow therefrom;
- and
- a second exhaust pipe, wherein the second exhaust pipe is configured to allow exhaust flow from the internal combustion engine to warm the hydrogen fuel cell pack.
A method of using a cold start hybrid system for automotive hydrogen cell packs comprising the steps of:
- providing a vehicle, a hydrogen fuel cell pack within the vehicle, wherein the hydrogen fuel cell pack is configured to provide power to drive the vehicle, an internal combustion engine within the vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to provide power to drive the vehicle, wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises a first exhaust pipe for exhausting exhaust flow therefrom, and a second exhaust pipe, wherein the second exhaust pipe is configured to allow exhaust flow from the internal combustion engine to warm the hydrogen fuel cell pack;
- activating the internal combustion engine;
- routing exhaust flow from the internal combustion engine to the hydrogen fuel cell pack;
- warming the hydrogen fuel cell pack with the exhaust flow from the internal combustion engine;
- driving the vehicle using the internal combustion engine to supply power to the vehicle;
- activating the hydrogen fuel cell pack to supply power to the vehicle from the hydrogen fuel cell pack;
- deactivating the internal combustion engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.