HEAT RECLAMATION AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SUBMERSIBLE VEHICLES THAT UTILIZE FUEL CELLS

摘要

Embodiments described herein provide for heat reclamation and temperature control of a SOFC for a submersible vehicle. The vehicle includes a SOFC, a hot box that surrounds the SOFC, a cooling loop, and a Stirling engine. The cooling loop has a heat exchanger and a coolant pump. The heat exchanger thermally couples the cooling loop to the water. The Stirling engine has a first end thermally coupled to an interior of the hot box and a second end thermally coupled to the cooling loop. The coolant pump modifies a rate of heat removal from the second end of the Stirling engine based on a pump control signal. A thermal management controller monitors a temperature of a cathode outlet of the SOFC, and modifies the pump control signal to maintain the temperature of the cathode outlet within a temperature range.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle that includes a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and is configured to submerge in water, the vehicle comprising:
a hot box surrounding the SOFC, wherein the SOFC includes a cathode inlet, a cathode outlet, an anode inlet, and an anode outlet;a cooling loop for the vehicle that includes a heat exchanger and a coolant pump, wherein the heat exchanger thermally couples the cooling loop to the water;a Stirling engine having a first end thermally coupled to an interior of the hot box and a second end thermally coupled to the cooling loop;the coolant pump configured to modify a rate of heat removal from the second end of the Stirling engine based on a pump control signal; anda thermal management controller that is configured to monitor a temperature of the cathode outlet of the SOFC, and to modify the pump control signal to maintain the temperature of the cathode outlet of the SOFC within a temperature range.