Energy recovery method for vehicle, comprises converting kinetic energy, preferably in braking rate of vehicle into electrical energy and using electrical energy for electrolysis of water, which contains membrane electrode unit

• Main Authors: GRAEHN, JAN-MICHAEL, GOTTWICK, ULRICH, WIEDEMANN, GUNTER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; German
• Published: 14.06.2012
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; CHEMISTRY; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OFVEHICLES; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

Energy recovery method for a vehicle, comprises: (a) converting kinetic energy, preferably in a braking rate of the vehicle into electrical energy, and (b) using the electrical energy for the electrolysis of water, which contains membrane electrode unit of a fuel cell system in a membrane (1) and is changeable between a fuel cell operation and electrolysis operation, preferably by operating the membrane electrode unit in the electrolysis operation. The membrane electrode unit comprises at least one hydrogen-side electrode (2) and at least one oxygen-side electrode (3). Energy recovery method for a vehicle, comprises: (a) converting kinetic energy, preferably in a braking rate of the vehicle into electrical energy, and (b) using the electrical energy for the electrolysis of water, which contains membrane electrode unit of a fuel cell system in a membrane (1) and is changeable between a fuel cell operation and electrolysis operation, preferably by operating the membrane electrode unit in the electrolysis operation. The membrane electrode unit comprises at least one hydrogen-side electrode (2) adjacent to the membrane in hydrogen path (4) of the fuel cell system and at least one oxygen-side electrode (3), which is arranged in the oxygen path (5) of the fuel cell system. An independent claim is also included for an energy recovery system for a vehicle, and for carrying out an energy recovery method, comprising a recuperation device for converting kinetic energy, preferably at the vehicle braking rate into electric energy, a fuel cell system with membrane electrode unit, which is changeable between a fuel cell operation and electrolysis operation, where the membrane electrode unit comprises at least one hydrogen-side electrode, at least one oxygen-side electrode and at least one water-containing membrane arranged between the hydrogen-side electrode and oxygen-side electrode, and the electrical energy converted from the recuperation device is fed into the membrane electrode unit for the electrolysis of water present in the membrane of the membrane electrode unit. Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft ein Energierückgewinnungsverfahren sowie ein Energierückgewinnungssystem für ein Fahrzeug. Um bei Fahrzeugen ohne Hybridisierungsbatterie, mit einer vollgeladenen Batterie oder mit einer Batterie kleiner Maximalleistung Bremsenergie zurück zu gewinnen, wird die kinetische Energie, insbesondere durch eine Rekuperationsvorrichtung (R), in elektrische Energie umgewandelt und die umgewandelte elektrische Energie zur Elektrolyse von Wasser verwendet, welches in der Membran (1) einer zwischen Brennstoffzellenbetrieb und Elektrolysebetrieb umstellbaren Membranelektrodeneinheit (M) eines Brennstoffzellensystems (B) enthalten ist. Der auf diese Weise gewonnene Wasserstoff beziehungsweise Sauerstoff kann dabei im Wasserstoffpfad (4) beziehungsweise Sauerstoffpfad (5) des Brennstoffzellensystems (B) gespeichert werden. Darüber hinaus betrifft die vorliegende Erfindung ein entsprechendes Energierückgewinnungssystem.