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

• Main Authors: MARICH MICHAEL J, MERMELSTEIN JOSHUA M, WEBBER MICHAEL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.12.2015
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

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.