IIT Bombay innovates to optimise fuel cell electric vehicle components

New Delhi, July 23: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on Tuesday informed that they have developed a novel optimisation method for determining the ideal weight and size distribution of components in fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The new method optimises the weight, cost, and range of FCEVs by recommending the optimal size for the radiator and thermal energy storage (TES) unit, enhancing vehicle efficiency and aiding in commercialisation.

Electric vehicles, especially FCEVs, are gaining popularity as a green alternative to fossil fuels. Unlike battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which need charging, FCEVs use hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity, emitting only water vapour. However, fuel cells generate excessive heat, requiring large radiators for cooling, which increases vehicle weight and size.

To address this, IIT Bombay's team led by Prof Prakash C. Ghosh and Nadiya Philip, a Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF), proposed a compact radiator coupled with a TES unit, using paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) to store thermal energy. This setup significantly reduces radiator size and maintains a constant coolant temperature, improving overall vehicle performance.

The study uniquely combines Electrical Energy Storage (EES) systems with TES units, using pinch analysis to determine optimal sizes for radiators, fuel cells, EES, and TES components. This integration can potentially reduce radiator size in heavy duty vehicles by up to 2.5 times, optimising weight, volume, cost, and range based on manufacturers' preferences.

Future steps include lab scale experiments and real-time vehicle testing to validate the proposed thermal management system's effectiveness under various driving conditions.