A Study on Model-Based Thermal Management Systems Architecture Modeling and Energy Efficiency Prediction of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to predict the energy efficiency of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) based on the configuration of the Thermal Management System (TMS). The energy efficiency of an FCEV is closely tied to the effective thermal management of the electric powertrain. Therefore, this paper investigates TMS modeling for FCEVs and multi-physics modeling of FCEVs. The main modules of the target multi-physics FCEV model include the vehicle dynamics model, thermal management system, electric powertrain and controller. The main research focus is the water-cooled TMS architecture. The main thermal management components (heat-generating components) include the fuel cell, battery, motor and BOP (Balance of Plant). The model was developed using Modelica and used to predict the energy efficiency under various driving conditions (extremely cold, moderate and extreme heat) and driving conditions.