Residual heat use generated by a 12 kW fuel cell in an electric vehicle heating system

A diesel or gasoline vehicle heating is produced by the heat of the engine coolant liquid. Nevertheless, electric vehicles, due to the fact that electric motor transform directly electricity into mechanical energy through electromagnetic interactions, do not generate this heat so other method of providing it has to be developed. This study introduces the system developed in a fuel cell electric vehicle (lithium-ion battery fuel cell) with residual heat use. The fuel cell electric vehicle is driven by a 12 kW PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell. This fuel cell has an operating temperature around 50 degrees C. The residual heat generated was originally wasted by interaction with the environment. The new developed heating system designed integrates the heat generated by the fuel cell into the heating system of the vehicle, reducing the global energy consumption and improving the global efficiency as well. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.