Experimental Study on Cooling Performance Characteristics of Electric-Driven Air Conditioning System Using Two Kinds of Coolants with the Triple Fluids Heat Exchanger for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the cooling performance characteristics of electric-driven air conditioning system using two kinds of coolants with triple fluids heat exchanger for a fuel cell electric vehicle. In order to analyze the cooling performance characteristics, electric-driven air conditioning system with the triple fluids heat exchanger for a fuel cell electric vehicle was developed and tested under various operating conditions according to inlet air conditions of evaporator, coolant conditions and compressor speed. The cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP) for cooling of tested air conditioning system were 7.0 kW to 2.8 under high inlet air temperature, 42oC with the rated compressor speed, 5,000rev/min, respectively. In addition, developed triple fluids heat exchanger to transfer heat between a refrigerant and two kinds of coolants was analyzed under the same operating conditions with respect to pressure drop and heat transfer portion among two coolants. The cooling performance and efficiency of the developed electric-driven air conditioning system were thought to sufficient capacity to cope with cooling loads under various real driving conditions for a fuel cell electric vehicle.