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2026 Vol.53, Issue 3 Preview Page

Engineering

Thermal-flow analysis and CFD model development for the hood of a hydrogen fuel-cell tractor
Ju Hyeok Jung1†
,
Jong Dae Park2†
,
Hyeon Ho Jeon2
,
Yu Shin Ha1*
,
Yong Joo Kim23*
1Department of Bio-Industrial Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
2Department of Smart Agriculture Systems, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
3Department of Smart Agriculture Systems Machinery Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
*Corresponding Author
†These authors equally contributed to this study as first author.
1 September 2026. pp. 309-324
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Abstract

In this study, the thermal-flow characteristics inside the hood of a hydrogen fuel-cell tractor were analyzed, during a maximum-power test, using a power take-off (PTO) dynamometer. Temperature sensors were installed at multiple locations around the coolant cooler, fuel-cell cooler, and powerpack to characterize the under-hood thermal flow. The results showed that relatively high temperatures and large temperature variations occurred around the fuel-cell cooler outlet and the powerpack region, where relatively large temperature variations were observed. A thermal-flow simulation model was developed using Ansys Fluent and validated through comparison with measured data, showing no statistically significant difference between the measured and simulated temperatures. Based on the measured and simulated results, two modified hood designs an enlarged square vent and a square vent combined with a rear bulkhead were evaluated. The modified models reduced the internal hood temperature, stabilized airflow and pressure distribution, and mitigated heat accumulation around the powerpack. Specifically, the maximum powerpack temperature decreased from 58.94℃ in the baseline round-vent model to 56.85℃ in the enlarged square-vent model and 54.04℃ in the square vent + rear bulkhead model, corresponding to reductions of 2.09℃ (3.5%) and 4.90℃ (8.3%), respectively. Among the evaluated cases, the square vent + rear bulkhead configuration showed the best cooling performance. Therefore, the proposed design modifications can serve as an effective design strategy for improving cooling performance in hydrogen fuel-cell tractors.

Keywords
CFD
hydrogen fuel-cell tractor
powerpack
thermal flow
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Information
  • Publisher :Institute of Agricultural Science, Chungnam National University
  • Publisher(Ko) :충남대학교 농업과학연구소
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
  • Journal Title(Ko) :농업과학연구
  • Volume : 53
  • No :3
  • Pages :309-324
  • Received Date : 2026-05-08
  • Revised Date : 2026-06-29
  • Accepted Date : 2026-07-04
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7744/kjoas.530303
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