Journal of Agricultural Machinery Engineering ISSN:2799-8673(Print) 2799-8819(Online) 농업기계공학

This study investigated the airflow distribution and thermal management performance inside the hood of a hydrogen fuel cell tractor using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis. The cooling system consisted of a front cooler for power conversion devices and hydraulic oil cooling, and a rear cooler for cooling the fuel cell stack and power-pack electrical components. The required airflow rate and opening area were calculated based on the heat rejection rate, target air temperature rise, air density, and specific heat. CFD analysis was conducted under a high ambient temperature condition of 45℃, and the temperature and airflow characteristics inside the hood were evaluated. The maximum temperature was approximately 85℃ and was mainly concentrated near the front cooling module and radiator. The high-temperature region was localized around the cooling module, while no significant hot-air recirculation toward the side air inlets was observed. The maximum airflow velocity was approximately 16.5 m/s, and the airflow was smoothly discharged through the front outlet and the rear hood–cabin gap without noticeable stagnation or reverse flow. These results indicate that the proposed side-inlet and front/rear separated exhaust configuration can effectively reduce heat accumulation inside the hood and improve the thermal management performance of a hydrogen fuel cell tractor.