阅读说明：本技术 燃料电池泄露检测方法及检测系统 (Fuel cell leakage detection method and detection system ) 是由 仝玉华 王金平 张善星 王毓源 于 2019-09-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明属于燃料电池技术领域,具体涉及一种燃料电池泄露检测方法及检测系统,该燃料电池泄露检测方法包括控制燃料电池进行检测初始化,控制空气和氢气输送至燃料电池中,检测燃料电池中的气体压力,根据气体压力满足预设条件,确定未泄露,根据发明实施例的燃料电池泄露检测方法,控制空气和氢气输送至燃料电池中,避免燃料电池的两侧压力相差过大造成损坏,检测输送空气和氢气后的燃料电池中的气体压力是否满足预设条件,以检测燃料电池是否发生泄露。(The invention belongs to the technical field of fuel cells, and particularly relates to a fuel cell leakage detection method and a fuel cell leakage detection system.)

1. A fuel cell leak detection method, characterized by comprising:

controlling the fuel cell to perform detection initialization;

controlling the delivery of air and hydrogen to the fuel cell;

detecting a gas pressure in the fuel cell;

and determining that no leakage exists according to the fact that the gas pressure meets the preset condition.

2. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling the fuel cell to perform the detection initialization includes:

controlling the low-voltage circuit to be communicated;

controlling an air compressor in the fuel cell to be started;

controlling the high-voltage circuit to be communicated;

and controlling the communication of the heat management pipeline.

3. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell includes an air line and a hydrogen line, and the detecting the gas pressure in the fuel cell includes:

controlling air delivery into the air line;

controlling hydrogen to be conveyed into the hydrogen pipeline and starting timing;

stopping hydrogen conveying according to the fact that the time length for conveying hydrogen reaches a first preset value;

and detecting the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline according to the fact that the time length for stopping delivering the hydrogen reaches a second preset value.

4. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 3, wherein the controlling the delivery of air into the air line includes:

controlling the fuel cell to operate at a required power;

calculating the rotating speed of the air compressor and the first opening of the throttle valve according to the required power;

controlling the air compressor to operate according to the rotating speed;

and controlling the throttle valve to open according to the first opening degree.

5. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 4, wherein controlling delivery of hydrogen gas into the hydrogen gas conduit and starting timing includes:

controlling the opening of a hydrogen discharge valve and the opening of a switch valve in the hydrogen pipeline;

calculating a second opening degree of a pressure regulating valve in the hydrogen pipeline according to the required power;

controlling the pressure regulating valve to be opened according to the second opening degree;

and controlling the hydrogen exhaust valve to close and then starting timing.

6. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 2, wherein the low-voltage circuit includes an air compressor controller relay, a thermal management pipe relay, and a hydrogen circulation pump relay.

7. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 2, wherein the high-voltage circuit includes a DCDC input contactor, an air compressor contactor, and a PTC contactor.

8. The fuel cell leak detection method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that there is no leak in accordance with the gas pressure satisfying a preset condition includes:

and determining that no leakage exists according to the gas pressure being greater than or equal to a third preset value.

9. A fuel cell leak detection system, comprising:

a fuel cell module;

a control module for initializing the detection of the fuel cell module and delivering air and hydrogen;

a detection module for detecting a gas pressure within the fuel cell module;

the judging module is used for judging that the gas pressure meets a preset condition;

a determination module to determine that the fuel cell module is not leaking.

10. The fuel cell leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the fuel cell module includes:

a galvanic pile;

the air pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for conveying air into the galvanic pile;

the hydrogen pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for conveying hydrogen into the galvanic pile;

the heat management pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for adjusting the temperature of the galvanic pile;

the electric pile, the air pipeline, the hydrogen pipeline and the heat management pipeline are all electrically connected with the control module.

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of fuel cells, and particularly relates to a fuel cell leakage detection method and a detection system.

Background

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure only and is not necessarily prior art.

The hydrogen fuel cell automobile has high efficiency, can realize zero emission, has shorter time for supplementing energy and longer endurance mileage compared with a pure electric vehicle, and is one of the directions of automobile development in the future. However, the leakage of hydrogen can lead to the performance reduction of the fuel cell, and meanwhile, hydrogen is combustible gas and can bring great potential safety hazard when released into the air, so that whether the hydrogen gas circuit pipeline leaks or not needs to be detected, and the working safety of the fuel cell is improved.

Currently, hydrogen leakage equipment is mostly adopted for detection, and the equipment is expensive, so that the use cost of the fuel cell is increased.

Disclosure of Invention

The purpose of the present invention is to solve at least the problems of high price and increased cost of hydrogen leakage detection equipment. The purpose is realized by the following technical scheme:

a first aspect of the present invention provides a fuel cell leak detection method, including:

controlling the fuel cell to perform detection initialization;

controlling the delivery of air and hydrogen to the fuel cell;

detecting a gas pressure in the fuel cell;

and determining that no leakage exists according to the fact that the gas pressure meets the preset condition.

According to the fuel cell leakage detection method provided by the embodiment of the invention, the fuel cell is controlled to carry out detection initialization firstly, so that the fuel cell is in a state that all pipelines are communicated, air and hydrogen are conveniently controlled to be conveyed into the fuel cell, the air pressure in the fuel cell is detected after the conveying is finished, the condition that the air is not leaked is determined according to the condition that the detected pressure value meets the preset condition, and the air is leaked if the pressure value does not meet the preset condition, so that a worker is reminded to maintain the fuel cell, accidents caused by the leakage are avoided, a detection device is not additionally arranged on the whole, the automatic detection is carried out only through a logic and a controller, the detection cost is reduced, the working reliability of the fuel cell is improved, and.

In addition, the fuel cell leakage detection method according to the embodiment of the present invention may further have the following additional technical features:

in some embodiments of the invention, the controlling the fuel cell to perform the detection initialization includes:

controlling the low-voltage circuit to be communicated;

controlling an air compressor in the fuel cell to be started;

controlling the high-voltage circuit to be communicated;

and controlling the communication of the heat management pipeline.

In some embodiments of the invention, the fuel cell comprises an air line and a hydrogen line, and the detecting the gas pressure in the fuel cell comprises:

controlling air delivery into the air line;

controlling hydrogen to be conveyed into the hydrogen pipeline and starting timing;

stopping hydrogen conveying according to the fact that the time length for conveying hydrogen reaches a first preset value;

and detecting the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline according to the fact that the time length for stopping delivering the hydrogen reaches a second preset value.

In some embodiments of the invention, the control air delivery into the air line comprises:

controlling the fuel cell to operate at a required power;

calculating the rotating speed of the air compressor and the first opening of the throttle valve according to the required power;

controlling the air compressor to operate according to the rotating speed;

and controlling the throttle valve to open according to the first opening degree.

In some embodiments of the invention, controlling the delivery of hydrogen gas into the hydrogen gas conduit and initiating timing comprises:

controlling the opening of a hydrogen discharge valve and the opening of a switch valve in the hydrogen pipeline;

calculating a second opening degree of a pressure regulating valve in the hydrogen pipeline according to the required power;

controlling the pressure regulating valve to be opened according to the second opening degree;

and controlling the hydrogen exhaust valve to close and then starting timing.

In some embodiments of the invention, the low voltage circuit comprises an air compressor controller relay, a thermal management pipeline relay and a hydrogen circulation pump relay.

In some embodiments of the invention, the high voltage circuit includes a DCDC input contactor, an air compressor contactor, and a PTC contactor.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the determining that there is no leakage according to the gas pressure satisfying a preset condition includes:

and determining that no leakage exists according to the gas pressure being greater than or equal to a third preset value.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a fuel cell leakage detection system, configured to execute the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the foregoing technical solution, including:

a fuel cell module;

a control module for initializing the detection of the fuel cell module and delivering air and hydrogen;

a detection module for detecting a gas pressure within the fuel cell module;

the judging module is used for judging that the gas pressure meets a preset condition;

a determination module to determine that the fuel cell module is not leaking.

In some embodiments of the invention, the fuel cell module comprises:

a galvanic pile;

the air pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for conveying air into the galvanic pile;

the hydrogen pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for conveying hydrogen into the galvanic pile;

the heat management pipeline is connected with the galvanic pile and is used for adjusting the temperature of the galvanic pile;

the electric pile, the air pipeline, the hydrogen pipeline and the heat management pipeline are all electrically connected with the control module.

Drawings

Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Also, like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart of a fuel cell leak detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart illustrating the process of controlling the fuel cell shown in FIG. 1 to perform the detection initialization;

fig. 3 is a schematic view of the flow of detecting the gas pressure in the fuel cell shown in fig. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow diagram of the control air delivery into the air line of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart illustrating the process of FIG. 3 for controlling the delivery of hydrogen to the hydrogen pipeline and starting timing;

fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a fuel cell leakage detection system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a structural view of a fuel cell module of an embodiment of the invention.

Reference numerals:

1. an air line; 11. an air compressor; 12. a throttle valve;

2. a hydrogen gas circuit; 21. an on-off valve; 22. a pressure regulating valve; 23. a hydrogen discharge valve;

3. a thermal management conduit; 31. a heater; 32. a heat sink; 33. an electric three-way valve;

4. and (4) electric pile.

Detailed Description

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

For convenience of description, spatially relative terms, such as "inner", "outer", "lower", "below", "upper", "above", and the like, may be used herein to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. Such spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" or "over" the other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below … …" can include both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

As shown in fig. 1 to 7, a fuel cell leakage detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

controlling the fuel cell to perform detection initialization;

controlling the delivery of air and hydrogen to the fuel cell;

detecting a gas pressure in the fuel cell;

and determining that no leakage exists according to the fact that the gas pressure meets the preset condition.

According to the fuel cell leakage detection method provided by the embodiment of the invention, the fuel cell is controlled to perform detection initialization firstly, so that the fuel cell is in a state that all pipelines are communicated, air and hydrogen are conveniently controlled to be conveyed into the fuel cell, the air pressure in the fuel cell is detected after the conveying is finished, the detected pressure value meets the preset condition, no leakage is determined, the preset condition is not met, the leakage is determined, a worker is reminded to maintain, accidents caused by the leakage are avoided, a detection device is not additionally arranged on the whole, the automatic detection is performed only through a logic and a controller, the detection cost is reduced, the working reliability of the fuel cell is provided, and the service life of the fuel cell is prolonged.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the initialization of the fuel cell includes controlling the connection of a low voltage circuit, controlling the start of an air compressor 11 in the fuel cell, controlling the connection of a high voltage circuit, and controlling the connection of a thermal management pipeline, specifically, the low voltage circuit includes a controller relay of the air compressor 11 in an air pipeline 1, a relay of the thermal management pipeline 3, and a relay of a hydrogen circulation pump, the main functions of the relays are signal detection, transmission, conversion, or processing, the on-off circuit Current is usually small, and is generally used in the control circuit, the high voltage circuit includes a DCDC (Direct Current, a high voltage (low voltage) dc power is converted into a low voltage (high voltage) dc power) input contactor, a contactor of the controller of the air compressor 11, and a contactor of a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient heater 31) in the thermal management pipeline 3, the main functions of the contactors are to connect or disconnect the main circuit, the main circuit is characterized in that whether a circuit works or not is marked by whether the circuit is connected or not, namely whether the control circuit works or not, the concept of the main circuit corresponds to that of the control circuit, the current passing through the main circuit is larger than that of the control circuit, the low-voltage circuit is controlled to be connected, the air compressor 11 is started, the high-voltage circuit is controlled to be connected, the contactors corresponding to the DCDC, the air compressor 11 and the PTC start to work, after the detection initialization of the fuel cell is completed, all pipelines of the fuel cell are connected, and air and hydrogen are controlled to be conveyed into the fuel cell, in addition, the thermal management pipeline 3 needs to be controlled to be connected, the thermal management pipeline 3 carries out temperature regulation according to the fuel cell, the fuel cell is prevented from being damaged due to overhigh or overlow temperature.

In some embodiments of the present invention, after the detection initialization is completed, the timer is cleared, air and hydrogen are controlled to be respectively delivered to the air pipeline 1 and the hydrogen pipeline 2, and timing is started, at this time, the timing can simultaneously record the time for delivering air and the time for delivering hydrogen, or only record the time for delivering air or the time for delivering hydrogen, the delivery of hydrogen is stopped according to the time for delivering hydrogen reaching the first preset value, at this time, a part of hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen pipeline 2, according to the time for stopping delivery reaching the second preset value, whether the pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 meets the preset condition is detected, after the delivery is stopped, a time for waiting for one end is detected, in order to detect the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 after the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 is stable, thereby avoiding the inaccuracy in detection caused by instability, and finally, the gas pressure detected by the hydrogen pipeline 2 is the gas pressure, but at the same time it is necessary to control the air feed into the air line 1 in order to avoid damage to the stack 4 caused by an excessive pressure difference across the stack 4 of the fuel cell.

In some embodiments of the present invention, controlling the air delivery to the air line 1 includes controlling the fuel cell to operate at a required power, calculating a rotation speed of the air compressor 11 and a first opening degree of the throttle valve 12 according to the required power, controlling the air compressor 11 to operate at the rotation speed, controlling the throttle valve 12 to open according to the first opening degree, and setting a required power, which is not excessively large but is used for detection to place the fuel cell in an operating state, calculating the rotation speed of the air compressor 11 and the first opening degree of the air line 1 according to the required power of the fuel cell, and controlling the air compressor 11 to open according to the calculated rotation speed and the first opening degree of the throttle valve 12 and keeping the rotation speed and the first opening degree constantly operating, so as to avoid damage to the stack 4 due to an excessively large differential pressure across the stack 4.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the controlling the hydrogen gas to be supplied to the hydrogen pipeline 2 and the starting of the timing includes controlling the opening of the hydrogen discharge valve 23 and the opening of the on-off valve 21 in the hydrogen pipeline 2, calculating the second opening of the pressure regulating valve 22 in the hydrogen pipeline 2 according to the required power, controlling the opening of the pressure regulating valve 22 according to the second opening, controlling the closing of the hydrogen discharge valve 23 and starting the timing, except for calculating the rotation speed of the air compressor 11 and the throttle valve 12, the second opening of the pressure regulating valve 22 in the hydrogen pipeline 2, but during the hydrogen gas supply, the hydrogen discharge valve 23 and the on-off valve 21 are first opened, the hydrogen gas is supplied from the on-off valve 21 into the hydrogen pipeline 2 and then discharged from the hydrogen discharge valve 23, in order to discharge residual gas and impurities in the hydrogen pipeline 2, the hydrogen gas supply is stopped after the hydrogen discharge, the hydrogen discharge valve 23 is closed, the pressure regulating valve 22 and the on-off valve 21 are always in an open state, and, and starting timing when the hydrogen exhaust valve 23 is closed, according to the fact that the conveying time length reaches a first preset value, the pressure regulating valve 22 and the switch valve 21 are closed, and starting timing when the pressure regulating valve 22 and the switch valve 21 are closed, according to the fact that the closing time length of the pressure regulating valve 22 and the switch valve 21 reaches a second preset value, whether the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 meets preset conditions or not is detected, the monitoring point is a pressure value at the connection position of the hydrogen pipeline 2 and the galvanic pile 4, in the whole detection process, the hydrogen exhaust valve 23 is closed, the pressure regulating valve 22 is closed, the switch valve 21 is closed, the hydrogen pipeline 2 is in a sealed pressurization state, according to the fact that the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 meets the preset conditions, it is determined that leakage does not occur.

According to the fuel cell leakage detection system of one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure regulating valve 22 and the on-off valve 21 of the hydrogen pipeline 2 are opened, the hydrogen discharging valve 23 is closed, the hydrogen pipeline 2 is sealed and pressurized, the air pipeline 1 is opened according to the power requirement, so that the pressure of the hydrogen pipeline 2 and the pressure of the air pipeline 1 follow, and the damage of the electric pile 4 caused by the excessive pressure difference is avoided, if the hydrogen pipeline 2 is well sealed, the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 is greater than or equal to a third preset value, and if leakage occurs, the hydrogen in the hydrogen pipeline 2 is discharged to the external environment, so that the gas pressure in the hydrogen pipeline 2 is less than the third preset value.

It should be noted that, in addition to the above-mentioned detection method, a plurality of pressure sensors may be disposed on the air line and the hydrogen line, and a plurality of air pressure values are detected by the pressure sensors at different positions, and compared with a standard value, and it is determined that no leakage occurs according to the preset condition being satisfied.

A fuel cell leakage detection system according to another embodiment of the present invention, which is configured to perform the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the above-described technical solution, includes:

a fuel cell module;

the control module is used for carrying out detection initialization and air and hydrogen delivery on the fuel cell module;

a detection module for detecting a gas pressure within the fuel cell module;

the judging module is used for judging that the gas pressure meets a preset condition;

a determination module to determine that the fuel cell module is not leaking.

According to the device provided by the embodiment of the invention, the timing module and the detection module are added, the timing module is used for recording the time for stopping hydrogen delivery, and the judgment module is used for carrying out logic judgment to obtain the conclusion of whether leakage occurs.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the Control module is an FCU (fuel cell Control Unit fuel cell controller), the pressure detection module is a pressure sensor, the timing module is a timer, and the fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell includes a stack 4, an air line 1, a hydrogen line 2, and a thermal management line 3, the air line 1 is connected to the stack 4 and is used for delivering air into the stack 4, the hydrogen line 2 is connected to the stack 4 and is used for delivering hydrogen into the stack 4, and the thermal management line 3 is connected to the stack 4 and is used for regulating the temperature of the stack 4, wherein the stack 4, the air line 1, the hydrogen line 2, and the thermal management line 3 are all electrically connected to the control module.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermal management pipeline 3 includes a heater 31, a radiator 32 and an electric three-way valve 33, the heater 31 and the radiator 32 are both connected to the electric three-way valve 33, and the temperature of the stack 4 is detected to determine whether the electric three-way valve 33 is connected to the heater 31 or the radiator 32, so as to heat and cool the stack 4.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the appended claims.