Fuel cell stack system and control method

Abstract

The application provides a fuel cell stack system and a control method. The fuel cell stack system comprises a controller and a stack, wherein the stack comprises a stack end plate, a membrane electrode, a temperature sensor and a heater, the membrane electrode comprises a first membrane electrode and a second membrane electrode, the second membrane electrode is a high-temperature membrane electrode, the first membrane electrode and the second membrane electrode are arranged on the stack end plate, the second membrane electrode is arranged on both sides of the stack end plate, the temperature sensor and the heater are arranged on the second membrane electrode, the temperature sensor and the heater are electrically connected with the controller, the temperature signal of the temperature sensor is transmitted to the controller, and the controller controls the heater according to the temperature signal. Water at the position of the end plate of the inlet and outlet of the stack is evaporated by the heater, so that the problem of single-piece low failure caused by water blockage during the operation of the stack is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fuel cell technology, and in particular relates to a fuel cell stack system and control method. Background Technology

[0002] Fuel cell engines have a wide range of applications and operating environments, capable of running in temperatures as low as -30°C. The core component of the engine is the fuel cell stack, which works by introducing hydrogen and oxygen into the stack, where an electrochemical reaction occurs to generate electricity. However, fuel cell stacks can encounter problems when operating at low temperatures. For example, after a period of operation, due to the low ambient temperature, there is significant heat exchange between the stack endplates and the environment, which can lead to water blockage at the stack's inlet and outlet. This water blockage can cause single-cell low-temperature failures during operation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a fuel cell stack system and control method, which at least partially solves the problem of water blockage at the end plate positions of the stack inlet and outlet, leading to low single-cell failure rate.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a fuel cell stack system, including a controller and a stack. The stack includes a stack endplate, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a temperature sensor, and a heater. The MEA includes a first MEA and a second MEA, the second MEA being a high-temperature MEA. Both the first MEA and the second MEA are disposed on the stack endplate. The second MEA is disposed on both sides of the stack endplate. A temperature sensor and a heater are disposed on the second MEA. Both the temperature sensor and the heater are electrically connected to the controller. The temperature signal from the temperature sensor is transmitted to the controller, and the controller controls the heater according to the temperature signal.

[0005] Optionally, the operating temperature of the high-temperature film electrode is greater than 100°C.

[0006] Optionally, the temperature sensor is a temperature sensor patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

[0007] Optionally, the temperature sensor is a PT100 temperature sensor.

[0008] Optionally, the heater is a heating patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

[0009] Optionally, the heater is a PTC heating pad.

[0010] Optionally, a sampling circuit is provided between the temperature sensor and the controller. The sampling circuit includes an operational amplifier A1. A resistor R1 is connected in series with the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R2 is connected in series between the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground. A series circuit consisting of resistor R1 and capacitor C1 is connected in parallel with resistor R2. The connection node of capacitor C1 and resistor R2 is grounded. A resistor R3 is connected in series between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R4 and capacitor C2 are connected in series between the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground.

[0011] Optionally, the resistance value of resistor R1 is 10KΩ, the resistance value of resistor R2 is 15KΩ, the resistance value of resistor R3 is 100KΩ, and the resistance value of resistor R4 is 1KΩ.

[0012] Optionally, the capacitance value of capacitor C1 is 4.7nF, and the capacitance value of capacitor C2 is 20pF.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a fuel cell stack system control method, applicable to any of the systems described in the first aspect.

[0014] When the fuel cell is powered on, the controller controls the heater to heat up. The temperature sensor transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, which then controls the heater to heat up to the set temperature, thereby vaporizing the water on both sides of the stack endplate.

[0015] The present invention provides a fuel cell stack system and control method, wherein the fuel cell stack system uses a temperature sensor, a controller and a heater to evaporate water at the end plates at the inlet and outlet of the stack, thereby avoiding the problem of single-cell low-temperature failure due to water blockage during operation. The temperature sensor and controller are used to control the heating temperature to prevent high temperature from damaging the stack. High-temperature membrane electrodes are set on both sides and on the end plates at the inlet and outlet of the stack to avoid electrode failure caused by heating. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals generally denote like parts.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fuel cell stack system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 Electronic circuit diagram of the sampling circuit provided in the embodiments of this disclosure; Attached image description:

[0020] 1-End plate of fuel cell stack; 2-First membrane electrode; 3-Second membrane electrode; 4-Temperature sensor; 5-Heater; 6-Air port of fuel cell stack; 7-Hydrogen port of fuel cell stack. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] It should be understood that the following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. This disclosure can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation methods, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0023] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this disclosure, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number of aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0024] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this disclosure. The drawings only show the components related to this disclosure and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of the components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0025] Furthermore, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the described aspects can be practiced without these specific details.

[0026] For ease of understanding, such as Figure 1As shown, this embodiment discloses a fuel cell stack system, including a controller and a stack. The stack includes a stack endplate, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a temperature sensor, and a heater. The MEA includes a first MEA and a second MEA, the second MEA being a high-temperature MEA. Both the first and second MEAs are disposed on the stack endplate, with the second MEA positioned on both sides of the endplate. A temperature sensor and a heater are disposed on the second MEA. Both the temperature sensor and the heater are electrically connected to the controller. The temperature signal from the temperature sensor is transmitted to the controller, which controls the heater based on the temperature signal. The first MEA can be a conventional MEA, but a high-temperature MEA can also be used; this embodiment does not impose any limitations.

[0027] High-temperature membrane electrodes are distributed on both sides of the fuel cell stack endplate. Temperature sensors and heaters are mounted on the high-temperature membrane electrodes. The high-temperature membrane electrodes can operate normally above 100°C. The controller can control the heating elements to perform heating, and the temperature sensors collect the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack and send it to the controller.

[0028] When the fuel cell stack operates at room temperature, water blockage is common at the air outlet. Therefore, after the system is started at room temperature, the controller controls the heater to heat up, the temperature sensor detects the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack, and the controller controls the heater to keep the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack below 105°C. When there is a large amount of liquid water at the air outlet of the fuel cell stack, it is partially vaporized to prevent the liquid water from blocking the interior and causing flooding, which could lead to a single-chip low-temperature fault.

[0029] When the fuel cell stack operates in a low-temperature environment, the temperature at the inlet endplate is low, making it prone to condensation of liquid water. This can lead to water blockage at the gas inlet, causing a single-cell low-temperature fault. Therefore, when the system is started, the heater is activated to raise the temperature at the inlet endplate. This prevents a sudden large influx of liquid water at the inlet due to low inlet gas temperature and heat dissipation between the endplate and the ambient temperature. Furthermore, the generated liquid water is vaporized to prevent internal blockage and flooding, which could cause a single-cell low-temperature fault.

[0030] Optionally, the high-temperature film electrode operates at a temperature greater than 100°C. An operating temperature greater than 100°C means that the high-temperature film electrode can operate normally above 100°C.

[0031] Optionally, the temperature sensor is a temperature sensor patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

[0032] Optionally, the temperature sensor is a PT100 temperature sensor.

[0033] Optionally, the heater is a heating patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

[0034] Optionally, the heater is a PTC heating pad.

[0035] Optionally, a sampling circuit is provided between the temperature sensor and the controller, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the sampling circuit includes an operational amplifier A1. A resistor R1 is connected in series with the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R2 is connected in series between the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground. Resistor R1 and capacitor C1 form a series circuit and are connected in parallel with resistor R2. The connection node of capacitor C1 and resistor R2 is grounded. A resistor R3 is connected in series between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R4 and capacitor C2 are connected in series between the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground.

[0036] Optionally, the resistance value of resistor R1 is 10KΩ, the resistance value of resistor R2 is 15KΩ, the resistance value of resistor R3 is 100KΩ, and the resistance value of resistor R4 is 1KΩ.

[0037] Optionally, the capacitance value of capacitor C1 is 4.7nF, and the capacitance value of capacitor C2 is 20pF. The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details.

[0038] This embodiment also discloses a control method for a fuel cell stack system.

[0039] When the fuel cell is powered on, the controller controls the heater to heat up. The temperature sensor transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, which then controls the heater to heat up to the set temperature, thereby vaporizing the water on both sides of the stack endplate.

[0040] In a specific application scenario, the temperature is set to 105℃.

[0041] A high-temperature membrane electrode is used on a single piece at the inlet position of the fuel cell stack end plate to avoid performance degradation of the membrane electrode after heating.

[0042] Installing a surface-mount temperature sensor within a single chip can help prevent excessive temperature rise or detect whether the heating element has failed.

[0043] In this disclosure, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems involved in this disclosure are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as "comprising," "including," "having," etc., are open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to," and are used interchangeably with them. The terms "or" and "and" as used herein refer to the terms "and / or," and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "such as" as used herein refers to the phrase "such as but not limited to," and is used interchangeably with it.

[0044] Additionally, as used herein, the "or" used in a list of items beginning with "at least one" indicates a separate list, such that a list of, for example, "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C, or AB or AC or BC, or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, the word "exemplary" does not imply that the described example is preferred or better than other examples.

[0045] It should also be noted that in the systems and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.

[0046] Various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the technology described herein without departing from the teachings defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the scope of the claims of this disclosure is not limited to the specific aspects of the processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, and actions described above. Currently existing or later-developed processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding aspects described herein can be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims include such processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions within their scope.

[0047] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0048] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack system, characterized in that, The device includes a controller and a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a stack end plate, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a temperature sensor, and a heater. The MEA includes a first MEA and a second MEA. The first MEA is a standard MEA, and the second MEA is a high-temperature MEA. Both the first and second MEAs are mounted on the stack end plate. The second MEA is mounted on both sides of the stack end plate. The temperature sensor and the heater are mounted on the second MEA. Both the temperature sensor and the heater are electrically connected to the controller. The temperature signal from the temperature sensor is transmitted to the controller, which controls the heater based on the temperature signal. The operating temperature of the high-temperature MEA is greater than 100°C. The controller is used to control the heater to ensure that the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack does not exceed 105°C.

2. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor is a temperature sensor patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

3. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor is a PT100 temperature sensor.

4. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heater is a heating patch, which is attached to the outer wall of the second membrane electrode.

5. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heater is a PTC heating pad.

6. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sampling circuit is provided between the temperature sensor and the controller. The sampling circuit includes an operational amplifier A1. A resistor R1 is connected in series with the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R2 is connected in series between the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground. A series circuit consisting of resistor R1 and capacitor C1 is connected in parallel with resistor R2. The connection node of capacitor C1 and resistor R2 is grounded. A resistor R3 is connected in series between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1. A resistor R4 and capacitor C2 are connected in series between the output terminal of the operational amplifier A1 and ground.

7. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The resistance of resistor R1 is 10KΩ, the resistance of resistor R2 is 15KΩ, the resistance of resistor R3 is 100KΩ, and the resistance of resistor R4 is 1KΩ.

8. The fuel cell stack system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The capacitance of capacitor C1 is 4.7nF, and the capacitance of capacitor C2 is 20pF.

9. A control method for a fuel cell stack system, applied to the system described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, When the fuel cell is powered on, the controller controls the heater to heat up. The temperature sensor transmits the detected temperature signal to the controller, which then controls the heater to heat up to the set temperature, thereby vaporizing the water on both sides of the stack endplate.

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