Fuel cell leakage detection method, fuel cell and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a fuel cell leakage detection method, a fuel cell and a vehicle. The leakage detection method includes: in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the target detection object to be closed, the target detection object being one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit; after a first preset time interval, determining the leakage information of the target detection object according to the parameter information of the fuel cell; controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed. Thus, without the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment, the leakage detection of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit inside the fuel cell is realized through logic and processor, reducing the offline pressure holding time and manual maintenance cost, improving the reliability of the fuel cell operation, and extending the service life of the fuel cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and in particular to a fuel cell leakage detection method, a fuel cell and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the popularity of fuel cell vehicles, fuel cell system leakage detection is a necessary step in the production and use of fuel cell systems. The value is related to the performance, life, and even safety of the fuel cell system.

[0003] In the related art, the fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack composed of multiple fuel cells, and a hydrogen supply system and an oxygen supply system that can provide hydrogen and oxygen to the fuel cell stack. After the fuel cell system runs for a period of time, a certain amount of nitrogen is introduced into the hydrogen supply system and the oxygen supply system through an external pipeline, and the pressure is maintained for a period of time. The pressure in the hydrogen supply system and the oxygen supply system is detected to determine whether there is a leak. However, this method not only requires the construction of additional nitrogen ventilation equipment, but also cannot effectively determine whether the circuit inside the fuel cell stack is leaking. It also requires a long time and a large amount of water spraying, and the detection cost is high, and the versatility and practicality are poor. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve or improve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related art.

[0005] To this end, a first aspect of the present invention provides a fuel cell leakage detection method.

[0006] A second aspect of the present invention also provides a fuel cell.

[0007] The third aspect of the present invention also provides a means of transportation.

[0008] A fourth aspect of the present invention also provides a readable storage medium.

[0009] In view of this, the first aspect of the present invention proposes a leakage detection method for a fuel cell, comprising: in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the target detection object to be closed, the target detection object being one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit; after an interval of a first preset time, determining the leakage information of the target detection object based on the parameter information of the fuel cell; controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed.

[0010] The fuel cell leakage detection method provided by the present invention, when receiving the stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, indicates that the fuel cell needs to be shut down to stop the power supply, and then triggers the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell. Specifically, the target detection object that needs to be detected for leakage is first controlled to be closed, wherein the target detection object is any one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit, and the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object is kept open, so that the gas in the target detection object can continue to react fully. After the first preset time interval, the gas in the target detection object is consumed to the limit value and cannot continue to react, so that the pressure in the target detection object can be in a stable state, that is, start to maintain pressure at a certain pressure. At this time, according to the parameter information currently detected by the fuel cell, it is judged whether the target detection object is leaking, and the leakage information of the target detection object is obtained. After determining the leakage information, the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object is controlled to be closed to complete the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell.

[0011] Through the leakage detection method of the fuel cell provided by the present invention, on the one hand, it is possible to complete the leakage detection of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit inside the fuel cell during the process of shutting down the fuel cell, simplify the leakage detection steps, and avoid the waste of resources caused by the leakage of the fuel cell itself, or even safety accidents. On the other hand, without the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment, the leakage state of the fuel cell can be quickly and in real time monitored, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the fuel cell and saving detection costs. On the other hand, by optimizing the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell to reasonably control the closing sequence of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit, the pressure inside the fuel cell can be maintained, that is, automatic pressure maintenance leakage detection is achieved only through logic and processors, reducing offline pressure maintenance time and manual maintenance costs, improving the reliability of the fuel cell operation, and extending the service life of the fuel cell.

[0012] It should be noted that the fuel cell includes a fuel circuit and an oxidant circuit, wherein the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit both include a flow guide and a gas chamber, and the gas chamber has a dielectric and an electrode. The fuel supply device (e.g., a fuel bottle and a pipe connected between the fuel cell and the fuel bottle) and the oxygen supply device (e.g., a pipe and a compressor connecting the outside air and the fuel cell) of the fuel cell system transport the fuel (e.g., hydrogen, methanol or hydrogen-rich gas obtained by reforming methanol, natural gas, and gasoline) and the oxidant gas (e.g., oxygen or air) to the air inlet of the fuel cell, and the fuel and oxidant gas entering the fuel cell are evenly distributed to the gas chambers on the anode and cathode sides through their respective flow guides. The fuel cell starts to operate, and during the operation, the fuel and the oxidant gas convert chemical energy into electrical energy through the electrocatalytic reaction on the electrode. After the reaction is completed, the fuel and the oxidant gas are discharged from the gas chamber through the flow guide, and the liquid and vapor water generated in the fuel cell are taken out by the fuel and the oxidant gas.

[0013] Specifically, controlling the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit to be closed can be achieved by controlling the valve body at the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit to be closed. The first preset time can be reasonably set according to the effective gas content in the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit, and the time required for the pressure gas content to change significantly due to leakage. The gas content can be estimated based on the size of the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit, gas flow rate and other data. And the first preset time for detecting a fuel circuit leak can be different from the first preset time for detecting an oxidant circuit leak.

[0014] The above-mentioned fuel cell leakage detection method provided by the present invention may also have the following additional technical features:

[0015] In any of the above technical solutions, further, the target detection object is an oxidant circuit, and leakage information of the target detection object is determined according to parameter information of the fuel cell, including: determining leakage information of the oxidant circuit according to the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information.

[0016] In this technical solution, when the target detection object is the oxidant circuit, the oxidant circuit is first controlled to be closed, that is, the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the oxidant circuit are closed. At this time, the oxidant circuit is in a closed state, and the residual oxidant gas in the oxidant circuit continues to react electrochemically with the fuel in the fuel circuit. As the electrochemical reaction proceeds, the fuel cell will generate voltage. After the first preset time, the oxidant gas is consumed to the limit value, and the gas in the oxidant circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, so that the voltage value of the fuel cell remains unchanged. Therefore, it can be determined whether the oxidant circuit is leaking based on the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information. Thereby avoiding the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment when detecting the leakage information of the oxidant circuit by pressure, which not only ensures the accuracy of the leak detection, but also helps to reduce the detection cost.

[0017] In any of the above technical solutions, further, based on the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information, the leakage information of the oxidant circuit is determined, including: if the voltage value is greater than the voltage threshold, it is determined that there is a leak in the oxidant circuit; if the voltage value is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, it is determined that there is no leak in the oxidant circuit.

[0018] In this technical solution, after the first preset time, the oxidant gas is consumed to the limit value, and the gas in the oxidant circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, so the voltage value of the fuel cell is small, or no voltage is generated. Therefore, when the voltage value is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, it can be determined that there is no leakage in the oxidant circuit. If there is a leak in the oxidant circuit, the outside air will enter the oxidant circuit, and the oxygen in the air entering the oxidant circuit will continue to react with the fuel in the fuel circuit, causing the fuel cell to continue to generate electricity, so when the voltage value is greater than the voltage threshold, it can be determined that there is a leak in the oxidant circuit. Thereby avoiding the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment when detecting the leakage information of the oxidant circuit by pressure, which not only ensures the accuracy of leak detection, but also helps to reduce the detection cost.

[0019] It should be noted that in order to ensure that there is enough fuel in the fuel circuit to react with oxygen, after the leakage information of the oxidant circuit is determined through the voltage value, the fuel circuit is controlled to be closed.

[0020] In any of the above technical solutions, further, the target detection object is a fuel circuit, and leakage information of the target detection object is determined according to parameter information of the fuel cell, including: determining leakage information of the fuel circuit according to pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information.

[0021] In this technical solution, when the target detection object is the fuel circuit, the fuel circuit is first controlled to be closed, that is, the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the fuel circuit are closed. At this time, the fuel circuit is in a closed state, and the residual fuel in the fuel circuit continues to react electrochemically with the oxygen in the oxidant circuit. After the first preset time, the fuel is consumed to the limit value, the gas in the fuel circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, the pressure in the fuel circuit remains unchanged, and the pressure is maintained. Therefore, the leakage information of the fuel circuit can be determined based on the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information. There is no need to maintain the pressure of the fuel circuit by additionally adding nitrogen, which not only simplifies the leak detection steps and reduces the leak detection cost, but also greatly reduces the time required for leak detection.

[0022] In any of the above technical solutions, further, based on the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information, the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined, including: if the pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure threshold, it is determined that the fuel circuit is not leaking; if the pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold, it is determined that the fuel circuit is leaking.

[0023] In this technical solution, after the first preset time interval, the fuel is consumed to the limit value, the gas in the fuel circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, the pressure in the fuel circuit remains unchanged, and if there is no leakage, the pressure will be maintained. Therefore, when the pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure threshold, it can be determined that there is no leakage in the fuel circuit. At the same time, because the fuel in the fuel circuit is consumed, the pressure in the fuel circuit is lower than the normal pressure. If there is a leak in the fuel circuit, under the action of the pressure difference, the outside air will enter the fuel circuit. Although the air entering the fuel circuit will not react electrochemically with the oxygen in the oxidant circuit, the pressure begins to increase due to the increase in gas in the fuel circuit until it returns to normal pressure. Therefore, when the pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold, it can be determined that there is a leak in the fuel circuit. Therefore, there is no need to add additional nitrogen. The fuel circuit can be pressurized by the gas inside the fuel circuit, which not only simplifies the leak detection steps and reduces the leak detection cost, but also greatly reduces the time required for leak detection.

[0024] It should be noted that in order to ensure that there is enough oxygen in the oxidant circuit to react with the fuel, the oxidant circuit is controlled to be closed after the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined by pressure.

[0025] In any of the above technical solutions, further, the target detection object is the oxidizer circuit, and after controlling the fuel circuit and the other one in the oxidizer circuit except the target detection object to be closed, it also includes: if it is determined that the oxidizer circuit is not leaking, after a second preset time interval, the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined according to the pressure of the fuel circuit; the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined according to the pressure of the fuel circuit, including: if the pressure of the fuel circuit is less than or equal to the second pressure threshold, it is determined that the fuel circuit is leaking; if the pressure is greater than the second pressure threshold, it is determined that the fuel circuit is not leaking.

[0026] In this technical solution, after the leakage of the oxidant circuit is detected, the fuel circuit is closed. If it is determined that the oxidant circuit is not leaking, the fuel circuit can be detected for leakage. Specifically, since the oxygen in the oxidant circuit has been consumed to the limit value during the leak detection, after the fuel circuit is closed, the fuel in the fuel circuit still cannot continue to react, and the pressure remains unchanged, so as to achieve the pressure maintenance of the fuel circuit. Further, considering that when the fuel circuit is closed, the gas state in the fuel circuit changes from flowing to static, it is easy to affect the accuracy of the pressure detection. Therefore, the pressure of the fuel circuit is obtained after the second preset time interval, so that the gas in the fuel circuit is in a stable state, the accuracy of the pressure is guaranteed, and at the same time, the second preset time interval can also provide sufficient pressure change time for the leak, so as to accurately judge whether the fuel circuit is leaking by pressure. If the pressure of the fuel circuit is detected to be greater than the second pressure threshold, it means that the pressure of the fuel circuit has not changed significantly, and it is determined that there is no leakage in the fuel circuit. If the pressure of the fuel circuit is less than or equal to the second pressure threshold after the second preset time, it means that under the action of the pressure difference, the fuel in the fuel circuit is discharged from the fuel circuit through the leakage position, and the pressure of the fuel circuit is reduced, and it is determined that there is a leak in the fuel circuit. Therefore, by optimizing the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell, the shutdown sequence of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit is reasonably controlled to achieve pressure maintenance inside the fuel cell, that is, the leakage detection of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit inside the fuel cell is completed only through logic and processor, which can not only avoid safety accidents caused by fuel cell leakage, but also effectively improve work efficiency and economic benefits, greatly simplify the leakage detection operation, and achieve efficient and reasonable detection of fuel cells.

[0027] In any of the above technical solutions, further, the fuel cell leakage detection method also includes: if a leak occurs in the oxidant circuit or the fuel circuit, a prompt message is sent to the management end of the fuel cell.

[0028] In this technical solution, in the event of a leak in the oxidant circuit or the fuel circuit, a prompt message is sent to the management end of the fuel cell to alert the user so that the user can take corresponding maintenance measures, which also lays the foundation for the normal use of the fuel cell.

[0029] Specifically, the prompt information may be in the form of voice, text, or image, or a combination thereof. The prompt information may be sent based on communication methods such as WIFI, Bluetooth, and ZigBee to achieve remote monitoring of the management end.

[0030] In any of the above technical solutions, further, based on the parameter information of the fuel cell, the leakage information of the target detection object is determined and output, including: obtaining the cumulative operating time during the operation of the fuel cell; if the cumulative operating time is greater than or equal to the time threshold, the leakage information of the target detection object is determined based on the parameter information of the fuel cell; after determining the leakage information of the target detection object based on the parameter information of the fuel cell, it also includes: initializing the cumulative operating time.

[0031] In this technical solution, during the operation of the fuel cell, the cumulative operation time of the fuel cell is timed. When a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell is received, the cumulative operation time is obtained. When the cumulative operation time is greater than or equal to the time threshold, the leakage detection of the target detection object inside the fuel cell is triggered. When the cumulative operation time is less than the time threshold, it means that the fuel cell does not meet the automatic leakage detection conditions set by the user, and the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit are directly closed according to the conventional shutdown procedure. In this way, the time threshold is used to realize the periodic self-inspection of the fuel cell, thereby improving the reliability of the fuel cell.

[0032] Furthermore, after the leakage information of the target detection object is determined, the accumulated operation time is initialized, that is, the accumulated operation time during the operation of the fuel cell is re-timed from zero to ensure the accuracy of the triggering timing of the leakage detection.

[0033] According to the second aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell is also proposed, comprising: a fuel circuit; an oxidant circuit; electrodes located in the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit; a memory storing a program or instruction; a processor connected to the memory, the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit respectively, and the processor implements the fuel cell leakage detection method proposed in the first aspect when executing the program or instruction. Therefore, the fuel cell has all the beneficial effects of the fuel cell leakage detection method proposed in the first aspect, and in order to avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail.

[0034] It should be noted that when a fuel cell is used in a fuel cell system or a hybrid system with a fuel cell, when the oxidant circuit of the fuel cell is closed, the oxygen supply device (compressor and pipeline) connected to the oxidant circuit needs to be closed to avoid damage to the oxygen supply device due to the continuous delivery of oxidant gas by the oxygen supply device when the oxygen supply device is not connected to the fuel cell. Similarly, when the fuel circuit of the fuel cell is closed, the fuel supply device connected to the fuel circuit needs to be closed.

[0035] Furthermore, the fuel circuit is a hydrogen circuit, and the oxidant circuit is an air circuit, that is, the fuel cell uses hydrogen and air as raw materials.

[0036] According to the third aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is also provided, comprising: a load; and the fuel cell provided in the second aspect, wherein the output end of the fuel cell is connected to the load, and the fuel cell is used to supply energy to the load. Therefore, the vehicle has all the beneficial effects of the fuel cell provided in the second aspect, and will not be described in detail to avoid repetition.

[0037] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a readable storage medium is provided, on which a program or instruction is stored, and when the program or instruction is executed by a processor, the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the first aspect is executed. Therefore, the readable storage medium has all the beneficial effects of the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the first aspect, and in order to avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail.

[0038] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description or may be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 One of the flow charts of a fuel cell leakage detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Figure 2 A second flow chart of a fuel cell leakage detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0042] Figure 3 A third flow chart of a fuel cell leakage detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0043] Figure 4 A fourth flow chart of a fuel cell leakage detection method according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0044] Figure 5 A fifth flow chart showing a method for detecting leakage of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 6 A sixth flow chart showing a method for detecting leakage of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 7 FIG7 is a flow chart showing a method for detecting leakage of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 8 A structural block diagram of a fuel cell according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0048] Fig. 9 A schematic flow chart of a fuel cell stack leakage detection method according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned purpose, features and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0050] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0051] Refer to the following Figures 1 to 9 A fuel cell leakage detection method, a fuel cell, and a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present invention are described.

[0052] Embodiment 1:

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is provided, comprising:

[0054] Step 102, in response to the fuel cell stop operation instruction, controlling the target detection object to shut down;

[0055] Wherein, the target detection object is one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit of the fuel cell;

[0056] Step 104, after a first preset time interval, determining leakage information of the target detection object according to the parameter information of the fuel cell;

[0057] Step 106, controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed.

[0058] In this embodiment, when a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell is received, it indicates that the fuel cell needs to be shut down to stop power supply, and the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell is triggered. Specifically, the target detection object that needs to be detected for leakage is first controlled to be closed, wherein the target detection object is any one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit, and the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object is kept open so that the gas in the target detection object can continue to react fully. After the first preset time interval, the gas in the target detection object is consumed to the limit value and cannot continue to react, so that the pressure in the target detection object can be in a stable state, that is, start to maintain pressure at a certain pressure. At this time, according to the parameter information currently detected by the fuel cell, it is judged whether the target detection object is leaking, and the leakage information of the target detection object is obtained. After determining the leakage information, the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object is controlled to be closed to complete the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell.

[0059] The fuel cell leakage detection method provided by this embodiment, on the one hand, can complete the leakage detection of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit inside the fuel cell during the process of shutting down the fuel cell, simplify the leakage detection steps, and avoid the waste of resources caused by the leakage of the fuel cell itself, or even safety accidents. On the other hand, without the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment, the leakage state of the fuel cell can be quickly and in real time monitored, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the fuel cell and saving detection costs. On the other hand, by optimizing the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell to reasonably control the closing sequence of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit, the pressure inside the fuel cell can be maintained, that is, automatic pressure maintenance leakage detection is achieved only through logic and processors, reducing offline pressure maintenance time and manual maintenance costs, improving the reliability of the fuel cell operation, and extending the service life of the fuel cell.

[0060] It should be noted that the fuel cell includes a fuel circuit and an oxidant circuit, wherein the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit both include a flow guide and a gas chamber, and the gas chamber has a dielectric and an electrode. The fuel supply device (e.g., a fuel bottle and a pipe connected between the fuel cell and the fuel bottle) and the oxygen supply device (e.g., a pipe and a compressor connecting the outside air and the fuel cell) of the fuel cell system transport the fuel (e.g., hydrogen, methanol or hydrogen-rich gas obtained by reforming methanol, natural gas, and gasoline) and the oxidant gas (e.g., oxygen or air) to the air inlet of the fuel cell, and the fuel and oxidant gas entering the fuel cell are evenly distributed to the gas chambers on the anode and cathode sides through their respective flow guides. The fuel cell starts to operate, and during the operation, the fuel and the oxidant gas convert chemical energy into electrical energy through the electrocatalytic reaction on the electrode. After the reaction is completed, the fuel and the oxidant gas are discharged from the gas chamber through the flow guide, and the liquid and vapor water generated in the fuel cell are taken out by the fuel and the oxidant gas.

[0061] Specifically, controlling the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit to be closed can be achieved by controlling the valve body at the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit to be closed. The first preset time can be reasonably set according to the effective gas content in the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit, and the time required for the pressure gas content to change significantly due to leakage. The gas content can be estimated based on the size of the fuel circuit or oxidant circuit, gas flow rate and other data. And the first preset time for detecting a fuel circuit leak can be different from the first preset time for detecting an oxidant circuit leak.

[0062] It is understandable that the target detection object may be an oxidant circuit or a fuel circuit, and the user can pre-set the target detection object to be detected through the control program.

[0063] Embodiment 2:

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0065] Step 202, in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the oxidant circuit to close;

[0066] Step 204, after a first preset time interval, determine the leakage information of the oxidant circuit according to the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information;

[0067] Step 206, controlling the fuel circuit to close.

[0068] In this embodiment, when the target detection object is the oxidant circuit, the oxidant circuit is first controlled to be closed, that is, the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the oxidant circuit are closed. At this time, the oxidant circuit is in a closed state, and the residual oxidant gas in the oxidant circuit continues to react electrochemically with the fuel in the fuel circuit, and the fuel cell generates voltage as the electrochemical reaction proceeds. After the first preset time, the oxidant gas is consumed to the limit value, and the gas in the oxidant circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, so that the voltage value of the fuel cell remains unchanged. Therefore, it can be determined whether the oxidant circuit is leaking based on the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information. Thereby avoiding the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment when detecting the leakage information of the oxidant circuit by pressure, which not only ensures the accuracy of the leak detection, but also helps to reduce the detection cost.

[0069] Embodiment 3:

[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0071] Step 302, in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the oxidant circuit to close;

[0072] Step 304, after a first preset time interval, obtaining a voltage value of the fuel cell;

[0073] Step 306, whether the voltage value is greater than the voltage threshold, if so, proceed to step 308, if not, proceed to step 310;

[0074] Step 308, determining that the oxidant circuit has a leak, and proceeding to step 312;

[0075] Step 310, determine that the oxidant circuit has no leakage, and proceed to step 312;

[0076] Step 312, controlling the fuel circuit to close.

[0077] In this embodiment, after the first preset time, the oxidant gas is consumed to a limit value, and the gas in the oxidant circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, so the voltage value of the fuel cell is small, or no voltage is generated. Therefore, when the voltage value is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, it can be determined that there is no leakage in the oxidant circuit. If there is a leak in the oxidant circuit, the outside air will enter the oxidant circuit, and the oxygen in the air entering the oxidant circuit will continue to react with the fuel in the fuel circuit, causing the fuel cell to continue to generate electricity, so when the voltage value is greater than the voltage threshold, it can be determined that there is a leak in the oxidant circuit. Thereby avoiding the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment when detecting the leakage information of the oxidant circuit by pressure, not only ensures the accuracy of leak detection, but also helps to reduce the detection cost.

[0078] The voltage threshold can be reasonably set according to the voltage of the fuel cell without leakage of the oxidant loop after the first preset time and the error amount.

[0079] It should be noted that in order to ensure that there is enough fuel in the fuel circuit to react with oxygen, after the leakage information of the oxidant circuit is determined through the voltage value, the fuel circuit is controlled to be closed.

[0080] Embodiment 4:

[0081] like Figure 4 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0082] Step 402, in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the fuel circuit to close;

[0083] Step 404, after a first preset time period, determine the leakage information of the fuel circuit according to the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information;

[0084] Step 406, controlling the oxidant loop to close.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the target detection object is the fuel circuit, the fuel circuit is first controlled to be closed, that is, the air inlet and air outlet of the fuel cell corresponding to the fuel circuit are closed. At this time, the fuel circuit is in a closed state, and the residual fuel in the fuel circuit continues to react electrochemically with the oxygen in the oxidant circuit. After the first preset time, the fuel is consumed to the limit value, the gas in the fuel circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, the pressure in the fuel circuit remains unchanged, and the pressure is maintained. Therefore, the leakage information of the fuel circuit can be determined based on the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information. There is no need to maintain the pressure of the fuel circuit by additionally adding nitrogen, which not only simplifies the leakage detection steps and reduces the cost of leakage detection, but also greatly reduces the time required for leakage detection.

[0086] Embodiment 5:

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0088] Step 502, in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the fuel circuit to close;

[0089] Step 504, after a first preset time interval, obtaining the pressure of the fuel circuit;

[0090] Step 506, whether the pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure threshold, if so, proceed to step 508, if not, proceed to step 510;

[0091] Step 508, determine that the fuel circuit has no leakage, and proceed to step 512;

[0092] Step 510, determining that a fuel circuit leaks, and sending a prompt message to the management end of the fuel cell, and then proceeding to step 512;

[0093] Step 512, controlling the oxidant loop to close.

[0094] In this embodiment, after the first preset time interval, the fuel in the fuel circuit is consumed to the limit value, the gas in the fuel circuit cannot maintain the electrochemical reaction, the pressure in the fuel circuit remains unchanged, and if there is no leakage, the pressure will be maintained. Therefore, when the pressure is less than or equal to the first pressure threshold, it can be determined that there is no leakage in the fuel circuit. At the same time, because the fuel in the fuel circuit is consumed, the gas pressure in the fuel circuit is lower than the normal pressure. If there is a leak in the fuel circuit, under the action of the pressure difference, the outside air will enter the fuel circuit. Although the air entering the fuel circuit will not react electrochemically with the oxygen in the oxidant circuit, the pressure begins to increase due to the increase in gas in the fuel circuit until it returns to normal pressure. Therefore, when the pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold, it can be determined that there is a leak in the fuel circuit. Therefore, there is no need to add additional nitrogen. The fuel circuit can be pressurized by the gas inside the fuel circuit, which not only simplifies the leak detection steps and reduces the leak detection cost, but also greatly reduces the time required for leak detection.

[0095] The first pressure threshold may be reasonably set according to the pressure of the fuel circuit that has not leaked after the first preset time period and the error amount.

[0096] It should be noted that in order to ensure that there is enough oxygen in the oxidant circuit to react with the fuel, the oxidant circuit is controlled to be closed after the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined by pressure.

[0097] Furthermore, in the event of a leak in the fuel circuit, a prompt message is sent to the management end of the fuel cell to alert the user so that the user can take corresponding maintenance measures, which also lays the foundation for the normal use of the fuel cell.

[0098] Embodiment 6:

[0099] like Figure 6 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0100] Step 602, in response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling the oxidant circuit to close;

[0101] Step 604, after a first preset time interval, obtaining a voltage value of the fuel cell;

[0102] Step 606, whether the voltage value is greater than the voltage threshold, if so, proceed to step 608, if not, proceed to step 612;

[0103] Step 608, determining that the oxidant circuit is leaking, and sending a prompt message to the management terminal of the fuel cell;

[0104] Step 610, controlling the fuel circuit to close;

[0105] Step 612, determining that the oxidant circuit has no leaks;

[0106] Step 614, controlling the fuel circuit to close, and obtaining the pressure of the fuel circuit after a second preset time interval;

[0107] Step 616, whether the pressure of the fuel circuit is less than or equal to the second pressure threshold, if so, proceed to step 618, if not, proceed to step 620;

[0108] Step 618, determining that a fuel circuit leaks, and sending a prompt message to the management terminal of the fuel cell;

[0109] Step 620 , determine that the fuel circuit has no leaks.

[0110] In this embodiment, after the leakage of the oxidant circuit is detected, the fuel circuit is closed. If it is determined that the oxidant circuit is not leaking, the fuel circuit can be detected for leakage. Specifically, since the oxygen in the oxidant circuit has been consumed to the limit value during the leak detection, after the fuel circuit is closed, the fuel in the fuel circuit still cannot continue to react, and the pressure remains unchanged, so as to achieve the pressure maintenance of the fuel circuit. Further, considering that when the fuel circuit is closed, the gas state in the fuel circuit changes from flowing to static, which is easy to affect the pressure detection. Therefore, the pressure of the fuel circuit is obtained after the second preset time interval, so that the gas in the fuel circuit is in a stable state, and the accuracy of the pressure is guaranteed. At the same time, the second preset time interval can also provide sufficient pressure change time for the leak, so as to accurately judge whether the fuel circuit is leaking by pressure. If the pressure of the fuel circuit is detected to be greater than the second pressure threshold, it means that the pressure of the fuel circuit has not changed significantly, and it is determined that there is no leakage in the fuel circuit. If the pressure of the fuel circuit is less than or equal to the second pressure threshold after the second preset time, it means that under the action of the pressure difference, the fuel in the fuel circuit is discharged from the fuel circuit through the leakage position, so that the pressure of the fuel circuit is reduced, and it is determined that there is a leak in the fuel circuit. Therefore, by optimizing the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell, the closing sequence of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit can be reasonably controlled to achieve pressure maintenance inside the fuel cell. That is, the leakage detection of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit inside the fuel cell is completed only by logic and processor. It can not only avoid safety accidents caused by fuel cell leakage, but also effectively improve work efficiency and economic benefits, greatly simplify the leakage detection operation, and realize efficient and reasonable detection of fuel cells.

[0111] The second preset time can be reasonably set according to the time required for the gas in the fuel circuit to stabilize after closing the fuel circuit, the time required for the pressure gas content to change significantly due to leakage, and user needs. The second pressure threshold can be reasonably set according to the pressure and error of the fuel circuit that has not leaked after the second preset time.

[0112] Furthermore, when it is determined that there is a leak in the oxidant circuit and the fuel circuit, a prompt message is sent to the management end of the fuel cell to alert the user so that the user can take corresponding maintenance measures, which also lays the foundation for the normal use of the fuel cell.

[0113] In addition, when a leak occurs in the oxidant circuit, the change in the voltage value of the fuel cell within the first preset time period can also be calculated, that is, the difference between the voltage value when the oxidant circuit is closed and the voltage value after the first preset time period. According to the correspondence between the preset change and the leakage level, the current leakage level of the oxidant circuit corresponding to the change is determined, and the leakage level is sent to the management end as a prompt message, so that the user can judge the degree of leakage of the oxidant circuit through the leakage level, so that the user can judge whether after-sales maintenance is required. Similarly, when a leak occurs in the fuel circuit, the change in the pressure of the fuel circuit within the first preset time period or the second preset time period is calculated, and according to the correspondence between the preset change and the leakage level, the current leakage level of the fuel circuit corresponding to the change is determined, and the leakage level is sent to the management end as a prompt message.

[0114] Embodiment 7:

[0115] like Figure 7 As shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell leakage detection method is proposed, comprising:

[0116] Step 702, in response to the fuel cell stop operation instruction, controlling the target detection object to be turned off;

[0117] Wherein, the target detection object is one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit of the fuel cell;

[0118] Step 704, obtaining the accumulated operation time during the operation of the fuel cell;

[0119] Step 706, whether the accumulated running time is greater than or equal to the time threshold, if so, proceed to step 708, if not, proceed to step 712;

[0120] Step 708, after a first preset time interval, determining leakage information of the target detection object according to the parameter information of the fuel cell;

[0121] Step 710, initializing the accumulated running time, and controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed;

[0122] Step 712, controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed.

[0123] In this embodiment, during the operation of the fuel cell, the cumulative operation time of the fuel cell during the operation is timed. When a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell is received, the cumulative operation time is obtained. When the cumulative operation time is greater than or equal to the time threshold, a leakage detection of the target detection object inside the fuel cell is triggered. When the cumulative operation time is less than the time threshold, it means that the fuel cell does not meet the automatic leakage detection conditions set by the user, and the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit are directly closed according to the conventional shutdown procedure. Thus, the time threshold is used to realize the periodic self-inspection of the fuel cell, thereby avoiding improving the reliability of the fuel cell.

[0124] Furthermore, after the leakage information of the target detection object is determined, the accumulated operation time is initialized, that is, the accumulated operation time during the operation of the fuel cell is re-timed from zero to ensure the accuracy of the triggering timing of the leakage detection.

[0125] In addition, if the accumulated running time is less than the time threshold, but a leak detection instruction from the user is received, the leak detection instruction from the user is executed first to perform a leak detection on the fuel cell. Similarly, even if a leak detection is performed on the fuel cell in response to the leak detection instruction from the user, the accumulated running time will still be initialized after the leak information of the target detection object is determined.

[0126] Embodiment 8:

[0127] like Figure 8 As shown, according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell 800 is proposed, including: a fuel circuit 810, an oxidant circuit 820, an electrode 830, a processor 840 and a memory 850.

[0128] In detail, the electrodes are located in the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 for realizing the electrochemical reaction. The memory 850 has a program or instruction that can be run on the processor 840. The processor 840 is connected to the memory 850, the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 respectively. When the program or instruction is executed by the processor 840, the following steps are implemented: in response to the stop operation instruction of the fuel cell 800, the target detection object is controlled to be closed, and the target detection object is one of the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820; after the first preset time interval, the leakage information of the target detection object is determined according to the parameter information of the fuel cell 800; the other one of the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 except the target detection object is controlled to be closed.

[0129] In this embodiment, when the processor 840 receives the stop operation instruction of the fuel cell 800, it indicates that the system needs to shut down the fuel cell 800 to stop power supply, and then triggers the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell 800. Specifically, the processor 840 first controls the target detection object that needs to be detected for leakage to be closed, wherein the target detection object is any one of the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820, and keeps the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 in the open state except the target detection object, so that the gas in the target detection object can continue to react fully. After the first preset time interval, the gas in the target detection object is consumed to the limit value and cannot continue to react, so that the pressure in the target detection object can be in a stable state, that is, start to maintain pressure at a certain pressure. At this time, the processor 840 determines whether the target detection object is leaking according to the parameter information currently detected by the fuel cell, and obtains the leakage information of the target detection object. After determining the leakage information, the processor 840 controls the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 in addition to the target detection object to close, so as to complete the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell 800. On the one hand, during the process of shutting down the fuel cell 800, the leakage detection of the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820 inside the fuel cell 800 can be completed, simplifying the leakage detection steps, while avoiding the waste of resources caused by the leakage of the fuel cell 800 itself, or even safety accidents. On the other hand, without the need to add additional nitrogen and detection equipment, the leakage state of the fuel cell 800 can be quickly and in real time monitored, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the fuel cell 800 and saving detection costs. On the other hand, by optimizing the shutdown procedure of the fuel cell 800 to reasonably control the shutdown sequence of the fuel circuit 810 and the oxidant circuit 820, the pressure inside the fuel cell 810 can be maintained, that is, only the logic and processor 840 are used to realize automatic pressure maintenance leakage detection, reduce the offline pressure maintenance time and the cost of manual maintenance, improve the reliability of the fuel cell 800, and extend the service life of the fuel cell 800.

[0130] It should be noted that when a fuel cell is used in a fuel cell system or a hybrid system with a fuel cell, when the fuel cell oxidant circuit is closed, the oxygen supply device (compressor and pipeline) connected to the oxidant circuit needs to be closed to avoid damage to the oxygen supply device due to the continuous delivery of oxidant gas by the oxygen supply device when the oxygen supply device is not connected to the fuel cell. Similarly, when the fuel cell fuel circuit is closed, the fuel supply device connected to the fuel circuit needs to be closed.

[0131] Specifically, the fuel circuit is a hydrogen circuit, and the oxidant circuit is an air circuit, that is, the fuel cell uses hydrogen and air as raw materials.

[0132] Embodiment 9:

[0133] like Fig. 9 As shown, according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, taking a hydrogen-air fuel cell stack as an example, a fuel cell stack leakage detection method is proposed. The fuel cell stack is applied to a fuel cell system. The fuel cell stack leakage detection method includes:

[0134] Step 902, shutting down the fuel cell system;

[0135] Step 904, closing the air valves at the inlet and outlet of the air compressor and the fuel cell stack;

[0136] Step 906, whether the fuel cell stack voltage is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, if so, proceed to step 908, if not, proceed to step 910;

[0137] Step 908, the air circuit of the fuel cell stack is leak-proof;

[0138] Step 910, the air circuit of the fuel cell stack is leaking, and the user is prompted to perform maintenance;

[0139] Step 912, closing the hydrogen valves at the inlet and outlet of the fuel cell stack;

[0140] Step 914, whether the hydrogen pressure is greater than the second pressure threshold, if so, proceed to step 916, if not, proceed to step 918;

[0141] Step 916, the hydrogen circuit of the fuel cell stack is leak-proof;

[0142] Step 918: The hydrogen circuit of the fuel cell stack is leaking, and the user is prompted to perform maintenance.

[0143] In this embodiment, when the fuel cell stack (referred to as the stack) is maintaining pressure, the shutdown control strategy is used to determine whether the stack is leaking. When the fuel cell system is shut down, the air compressor and the air inlet and outlet valves are closed. After a period of time, if the stack voltage is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, it means that the air circuit is not leaking. If it is greater than the voltage threshold, it means that the air circuit is leaking, and the alarm prompts the user to perform maintenance; when the air circuit is not leaking, the hydrogen inlet and outlet valves are closed. After a period of time, if the hydrogen pressure is greater than or equal to the second pressure threshold, it means that the hydrogen circuit is not leaking. If the hydrogen pressure is less than the second pressure threshold, it means that the hydrogen circuit is leaking, and the alarm prompts the user to perform maintenance. Thus, the shutdown strategy is used to quickly and in real time monitor the leakage status of the stack, determine whether the stack is leaking, and prompt the user whether after-sales maintenance is required, which not only avoids safety accidents caused by stack leakage, but also reduces offline pressure maintenance time and manual maintenance costs.

[0144] Embodiment 10:

[0145] According to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a load and a fuel cell provided in the embodiment of the second aspect. The fuel cell is connected to the load, and the fuel cell is used to supply energy to the load. Therefore, the vehicle has all the beneficial effects of the fuel cell provided in the embodiment of the second aspect, and will not be described in detail to avoid repetition.

[0146] Specifically, the vehicle may be a car, a ship, or other vehicles that can be powered by a fuel cell.

[0147] Furthermore, the number of fuel cells may be one or more, and a plurality of fuel cells may form a fuel cell stack to provide the required power for a vehicle.

[0148] Embodiment 11:

[0149] According to an embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention, a readable storage medium is provided, on which a program or instruction is stored, and when the program or instruction is executed by a processor, the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the embodiment of the first aspect is performed. Therefore, the readable storage medium has all the beneficial effects of the fuel cell leakage detection method provided in the embodiment of the first aspect, and in order to avoid repetition, it will not be described in detail.

[0150] In the present invention, the term "plurality" refers to two or more than two, unless otherwise clearly defined. The terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "connected" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0151] In the description of this specification, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "specific embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0152] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell leakage detection method, characterized in that: The fuel cell includes a fuel circuit and an oxidant circuit, and the leakage detection method includes: In response to a stop operation instruction of the fuel cell, controlling a target detection object to be closed, the target detection object being one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit; After a first preset time period, determining leakage information of the target detection object according to parameter information of the fuel cell; Controlling the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object to be closed; The target detection object is the oxidant circuit, and the leakage information of the target detection object is determined according to the parameter information of the fuel cell, including: Determining leakage information of the oxidant circuit according to the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information; or The target detection object is the fuel circuit, and determining leakage information of the target detection object according to parameter information of the fuel cell includes: determining leakage information of the fuel circuit according to the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information; The step of determining leakage information of the fuel circuit according to the pressure of the fuel circuit in the parameter information includes: If the pressure is less than or equal to a first pressure threshold, determining that the fuel circuit is not leaking; If the pressure is greater than the first pressure threshold, it is determined that a leak occurs in the fuel circuit.

2. The fuel cell leakage detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining the leakage information of the oxidant circuit according to the voltage value of the fuel cell in the parameter information includes: If the voltage value is greater than a voltage threshold, it is determined that a leak occurs in the oxidant circuit; If the voltage value is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, it is determined that the oxidant circuit has no leakage.

3. The fuel cell leakage detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target detection object is the oxidant circuit, and after the controlling of closing the other one of the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit except the target detection object, the method further includes: If it is determined that the oxidant circuit has no leakage, after a second preset time interval, the leakage information of the fuel circuit is determined according to the pressure of the fuel circuit; Determining leakage information of the fuel circuit according to the pressure of the fuel circuit includes: If the pressure of the fuel circuit is less than or equal to a second pressure threshold, determining that leakage occurs in the fuel circuit; If the pressure is greater than the second pressure threshold, it is determined that the fuel circuit has no leak.

4. The fuel cell leakage detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: Also includes: If leakage occurs in the oxidant circuit or the fuel circuit, a prompt message is sent to the management end of the fuel cell.

5. The fuel cell leakage detection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The step of determining leakage information of the target detection object according to the parameter information of the fuel cell includes: Obtaining the cumulative operating time of the fuel cell during operation; If the accumulated running time is greater than or equal to a time threshold, determining leakage information of the target detection object according to parameter information of the fuel cell; After determining the leakage information of the target detection object according to the parameter information of the fuel cell, the method further includes: Initialize the accumulated running time.

6. A fuel cell, characterized in that: include: Fuel circuit; Oxidant circuit; Electrodes located in the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit; A memory storing programs or instructions; A processor, wherein the processor is connected to the memory, the fuel circuit and the oxidant circuit respectively, and when the processor executes the program or the instruction, the leakage detection method of the fuel cell according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is implemented.

7. The fuel cell according to claim 6, characterized in that The fuel circuit is a hydrogen circuit; The oxidant circuit is an air circuit.

8. A means of transport, characterized in that: include: load; The fuel cell according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the output end of the fuel cell is connected to the load, and the fuel cell is used to supply energy to the load.

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