Fuel cell thermal management systems and their control methods, devices and vehicles

Abstract

This invention discloses a fuel cell thermal management system and its control method, device, and vehicle. The method includes: determining the vehicle state, including an off state and an on state; supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle state; acquiring the ion concentration in real time, wherein the ion concentration is the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle; comparing the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain a comparison result; and controlling a first loop and a second loop according to the vehicle state and the comparison result to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack of the vehicle. This invention solves the technical problem of high ion concentration entering the fuel cell stack and damaging the stack, thereby affecting the stack's lifespan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the automotive field, and more specifically, to a fuel cell thermal management system and its control method, apparatus, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology and people's increasing awareness of environmental protection, new energy vehicles are booming. A fuel cell system is a power system used in new energy vehicles, using hydrogen as fuel and air as an oxidant to generate electricity. The only emissions from this power system are water and heat. A fuel cell system mainly includes an air supply system, a hydrogen supply system, and a thermal management system.

[0003] The thermal management system mainly includes the fuel cell stack, water pump, deionizer, intercooler, and radiator. Among these, the intercooler is a core component. Its manufacturing and welding processes lead to severe metal ionization, making it one of the main components causing increased ion concentration in the fuel cell engine's thermal management system. This is especially true when the fuel cell engine has been idle for a long time, resulting in more pronounced ion precipitation in the intercooler. Current technology cannot reduce ion precipitation through the intercooler's manufacturing process, and ion precipitation is a lengthy process. After the engine has been idle for a period, the ion concentration of the coolant inside the engine becomes high. When the fuel cell engine is operating, the high concentration of coolant can enter the fuel cell stack during vehicle startup, damaging the stack and affecting its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a fuel cell thermal management system and its control method, device, and vehicle to at least solve the technical problem of high ion concentration entering the fuel cell stack and damaging the stack, thereby affecting the stack's lifespan.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system is provided, comprising:

[0006] The system determines the vehicle status, including both engine-off and engine-on states; supplies power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status; acquires the ion concentration in real time, where the ion concentration is the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle; compares the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain the comparison result; and controls the first and second loops based on the vehicle status and the comparison result to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack of the vehicle.

[0007] Optionally, supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status includes: supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system at preset intervals in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state.

[0008] Optionally, supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status also includes: providing uninterrupted power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in an active state.

[0009] Optionally, controlling the first and second circuits based on the vehicle status and comparison results to make the ion concentration less than a preset concentration threshold includes: in response to the vehicle status being off and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, controlling the first circuit to be turned on and simultaneously controlling the second circuit to be turned off; controlling the water pump to start so that the coolant passes through the deionizer to make the ion concentration less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the water pump and the deionizer are located in the first circuit.

[0010] Optionally, controlling the first and second circuits based on the vehicle status and comparison results to make the ion concentration less than the preset concentration threshold also includes: in response to the vehicle status being in the starting state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, controlling the first circuit to be turned on, and simultaneously controlling the second circuit to be turned on; adjusting the speed of the water pump according to the ion concentration to make the coolant pass through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0011] Optionally, controlling the first and second loops based on the vehicle status and comparison results to make the ion concentration less than a preset concentration threshold also includes: in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state and the ion concentration being less than the preset concentration threshold, stopping the power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0012] Optionally, controlling the first and second circuits based on the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than a preset concentration threshold includes: in response to the comparison result that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, recording the deionization time from the ion concentration being greater than the preset concentration threshold to being less than the preset concentration threshold; comparing the deionization time with a preset time threshold; and outputting deionizer fault information if the deionization time is greater than the preset time threshold.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell thermal management system is also provided, comprising:

[0014] The first circuit includes a circuit switch, an intercooler, an ion concentration sensor, a deionizer, and a water pump; the second circuit is connected to the first circuit via a circuit switch and includes an intercooler and a fuel cell stack. The circuit switch is used to control the connection between the first and second circuits.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle destination prediction device is also provided, comprising:

[0016] The system comprises the following modules: a determination module for determining the vehicle status, including both engine-off and engine-on states; a power supply module for supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status; an acquisition module for acquiring the ion concentration in real time, where the ion concentration is the ion concentration in the coolant of the vehicle; a comparison module for comparing the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain a comparison result; and a control module for controlling the first and second loops based on the vehicle status and the comparison result to ensure that the ion concentration is below the preset concentration threshold. Specifically, the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack of the vehicle.

[0017] Optionally, the power supply module is also used to: supply power to the fuel cell thermal management system at preset intervals in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state.

[0018] Optionally, the power supply module is also used to: provide uninterrupted power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in an running state.

[0019] Optionally, the control module is also used to: in response to the vehicle being in a shut-off state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, control the first circuit to be turned on and simultaneously control the second circuit to be turned off; control the water pump to start so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the water pump and the deionizer are located in the first circuit.

[0020] Optionally, the control module is also used to: control the first circuit to be turned on in response to the vehicle being in the starting state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, and at the same time control the second circuit to be turned on; adjust the speed of the water pump according to the ion concentration so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0021] Optionally, the control module is also used to: stop supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in a shut-off state and the ion concentration being less than a preset concentration threshold.

[0022] Optionally, the control module is also configured to: in response to a comparison result that the ion concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, record the deionization time from when the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold to when it is less than the preset concentration threshold; compare the deionization time with a preset time threshold; and if the deionization time is greater than the preset time threshold, output deionizer fault information.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle is also provided, wherein a computer program is configured to run on a processor deployed in the vehicle to execute the control method of the fuel cell thermal management system described in any of the preceding claims.

[0024] In this embodiment of the invention, the vehicle state is first determined, including both an off state and an on state. Power is then supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle state. Next, the ion concentration is acquired in real time, where the ion concentration is the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle. Then, the ion concentration is compared with a preset concentration threshold to obtain a comparison result. Finally, based on the vehicle state and the comparison result, the first and second loops are controlled to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold. Specifically, the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack. This method can control the second loop to isolate the high-ion-concentration coolant from the fuel cell stack, and then reduce the ion concentration of the coolant by controlling the first loop, thereby solving the technical problem of high ion concentration entering the fuel cell stack and damaging the stack, thus affecting its lifespan. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a fuel cell thermal management system provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system in a vehicle-off state according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system in a vehicle startup state according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of the control device for a fuel cell thermal management system provided according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system is provided. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions. Furthermore, although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0034] This method embodiment can be executed in an electronic device, similar control device, or system that includes a memory and a processor. Taking an electronic device as an example, the electronic device may include one or more processors and a memory for storing data. Optionally, the electronic device may also include a communication device for communication functions and a display device. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above structural description is merely illustrative and does not limit the structure of the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may include more or fewer components than described above, or have a different configuration than described above.

[0035] A processor may include one or more processing units. For example, a processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processing (DSP) chip, a microcontroller unit (MCU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a neural network processing unit (NPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), or an artificial intelligence (AI) processor. Different processing units may be independent components or integrated into one or more processors. In some instances, electronic devices may also include one or more processors.

[0036] The memory can be used to store computer programs, such as the computer program corresponding to the control method of the fuel cell thermal management system in this embodiment of the invention. The processor implements the control method of the fuel cell thermal management system by running the computer program stored in the memory. The memory may include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor, and these remote memories can be connected to electronic devices via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0037] Communication devices are used to receive or send data via a network. Specific examples of such networks may include wireless networks provided by the mobile terminal's communication provider. In one example, the communication device includes a network interface controller (NIC), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the communication device may be a radio frequency (RF) module used for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0038] The display device can be, for example, a touchscreen liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch display (also referred to as a "touchscreen" or "touch screen"). This LCD allows the user to interact with the user interface of the mobile terminal. In some embodiments, the mobile terminal has a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows the user to interact with the GUI by touching and / or gesturing on a touch-sensitive surface. Optional human-computer interaction functions include: creating web pages, drawing, word processing, creating electronic documents, playing games, video conferencing, instant messaging, sending and receiving emails, a call interface, playing digital video, playing digital music, and / or web browsing, etc. Executable instructions for performing the above human-computer interaction functions are configured / stored in one or more processor-executable computer program products or readable storage media.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of a fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the system includes:

[0040] The first circuit includes a circuit switch, an intercooler 11, an ion concentration sensor 13, a deionizer, and a water pump; the second circuit is connected to the first circuit via a circuit switch and includes an intercooler 11 and a fuel cell stack 10. The circuit switch is used to control the connection between the first circuit and the second circuit.

[0041] Specifically, the first loop includes a first deionizer 12a, a first water pump 14a, and a first access switch 15a and a second access switch 15b. The second loop is connected to the first loop via the first access switch 15a and the second access switch 15b. In addition to the intercooler 11 and the fuel cell stack 10, the second loop also includes a pressure sensor 16 and a temperature sensor 17. The pressure sensor 16 is used to obtain the pressure of the coolant flowing through the second loop, and the temperature sensor 17 is used to obtain the temperature of the coolant flowing through the second loop.

[0042] It should be noted that the first and second circuit switches 15a and 15b can be three-way valves. Controlling the on / off state of the three-way valves controls the flow of the first and second circuits. When only the first circuit is active, coolant cannot flow into the fuel cell stack through the second circuit. When both the first and second circuits are active, coolant can flow between them. When only the second circuit is active, coolant cannot flow to the first deionizer 12a through the second circuit.

[0043] The fuel cell thermal management system also includes a third loop, which is connected to the second loop. The third loop includes a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) 18, a second water pump 14b, a second deionizer 12b, and a radiator 19. The PTC 18 is a thermistor heater. The third loop is a standard feature of the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method for the fuel cell thermal management system can be executed by the vehicle's main controller, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following steps:

[0045] Step S101: Determine the vehicle status.

[0046] The vehicle status includes both the engine off state and the engine running state.

[0047] Specifically, the "off state" indicates that the vehicle is in a state where the fuel cell engine is not working, while the "start state" indicates that the vehicle is in a state where it is responding to the start command and the fuel cell transmitter is ready to start.

[0048] Step S102: Power is supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle status.

[0049] Specifically, the main controller in the vehicle can control the power supply system to supply power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle's status. Different vehicle statuses correspond to different power supply methods.

[0050] Optionally, supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status may include: supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system at preset intervals in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state.

[0051] It should be noted that the preset time can be pre-set according to the ion deposition rate of the intercooler 11, and the ion deposition rate of the intercooler 11 can be measured under experimental conditions.

[0052] For example, when the vehicle is in a turned-off state, the vehicle's main controller controls the power supply system to supply power to the fuel cell thermal management system every hour so that the fuel cell thermal management system can start working.

[0053] When the vehicle is off, intermittently supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system can save vehicle energy consumption.

[0054] Optionally, supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system based on the vehicle status may also include: providing uninterrupted power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in an running state.

[0055] Specifically, when the vehicle is running, the fuel cell thermal management system needs to work continuously. At this time, the vehicle's main controller controls the power supply system to provide uninterrupted power to the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0056] Step S103: Real-time acquisition of ion concentration.

[0057] The ion concentration refers to the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle. Ions released from the intercooler will enter the coolant in the vehicle, and the ion concentration in the coolant will continuously increase as ions are continuously released from the intercooler.

[0058] Specifically, when the fuel cell thermal management system is powered, the ion concentration sensor 13 in the system can detect the ion concentration at the ion concentration sensor 13 in real time, and then the vehicle main controller will detect the ion concentration detected by the ion concentration sensor 13 in real time.

[0059] Step S104: Compare the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain the comparison result;

[0060] It should be noted that the preset concentration threshold can be set according to the ion concentration tolerance of the fuel cell stack 10, and the ion tolerance of the fuel cell stack 10 can be measured under experimental conditions.

[0061] Specifically, the comparison results between ion concentration and preset threshold include: ion concentration greater than or equal to preset threshold and ion concentration less than preset threshold.

[0062] Step S105: Control the first and second circuits according to the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0063] Specifically, the on / off states of the first and second circuits differ depending on the vehicle's condition and the comparison results. When the first circuit is open, it can reduce the ion concentration; when the second circuit is closed, it can isolate the coolant from the vehicle's fuel cell stack 10, preventing high-ion-concentration coolant from entering the fuel cell stack 10.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the vehicle state is first determined, including both an off state and an on state; power is supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle state; secondly, the ion concentration is acquired in real time, where the ion concentration is the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle; then, the ion concentration is compared with a preset concentration threshold to obtain a comparison result; finally, the first and second loops are controlled according to the vehicle state and the comparison result to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack 10 of the vehicle. This method can control the second loop to isolate the coolant with a high ion concentration from the fuel cell stack 10, and then reduce the ion concentration of the coolant by controlling the first loop, thereby solving the technical problem that high ion concentration entering the fuel cell stack damages the stack and thus affects the stack life.

[0065] Optionally, in step S105, controlling the first and second circuits according to the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than a preset concentration threshold may include the following steps:

[0066] In step S1051, in response to the vehicle being in a stalemate and the comparison result showing that the ion concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, the first circuit is turned on while the second circuit is turned off.

[0067] Step S1052: Control the water pump to start so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than a preset concentration threshold, wherein the water pump and the deionizer are set in the first circuit.

[0068] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 When the vehicle is off and the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the vehicle's main controller controls the opening and closing states of the first circuit switch 15a and the second circuit switch 15b, making the first circuit open and the second circuit closed. Then, it controls the first water pump 14a in the first circuit to start, and the coolant in the first circuit quickly passes through the first deionizer 12a under the action of the first water pump 14a, which can reduce the ion concentration in the coolant.

[0069] It should be noted that when the vehicle is off, the second circuit is closed, and the coolant in the first circuit cannot flow into the second circuit, thus preventing the coolant with a high ion concentration from flowing into the fuel cell stack 10 through the second circuit.

[0070] Optionally, in step S105, controlling the first and second circuits based on the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than a preset concentration threshold further includes:

[0071] In step S1053, in response to the vehicle being in an active state and the comparison result showing that the ion concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, the first circuit is controlled to be turned on, and the second circuit is also controlled to be turned on.

[0072] Step S1054: Adjust the speed of the water pump according to the ion concentration so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0073] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 When the vehicle is running and the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the vehicle's main controller controls the opening and closing states of the first path switch 15a and the second path switch 15b, thus connecting the first and second circuits. Then, it controls the start of the first water pump 14a in the first circuit. Under the action of the first water pump 14a, the coolant in the first circuit quickly passes through the first deionizer 12a, which reduces the ion concentration in the coolant.

[0074] After the first water pump 14a is started, the vehicle's main controller will control the output power of the first water pump 14a according to the ion concentration. Once the ion concentration exceeds the concentration threshold, the higher the ion concentration, the more the output power of the first water pump 14a will increase. The correspondence between ion concentration and the output power of the first water pump 14a is obtained through a preset reference table, which was determined under experimental conditions.

[0075] It should be noted that when the vehicle is in the starting state, both the first circuit and the second circuit are in the conducting state. The first deionizer 12a in the first circuit reduces the ion concentration of the coolant in the first and second circuits. The second circuit being in the conducting state allows the coolant to enter the fuel cell stack 10, thereby enabling the fuel cell stack 10 to work normally and ensuring that the vehicle can start normally.

[0076] It should be noted that when the vehicle is started, all components in the third circuit also begin to work.

[0077] Optionally, controlling the first and second loops based on the vehicle status and comparison results to make the ion concentration less than a preset concentration threshold also includes: in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state and the ion concentration being less than the preset concentration threshold, stopping the power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0078] Specifically, when the vehicle is in a stalemate and the fuel cell power supply system is powered on, the ion concentration sensor 13 will detect the ion concentration in the first circuit in real time. When the detected ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, the fuel cell thermal management system does not need to reduce the ion concentration. The vehicle main controller controls the power supply system to stop supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system.

[0079] Optionally, in step S105, controlling the first and second circuits according to the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than a preset concentration threshold may include the following steps:

[0080] Step S1055: In response to the comparison result that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, record the deionization time when the ion concentration changes from greater than the preset concentration threshold to less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0081] Step S1056: Compare the deionization time with the preset time threshold; if the deionization time is greater than the preset time threshold, output deionizer fault information.

[0082] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 When the ion concentration detected by the ion concentration sensor exceeds a preset concentration threshold, the first circuit begins to reduce the ion concentration. The vehicle's main controller starts timing from the first water pump 14a in the first circuit, recording the deionization time from when the ion concentration is above the preset concentration threshold to when it is below the preset concentration threshold. Then, the deionization time is judged. If the deionization time exceeds the preset time threshold, it indicates that the first deionizer 12a is damaged, and a fault message for the first deionizer is output to prompt the user to replace the first deionizer 12a.

[0083] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of the fuel cell thermal management system when the vehicle is off. The specific control process is as follows:

[0084] When the vehicle is idling or stopped, a low-voltage power supply is applied to the system every T hours to obtain the ion concentration W. Idling or stopping refers to the state corresponding to engine shutdown, i.e., the vehicle is off. T is a preset time interval. The system is a fuel cell thermal management system, and the ion concentration W is detected by ion concentration sensor 13.

[0085] The system determines whether the ion concentration W is less than or equal to a preset ion concentration threshold m. If the ion concentration is less than or equal to the preset concentration threshold m, the power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system is stopped, and the control process ends. If the ion concentration W is greater than the preset concentration threshold m, the first loop is turned on and the second loop is turned off. The first water pump 14a is started to reduce the ion concentration of the coolant in the first loop. During the process of reducing the ion concentration, the ion concentration sensor 13 monitors the ion concentration of the coolant in the first loop in real time. When the monitored ion concentration W is less than or equal to the preset concentration threshold m, the power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system is stopped. When the monitored ion concentration W is greater than the preset concentration threshold m, it is determined whether the start time of the first water pump 14a is greater than a preset time interval N. If the start time of the first water pump 14a is greater than N, a fault message for the first deionizer 12a is output to remind the user to replace the first deionizer 12a, and then the power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system is stopped. If the start time of the first water pump 14a is less than or equal to N, the first loop is turned on and the second loop is turned off to continue reducing the ion concentration in the first loop.

[0086] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of the fuel cell thermal management system when the vehicle is running. The specific control process is as follows:

[0087] When the vehicle receives the start command and the fuel cell engine and fuel cell stack 10 are ready to operate, the ion concentration W is acquired. The ion concentration W is detected by the ion concentration sensor 13. It is important to note that the fuel cell thermal management system is continuously powered after the vehicle receives the start command.

[0088] The system determines whether the ion concentration W is less than or equal to a preset ion concentration threshold m. If the ion concentration is less than or equal to the preset concentration threshold m, the vehicle starts normally, and the control process ends. If the ion concentration W is greater than the preset concentration threshold m, the first circuit and the second circuit are activated. Simultaneously, the vehicle starts normally, and the first water pump 14a and the second water pump 14b are activated to reduce the ion concentration of the coolant in the first and second circuits. During the ion concentration reduction process, the ion concentration sensor 13 monitors the ion concentration of the coolant in the first circuit in real time. When the monitored ion concentration W is less than or equal to the preset concentration threshold m, the first circuit and the first water pump 14a are shut down, and the control process ends. When the monitored ion concentration W is greater than the preset concentration threshold m, the system determines whether the start time of the first water pump 14a is greater than a preset time interval N. If the start time of the first water pump 14a is greater than N, a fault message for the first deionizer 12a is output, reminding the user to replace the first deionizer 12a, and the control process ends. If the start-up time of the first water pump 14a is less than or equal to N, the first circuit and the second circuit are kept open to reduce the ion concentration in the first and second circuits while ensuring the normal start-up of the vehicle.

[0089] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods according to the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0090] This embodiment also provides a control device for a fuel cell thermal management system, which is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the systems described in the following embodiments are preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0091] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of the control device 200 of a fuel cell thermal management system according to one embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 5As shown, taking the control device 200 of the fuel cell thermal management system as an example, the device includes: a determination module 201, which is used to determine the vehicle state, wherein the vehicle state includes a shut-off state and an started state; a power supply module 202, which is used to supply power to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle state; an acquisition module 203, which is used to acquire the ion concentration in real time, wherein the ion concentration is the ion concentration in the coolant in the vehicle; a comparison module 204, which is used to compare the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain a comparison result; and a control module 205, which is used to control the first loop and the second loop according to the vehicle state and the comparison result, so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the first loop is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second loop is used to isolate the coolant from the fuel cell stack 10 of the vehicle.

[0092] Optionally, the power supply module 202 is also used to: supply power to the fuel cell thermal management system at preset intervals in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state.

[0093] Optionally, the power supply module 202 is also used to: provide uninterrupted power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in an running state.

[0094] Optionally, the control module 205 is also used to: control the first circuit to be turned on and the second circuit to be turned off in response to the vehicle being in a turned-off state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold; control the water pump to start so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the water pump and the deionizer are set in the first circuit.

[0095] Optionally, the control module 205 is also used to: control the first circuit to be turned on in response to the vehicle being in the starting state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, and at the same time control the second circuit to be turned on; adjust the speed of the water pump according to the ion concentration so that the coolant passes through the deionizer so that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0096] Optionally, the control module 205 is also configured to: stop supplying power to the fuel cell thermal management system in response to the vehicle being in a shut-off state and the ion concentration being less than a preset concentration threshold.

[0097] Optionally, the control module 205 is also configured to: in response to a comparison result that the ion concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, record the deionization time from when the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold to when it is less than the preset concentration threshold; compare the deionization time with a preset time threshold; and if the deionization time is greater than the preset time threshold, output deionizer fault information.

[0098] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a vehicle in which a computer program is configured to run on a processor deployed in the vehicle to execute the steps in the embodiments of the control method for the fuel cell thermal management system described above.

[0099] Optionally, in this embodiment, the processor in the vehicle can be configured to run a computer program to perform the following steps:

[0100] Step S101: Determine the vehicle status;

[0101] Step S102: Power supply is supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle status;

[0102] Step S103: Real-time acquisition of ion concentration;

[0103] Step S104: Compare the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain the comparison result;

[0104] Step S105: Control the first and second circuits according to the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0105] Optionally, specific examples in this embodiment can refer to the examples described in the above embodiments and optional implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a non-volatile storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute the steps in the embodiments of the control method for the fuel cell thermal management system described above when running on a computer or processor.

[0107] Optionally, in this embodiment, the non-volatile storage medium described above can be configured to store a computer program for performing the following steps:

[0108] Step S101: Determine the vehicle status;

[0109] Step S102: Power supply is supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system according to the vehicle status;

[0110] Step S103: Real-time acquisition of ion concentration;

[0111] Step S104: Compare the ion concentration with a preset concentration threshold to obtain the comparison result;

[0112] Step S105: Control the first and second circuits according to the vehicle status and comparison results to ensure that the ion concentration is less than the preset concentration threshold.

[0113] Optionally, in this embodiment, the aforementioned non-volatile storage medium may include, but is not limited to, various media capable of storing computer programs, such as USB flash drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0114] The sequence numbers of the above embodiments of the present invention are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0115] In the above embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0116] In some embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed technical content can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units can be a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For instance, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the displayed or discussed mutual coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection of units or modules may be electrical or other forms.

[0117] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0118] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0119] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0120] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fuel cell thermal management system, characterized by, The system includes a first loop, which includes a first access switch, a second access switch, an intercooler, an ion concentration sensor, a first deionizer, and a first water pump; and a second loop, which is connected to the first loop via the first and second access switches, and includes the intercooler, a fuel cell stack, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor. The first and second access switches are three-way valves used to control the on / off connection between the first and second loops. The system is used to execute a control method for a fuel cell thermal management system, the method including: Determine the vehicle status, which includes both an off state and an on state; In response to the vehicle being in the off state, power is supplied to the fuel cell thermal management system at preset intervals. In response to the vehicle being in the starting state, the fuel cell thermal management system is supplied with uninterrupted power. The ion concentration is acquired in real time, wherein the ion concentration is the ion concentration of the coolant in the vehicle; The ion concentration is compared with a preset concentration threshold to obtain the comparison result; In response to the vehicle being in the off state and the comparison result indicating that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the system controls the first circuit to be turned on and the second circuit to be turned off. The first circuit is used to reduce the ion concentration, and the second circuit is used to isolate the coolant from the vehicle's fuel cell stack. The system also controls the water pump to start, causing the coolant to pass through a deionizer to reduce the ion concentration to less than the preset concentration threshold. The water pump and the deionizer are located in the first circuit. In response to the vehicle being in the started state and the comparison result being that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the first circuit is controlled to be turned on, and the second circuit is simultaneously controlled to be turned on, and the first water pump is controlled to start; the output power of the first water pump is adjusted according to the ion concentration, and the coolant passes through the deionizer to make the ion concentration less than the preset concentration threshold, wherein the correspondence between the ion concentration and the output power of the first water pump is obtained through a preset comparison table; In response to the comparison result that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, the deionization time from the ion concentration being greater than the preset concentration threshold to being less than the preset concentration threshold is recorded; the deionization time is compared with the preset time threshold; if the deionization time is greater than the preset time threshold, deionizer fault information is output. In response to the comparison result indicating that the ion concentration is greater than the preset concentration threshold, it is determined whether the start-up time of the first water pump is greater than the preset time interval; in response to the start-up time of the first water pump being greater than the preset time interval, deionizer fault information is output, and power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system is stopped.

2. The fuel cell thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: In response to the vehicle being in the off state and the ion concentration being less than the preset concentration threshold, power supply to the fuel cell thermal management system is stopped.

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