Oxygen treatment system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The application provides an oxygen treatment system and a control method thereof. The oxygen treatment system comprises an oxygen treatment device for treating oxygen through an electrochemical reaction and a liquid supplementing device for supplementing liquid to the oxygen treatment device. The control method comprises: acquiring a liquid shortage prompt signal of the liquid supplementing device; judging whether the oxygen treatment system has a fault based on the liquid shortage prompt signal; and outputting a fault prompt signal if yes. According to the scheme of the application, whether the oxygen treatment system has a fault can be regularly monitored, and the user can be reminded to take remedial measures in time when the fault occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to modified atmosphere storage technology, and in particular to an oxygen processing system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology extends the shelf life of food by adjusting the composition of ambient gases. Oxygen treatment devices use electrochemical reactions at electrodes to process oxygen, creating either a low-oxygen or high-oxygen preservation atmosphere. Since the electrochemical reactions typically take place in an electrolyte and produce gases, these gases must be released into the external environment.

[0003] During the reaction, the electrolyte evaporates due to the generation of a large amount of heat. This can lead to trace amounts of electrolyte being carried in the gas emitted by the oxygen treatment device. Therefore, a replenishment device is needed in the oxygen treatment system to replenish the electrolyte. The inventors recognized that if the oxygen treatment system malfunctions, it will not only affect the normal functioning of oxygen regulation but may also cause leakage, leading to electrolyte corrosion of the surrounding environment.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this application, and therefore may include prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one technical defect in the prior art and to provide an oxygen treatment system and its control method.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to regularly monitor whether the oxygen treatment system malfunctions and to promptly alert the user to take remedial measures when a malfunction occurs.

[0007] Another further objective of this invention is to enhance the fault type analysis capability of oxygen treatment systems in order to assist users in taking targeted remedial measures.

[0008] Another further objective of this invention is to make the means of fault monitoring and early warning for oxygen treatment systems more comprehensive and to expand their scope of application.

[0009] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, a control method for an oxygen treatment system is provided, the oxygen treatment system comprising an oxygen treatment device for treating oxygen by an electrochemical reaction and a replenishment device for replenishing the oxygen treatment device with liquid, and the control method comprising:

[0010] Obtain the low-liquidity warning signal from the fluid replenishment device;

[0011] Based on the low liquid warning signal, determine whether the oxygen processing system has malfunctioned;

[0012] If so, a fault indication signal will be output.

[0013] Optionally, the step of obtaining the low-liquidity warning signal of the fluid replenishment device includes:

[0014] Obtain the liquid level of the replenishment device;

[0015] Determine whether the liquid level of the replenishment device has reached the preset safe liquid level;

[0016] If the condition is met, the low-fluid level warning signal is generated.

[0017] Optionally, the step of determining whether the oxygen treatment system has malfunctioned based on the low liquid warning signal includes:

[0018] Based on the liquid shortage warning signal, determine the amount of liquid that the replenishment device previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device, and verify the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume;

[0019] The effectiveness of the liquid volume is used to determine whether the oxygen treatment system is malfunctioning.

[0020] Optionally, the failure types of the oxygen treatment system include leakage failures; and

[0021] The steps for determining whether the oxygen treatment system has experienced the liquid leakage fault based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume include:

[0022] Determine whether the effective utilization rate is less than a preset first ratio threshold;

[0023] If so, then the oxygen processing system is confirmed to have experienced the aforementioned leakage fault.

[0024] Optionally, the failure types of the oxygen treatment system also include aging failures of the oxygen treatment device; and

[0025] The step of determining whether the oxygen treatment device has experienced the aging failure based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes:

[0026] Determine whether the effective utilization rate is greater than a preset second ratio threshold, wherein the second ratio threshold is greater than the first ratio threshold;

[0027] If so, then the oxygen processing unit is confirmed to have the aforementioned aging fault.

[0028] Optionally, the step of determining the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device by the replenishment device based on the low liquid warning signal includes:

[0029] Obtain the highest liquid level when the replenishment device previously completed replenishment;

[0030] The amount of liquid that the replenishment device previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device is calculated based on the difference between the safe liquid level corresponding to the low liquid level indication signal and the highest liquid level.

[0031] Optionally, the step of verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes:

[0032] The operating time of the oxygen treatment device after the replenishment device completes replenishment is obtained;

[0033] The effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is tested based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device.

[0034] Optionally, the step of verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device includes:

[0035] The amount of liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction is calculated based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device.

[0036] The effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is tested based on the amount of liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction.

[0037] Optionally, the step of verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the amount of liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction includes:

[0038] The amount of liquid loss caused by non-electrochemical reaction after the replenishment device completes replenishment of the oxygen treatment device is obtained, and the sum of the amount of liquid loss and the amount of liquid loss is calculated.

[0039] The ratio between the sum of the liquid loss and the liquid consumption and the liquid volume is calculated as the effective utilization rate.

[0040] According to another aspect of the present invention, an oxygen treatment system is also provided, the oxygen treatment system comprising an oxygen treatment device for treating oxygen by an electrochemical reaction and a replenishment device for replenishing the oxygen treatment device with liquid, and further comprising:

[0041] A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any of the above.

[0042] The oxygen treatment system and control method of the present invention acquire a low-liquidity warning signal from the replenishment device and determine whether the oxygen treatment system has malfunctioned based on the low-liquidity warning signal. This allows for a fault check of the oxygen treatment system every time the replenishment device is low on liquid or requires replenishment, thus enabling on-demand inspection of the oxygen treatment system and traceability of each stage of use. Based on the solution of the present invention, the oxygen treatment system can be monitored regularly for faults, and users can be promptly alerted to take remedial measures when a fault occurs.

[0043] Furthermore, the oxygen treatment system and control method of the present invention, by obtaining the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device by the replenishment device and verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume, can determine the fault type of the oxygen treatment system based on the value of the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume. Using the above method of the present invention can improve the fault type analysis capability of the oxygen treatment system, thereby assisting users in taking targeted remedial measures.

[0044] Furthermore, the oxygen treatment system and control method of the present invention can not only monitor and warn of leakage problems in the oxygen treatment system, but also monitor and warn of aging problems in the oxygen treatment device, making the monitoring and warning methods more comprehensive. Moreover, since it does not require direct data sampling of the liquid state or electrochemical component state of the complex oxygen treatment device, the above-mentioned method of the present invention can be directly applied to multiple existing oxygen treatment devices without modifying the structure of existing oxygen treatment devices, thus possessing the advantage of wide applicability.

[0045] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0046] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of an oxygen treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of an oxygen treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a fluid replenishment device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of a control method for an oxygen treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of an oxygen treatment system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0052] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The various embodiments provided are intended to explain the invention and not to limit it. In fact, various modifications and variations to the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, a feature illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, the invention is intended to cover such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0053] The following reference Figures 1 to 5 The present invention describes an oxygen treatment system 50 and its control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The terms "inner," "outer," "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," and "lateral," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship of the various components of the oxygen treatment system 50 in its operational state. These terms are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and for simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0054] In the description of this embodiment, it should be understood that the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it covers, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may be further included.

[0055] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "a case," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0056] Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art should be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0057] The present invention first provides an oxygen processing system 50. Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram of an oxygen treatment system 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The oxygen treatment system 50 generally includes an oxygen treatment device 20, a liquid replenishment device 10, a processor 110, and a memory 120. Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of an oxygen treatment system 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the processor 110 and the memory 120 are omitted. The oxygen treatment system 50 of this embodiment is used to be installed in a refrigerator to treat the oxygen in the storage space of the refrigerator using the oxygen treatment device 20.

[0058] The oxygen treatment device 20 is used to treat oxygen through an electrochemical reaction, such as consuming oxygen and / or generating oxygen, thereby reducing and / or increasing the oxygen content of the space. The liquid replenishment device 10 is used to replenish the oxygen treatment device 20 with liquid.

[0059] The oxygen treatment device 20 generally includes a housing 210, an anode plate (not shown), and a cathode plate 220. The cathode plate 220 is used to consume oxygen through an electrochemical reaction under the action of an electrolysis voltage. The anode plate is used to provide reactants (e.g., electrons) to the cathode plate 220 and generate oxygen through an electrochemical reaction under the action of an electrolysis voltage.

[0060] When an electric current is applied, for example, oxygen in the air can undergo a reduction reaction at the cathode plate 220, namely: O2 + 2H2O + 4e - →4OH - The OH- ions generated at the cathode plate 220 can undergo an oxidation reaction at the anode plate to produce oxygen, i.e.: 4OH- → O2 + 2H2O + 4e- - .

[0061] In this embodiment, the electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20 leads to the loss of water in the electrolyte. Therefore, it is only necessary to replenish water to the oxygen treatment device 20, and the liquid in the replenishment device 10 can be water. Of course, in other embodiments, the replenishment device 10 can also replenish the oxygen treatment device 20 with an electrolyte of appropriate concentration.

[0062] The above examples of electrochemical reactions of the anode plate and cathode plate 220 are merely illustrative. Based on the understanding of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should be able to easily change the type of electrochemical reaction or extend the structure of the oxygen treatment device 20 to be applicable to other types of electrochemical reactions. All such changes and extensions should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0063] An opening is provided on the side wall of the housing 210, and the cathode plate 220 can be disposed at the opening and together with the housing 210 define an electrolysis chamber for holding electrolyte. The anode plate can be disposed in the electrolysis chamber at intervals from the cathode plate 220.

[0064] The replenishment device 10 may generally include a housing 410. Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a fluid replenishment device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] The interior of the housing 410 defines a liquid storage space 411 that is connected to the gas outlet and a liquid collection space 412 that is blocked. The liquid storage space 411 is used to filter oxygen from the oxygen treatment device 20. The liquid storage space 411 is used to hold liquids, such as water or other solutions. The type of liquid can be set according to the solubility characteristics of oxygen and the solubility characteristics of impurities contained in oxygen, as long as the impurities contained in oxygen can dissolve in the liquid while the oxygen itself hardly dissolves in the liquid. The housing 410 has an outlet 413 that communicates with the liquid storage space 411, which allows the liquid in the liquid storage space 411 to flow out of the liquid storage space 411 and into the electrolysis chamber of the oxygen treatment device 20. For example, a replenishment pipe 510 can be connected between the outlet 413 and the replenishment port 212 described below, which is used to guide the liquid flowing out of the liquid storage space 411 to the electrolysis chamber.

[0066] The housing 410 also has an injection port 416 that communicates with the liquid storage space 411, allowing liquid from outside the housing 410 to be injected into the liquid storage space 411 to replenish the liquid storage space 411. The highest point of the injection port 416 is lower than the lowest point of the gas collection space 412, so that the gas collection space 412 is physically confined above the liquid storage space 411 and is blocked from the liquid path of the liquid storage space 411.

[0067] The gas collection space 412 is connected to the external environment of the housing 410 to discharge oxygen filtered by the liquid storage space 411 from the housing 410. The liquid storage space 411 and the gas collection space 412 are connected by an airflow path but have a blocked liquid path. This means that while there is an airflow path between the liquid storage space 411 and the gas collection space 412, allowing for gas exchange, the liquid path between them is blocked, preventing liquid in the liquid storage space 411 from entering the gas collection space 412. The gas collection space 412 is not used to hold liquids; it is only used to collect and discharge oxygen filtered by the liquid storage space 411.

[0068] The housing 410 may have an air inlet 414 communicating with the liquid storage space 411 and an air outlet 415 communicating with the gas collection space 412. An air supply pipe 310 may be connected between the air inlet 414 and the exhaust port 211 described below, the air supply pipe 310 being used to guide the gas flowing out of the exhaust port 211 to the liquid storage space 411. The liquid replenishment device 10 may further include a filter pipe 420 and an air outlet pipe 430.

[0069] The filter pipe 420 is inserted into the gas collection space 412 from the air inlet 414 and extends into the liquid storage space 411 to guide the gas into the liquid storage space 411, so that soluble substances in the gas dissolve in the liquid storage space 411. The outlet pipe 430 is inserted into the gas collection space 412 from the air outlet 415 and extends above the lowest point of the gas collection space 412 to guide the filtered gas out of the housing 410.

[0070] The replenishment device 10 may further include a gas-blocking mechanism 440, which divides the liquid storage space 411 into a filtration zone and a non-filtration zone, where the gas path is blocked but the liquid path is connected. A filter pipe 420 extends into the filtration zone. The gas-blocking mechanism 440 may be a partition extending downwards from the inner surface of the top wall of the housing 410 to above the inner surface of the bottom wall of the housing 410, with a gap between it and the inner surface of the bottom wall of the housing 410, which allows the liquid path between the filtration zone and the non-filtration zone to communicate. The gas-blocking mechanism 440 blocks the gas path between the filtration zone and the non-filtration zone to prevent gas flowing into the filtration zone from entering the non-filtration zone. The liquid inlet 416 may connect to the non-filtration zone.

[0071] The housing 210 may have an exhaust port 211 for discharging oxygen produced by the electrochemical reaction of the anode plate. This exhaust port 211 can be connected to the liquid storage space 411 via a gas supply pipe 310. The housing 210 may also have a replenishment port 212 connected to the electrolysis chamber. This replenishment port 212 can be connected to the injection port 416 to allow liquid contained in the replenishment device 10 to flow into the electrolysis chamber of the housing 210. A liquid storage chamber communicating with the electrolysis chamber may be formed on one side of the electrolysis chamber of the housing 210; for example, a connection port may be formed between the electrolysis chamber and the liquid storage chamber. The replenishment port 212 connects to the liquid storage chamber to supply liquid to the liquid storage chamber, thereby indirectly replenishing the electrolysis chamber. A level switch may be installed in the liquid storage chamber to open and close the liquid passage between the replenishment port 212 and the liquid storage chamber based on the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber. In this way, the liquid volume in the oxygen treatment device 20 is in a dynamic equilibrium state. The amount of liquid supplied by the replenishment device 10 to the oxygen treatment device 20 can be indirectly determined.

[0072] There can be multiple openings, and each opening can be equipped with a cathode plate 220, with each cathode plate 220 facing an anode plate.

[0073] The memory 120 and processor 110 may form part of the main control board of the oxygen treatment system 50. Alternatively, the memory 120 and processor 110 may be at least part of the main control board of a refrigerator. The memory 120 stores a machine-executable program 121, which, when executed by the processor 110, is used to implement the control method of the oxygen treatment system 50 according to any of the following embodiments. The processor 110 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit (DSP), etc. The memory 120 is used to store the program executed by the processor 110. The memory 120 may be any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 120 may also be a combination of various types of memory 120. Since the machine-executable program 121, when executed by the processor 110, implements the various processes of the following method embodiments and achieves the same technical effects, it will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0074] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for an oxygen treatment system 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method generally includes the following steps:

[0075] Step S402: Obtain a low-liquidity warning signal from the replenishment device 10. The low-liquidity warning signal instructs the user to replenish the replenishment device 10. For example, when the liquid level in the replenishment device 10 reaches its minimum value, a low-liquidity warning signal can be issued to instruct the user to replenish the replenishment device 10. Each issuance of a low-liquidity warning signal indicates that the oxygen treatment system 50 has completed one operational phase.

[0076] For example, each time the liquid replenishment device 10 is replenished, the liquid volume can be replenished according to a preset amount. When the oxygen treatment system 50 consumes the replenished liquid volume, it issues a low liquid warning signal to indicate that the oxygen treatment system 50 has completed a working stage.

[0077] Step S404: Determine whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the low liquid level warning signal. In this embodiment, the liquid level usage of the oxygen treatment system 50 can be determined based on the time point at which the low liquid level warning signal is issued, thereby determining whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the liquid level usage.

[0078] For example, the presence or absence of a low-liquidity warning signal can also be determined based on the form of the low-liquidity warning signal. Several different forms of the low-liquidity warning signal can be preset. For instance, when the rate of liquid level drop in the replenishment device 10 exceeds a preset threshold, a short "beep beep beep" sound can be emitted as a low-liquidity warning signal to alert the user that the oxygen processing system 50 is malfunctioning due to excessive liquid consumption.

[0079] Step S406: If yes, output a fault indication signal. That is, if a fault is determined to have occurred in the oxygen treatment system 50, output a fault indication signal to prompt the user and / or manufacturer to perform timely maintenance.

[0080] For example, a fault indication signal may be sent to a user terminal that is data-connected to the main control board of the oxygen processing unit 20, and / or to a designated fault handling station, but is not limited to this. The form of the fault indication signal may include, but is not limited to, text, sound, or voice.

[0081] By acquiring the low-liquidity warning signal from the replenishment device 10 and determining whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the signal, the oxygen treatment system 50 can be checked for malfunctions each time the replenishment device 10 is low on liquid or needs replenishment. This allows for on-demand testing of the oxygen treatment system 50, and the testing can be traced back to each stage of the usage process. Based on the solution in this embodiment, the oxygen treatment system 50 can be monitored regularly for malfunctions, and users can be promptly alerted to take remedial measures when malfunctions occur.

[0082] In some optional embodiments, the step of obtaining the low-liquidity warning signal of the replenishment device 10 includes: obtaining the liquid level of the replenishment device 10, determining whether the liquid level of the replenishment device 10 has reached a preset safe liquid level, and if so, generating a low-liquidity warning signal. The preset safe liquid level may be the minimum liquid storage level of the replenishment device 10.

[0083] For example, the replenishment device 10 is equipped with a liquid level monitoring device (not shown), such as a liquid level sensor, for detecting the liquid level. This liquid level monitoring device can be located at the bottom of the liquid storage space 411. When the liquid level in the replenishment device 10 drops to a safe level, the liquid level monitoring device can issue a low liquid warning signal to prompt the user to replenish the liquid in the replenishment device 10.

[0084] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the low liquid level warning signal includes: determining the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device 20 by the replenishment device 10 based on the low liquid level warning signal, and verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid level; and determining whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid level. The effective utilization rate of the liquid level refers to the ratio between the expected amount of liquid actually consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20 and the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device 20 by the replenishment device 10.

[0085] The actual expected liquid consumption of the oxygen treatment unit 20 refers to the liquid loss during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment unit 20 when it undergoes an electrochemical reaction and / or the liquid loss due to evaporation when the oxygen treatment unit 20 does not undergo an electrochemical reaction. For example, if the oxygen treatment system 50 leaks, the total actual liquid consumption of the oxygen treatment unit 20 includes both the expected liquid consumption and the leaked liquid, which will lead to a deviation in the effective utilization rate of the liquid. If the oxygen treatment unit 20 is aging, the expected liquid consumption of the oxygen treatment unit 20 will be lower than expected, which will lead to another form of deviation in the effective utilization rate of the liquid. Therefore, the effective utilization rate of the liquid can accurately reflect whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is malfunctioning and also reflects the type of malfunction of the oxygen treatment system 50.

[0086] Aging of the oxygen treatment device 20 can refer to the phenomenon when the electrical parameters of the electrochemical elements of the oxygen treatment device 20 become abnormal. For example, when the resistance value of the electrochemical elements of the oxygen treatment device 20 deviates from the normal value, it indicates that the oxygen treatment device 20 is aging.

[0087] When the oxygen treatment device 20 undergoes an electrochemical reaction, it can be energized according to a preset electrolysis voltage value to keep the rate of the electrochemical reaction as constant as possible.

[0088] Using the above method, by obtaining the amount of liquid replenished to the oxygen treatment device 20 by the replenishment device 10 and verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume, the fault type of the oxygen treatment system 50 can be determined based on the value of the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume. By employing the method described in this embodiment, the fault type analysis capability of the oxygen treatment system 50 can be improved, assisting users in taking targeted remedial measures.

[0089] Judging whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is malfunctioning based on the effective utilization rate of liquid volume has the advantages of simple sampling, simple analysis method, and high accuracy of analysis results. Moreover, it does not require an additional dedicated fault monitoring mechanism in the oxygen treatment system 50, which helps to simplify the means of judging whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is malfunctioning, and ensures the accuracy of the judgment results, thereby reducing the manufacturing and operating costs of the system.

[0090] Compared to methods that directly monitor the state changes of the electrochemical components of the oxygen treatment device 20 or detect leaks in various parts of the oxygen treatment system 50 to determine if the system is malfunctioning, the method of the present invention overcomes the limitations of existing technologies. It can not only monitor and provide early warning for leaks in the oxygen treatment system 50, but also for aging issues in the oxygen treatment device 20, offering a more comprehensive monitoring and early warning system. Since it does not require direct data sampling of the liquid state or the state of the electrochemical components in the structurally complex oxygen treatment device 20, the method of the present invention can be directly applied to multiple existing oxygen treatment devices 20 without modifying their structure, thus possessing the advantage of wide applicability.

[0091] In some examples, the oxygen treatment system 50 can be preset with multiple fault types, such as leakage faults and / or aging faults, etc. The control method of this disclosure embodiment can be applied to the judgment and early warning of multiple fault types of the oxygen treatment system 50.

[0092] In some optional embodiments, the fault types of the oxygen treatment system 50 include leakage faults. The step of determining whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has a leakage fault based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes: determining whether the effective utilization rate is less than a preset first ratio threshold; if so, determining that the oxygen treatment system 50 has a leakage fault.

[0093] When the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is less than a preset first ratio threshold, it indicates that there is an unexpected loss in the liquid volume previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device 20 by the replenishment device 10. For example, if the expected liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20 includes the liquid loss consumed during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction and the liquid loss due to evaporation when the oxygen treatment device 20 is not undergoing an electrochemical reaction, then if the oxygen treatment system 50 leaks liquid, the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume will be significantly less than 1. The first ratio threshold can be preset to any value in the range of 0.9 to 1.

[0094] In some further examples, the failure types of the oxygen treatment system 50 also include aging failure of the oxygen treatment device 20. The step of determining whether the oxygen treatment device 20 has an aging failure based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes: determining whether the effective utilization rate is greater than a preset second ratio threshold; if the second ratio threshold is greater than a first ratio threshold, then it is determined that the oxygen treatment device 20 has an aging failure.

[0095] When the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is greater than the preset second ratio threshold, it indicates that the expected liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20 is greater than the actual liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20. For example, when the expected liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20 includes the liquid loss during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction and the liquid loss due to evaporation when the oxygen treatment device 20 is not undergoing an electrochemical reaction, if the oxygen treatment device 20 is aging, the expected liquid volume consumed during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction will be too large, thus causing the expected liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20 to be greater than the actual liquid volume consumed by the oxygen treatment device 20. The second ratio threshold can be preset to any value within the range of 1 to 1.1.

[0096] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining the amount of liquid replenished by the replenishing device 10 to the oxygen treatment device 20 based on the liquid shortage warning signal includes: obtaining the highest liquid level when the replenishing device 10 previously completed replenishment, and calculating the amount of liquid replenished by the replenishing device 10 to the oxygen treatment device 20 based on the difference between the safe liquid level corresponding to the liquid shortage warning signal and the highest liquid level.

[0097] As for the specific method for calculating the liquid volume based on the liquid level difference, those skilled in the art should be able to easily select one based on the shape and structure of the liquid replenishment device 10. In order not to obscure the inventive points of this disclosure, it will not be described in detail here.

[0098] In some optional embodiments, the step of verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes: obtaining the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20 after the liquid replenishment device 10 completes the liquid addition, and verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20. During the electrochemical reaction in the oxygen treatment device 20, a preset electrolysis voltage can be applied to it to keep the rate of the electrochemical reaction constant.

[0099] In some optional embodiments, the step of checking the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20 includes: calculating the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20, and checking the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction.

[0100] For example, in this step, the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20 can reflect the amount of liquid consumed during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction. The amount of liquid consumed during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction can be determined by multiplying the liquid loss rate caused by the electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20 with the operating time of the oxygen treatment device 20. This amount is recorded as the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction. Furthermore, the effective utilization rate can be determined by the ratio between the amount of liquid consumed during the exhaust process of the oxygen treatment device 20 during the electrochemical reaction and the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device 20 by the replenishment device 10. In some embodiments, the calculation process ignores the amount of liquid lost due to evaporation when the oxygen treatment device 20 is not undergoing an electrochemical reaction, which simplifies the calculation process to some extent.

[0101] The liquid loss rate caused by the electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20 refers to the amount of liquid consumed by the exhaust process during the electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20 per unit time. The liquid loss rate caused by the electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20 can be determined through multiple experimental tests and preset based on the test results.

[0102] In some optional embodiments, the step of verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction includes: obtaining the amount of liquid loss from the oxygen treatment device 20 after replenishment by the replenishment device 10, which is not caused by the electrochemical reaction; calculating the sum between the liquid loss and the liquid loss; and calculating the ratio between the sum of the liquid loss and the liquid loss and the liquid volume, as the effective utilization rate. The liquid loss caused by the non-electrochemical reaction is due to factors such as evaporation.

[0103] The steps for obtaining the amount of liquid loss caused by non-electrochemical reactions after the oxygen treatment device 20 completes replenishment in the replenishment device 10 include: obtaining the liquid loss rate caused by non-electrochemical reactions; obtaining the continuous liquid consumption duration of the oxygen treatment device 20 after replenishment in the replenishment device 10; and calculating the product between the continuous liquid consumption duration and the liquid loss rate, which is taken as the amount of liquid loss caused by non-electrochemical reactions after replenishment in the replenishment device 10. The liquid loss rate caused by non-electrochemical reactions refers to the amount of liquid lost per unit time due to evaporation when the oxygen treatment device 20 does not undergo electrochemical reactions. The liquid loss rate caused by non-electrochemical reactions can be determined through multiple experimental tests and preset based on the test results.

[0104] Using the above method, since liquid loss due to non-electrochemical reactions is ongoing and occurs throughout the time interval of replenishing the liquid to the replenishment device 10, the accuracy of the calculation result of the effective utilization rate can be improved by calculating the ratio between the sum of liquid loss and liquid loss and the amount of liquid replenished by the replenishment device 10 to the oxygen treatment device 20, and using this ratio as the effective utilization rate.

[0105] In some optional embodiments, if a leak is determined to have occurred in the oxygen treatment system 50, and before executing the step of outputting a fault indication signal, the control method may further include: verifying whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is leaking; if a leak is verified, then executing the step of outputting a fault indication signal. That is, this embodiment further adds a verification step; the step of outputting a fault indication signal is only executed if the verification is successful.

[0106] The steps for verifying whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is leaking include: determining that the oxygen treatment device 20 is in a shutdown state and determining that the liquid level of the replenishment device 10 has reached the preset target liquid level; calculating the theoretical value of the time interval for replenishment caused by the non-electrochemical reaction of the oxygen treatment device 20; obtaining the real-time value of the time interval for replenishing the liquid to the replenishment device 10; and determining whether the real-time value of the time interval is less than the theoretical value of the time interval. If so, it is verified as a leak.

[0107] For example, when a low liquid warning signal is received from the replenishment device 10 and the oxygen treatment system 50 is preliminarily determined to have a leakage fault using the above method, a preset amount of liquid can be added to the replenishment device 10 to bring the liquid level of the replenishment device 10 to the preset target liquid level. The liquid loss rate caused by non-electrochemical reaction is obtained. The theoretical value of the time interval is determined based on the ratio between the preset amount of liquid added to the replenishment device 10 and the liquid loss rate. When the liquid level monitoring device detects again that the liquid level of the replenishment device 10 has dropped to the safe liquid level, the real-time value of the time interval for the replenishment device 10 to replenish the oxygen treatment device 20 can be determined based on this. If the real-time value of the time interval is less than the theoretical value of the time interval, the oxygen treatment system 50 can be verified to be leaking.

[0108] Using the above method, when it is initially determined that the oxygen treatment system 50 has a leakage fault, the step of verifying whether the oxygen treatment system 50 is leaking and executing the output fault prompt signal when the verification is successful is beneficial to improving the reliability of the operation of the oxygen treatment system 50 and reducing the false judgment rate of the oxygen treatment system 50 leakage.

[0109] In some alternative embodiments, the oxygen treatment system 50 can achieve higher technical effects through further optimization and configuration of the above steps. The control method of the oxygen treatment system 50 in this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the two optional execution processes of this embodiment. This embodiment is only an example of the execution process. In specific implementation, the execution order and operating conditions of some steps can be modified according to specific implementation requirements.

[0110] Figure 5 This is a control flow diagram of an oxygen treatment system 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control flow generally includes the following steps:

[0111] Step S502: Obtain the liquid level of the replenishment device 10.

[0112] Step S504: Determine whether the liquid level of the replenishment device 10 has reached the preset safe liquid level. If yes, proceed to step S506; otherwise, proceed to step S502.

[0113] Step S506: Generate a low fluid level warning signal.

[0114] Step S508: Obtain the highest liquid level when the replenishment device 10 previously completed replenishment.

[0115] Step S510: Calculate the amount of liquid that the replenishment device 10 will replenish to the oxygen treatment device 20 based on the difference between the safe liquid level corresponding to the low liquid level warning signal and the highest liquid level.

[0116] Step S512: Obtain the working time of the oxygen treatment device 20 after the replenishment device 10 has completed replenishment.

[0117] Step S514: Calculate the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction based on the working time of the oxygen treatment device 20.

[0118] Step S516: Obtain the amount of liquid loss caused by non-electrochemical reaction after the oxygen treatment device 20 completes the replenishment in the replenishment device 10, and calculate the sum between the amount of liquid loss and the amount of liquid consumption.

[0119] Step S518: Calculate the ratio between the sum of liquid loss and liquid loss and the liquid volume, as the effective utilization rate.

[0120] Step S520: Determine whether the effective utilization rate is less than the preset first ratio threshold. If yes, proceed to step S522; otherwise, proceed to step S524.

[0121] Step S522: It is determined that the oxygen treatment system 50 has a leakage fault.

[0122] Step S524: Determine whether the effective utilization rate is greater than the preset second ratio threshold. If the second ratio threshold is greater than the first ratio threshold, proceed to step S526; otherwise, proceed to step S502.

[0123] Step S526: It is determined that the oxygen processing unit 20 has an aging failure.

[0124] Step S528: Output a fault indication signal.

[0125] The oxygen treatment system 50 and its control method of the present invention acquire a low-liquidity warning signal from the replenishment device 10 and determine whether the oxygen treatment system 50 has malfunctioned based on the low-liquidity warning signal. This allows for a check of the oxygen treatment system 50 each time the replenishment device 10 is low on liquid or requires replenishment, thus enabling on-demand inspection of the oxygen treatment system 50 and traceability of each stage of use. Based on the solution of the present invention, the oxygen treatment system 50 can be monitored regularly for malfunctions, and users can be promptly alerted to take remedial measures when a malfunction occurs.

[0126] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A control method for an oxygen treatment system, the oxygen treatment system comprising an oxygen treatment device for treating oxygen by an electrochemical reaction and a replenishment device for replenishing liquid to the oxygen treatment device, and the control method comprising: Obtain the low-liquidity warning signal from the fluid replenishment device; Based on the low liquid warning signal, determine whether the oxygen processing system has malfunctioned; If so, output a fault indication signal; The steps for determining whether the oxygen treatment system is malfunctioning based on the low fluid warning signal include: Based on the liquid shortage warning signal, determine the amount of liquid that the replenishment device previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device, and verify the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume; The effectiveness of the liquid volume is used to determine whether the oxygen treatment system is malfunctioning.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The steps for obtaining the low-liquidity warning signal of the fluid replenishment device include: Obtain the liquid level of the replenishment device; Determine whether the liquid level of the replenishment device has reached the preset safe liquid level; If the condition is met, the low-fluid level warning signal is generated.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein, The oxygen treatment system's fault types include leakage faults; and The steps for determining whether the oxygen treatment system has experienced a leakage fault based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume include: Determine whether the effective utilization rate is less than a preset first ratio threshold; If so, then the oxygen processing system is confirmed to have experienced the aforementioned leakage fault.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein, The failure types of the oxygen treatment system also include aging failures of the oxygen treatment device. and The step of determining whether the oxygen treatment device has experienced the aging failure based on the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume includes: Determine whether the effective utilization rate is greater than a preset second ratio threshold, wherein the second ratio threshold is greater than the first ratio threshold; If so, then the oxygen processing unit is confirmed to have the aforementioned aging fault.

5. The control method according to claim 2, wherein, The step of determining the amount of liquid previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device by the replenishment device based on the low liquid warning signal includes: Obtain the highest liquid level when the replenishment device previously completed replenishment; The amount of liquid that the replenishment device previously replenished to the oxygen treatment device is calculated based on the difference between the safe liquid level corresponding to the low liquid level indication signal and the highest liquid level.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps for verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume include: The operating time of the oxygen treatment device after the replenishment device completes replenishment is obtained; The effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is tested based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device.

7. The control method according to claim 6, wherein, The steps for verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device include: The amount of liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction is calculated based on the operating time of the oxygen treatment device. The effective utilization rate of the liquid volume is tested based on the amount of liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein, The steps for verifying the effective utilization rate of the liquid volume based on the liquid loss caused by the electrochemical reaction include: The amount of liquid loss caused by non-electrochemical reaction after the replenishment device completes replenishment of the oxygen treatment device is obtained, and the sum of the amount of liquid loss and the amount of liquid loss is calculated. The ratio between the sum of the liquid loss and the liquid consumption and the liquid volume is calculated as the effective utilization rate.

9. An oxygen treatment system, the oxygen treatment system comprising an oxygen treatment device for treating oxygen by an electrochemical reaction and a replenishment device for replenishing the oxygen treatment device with liquid, further comprising: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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