Hydrogen fuel cell systems and vehicles

Abstract

The present invention discloses a hydrogen fuel cell system and a vehicle, and relates to the technical field of hydrogen fuel cells. The hydrogen fuel cell system comprises a hydrogen storage component, a hydrogen transport component, a hydrogen fuel cell component, a connecting component and an air supply component. The connecting component comprises a plurality of connecting pipelines and a plurality of pneumatic valves. The plurality of connecting pipelines connect the hydrogen storage component and the hydrogen transport component, and the hydrogen transport component and the hydrogen fuel cell component. The plurality of pneumatic valves are arranged on the plurality of connecting pipelines, and each of the pneumatic valves is used to connect and disconnect the corresponding connecting pipeline; the air supply component is connected to the plurality of pneumatic valves to control the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves. In the present application, the pneumatic valve that drives the opening and closing of the valve or adjusts the flow of the fluid based on compressed air as a power source is used to avoid the static electricity and arc hazards caused by the electrically controlled valve, and reduce the problem of hydrogen fuel cells being easily combusted and exploded when the hydrogen supply pipeline leaks.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] In order to improve the vehicle's endurance, hydrogen is usually stored under high pressure (such as 700 atmospheres or higher). This high-pressure condition requires extremely high sealing of components such as hydrogen storage tanks, pipeline connections and valves. Any minor defects or improper maintenance may become a source of leakage. The hydrogen supply system of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles contains multiple components and interfaces, such as hydrogen storage tanks, pressure regulators, pipelines, valves and filling interfaces, each of which is a potential leakage point. The complexity of the system increases the difficulty of leak detection and maintenance.

[0003] Given the severity of hydrogen leaks, including its flammability and the risk of explosion under certain conditions, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are equipped with hydrogen sensors to monitor hydrogen concentrations in real time. Once a leak is detected, an alarm is immediately triggered and measures are taken to close the valve to reduce safety hazards. Summary of the invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen fuel cell system and a vehicle, aiming to reduce the problem of hydrogen fuel cells being prone to explosion when leakage occurs in the hydrogen supply pipeline.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hydrogen fuel cell system, which comprises:

[0006] Hydrogen storage components, hydrogen transport components and hydrogen fuel cell components;

[0007] a connecting assembly, comprising a plurality of connecting pipes and a plurality of pneumatic valves, wherein the plurality of connecting pipes connect the hydrogen storage assembly and the hydrogen transport assembly, and the hydrogen transport assembly and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly, and the plurality of pneumatic valves are arranged on the plurality of connecting pipes, and each of the pneumatic valves is used to connect and disconnect the corresponding connecting pipe; and

[0008] The air supply assembly is communicated with the plurality of pneumatic valves and is used for controlling the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves.

[0009] In one embodiment, the air supply assembly includes an air compressor and a plurality of pneumatic control valves, and each of the pneumatic control valves is disposed on an air supply pipeline connecting the air compressor and a corresponding pneumatic valve.

[0010] In one embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a shell having a plurality of sealed cavities spaced apart from each other, the hydrogen storage assembly, the hydrogen transport assembly and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly are respectively arranged in a corresponding sealed cavity, and the gas supply assembly is arranged on the outside of the shell.

[0011] In one embodiment, each of the sealed cavities is provided with at least one through hole, and the through hole is used for passing a pipeline;

[0012] The hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a sealing structure, which is used to be cushioned between the inner wall of the through hole and the pipeline.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the sealed cavities is provided with a mounting hole, and the hydrogen fuel cell system further includes an exhaust device disposed at the mounting hole.

[0014] In one embodiment, the exhaust device comprises a pneumatic exhaust fan.

[0015] In one embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a control device and a plurality of detection devices, each of the detection devices being disposed in a corresponding sealed cavity for detecting the hydrogen content in the corresponding sealed cavity, and the control device being electrically connected to the plurality of detection devices for operating according to the plurality of detection devices.

[0016] In one embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a reminder device, and the control device is also electrically connected to the reminder device, and is used to control the reminder device to work according to the multiple detection devices; and / or,

[0017] The hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a pressure sensor, and the control device is also electrically connected to the pressure sensor for controlling the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves according to the pressure sensor; and / or,

[0018] The control device is also electrically connected to the air supply assembly and is used to control the operation of the air supply assembly according to the multiple detection devices.

[0019] In one embodiment, the pressure sensor comprises a flexible pressure sensor.

[0020] The present invention further provides a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a hydrogen fuel cell system, the hydrogen fuel cell system comprising:

[0021] Hydrogen storage components, hydrogen transport components and hydrogen fuel cell components;

[0022] a connecting assembly, comprising a plurality of connecting pipes and a plurality of pneumatic valves, wherein the plurality of connecting pipes connect the hydrogen storage assembly and the hydrogen transport assembly, and the hydrogen transport assembly and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly, and the plurality of pneumatic valves are arranged on the plurality of connecting pipes, and each of the pneumatic valves is used to connect and disconnect the corresponding connecting pipe; and

[0023] The air supply assembly is communicated with the plurality of pneumatic valves and is used for controlling the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves.

[0024] In the technical solution of the present invention, a hydrogen storage component, a hydrogen transport component and a hydrogen fuel cell component are interconnected through the connecting component. The hydrogen storage component is used to provide hydrogen, and the hydrogen transport component is used to transport the hydrogen provided by the hydrogen storage component to the hydrogen fuel cell component. The hydrogen fuel cell component directly converts the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy through the oxidation-reduction process of the transported hydrogen and oxygen in the electrochemical reaction. The multiple pneumatic valves for controlling the connection and disconnection of the multiple connecting pipelines are arranged on the multiple connecting pipelines. During the hydrogen transportation process, if there is a hydrogen leakage, the pneumatic valve in the present application uses compressed air as a power source to drive the opening and closing of the valve or adjust the flow of the fluid, thereby avoiding the static electricity and arc hazards caused by the electrically controlled valve, and reducing the problem of hydrogen fuel cells being easily combusted and exploded when a hydrogen supply pipeline leaks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying creative work.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a hydrogen fuel cell system provided by the present invention.

[0027] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0028] 100. Hydrogen fuel cell system; 1. Hydrogen storage component; 2. Hydrogen transport component; 3. Hydrogen fuel cell component; 4. Connecting component; 41. Connecting pipeline; 42. Pneumatic valve; 5. Air supply component; 51. Air compressor; 52. Pneumatic control valve; 53. Air storage tank; 6. Shell; a. Sealed cavity; 7. Sealing structure; 8. Exhaust device; 9. Control device; 10. Detection device; 11. Pressure sensor.

[0029] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0032] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or solutions that satisfy both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0033] In order to improve the vehicle's endurance, hydrogen is usually stored under high pressure (such as 700 atmospheres or higher). This high-pressure condition places extremely high demands on the sealing of components such as hydrogen storage tanks, pipeline connections and valves. Any minor defects or improper maintenance may become a source of leakage. The hydrogen supply system of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles contains multiple components and interfaces, such as hydrogen storage tanks, pressure regulators, pipelines, valves and filling interfaces, each of which is a potential leak point. The complexity of the system increases the difficulty of leak detection and maintenance. In view of the severity of hydrogen leaks, including its flammability and the risk of explosion under certain conditions, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are equipped with hydrogen sensors to monitor hydrogen concentrations in real time. Once a leak is detected, an alarm is immediately triggered and measures are taken to close the valve to reduce safety hazards.

[0034] The present invention provides a hydrogen fuel cell assembly to reduce the problem of explosion when leakage occurs in the hydrogen supply pipeline of the hydrogen fuel cell.

[0035] See also Figure 1In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 includes a hydrogen storage component 1, a hydrogen transport component 2, a hydrogen fuel cell component 3, a connecting component 4 and an air supply component 5, wherein the connecting component 4 includes a plurality of connecting pipes 41 and a plurality of pneumatic valves 42, wherein the plurality of connecting pipes 41 connect the hydrogen storage component 1 and the hydrogen transport component 2, and the hydrogen transport component 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell component 3, and the plurality of pneumatic valves 42 are arranged on the plurality of connecting pipes 41, and each of the pneumatic valves 42 is used to connect and disconnect the corresponding connecting pipe 41; the air supply component 5 is connected to the plurality of pneumatic valves 42 for controlling the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves 42.

[0036] It is understandable that the hydrogen storage assembly 1 is used to store hydrogen for use in hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen can be stored in the form of compressed gas, liquid hydrogen or chemical hydrogen storage (such as metal hydride), so it generally includes a vehicle-mounted hydrogen storage cylinder.

[0037] The hydrogen transport component 2 transports the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage component 1 to the fuel cell stack. The hydrogen transport component 2 includes related structures such as pressure regulation, filtering and drying, and safety control. The high-pressure hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank is adjusted to a suitable working pressure for the fuel cell through a pressure regulator. In order to ensure safety, a safety valve and a monitoring system are generally set to prevent overpressure and leakage and ensure the safety of the hydrogen transportation process. In this application, the safety valve is set in the form of a pneumatic valve 42. The pneumatic valve 42 itself is driven by compressed air. Its basic working principle is to use the change in air pressure to control the opening and closing of the valve. Therefore, from the driving point of view, the pneumatic valve 42 does not require electricity when performing the switching action. The pneumatic valve 42 system mainly includes two parts: a pneumatic actuator and a valve. The pneumatic actuator (such as a cylinder or a diaphragm actuator) generates mechanical movement by receiving compressed air, thereby driving the valve to open and close.

[0038] The hydrogen fuel cell assembly 3 is used to directly convert hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. Therefore, the hydrogen storage assembly 1, the hydrogen transport assembly 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly 3 cooperate with each other to form a complete hydrogen fuel cell system, which jointly realizes the storage, transmission and efficient conversion of energy.

[0039] In the technical solution of the present invention, the hydrogen storage component 1, the hydrogen transport component 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell component 3 are interconnected through the connecting component 4. The hydrogen storage component 1 is used to provide hydrogen, and the hydrogen transport component 2 is used to transport the hydrogen provided by the hydrogen storage component 1 to the hydrogen fuel cell component 3. The hydrogen fuel cell component 3 directly converts the chemical energy of hydrogen into electrical energy through the oxidation-reduction process of the transported hydrogen and oxygen in the electrochemical reaction. The multiple pneumatic valves 42 for controlling the connection and disconnection of the multiple connecting pipelines 41 are arranged on the multiple connecting pipelines 41. During the hydrogen transportation process, if there is a hydrogen leakage, the pneumatic valve 42 in the present application drives the opening and closing of the valve or adjusts the flow of the fluid based on compressed air as a power source, thereby avoiding the static electricity and arc hazards caused by the electrically controlled valve, and reducing the problem of hydrogen fuel cells being prone to explosion when the hydrogen supply pipeline leaks.

[0040] It should also be noted that since the multiple pneumatic valves 42 are provided on the connecting pipeline 41, the multiple pneumatic valves 42 are set at important valve nodes to effectively control the residual hydrogen in the connecting pipeline 41 and prevent the residual hydrogen in the connecting pipeline 41 from leaking secondary from the leakage point.

[0041] In this embodiment, the air supply assembly 5 includes an air compressor 51 and a plurality of pneumatic control valves 52 , and each of the pneumatic control valves 52 is disposed on an air supply pipeline connecting the air compressor 51 and a corresponding one of the pneumatic valves 42 .

[0042] It should be noted that on the air supply pipeline, the pneumatic control valve 52 is used to adjust and control the compressed gas flowing to the pneumatic valve 42. In this way, through the compressed air provided by the air compressor 51, the pneumatic control valve 52 adjusts the flow direction, pressure or flow rate of the compressed gas by receiving and processing the control signal (electrical signal or air pressure signal), thereby indirectly or directly controlling the working state of the pneumatic valve 42 and completing the predetermined control task.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 also includes a shell 6, the shell 6 has a plurality of sealed cavities a arranged at intervals, the hydrogen storage component 1, the hydrogen transport component 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell component 3 are respectively arranged in a corresponding one of the sealed cavities a, and the gas supply component 5 is arranged on the outside of the shell 6.

[0044] In this way, the hydrogen storage assembly 1, the hydrogen transport assembly 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly 3 are respectively arranged in a corresponding sealed cavity a. If hydrogen leaks from the plurality of connecting pipes 41 or interfaces, the hydrogen can only be confined to the corresponding sealed cavity a, thereby preventing hydrogen from mutually diffusing after leakage and diffusing to other areas of the vehicle, thereby effectively controlling the danger range. Accordingly, only safety monitoring and protection need to be done in the area inside the housing 6.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to facilitate the connection between the gas supply assembly 5 and the hydrogen storage assembly 1, the hydrogen transport assembly 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly 3, a gas supply pipeline connecting the two is generally provided, and each of the sealed cavities a is provided with at least one through hole, and the through hole is used for the pipeline to pass through; because the aperture of the through hole is larger than that of the hydrogen fuel cell system 100, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 also includes a sealing structure 7, and the sealing structure 7 is used to be cushioned between the inner wall of the through hole and the pipeline. In this way, a closed space can be formed in the sealed cavity a to prevent hydrogen from overflowing from the gap of the through hole and causing explosion hazard due to the action of external electric sparks.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the sealed cavities a is provided with a mounting hole, and the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 further includes an exhaust device 8 provided at the mounting hole. In this way, when there is already leakage of hydrogen in the sealed cavity a, the exhaust device 8 can be activated to discharge the leaked hydrogen in the leakage area to the atmosphere with zero delay, thereby avoiding hydrogen accumulation and effectively preventing the hydrogen in the confined space from reaching the combustion and explosion limit. The exhaust device 8 can effectively control the temperature of the hydrogen-adjacent area, ensuring the normal operation of the system while preventing hydrogen from being ignited by high-temperature pipes or air when leaking.

[0047] In this embodiment, the exhaust device 8 includes a pneumatic exhaust fan, and the air tank 53 for storing compressed air in the air supply assembly 5 is also connected to the exhaust device 8. When the compressor stops working, the air tank 53 can provide pneumatic driving force for the exhaust device 8. In this way, static electricity and arc generated by the electric exhaust device 8 during the power-on process are prevented from interacting with hydrogen to cause explosion hazard.

[0048] Furthermore, in order to realize automatic detection, in this embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 further includes a control device 9 and a plurality of detection devices 10, each of which is arranged in a corresponding sealed cavity a, and is used to detect the hydrogen content in the corresponding sealed cavity a, and the control device 9 is electrically connected to the plurality of detection devices 10, and is used to work according to the plurality of detection devices 10. The detection device 10 may be a hydrogen sensor, so that the hydrogen content in the corresponding sealed cavity a can be detected in real time through the detection device 10, so that the user, or maintenance personnel, and the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 itself can take corresponding measures according to the detection results of the detection device 10 to avoid the danger from increasing.

[0049] It should be noted that, since hydrogen sensors for detecting leakage independently of each other are arranged in each of the sealed cavities a, the leakage signal can be used to quickly identify the leakage area in the intelligent terminal, which is convenient for maintenance and rapid human intervention.

[0050] In this embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 also includes a reminder device, and the control device 9 is also electrically connected to the reminder device, and is used to control the operation of the reminder device according to the multiple detection devices 10; in this way, when the detection device 10 detects that the hydrogen concentration reaches a preset value, the control device 9 can be used to control the reminder device to send a reminder signal, and the reminder device can send an audible or visual alarm signal to remind passengers and pedestrians around.

[0051] In this embodiment, the control device 9 is also electrically connected to the air supply component 5, and is used to control the operation of the air supply component 5 according to the multiple detection devices 10. The air supply component 5 includes a pneumatic control valve 52, and the pneumatic control valve 52 is used to control the corresponding pneumatic valve 42. In this way, the control device 9 can automatically control the pneumatic control valve 52, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the operation of the pneumatic valve 42.

[0052] In this embodiment, the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 further includes a pressure sensor 11, and the control device 9 is also electrically connected to the pressure sensor 11, and is used to control the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves 42 according to the pressure sensor 11. Since the pneumatic valves 42 need to be adjusted in real time according to the actual pressure in the pipeline when they are working, in order to meet the required working requirements, by providing the pressure sensor 11, the pressure in the connecting pipeline 41 can be detected in real time, so that the control device 9 can control the operation of the pneumatic valves 42 according to the detected pressure information.

[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment, the pressure sensor 11 includes a flexible pressure sensor 11. The flexible pressure sensor 11 has flexible and deformable characteristics, and is made of a flexible material or film to ensure that the sensor is in full contact with the detection surface to obtain accurate pressure measurement. When the airflow is applied to the sensor surface, the pressure of the airflow is transmitted to the sensitive element through the flexible substrate, causing the sensitive element to produce corresponding changes. The flexible pressure sensor 11 can monitor the changes in airflow pressure in real time through the combination of the sensitive element and the flexible substrate, and convert these changes into usable pressure values, with high detection accuracy and no static electricity risk.

[0054] The present invention also proposes a vehicle, which includes a vehicle body and a hydrogen fuel cell system 100. The specific structure of the hydrogen fuel cell system 100 refers to the above-mentioned embodiment. Since this vehicle adopts all the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be repeated here one by one.

[0055] The above description is only an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hydrogen fuel cell system, characterized in that: include: Hydrogen storage components, hydrogen transport components and hydrogen fuel cell components; a connecting assembly, comprising a plurality of connecting pipes and a plurality of pneumatic valves, wherein the plurality of connecting pipes connect the hydrogen storage assembly and the hydrogen transport assembly, and the hydrogen transport assembly and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly, and the plurality of pneumatic valves are arranged on the plurality of connecting pipes, and each of the pneumatic valves is used to connect and disconnect the corresponding connecting pipe; and An air supply assembly, connected to the plurality of pneumatic valves, and used to control the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves; The hydrogen fuel cell system further comprises a housing, wherein the housing has a plurality of sealed cavities arranged at intervals, the hydrogen storage assembly, the hydrogen transport assembly and the hydrogen fuel cell assembly are respectively arranged in a corresponding one of the sealed cavities, and the gas supply assembly is arranged on the outside of the housing; Each of the sealed cavities is provided with a mounting hole, and the hydrogen fuel cell system further comprises an exhaust device arranged at the mounting hole, and the exhaust device comprises a pneumatic exhaust fan; The air supply assembly includes an air compressor, an air tank and a plurality of pneumatic control valves, the air compressor is connected to the air tank, each of the pneumatic control valves is arranged on an air supply pipeline connecting the air tank and a corresponding pneumatic valve, and the air tank is also connected to the pneumatic exhaust fan to provide a pneumatic driving force for the pneumatic exhaust fan; The hydrogen fuel cell system also includes a control device and multiple detection devices, each of which is arranged in a corresponding sealed cavity and is used to detect the hydrogen content in the corresponding sealed cavity. The control device is electrically connected to the multiple detection devices and is used to control the operation of the pneumatic control valve according to the multiple detection devices.

2. The hydrogen fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the sealed cavities is provided with at least one through hole, and the through hole is used for the pipeline to pass through; The hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a sealing structure, which is used to be cushioned between the inner wall of the through hole and the pipeline.

3. The hydrogen fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a reminder device, and the control device is also electrically connected to the reminder device, and is used to control the reminder device to work according to the multiple detection devices; and / or, The hydrogen fuel cell system further includes a pressure sensor, and the control device is also electrically connected to the pressure sensor for controlling the operation of the plurality of pneumatic valves according to the pressure sensor; and / or, The control device is also electrically connected to the air supply assembly and is used to control the operation of the air supply assembly according to the multiple detection devices.

4. The hydrogen fuel cell system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure sensor includes a flexible pressure sensor.

5. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising the hydrogen fuel cell system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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