Fuel cell control system, control method and storage medium

Abstract

The present application discloses a control system, a control method and a storage medium for a fuel cell, the method comprising: determining a target fuel flow rate at least based on the calorific value of the fuel at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment; controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell based on the target fuel flow rate to control the power generation of the fuel cell, thereby being able to adapt to real-time fluctuations in fuel components, timely adjusting the flow rate of the fuel delivered to the fuel cell, and improving the safety of the fuel cell during operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and in particular to a fuel cell control system, a control method, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy. For example, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) can directly convert the chemical energy stored in the fuel and oxidant into electrical energy in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner at medium to high temperatures.

[0003] However, during the process of delivering fuel to fuel cells for power generation, the fuel's real-time state is often not constant, which can easily affect the normal operation of the fuel cell. For example, depending on the source of the fuel, its composition may fluctuate significantly over a short period of time. Therefore, if the fuel is continuously delivered to the fuel cell at a set flow rate, it may cause local overheating of the fuel cell stack, resulting in damage to the stack's sealing structure and electrode materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present application propose a fuel cell control system, control method and storage medium, which can timely adjust the flow rate of fuel delivered to the fuel cell and improve the safety of the fuel cell during operation.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a fuel cell control system, comprising:

[0006] a detection device configured to detect fuel information of a fuel, wherein the fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation, the fuel information including fuel flow rate and fuel calorific value; and

[0007] A control device is communicatively connected to the detection device, and the control device is configured to:

[0008] determining a target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0009] The flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled based on the target fuel flow rate to control power generation of the fuel cell.

[0010] Optionally, determining the target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0011] Calculating a first product of the fuel calorific value at a previous moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0012] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the fuel calorific value and the first product at a current moment.

[0013] Optionally, the control device is further configured to:

[0014] Determining a target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment, wherein the target fuel utilization rate includes: a maximum allowable fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel cell, or a preset fuel utilization rate corresponding to normal operation of the fuel cell;

[0015] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0016] determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment;

[0017] In a case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, a target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; if the current fuel utilization rate is less than or equal to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate at the current moment is used as the target fuel flow rate;

[0018] In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the preset fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0019] Optionally, determining the current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0020] Calculating a second product of the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0021] determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to a ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the second product;

[0022] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0023] calculating a third product of the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the target fuel utilization rate;

[0024] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the third product.

[0025] Optionally, the control device is further configured to:

[0026] Determining a minimum allowable flow rate corresponding to the fuel cell;

[0027] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0028] Based on the comparison result between the minimum allowable flow rate and the target fuel flow rate, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled, wherein if the target fuel flow rate is less than the fuel flow rate, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the minimum allowable flow rate; otherwise, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate.

[0029] Optionally, the system further comprises a buffer device and a flow regulating device, the detection point of the detection device is located at the fuel input port of the buffer device, and the fuel output port of the buffer device is connected to the fuel input port of the fuel cell;

[0030] The flow regulating device is controlled by the control device and is located at the fuel input port of the fuel cell, and the fuel flows through the buffer device, the flow regulating device, and the fuel cell in sequence;

[0031] The control device is further configured to:

[0032] determining a buffering time for the fuel to pass through the buffer device;

[0033] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0034] The flow regulating device is controlled according to the target fuel flow and the buffer time, so that the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time.

[0035] Optionally, determining the buffering time of the fuel passing through the buffer device includes:

[0036] The buffer time is determined based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device.

[0037] Optionally, determining the buffer time based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device includes:

[0038] Calculating a buffer volume based on the distance and the inner cavity cross-sectional area;

[0039] The ratio of the buffer volume to the current total flow is calculated to represent the buffer time.

[0040] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling a fuel cell, wherein fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation, and fuel information obtained by detecting the fuel by a detection device includes fuel calorific value and fuel flow rate. The method includes:

[0041] determining a target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0042] The flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled based on the target fuel flow rate to control power generation of the fuel cell.

[0043] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which implements the steps of the above-mentioned fuel cell control method when executed by a processor.

[0044] In summary, the embodiments of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0045] By adopting the embodiment of the present application, the target fuel flow is determined based on at least the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment and the fuel flow at the previous moment; based on the target fuel flow, the flow of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled to control the power generation of the fuel cell, thereby being able to adapt to real-time fluctuations in fuel components, timely adjust the flow of fuel delivered to the fuel cell, and improve the safety of the fuel cell during operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the fuel cell control system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a fuel cell control system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of the fuel cell control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] In the description of this application, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined as "first", "second", "third", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more. In the description of this application, the term "including" and its variations are open inclusions, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The term "according to" means "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one other embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments".

[0051] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0052] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The terms used in this specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application in specific circumstances.

[0053] First, see Figure 1 , shows a schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell control system provided in an embodiment of the present application, the control system comprising:

[0054] a detection device 101 configured to detect fuel information of a fuel, wherein the fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation, the fuel information including fuel flow rate and fuel calorific value; and

[0055] It should be noted that the fuel information in this embodiment refers to the fuel information detected by the detection point of the detection device 101. The detection point is usually set outside the fuel cell. At this time, the "fuel information at the current moment" can represent the information of the fuel that has not been input into the fuel cell at the current moment and is about to be input into the fuel cell, while the "fuel information at the previous moment" can represent the information of the fuel that has been input into the fuel cell at the current moment. In this way, the information of the fuel that has not been input into the fuel cell and the fuel that has been input into the fuel cell can be obtained to facilitate the subsequent adjustment of the fuel flow.

[0056] The control device 102 is in communication with the detection device 101 and is configured to:

[0057] The target fuel flow rate is determined based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment.

[0058] In one example, at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow at the previous moment can be input into a pre-trained artificial intelligence model for prediction to obtain the required target fuel flow, wherein the artificial intelligence model can be trained using a general training method.

[0059] The flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled based on the target fuel flow rate to control power generation of the fuel cell.

[0060] It should be noted that the fuel information in this embodiment may include information such as the detected fuel composition and fuel flow rate, and can be used to characterize the real-time status of the fuel.

[0061] Because fuel cells generate electricity using the fuel input thereto, the fuel cell's power generation process can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell. For example, in this embodiment, a fuel supply device can be controlled based on a target fuel flow rate to adjust the flow rate of the fuel output by the fuel supply device to the fuel cell, thereby controlling the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate. The fuel supply device is used to provide fuel and is in communication with the control device.

[0062] In one example, the detection device includes a calorimeter, which is a calorimeter that at least has a component detection function.

[0063] It should be noted that the calorimeter in this embodiment is a calorimeter having at least a component detection function. Here, the calorimeter may have both component detection and calorific value calculation functions, or may only have a component detection function, with the calorific value calculated by the control module. Furthermore, the detection device may also include a device for detecting fuel flow rate, in which case the fuel information may also include the flow rate of fuel output to the fuel cell.

[0064] In one example, fuel composition information may include components such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, polycarbons, and / or hydrogen, as well as their respective component content ratios. The fuel calorific value can be calculated by calculating the calorific value data corresponding to each component and the component content ratio. The calorific value data is the calorific value of the component. For example, if the calorific value of methane is 10 and its content ratio is 90%, and the calorific value of ethane is 20 and its content ratio is 10%, then the fuel calorific value for this component is: 10*90%+20*10%=11.

[0065] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The control device may be a SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) system. In this case, the detection device (such as a calorimeter therein) may be connected to the SOFC system via a server system (eg, a cloud).

[0066] In an optional embodiment, determining the target fuel flow rate based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0067] Calculating a first product of the fuel calorific value at a previous moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0068] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the fuel calorific value and the first product at a current moment.

[0069] It can be understood that a normal system generally operates in a stable state, so the system state at the previous moment can be regarded as the state of stable operation of the system. If the components change, the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment will fluctuate compared with the calorific value of the fuel at the previous moment, which will affect the operation of the system. Therefore, the principle of the target fuel flow calculation method is equivalent to: when the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment is less than the calorific value of the fuel at the previous moment, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell will be controlled to increase to the target fuel flow rate to avoid the calorific value being too low and causing damage to the system. When the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment is greater than the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell will be controlled to decrease to the target fuel flow rate to avoid the calorific value being too high, causing excessive temperature shock to the fuel cell, and shortening the life of the heat exchanger and burner.

[0070] The target fuel flow rate is calculated as follows:

[0071]

[0072] Among them, W1 and W2 represent the output power of the fuel cell at the previous moment and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment respectively. At this time, it is generally believed that W1=W2, Q1 is the fuel calorific value at the previous moment, V1 is the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, Q2 is the current fuel calorific value, and V2 is the target fuel flow rate.

[0073] The above formula can be used to determine the degree of change in the fuel flow rate based on the degree of change in the calorific value, thereby obtaining the target fuel flow rate to avoid damage to the system.

[0074] In an optional embodiment, the control device is further configured to:

[0075] Determine a target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment, wherein the target fuel utilization rate includes: a maximum allowable fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel cell, or a preset fuel utilization rate corresponding to the normal operation of the fuel cell.

[0076] It can be understood that the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate in this embodiment refers to the fuel utilization rate at which the fuel cell stack will not be damaged when the fuel is output to the fuel cell and operates according to the input fuel. It can be further understood as the maximum fuel utilization rate allowed during the operation of the fuel cell.

[0077] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0078] The current fuel utilization rate of the fuel is determined according to the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0079] It should be noted that the current fuel utilization rate in this embodiment is used to represent the fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel that has not yet entered the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0080] Furthermore, in some specific examples, the current fuel utilization rate It can be expressed by the following formula:

[0081]

[0082] Wherein, V1 is the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, Q2 is the fuel calorific value at the current moment, and W2 is the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0083] It can be seen from the formula that the current fuel utilization rate represents the fuel utilization rate output to the fuel cell operating at the current output power based on the fuel flow rate at the previous moment and the fuel calorific value at the current moment.

[0084] In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; if the current fuel utilization rate is less than or equal to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment is used as the target fuel flow rate.

[0085] In this embodiment, the current fuel utilization rate is compared with the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate. If the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, it means that at the current calorific value, if the fuel is delivered to the fuel cell system at the current fuel flow rate, the fuel cell's fuel utilization rate will be too high, which may easily cause the system stack module to operate in a fuel over-utilization state, resulting in damage to the stack. Therefore, when the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is obtained by the following formula:

[0086]

[0087] Wherein, V2 represents the target fuel flow rate, is the target fuel utilization rate (the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate of the fuel cell at this time), Q2 is the current fuel calorific value, and W2 is the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0088] During the operation of the fuel cell, the power during operation may fluctuate, or the power may need to be changed at a certain moment. Therefore, the operation of the fuel cell will be affected by two factors: the calorific value of the fuel and the power of the fuel. Power fluctuations or calorific value fluctuations will cause the fuel utilization rate to be too high. Among them, different powers correspond to optimal fuel utilization ranges. Therefore, the corresponding maximum allowable fuel utilization rate can be obtained based on the detected power, and then the current fuel utilization rate under the current fuel calorific value can be calculated. If the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, then it means that the currently input fuel does not meet the current fuel cell system operation, which may easily cause the stack module to operate in a fuel over-utilization state, causing damage to the stack. Therefore, the maximum fuel utilization rate will be used as a benchmark to change the fuel flow rate to adapt to changes in factors such as calorific value to avoid the fuel cell system being in an over-utilization state.

[0089] In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the preset fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0090] It can be understood that the preset fuel utilization rate in this embodiment refers to the fuel utilization rate that can enable the fuel cell to reach the required power without damaging its fuel cell stack when the fuel cell is running when the fuel is output to the fuel cell according to the current fuel information. Among them, the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate can be an upper limit range value, and the preset fuel utilization rate can be a specific set range value.

[0091] It is not difficult to understand that if the preset fuel utilization rate is not equal to the current fuel utilization rate of the fuel cell, the target fuel flow rate can be determined through this embodiment to adjust the fuel output. If they are equal, there is no need to adjust the fuel output. This is because when they are not equal, if the target fuel utilization rate is greater than the current fuel utilization rate and the fuel utilization rate is not adjusted upward, the temperature impact on the fuel cell when the fuel enters the fuel cell is too large, shortening the life of the heat exchanger and the burner; if the target fuel utilization rate is less than the current fuel utilization rate and the fuel utilization rate is not adjusted downward, the fuel cell will operate at a fuel utilization rate that exceeds its operating upper limit, which may cause local overheating of the stack, resulting in damage to the sealing structure and electrode materials of the stack, and damage to the stack gas due to over-utilization.

[0092] At this point, the target fuel flow rate can be obtained by the following formula:

[0093]

[0094] Wherein, V2 represents the target fuel flow rate, is the target fuel utilization rate (in this case, the preset fuel utilization rate of the fuel cell), Q2 is the current fuel calorific value, and W2 is the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0095] In an optional embodiment, determining the current fuel utilization rate of the fuel based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0096] Calculating a second product of the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0097] determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to a ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the second product;

[0098] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0099] calculating a third product of the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the target fuel utilization rate;

[0100] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the third product.

[0101] In an optional embodiment, the control device is further configured to:

[0102] Determining a minimum allowable flow rate corresponding to the fuel cell;

[0103] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0104] Based on the comparison result between the minimum allowable flow rate and the target fuel flow rate, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled, wherein if the target fuel flow rate is less than the fuel flow rate, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the minimum allowable flow rate; otherwise, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate.

[0105] In this embodiment, if the flow rate is adjusted to be reduced according to the change in calorific value in order to avoid too low fuel utilization, then the fuel cell may receive uneven fuel when distributing fuel to multiple stack modules due to too low fuel flow rate. For example, some stacks may only receive a small amount of fuel flow input or no fuel flow input, which may easily cause damage to the stack.

[0106] Therefore, when the calorific value of the fuel changes and the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell needs to be reduced to the target fuel flow rate, the target fuel flow rate is first compared with the minimum allowable flow rate. If the target fuel flow rate is less than the minimum allowable flow rate, the fuel is output to the fuel cell according to the minimum allowable flow rate to prevent the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell from being lower than the minimum allowable flow rate, so that the fuel input to each stack in the fuel cell system is uneven and causes damage.

[0107] In an optional embodiment, the system further includes a buffer device and a flow regulating device, the detection point of the detection device is located at the fuel input port of the buffer device, and the fuel output port of the buffer device is connected to the fuel input port of the fuel cell;

[0108] The flow regulating device is controlled by the control device and is located at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to adjust the flow rate of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell, and the fuel flows through the buffer device, the flow regulating device, and the fuel cell in sequence;

[0109] The control device is further configured to:

[0110] Determine the buffering time of the fuel passing through the buffer device; illustratively, the buffering time may be pre-set based on relevant parameters of the buffer device, and the buffering time is used to represent a time period of flow change, which may be understood as: the time period required for adjusting the flow of the fuel output to the fuel cell from the current fuel flow to the target fuel flow.

[0111] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0112] The flow regulating device is controlled according to the target fuel flow and the buffer time, so that the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time.

[0113] It is understandable that if the detection device and the flow regulating device are set at the same position, then when the fuel composition fluctuates, on the one hand, the fuel flow output is suddenly changed, which may cause impact damage to the fuel cell. On the other hand, due to the time error in regulation and detection, there is a period of time when the fuel calorific value does not correspond to the target fuel flow, but the fuel flow at the current moment. At this time, the system may be damaged due to the change in calorific value. Therefore, in some examples, when it is determined that the calorific value has changed, that is, when the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, or when the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, the optimal adjustment time (i.e., buffer time) can be calculated to allow the fuel to be output to the fuel cell within a buffer time with a sufficient buffer time, thereby reducing the impact on the fuel cell.

[0114] in,

[0115] If the adjustment time to the target fuel flow rate (determined by the buffer time and acting on the flow control device) is less than the target time, then: 1) When the current fuel utilization rate is less than the preset fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate is reduced prematurely, resulting in excessive temperature shock to the fuel cell and shortening the life of the heat exchanger and burner. 2) When the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the preset fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate is increased prematurely, causing the stack module to operate in a fuel overutilization state, resulting in damage to the stack.

[0116] If the adjustment time is greater than the target time, then: 1) When the current fuel utilization rate is less than the preset fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate will be delayed and reduced, resulting in excessive temperature shock to the fuel cell and shortening the life of the heat exchanger and burner. 2) When the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the preset fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate will be delayed and increased, causing the stack module to operate in a fuel overutilization state, resulting in damage to the stack.

[0117] In an optional embodiment, determining the buffering time of the fuel passing through the buffer device includes:

[0118] The buffer time is determined based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device.

[0119] In an optional embodiment, determining the buffer time based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device includes:

[0120] Calculating a buffer volume based on the distance and the inner cavity cross-sectional area;

[0121] The ratio of the buffer volume to the current total flow is calculated to represent the buffer time.

[0122] In some specific examples, for ease of understanding, the following is an example of a case where the inner cavity cross-sectional area remains unchanged. In this case, the buffer time can be determined by the following formula:

[0123]

[0124] in, To buffer time, is the distance from the fuel input port to the fuel output port in the buffer device, is the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity, is the current total flow.

[0125] Furthermore, the number of the fuel cells may be n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the n fuel output ports of the buffer device are respectively connected to the fuel input ports of the n fuel cells;

[0126] At this time, determining the buffer time based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device may include:

[0127] For each fuel cell, the buffer time corresponding to the fuel cell is calculated based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port connected to the fuel cell in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device.

[0128] For example, the current flow rate of the nth fuel cell is , then the current total flow It can be expressed as:

[0129]

[0130] At this time, the buffer time corresponding to the nth fuel cell is for: ,in, is the distance from the fuel input port to the fuel output port connected to the nth fuel cell in the buffer device, is the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity, is the current total flow.

[0131] In an optional embodiment, the buffer device includes a fuel delivery pipeline or a buffer tank.

[0132] In one example, the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time, including:

[0133] The moment when the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment is detected is taken as the initial time t, and the time when the fuel passes through the buffer device to reach the fuel cell is taken as the buffer time T. Then, the flow rate of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell is adjusted from the initial time t until the flow rate of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell is adjusted to the target fuel flow rate at the end time t+T.

[0134] It should be noted that when the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, it is necessary to control the flow rate regulating device so that the flow rate of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell is adjusted to the target fuel flow rate. The flow rate regulating device may be configured to adjust the flow rate of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow rate at the end time according to a command function starting from an initial time. By controlling the flow rate of the fuel, the speed at which the fuel is input into the fuel cell is slowed, while also preventing damage to the system when the fuel composition changes.

[0135] In one example, the flow rate of the fuel outputted through the flow valve can be adjusted by controlling the opening of the flow regulating device according to the target fuel flow rate. The flow regulating device can include a flow valve.

[0136] Second, see Figure 3 , which shows a flow chart of a fuel cell control method provided by an embodiment of the present application, wherein fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation, and fuel information obtained by detecting the fuel by a detection device includes fuel calorific value and fuel flow rate. The method includes steps S301-S302, which are specifically as follows:

[0137] S301, determining a target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0138] S302 : Control the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate, so as to control power generation of the fuel cell.

[0139] In an optional embodiment, determining the target fuel flow rate based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0140] Calculating a first product of the fuel calorific value at a previous moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0141] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the fuel calorific value and the first product at a current moment.

[0142] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0143] Determining a target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment, wherein the target fuel utilization rate includes: a maximum allowable fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel cell, or a preset fuel utilization rate corresponding to normal operation of the fuel cell;

[0144] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on at least the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes:

[0145] determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment;

[0146] In a case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, a target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; if the current fuel utilization rate is less than or equal to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate at the current moment is used as the target fuel flow rate;

[0147] In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the preset fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment.

[0148] In an optional embodiment, determining the current fuel utilization rate of the fuel based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0149] Calculating a second product of the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment;

[0150] determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to a ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the second product;

[0151] The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes:

[0152] calculating a third product of the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the target fuel utilization rate;

[0153] The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the third product.

[0154] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes:

[0155] Determining a minimum allowable flow rate corresponding to the fuel cell;

[0156] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0157] Based on the comparison result between the minimum allowable flow rate and the target fuel flow rate, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled, wherein if the target fuel flow rate is less than the fuel flow rate, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the minimum allowable flow rate; otherwise, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate.

[0158] In an optional embodiment, the detection point of the detection device is located at the fuel input port of the buffer device, and the fuel output port of the buffer device is connected to the fuel input port of the fuel cell;

[0159] The flow regulating device is located at the fuel input port of the fuel cell, and the fuel flows through the buffer device, the flow regulating device, and the fuel cell in sequence;

[0160] The method further comprises:

[0161] determining a buffering time for the fuel to pass through the buffer device;

[0162] The controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes:

[0163] The flow regulating device is controlled according to the target fuel flow and the buffer time, so that the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time.

[0164] In an optional embodiment, determining the buffering time of the fuel passing through the buffer device includes:

[0165] The buffer time is determined based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device.

[0166] In an optional embodiment, determining the buffer time based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity of the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device includes:

[0167] Calculating a buffer volume based on the distance and the inner cavity cross-sectional area;

[0168] The ratio of the buffer volume to the current total flow is calculated to represent the buffer time.

[0169] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which implements the steps of any of the above-mentioned fuel cell control methods when executed by a processor.

[0170] In summary, the embodiments of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0171] By adopting the embodiment of the present application, the target fuel flow is determined based on at least the calorific value of the fuel at the current moment and the fuel flow at the previous moment; based on the target fuel flow, the flow of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled to control the power generation of the fuel cell, thereby being able to adapt to real-time fluctuations in fuel components, timely adjust the flow of fuel delivered to the fuel cell, and improve the safety of the fuel cell during operation.

[0172] Through the above description of the implementation methods, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present application can be implemented by means of software plus the necessary hardware platform, and of course, it can also be implemented entirely through hardware. Based on this understanding, all or part of the contribution of the technical solution of the present application to the background technology can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a storage medium such as ROM / RAM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc., and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or certain parts of the embodiments of the present application.

[0173] The above is a preferred embodiment of the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present application. These improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A fuel cell control system, characterized in that: include: a detection device configured to detect fuel information of a fuel, wherein the fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation, the fuel information including a fuel flow rate and a fuel calorific value; and, A control device is communicatively connected with the detection device, and the control device is configured to: Determining a target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment; According to the target fuel flow rate, controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell to control power generation of the fuel cell; The system further comprises a buffer device and a flow regulating device, wherein the detection point of the detection device is located at the fuel input port of the buffer device, and the fuel output port of the buffer device is connected to the fuel input port of the fuel cell; The flow regulating device is controlled by the control device and is located at the fuel input port of the fuel cell, and the fuel flows through the buffer device, the flow regulating device, and the fuel cell in sequence; The control device is also configured to: determining a buffering time for the fuel to pass through the buffer device; The step of controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes: The flow regulating device is controlled according to the target fuel flow and the buffer time, so that the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time.

2. The fuel cell control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining the target fuel flow rate at least based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes: Calculate a first product of the fuel calorific value at a previous moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment; The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the fuel calorific value and the first product at a current moment.

3. The fuel cell control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control device is also configured to: Determining a target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment, wherein the target fuel utilization rate includes: a maximum allowable fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel cell, or a preset fuel utilization rate corresponding to the fuel cell during normal operation; The step of determining the target fuel flow rate at least based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment includes: Determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is greater than the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; if the current fuel utilization rate is less than or equal to the maximum allowable fuel utilization rate, the fuel flow rate at the current moment is used as the target fuel flow rate; In the case where the target fuel utilization rate refers to the preset fuel utilization rate, if the current fuel utilization rate is not equal to the preset fuel utilization rate, the target fuel flow rate is determined based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment; in, Determining the current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the fuel flow rate at the previous moment, and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes: Calculate the second product of the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the fuel flow rate at the previous moment; determining a current fuel utilization rate of the fuel according to a ratio between an output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the second product; The determining of the target fuel flow rate based on the fuel calorific value at the current moment, the target fuel utilization rate and the output power of the fuel cell at the current moment includes: Calculating a third product of the fuel calorific value at the current moment and the target fuel utilization rate; The target fuel flow rate is determined according to the ratio between the output power of the fuel cell at a current moment and the third product.

4. The fuel cell control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The control device is also configured to: Determining a minimum allowable flow rate corresponding to the fuel cell; The step of controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes: Based on the comparison result between the minimum allowable flow rate and the target fuel flow rate, the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell is controlled, wherein if the target fuel flow rate is less than the fuel flow rate, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell at the minimum allowable flow rate, otherwise, the fuel is controlled to be output to the fuel cell at the target fuel flow rate.

5. The fuel cell control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The step of determining the buffering time of the fuel passing through the buffer device comprises: The buffer time is determined based on the distance from the fuel input port to the fuel output port in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device.

6. The fuel cell control system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The determining of the buffer time based on the distance between the fuel input port and the fuel output port in the buffer device, the inner cavity cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer device, and the current total flow rate of the fuel flowing through the buffer device includes: Calculating a buffer volume based on the distance and the inner cavity cross-sectional area; The ratio between the buffer volume and the current total flow is calculated to characterize the buffer time.

7. A method for controlling a fuel cell, characterized in that: The fuel is output to the fuel cell for power generation. The fuel information obtained by the detection device includes the fuel calorific value and the fuel flow rate. The detection point of the detection device is located at the fuel input port of the buffer device. The fuel output port of the buffer device is connected to the fuel input port of the fuel cell. The flow regulating device is located at the fuel input port of the fuel cell, and the fuel flows through the buffer device, the flow regulating device, and the fuel cell in sequence; the method comprises: Determining a target fuel flow rate based at least on the fuel calorific value at a current moment and the fuel flow rate at a previous moment; According to the target fuel flow rate, controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell to control power generation of the fuel cell; The method further comprises: determining a buffering time for the fuel to pass through the buffer device; The step of controlling the flow rate of the fuel output to the fuel cell according to the target fuel flow rate includes: The flow regulating device is controlled according to the target fuel flow and the buffer time, so that the flow regulating device adjusts the flow of the fuel at the fuel input port of the fuel cell to the target fuel flow within the buffer time.

8. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the fuel cell control method according to claim 7 is implemented.

Images