Heating system and method for running of hydrogen fuel cell for unmanned aerial vehicle at low temperature

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating system and method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle running at a low temperature, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle hydrogen fuel cells, and the heating system comprises a sensor for judging the environment temperature and the state of a galvanic pile, a galvanic pile heating zone for heating the hydrogen fuel cell, and a control unit; the galvanic pile heating subarea is composed of a galvanic pile area, an air inlet area and an air exhaust area, and flexible heating pipes are installed between the lower end plate outer side plate and the lower end plate inner side plate and between the upper end plate inner side plate and the upper end plate outer side plate; according to the invention, the stable operation of the hydrogen fuel cell in a low-temperature environment is realized through the cooperation of the flexible heating pipes, the electromagnetic valves and the heating fans in the electric pile area, the air inlet area and the air outlet area. The core of the system is that through different heating devices and control strategies, stable operation of the fuel cell in an environment of minus 20 DEG C is ensured, and freezing and blockage of an exhaust port are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of hydrogen fuel cells for unmanned aerial vehicles, and in particular to a heating system and method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature. Background Art

[0002] As an efficient and environmentally friendly energy conversion device, hydrogen fuel cells have received extensive attention and development in various applications in recent years. Hydrogen fuel cell drones have become an important development direction of drone technology due to their advantages such as long flight time, low pollution and low noise. However, hydrogen fuel cell drones face many technical challenges and limitations when operating in low temperature environments.

[0003] In sub-zero environments, the performance and stability of hydrogen fuel cells will be significantly affected. First, hydrogen fuel cells are difficult to start at low temperatures, and the electrochemical reaction rate is reduced, resulting in a decrease in output power. Second, in low-temperature environments, the water generated inside the hydrogen fuel cell is prone to freeze at the exhaust port, blocking the exhaust channel, thereby affecting the normal operation of the fuel cell. In addition, low temperatures will also affect the performance of the electrolyte membrane and other key materials in the fuel cell, accelerating their aging and performance degradation.

[0004] In the prior art, although some heating measures have been taken for hydrogen fuel cells, these measures often have problems such as complex structure, high cost, and increased weight, which are difficult to meet the requirements of lightweight and simplified UAVs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a solution with simple structure, low cost and significant heating effect to ensure the stable operation of hydrogen fuel cell UAVs in sub-zero environments. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above technical problems and provides a heating system and method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperatures.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution provided by the present invention is:

[0007] A heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell used in a drone operating at low temperature, comprising a sensor for judging the ambient temperature and the state of the fuel cell stack, a fuel cell stack heating partition for heating the hydrogen fuel cell, and a control unit;

[0008] The stack heating zone consists of a stack zone, an air intake zone and an exhaust zone;

[0009] The stack area is provided with a lower end plate outer plate and a lower end plate inner plate arranged on one side of the hydrogen fuel cell, and an upper end plate inner plate and an upper end plate outer plate are installed on the other side of the hydrogen fuel cell, and flexible heating pipes are installed between the lower end plate outer plate and the lower end plate inner plate, and between the upper end plate inner plate and the upper end plate outer plate;

[0010] A heating fan is installed in the air intake area, and a heating wire is installed between the heating fan and the hydrogen fuel cell;

[0011] The inner plate of the lower end plate and the inner plate of the upper end plate are provided with serpentine grooves for use with flexible heating pipes, and the flexible heating pipes are installed in the serpentine grooves; the outer plate of the upper end plate covers the inner plate of the upper end plate, and the outer plate of the lower end plate covers the inner plate of the lower end plate; the outer plate of the upper end plate and the outer plate of the lower end plate both have reinforcing ribs through a topological structure;

[0012] The exhaust area is provided with a solenoid valve connected to the inlet and outlet pipelines of the hydrogen fuel cell.

[0013] Preferably, the sensor uses an NTC10K thermal resistor to measure the ambient temperature and the stack temperature, and the sensor includes an ambient temperature sensor and a stack temperature sensor.

[0014] Preferably, the solenoid valve is a heating type solenoid valve.

[0015] Preferably, the inner side plate of the lower end plate and the inner side plate of the upper end plate are made of carbon fiber material.

[0016] The sensor, heating fan, heating wire and solenoid valve are electrically connected to a control unit. A heating method for a hydrogen fuel cell used in an unmanned aerial vehicle running at low temperature, the heating method adopts a multi-stage heating method, and the multi-stage heating method includes the following steps:

[0017] S1. Determine the ambient temperature and battery stack status through sensors;

[0018] S2. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is greater than 20°C, the heating fan in the air intake area is controlled to operate, and the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell is adjusted and maintained through the PID of the heating fan determined by the stack temperature sensor;

[0019] S3. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is within 0-20°C, the flexible heating tube in the stack area heats the inner plate of the lower end plate and the inner plate of the upper end plate, and cooperates with the heating fan in the air intake area to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell;

[0020] S4. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is less than 0°C, the solenoid valve and the heating wire are opened on the basis of step S3 to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell.

[0021] Preferably, the maintenance temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell is 60°C.

[0022] Preferably, in the step S3, as the temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor decreases, the heating of the battery stack area is enhanced and the rotation speed of the heating fan is reduced.

[0023] After adopting the above structure and method, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0024] The invention realizes stable operation of hydrogen fuel cells in low temperature environments through the cooperation of three parts: flexible heating pipes, solenoid valves and heating fans in the stack area, air intake area and exhaust area. The core of the system is to ensure stable operation of the fuel cell in an environment of minus 20 degrees Celsius and avoid ice blockage at the exhaust port through different heating devices and control strategies.

[0025] The invention has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and maintain, has low cost, and is applicable to various types of hydrogen fuel cell drones. The heating effect is significant, and the stable operation of the hydrogen fuel cell can be ensured in an extremely low temperature environment. The operating state of each heating device can be automatically adjusted according to the ambient temperature, and the efficiency and reliability of the system can be improved. The invention provides an efficient and reliable hydrogen fuel cell drone heating system and method, which can effectively solve the startup and operation problems in a low temperature environment and ensure the normal operation of the drone in an extreme environment.

[0026] The above summary is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments and features described above, further aspects, embodiments and features of the present invention will be readily apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or technical descriptions will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0028] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 It is a partition diagram of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of the heating method of the present invention.

[0031] As shown in the figure: 1. Hydrogen fuel cell; 2. Heating fan; 3. Heating wire; 4. Solenoid valve; 5. Outer plate of lower end plate; 6. Inner plate of lower end plate; 7. Inner plate of upper end plate; 8. Outer plate of upper end plate; 9. Flexible heating tube; 10. Serpentine groove; 11. Reinforcing ribs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0033] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0034] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the full text.

[0035] Combined with Figure 1-Figure 3 , a heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating in low temperature, comprising a sensor for judging the ambient temperature and the state of the fuel cell stack, a fuel cell stack heating partition for heating the hydrogen fuel cell, and a control unit;

[0036] The stack heating zone consists of the stack zone, air intake zone and exhaust zone;

[0037] When the present invention is specifically implemented, Figure 1 As shown, the stack area is installed with a lower end plate outer plate 5 and a lower end plate inner plate 6 arranged on one side of the hydrogen fuel cell 1, and an upper end plate inner plate 7 and an upper end plate outer plate 8 are installed on the other side of the hydrogen fuel cell 1. Flexible heating tubes 9 are installed between the lower end plate outer plate 5 and the lower end plate inner plate 6, the upper end plate inner plate 7 and the upper end plate outer plate 8. Specifically, the lower end plate inner plate 6 and the upper end plate inner plate 7 are inner plates, and the lower end plate outer plate 5 and the upper end plate outer plate 8 are outer plates. A double-layer bipolar plate structure is adopted, and four guide columns are used for connection and guidance. The lower end plate inner plate 6 and the upper end plate inner plate 7 are made of carbon fiber material. A serpentine groove 10 is opened in the middle, and the flexible heating tube 9 is placed in the serpentine groove 10 to heat the stack. The lower end plate outer plate 5 and the upper end plate outer plate 8 are slightly thicker, covered on the thin plate and have reinforcing ribs 11 through the topological structure to reduce heat loss and provide structural strength.

[0038] In the specific implementation of the present invention, a heating fan 2 is installed in the air intake area, and a heating wire 3 is installed between the heating fan 2 and the hydrogen fuel cell 1; the air outlet of the heating fan 2 is provided with a heating wire 3 for heating the air blown into the fuel cell stack.

[0039] The lower end plate inner side plate 6 and the upper end plate inner side plate 7 are provided with a serpentine groove 10 for use with the flexible heating tube 9, and the flexible heating tube 9 is installed in the serpentine groove 10, the upper end plate outer side plate 8 covers the upper end plate inner side plate 7, and the lower end plate outer side plate 5 covers the lower end plate inner side plate 6, and both the upper end plate outer side plate 8 and the lower end plate outer side plate 5 have reinforcing ribs 11 through a topological structure;

[0040] In the specific implementation of the present invention, a solenoid valve 4 connected to the inlet and outlet pipelines of the hydrogen fuel cell 1 is installed in the exhaust area, and the solenoid valve 4 adopts a heating solenoid valve. Specifically, the inlet and outlet pipelines of the solenoid valve 4 are heated by an electric heating coil to prevent the exhaust gas from freezing, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the solenoid valve.

[0041] The sensor uses NTC10K thermal resistor to measure ambient temperature and stack temperature. The sensor includes an ambient temperature sensor and a stack temperature sensor.

[0042] The sensor, the heating fan 2, the heating wire 3 and the solenoid valve 4 are electrically connected to the control unit. The flexible heating tube 9 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity and is connected to the temperature control system of the control unit to maintain the fuel cell stack within the optimal operating temperature range.

[0043] A heating method for a hydrogen fuel cell used in a drone running at low temperature, the heating method adopts a multi-stage heating method, and the multi-stage heating method includes the following steps:

[0044] S1. Determine the ambient temperature and battery stack status through sensors;

[0045] S2. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is greater than 20°C, the heating fan 2 in the air intake area is controlled to operate, and the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1 is adjusted and maintained through the PID of the heating fan 2 according to the stack temperature sensor;

[0046] S3, when the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is within 0-20°C, the flexible heating tube 9 in the stack area heats the inner plate 6 of the lower end plate and the inner plate 7 of the upper end plate, and works with the heating fan 2 in the air intake area to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1;

[0047] S4. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is less than 0°C, the solenoid valve 4 is opened to heat the wire 3 on the basis of step S3 to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1.

[0048] The maintenance temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1 is 60°C.

[0049] In step S3, as the temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor decreases, the heating of the battery stack area is enhanced and the rotation speed of the heating fan 2 is reduced.

[0050] Multi-stage heating is divided into three modes: high temperature mode, medium temperature mode and low temperature mode.

[0051] In the high temperature mode, the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is greater than 20° C., and all heating devices are turned off, and the heating devices of the flexible heating tube 9 of the bipolar plate, the solenoid valve 4 and the heating wire 3 are not in operation.

[0052] The medium temperature mode is when the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is within 0-20℃; within this temperature range, the ambient temperature will affect the heating and performance of the battery stack, but will not cause ice on the exhaust end. Turn on the heating function of the battery stack area to heat the battery stack through the flexible heating tube 9. Adjust the speed of the heating fan 2 in the air intake area, reduce the speed while maintaining the amount of air required for the battery stack reaction, and control the temperature of the battery stack to prevent the temperature from being too low and affecting the performance;

[0053] Low temperature mode means that the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is less than 0℃; within this temperature range, the exhaust end may freeze, affecting the normal operation of the battery. The solenoid valve 4 is normally open through the control unit's relay control, the heating fan 2 and the heating wire 3 are normally open, and the end plate heating function and the heating fan 2 speed are PID-regulated together to provide warm air to the stack, further increasing the stack's operating temperature and keeping the fuel cell temperature at 60℃

[0054] Embodiment 1:

[0055] When the ambient temperature sensor detects that the ambient temperature is 35°C, the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is greater than 20°C, and the hydrogen fuel cell can work normally at the natural ambient temperature. The ambient temperature rises due to the normal operation of the hydrogen fuel cell, and the heating fan 2 in the air intake area is controlled to operate, and all heating devices are turned off. The flexible heating tube 9 of the bipolar plate, the solenoid valve 4 and the heating devices of the heating wire 3 are not running. The temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1 is stabilized at 60°C by adjusting the PID of the heating fan 2 through the stack temperature sensor.

[0056] Embodiment 2:

[0057] When the ambient temperature sensor detects that the ambient temperature is 12°C, the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is within 0-20°C. Within this temperature range, the ambient temperature will affect the heating and performance of the battery stack, but will not cause ice on the exhaust end. Turn on the heating function of the battery stack area, heat the battery stack through the flexible heating tube 9, adjust the speed of the heating fan 2 in the air intake area, reduce the speed while maintaining the amount of air required for the battery stack reaction, and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell 1 stable at 60°C to prevent the temperature from being too low and affecting the performance.

[0058] Embodiment three:

[0059] When the ambient temperature sensor detects that the ambient temperature is -5°C, the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is less than 0°C. Within this temperature range, the exhaust end may freeze, affecting the normal operation of the battery. The heating function of the battery stack area is turned on, and the battery stack is heated by the flexible heating tube 9. The solenoid valve 4, heating wire 3, and heating fan 2 are turned on. The flexible heating tube 9 of the end plate and the speed of the heating fan 2 are PID adjusted together to provide warm air to enter the battery stack, further increasing the operating temperature of the battery stack and controlling the temperature of the fuel cell at 60°C.

[0060] The present invention and its embodiments are described above, and such description is not restrictive. What is shown in the full text is only one of the embodiments of the present invention, and the actual structure is not limited thereto. In short, if ordinary technicians in the field are inspired by it, without departing from the purpose of the invention, they can design a structure and embodiment similar to the technical solution without creativity, which should belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperatures, characterized in that: It includes sensors for judging the ambient temperature and the state of the fuel cell stack, fuel cell stack heating partitions and a control unit for heating the hydrogen fuel cell; The stack heating zone consists of a stack zone, an air intake zone and an exhaust zone; The stack area is provided with a lower end plate outer plate (5) and a lower end plate inner plate (6) arranged on one side of the hydrogen fuel cell (1); the other side of the hydrogen fuel cell (1) is provided with an upper end plate inner plate (7) and an upper end plate outer plate (8); and flexible heating tubes (9) are provided between the lower end plate outer plate (5) and the lower end plate inner plate (6), and between the upper end plate inner plate (7) and the upper end plate outer plate (8); A heating fan (2) is installed in the air intake area, and a heating wire (3) is installed between the heating fan (2) and the hydrogen fuel cell (1); The lower end plate inner side plate (6) and the upper end plate inner side plate (7) are provided with serpentine grooves (10) for use with the flexible heating tube (9), and the flexible heating tube (9) is installed in the serpentine grooves (10); the upper end plate outer side plate (8) covers the upper end plate inner side plate (7), and the lower end plate outer side plate (5) covers the lower end plate inner side plate (6); and the upper end plate outer side plate (8) and the lower end plate outer side plate (5) both have reinforcing ribs (11) through a topological structure; A solenoid valve (4) connected to the inlet and outlet pipelines of the hydrogen fuel cell (1) is installed in the exhaust area.

2. The heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor adopts NTC10K thermal resistor to measure the ambient temperature and the stack temperature. The sensor includes an ambient temperature sensor and a stack temperature sensor.

3. The heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 1, characterized in that: The solenoid valve (4) is a heating type solenoid valve.

4. The heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end plate inner side plate (6) and the upper end plate inner side plate (7) are made of carbon fiber material.

5. The heating system for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor, the heating fan (2), the heating wire (3) and the solenoid valve (4) are electrically connected to a control unit.

6. A heating method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature, characterized in that: The heating method adopts a multi-stage heating method, and the multi-stage heating method includes the following steps: S1. Determine the ambient temperature and battery stack status through sensors; S2. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is greater than 20° C., the heating fan (2) in the air intake area is controlled to operate, and the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell (1) is adjusted and maintained through the PID of the heating fan (2) by judging the temperature sensor of the fuel cell stack; S3. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is within the range of 0-20°C, the flexible heating tube (9) in the stack area heats the inner plate (6) of the lower end plate and the inner plate (7) of the upper end plate, and works with the heating fan (2) in the air intake area to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell (1); S4. When the control unit detects that the value of the ambient temperature sensor is less than 0°C, the solenoid valve (4) and the heating wire (3) are opened on the basis of step S3 to adjust and maintain the temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell (1).

7. The heating method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 6, characterized in that: The maintenance temperature of the hydrogen fuel cell (1) is 60°C.

8. The heating method for a hydrogen fuel cell for an unmanned aerial vehicle operating at low temperature according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the step S3, as the temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor decreases, the heating of the battery stack area is enhanced and the rotation speed of the heating fan (2) is reduced.

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