Gas-water separator system of proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and a control method, belongs to the field of fuel cell systems, and aims to solve the problem of freezing prevention of accumulated water on the hydrogen side of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack in a low-temperature environment. The separator is used for separating hydrogen from water and is arranged at the upper part of the accommodating space; the water storage part is used for containing separated water and is arranged at the lower part of the accommodating space; the water collecting plate is arranged between the separator and the water storage part and is used for receiving the separated water output by the separator and guiding the separated water to the water storage part, so that the water in the unreacted hydrogen of the fuel cell stack can be reliably separated under the low-temperature and even extremely-low-temperature environmental conditions; the output power of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is improved, and the application environment range of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is expanded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of fuel cell system design, and in particular relates to a gas-water separator system for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and a control process thereof. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell system is a power generation device that converts the chemical energy in fuel and oxidant directly into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions. It has the advantages of high energy conversion rate, no pollution and low noise. A fuel cell cell consists of a plate and a membrane electrode, and multiple cells are stacked into a fuel cell stack. During the operation of the fuel cell stack in a hydrogen fuel cell system, hydrogen as fuel will enter the stack from the hydrogen inlet of the stack to undergo an electrochemical reaction to release electrical energy and generate water. The hydrogen that does not participate in the reaction is discharged from the hydrogen outlet of the stack, and enters the hydrogen inlet of the stack again through the hydrogen circulation subsystem to participate in the electrochemical reaction.

[0003] During the operation of the fuel cell stack in the hydrogen fuel cell system, the hydrogen that does not participate in the reaction mixed with the water generated during the electrochemical reaction will pass through the hydrogen circulation subsystem and re-enter the stack to participate in the electrochemical reaction. The generated water will gradually accumulate and increase during the hydrogen circulation process. Excessive water will adhere to the proton exchange membrane, preventing hydrogen from participating in the electrochemical reaction. As the power of the fuel cell system increases, the water accumulated on the fuel hydrogen side of the stack increases rapidly, preventing hydrogen from participating in the electrochemical reaction, causing the power of the fuel cell system to continue to decline until the proton exchange membrane is damaged. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the problem of water accumulation and antifreeze on the hydrogen side of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack in a low temperature environment, a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application includes:

[0005] A shell body, with an internally formed accommodation space;

[0006] A separator, used for separating hydrogen from water, arranged at the upper part of the accommodating space;

[0007] A water storage part, used for containing separated water, and arranged at the lower part of the accommodating space;

[0008] The water collecting plate is arranged between the separator and the water storage part, and is used for receiving the separated water output by the separator and guiding the separated water to the water storage part.

[0009] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the water storage part includes

[0010] A water level sensor, used for measuring the water level of the separated water contained in the water storage part;

[0011] An electromagnetic drain valve is arranged at the bottom of the water storage part, and the electromagnetic drain valve is opened to discharge the separated water contained in the water storage part; the electromagnetic drain valve is closed to stop discharging the separated water contained in the water storage part;

[0012] A water level controller, which controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open or close according to the water level measured by the water level sensor;

[0013] A water temperature sensor, used to measure the temperature of the separated water contained in the water storage part;

[0014] Drain valve temperature sensor, used to measure the temperature of the drain valve;

[0015] A heater module, the heater module is turned on to heat the separated water in the water storage part; the heater module is turned off to stop heating the separated water in the water storage part;

[0016] The heater module controller controls the heater module to be turned on or off according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor.

[0017] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system in some embodiments of the present application, the separator is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0018] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the water collecting plate is formed into a cone-like shape with a high middle and low surroundings and including two pairs of undulating valley peaks.

[0019] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, a accommodating chamber is provided at the bottom of the water storage part, wherein the water level controller is provided in the first accommodating chamber, the heater module controller is provided in the second accommodating chamber, and the electromagnetic drain valve is provided in the third accommodating chamber.

[0020] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the bottom end of the water level sensor is installed at the bottom of the water storage part and is arranged along the water level height direction; the water level sensor is shielded by the plate surface of the water collecting plate above it;

[0021] A water temperature sensor is installed at the bottom of the water storage part, and the water temperature sensor is connected to the heater module controller;

[0022] The drain valve temperature sensor is arranged near the drain outlet of the electromagnetic drain valve, and the drain valve temperature sensor is connected to the heater module controller;

[0023] The heater modules are distributed at intervals or continuously on the inner circumference of the water storage part, and the bottom end of the heater module is installed at the bottom of the water storage part. The heater module is connected to a heater module controller.

[0024] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the water level sensor is connected to the water level controller; and the electromagnetic drain valve is connected to the water level controller.

[0025] According to the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the water temperature sensor is installed in the middle of the bottom of the water storage part.

[0026] According to the control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton-proton exchange membrane fuel cell system in some embodiments of the present application, when the fuel cell system is in operation, the unreacted hydrogen mixed with water enters the gas-water separation pipeline from the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack through the inlet of the gas-water separator system, and the water is separated from the hydrogen through the gas-water separation, and flows out from the water outlet; the outlet water is guided by the water collecting plate into the water storage part, and the hydrogen enters the hydrogen circulation subsystem through the hydrogen outlet of the gas-water separator system, and then participates in the electrochemical reaction again;

[0027] Control methods include:

[0028] According to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor, it is judged that: if at least one of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage part and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started until the water storage part and the drain valve temperature are higher than the second temperature, and then the heater module is turned off to stop heating; if the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage box and the drain valve have no risk of freezing;

[0029] The water level sensor measures the amount of water in the water storage section. The water in the water storage section gradually accumulates as the fuel cell system operates. When the water storage amount reaches the maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open and discharge the water in the water storage section. The water in the water storage section is gradually discharged along the electromagnetic drain valve. When the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

[0030] According to the control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton-proton exchange membrane fuel cell system in some embodiments of the present application, the first temperature is 5° C., and the second temperature is 40° C.;

[0031] When the water storage volume reaches the maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open and drain the water in the water storage part.

[0032] When the water storage volume reaches the maximum value, according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor, wherein the maximum value is 90% of the full water storage volume, it is determined that:

[0033] If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage part has a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the first water level, reaching 15% of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature;

[0034] If the water temperature is not lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the drain valve has a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the second water level, reaching 20% ​​of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature;

[0035] If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is determined that the water storage part and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, then the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the third water level, reaching 25% of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature;

[0036] If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that there is no risk of freezing in the water storage box and the drain valve, and the water in the water storage part is gradually discharged along the electromagnetic drain valve. When the water storage volume reaches the minimum value, reaching 10% of the full volume, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

[0037] Beneficial effect: The present invention uses the water storage part to coordinate the temperature measurement with the heater module, and the water level measurement with the solenoid valve, so that the separated water of the gas-water separator can be stored and discharged to the outside in a low-temperature environment or even an ultra-low-temperature environment. In combination with temperature measurement and heating, the possibility of the solenoid valve being open and easily blocked by ice in an ultra-low-temperature environment is greatly reduced, so that the gas-water separator can normally separate water and hydrogen in a low-temperature environment, and ensure the circulation supply of hydrogen and water in the battery stack. Therefore, the present invention achieves the effect of using the separated water heating to prevent freezing, and, in the extremely low temperature scenario, by setting the number and installation position of the detection device, the separation water discharge timing, the temperature detection timing, and the start heating timing and discharge amount (the amount of separation water retained in the water storage part), the freezing risk level is obtained, and different heating and discharge water amount settings are performed according to different freezing risk levels, so that the present invention can achieve non-freezing in an extremely low temperature environment, and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. It can be seen that the discharge water volume and heating water volume of the present invention are dynamically adjusted, so that the heating water volume and the discharge water volume can be adaptively and accurately graded to prevent freezing and reduce heat energy consumption, and can achieve the purpose of rapid drainage without freezing.

[0038] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 It is a schematic block diagram of a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2 It is a schematic block diagram of a control method for a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a water collecting plate in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure markings: 1-1. Gas-water separator outlet, 1-2. Hydrogen reflux pipeline, 1-3. Gas-water separation pipeline, 1-4. Hydrogen reflux pipeline inlet, 1-5. Water collecting plate, 1-6 Heater module, 1-7 Solenoid drain valve, 1-8. Water temperature sensor, 1-9. Drain valve temperature sensor, 1-10. Water level controller, 1-11. Heater module controller, 1-12. Heater module, 1-13. Water level sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] Embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, examples of which 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.

[0044] Figure 1 It is a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system. The gas-water separator of the fuel cell system is installed at the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack and connected by bolts and sealing rings. That is, the gas-water separator of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system has a screw through hole and is fastened to the hydrogen outlet of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system by bolts. Figure 1 As shown, the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system includes a shell, a separator 1-3 (gas-water separation pipeline), a water storage part (water storage box) 1-14, and a water collecting plate 1-5, wherein the water storage part 1-141-14 includes a water level sensor 1-13, an electromagnetic drain valve (drain valve module) 1-7, a water level controller 1-10, a water temperature sensor 1-8, a drain valve temperature sensor 1-9, a heater module controller 1-11, etc.

[0045] The housing is formed inside the shell. The separator is used to separate hydrogen from water and is arranged at the upper part of the housing space. Preferably, the separator is a cyclone gravity separator. The water storage part 1-14 is used to hold the separated water and is arranged at the lower part of the housing space. The water collecting plate 1-5 is arranged between the separator and the water storage part 1-14, and is used to receive the separated water output by the separator and guide the separated water to the water storage part 1-14. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water collecting plate 1-5 is formed into a cone-like shape with a high middle and low surroundings, and includes two pairs of undulating valley peaks. After the hydrogen discharged from the cyclone gravity separator contacts the water collecting plate 1-5 of this shape, a vortex with a certain angle to the current flow direction will be generated, which can further separate the fine water mist remaining in the hydrogen. At the same time, the separated fine water mist will gather into larger droplets on the water collecting plate 1-5 and enter the water storage part 1-14 at the lower part of the housing space.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water level sensor 1-13 is used to measure the water level of the separated water contained in the water storage part 1-14. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is set at the bottom of the water storage part 1-14, and the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is opened to discharge the separated water contained in the water storage part 1-14. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is closed to stop discharging the separated water contained in the water storage part 1-14. The water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open or close according to the water level measured by the water level sensor 1-13. The water temperature sensor 1-8 is used to measure the water temperature of the separated water contained in the water storage part 1-14. The drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is used to measure the drain valve temperature. The heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are turned on to heat the separated water in the water storage part 1-14. The heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are turned off to stop heating the separated water in the water storage part 1-14. The heater module controller 1-11 controls the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 to turn on or off according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor 1-8 and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9.

[0047] In this embodiment, as a preference, the bottom end of the water level sensor 1-13 is installed at the bottom of the water storage section 1-14 and is arranged along the water level height direction. The water level sensor 1-13 is shielded by the board surface of the water collecting plate 1-5 above it, which is used to avoid the water level sensor collecting erroneous data caused by drainage of the water collecting plate. The water temperature sensor 1-8 is installed at the bottom of the water storage section 1-14, and the water temperature sensor 1-8 is connected to the heater module controller 1-11. The drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is arranged near the drain outlet of the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7, and the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is connected to the heater module controller 1-11. The heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are spaced or continuously distributed on the inner periphery of the water storage section 1-14, and the bottom ends of the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are installed at the bottom of the water storage section 1-14, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are connected to the heater module controller 1-11. The water level sensor 1-13 is connected to the water level controller 1-10. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is connected to the water level controller 1-10.

[0048] In this embodiment, preferably, a receiving chamber is provided at the bottom of the water storage portion 1-14, wherein the water level controller 1-10 is provided in a first receiving chamber, the heater module controller 1-11 is provided in a second receiving chamber, and the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is provided in a third receiving chamber. The water temperature sensor 1-8 is installed in the middle of the bottom of the water storage portion 1-14.

[0049] In the above scheme, the hydrogen mixed with water in the gas-water separator of the present invention enters the gas-water separator through the gas-water separator inlet 1-15, passes through the gas-water separation pipeline 1-3, and after the water is separated, enters the water storage box 1-14 through the water collecting plate 1-5. The hydrogen without mixed water flows back to the gas-water separator outlet 1-1 from the hydrogen reflux pipeline inlet 1-4 through the hydrogen reflux pipeline 1-2, and then enters the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system hydrogen circulation subsystem, and then participates in the electrochemical reaction again.

[0050] In the separator system of the present invention, the water level sensor 1-13 sends the water volume in the water storage box 1-14 to the data processing module of the water level sensor 1-13, such as the water level controller 1-10. After receiving the data from the data processing module of the water level sensor 1-13, the drain valve module 1-7 controls the opening and closing of the drain valve according to the maximum and minimum water volumes allowed by the water storage box 1-14, thereby completing the discharge of water in the water storage box 1-14.

[0051] The heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 controllers obtain the water temperature of the water storage box and the temperature of the drain valve from the water storage box water temperature sensor 1-8 and the drain valve temperature sensor 1-91-9. The heaters 1-6 and 1-12 are controlled by the heater module controller 1-11 to heat and melt the water storage box 1-14 and the drain valve module 1-7. Among them, the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are commonly used heating materials such as integrated resistance wires, which are exposed near the inner circumference wall and the bottom wall of the box space, or embedded in the inner circumference wall and the bottom wall of the box. The present invention is preferably embedded in the inner circumference wall and the bottom wall of the box, and the inner circumference wall and the bottom wall of the box are heat-conducting materials. In one embodiment, the material of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The surface is subjected to an insulating coating to enhance the insulation properties and corrosion resistance.

[0052] The water in the water storage box 1-14 will gradually accumulate as the fuel cell system operates, and the water level sensor 1-13 measures the amount of water in the water storage box in real time. When the water storage reaches the maximum value, the water level controller 1-10 opens the drain valve to drain the water in the water storage box 1-14. As the water is discharged, the water storage gradually decreases. When the water storage reaches the minimum value, the water level controller 1-10 closes the drain valve. The drain valve is preferably a solenoid valve.

[0053] The proton exchange membrane fuel cell system gas-water separator and its control process proposed in the present invention can achieve reliable separation of water in unreacted hydrogen in the fuel cell stack under low temperature or even ultra-low temperature conditions, thereby improving the output power of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and expanding the application environment range of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system.

[0054] The present invention uses the water storage part 1-14, temperature measurement and heater modules 1-6, 1-12, water level measurement and electromagnetic valve in coordination, so that the separated water of the gas-water separator can be stored and discharged to the outside in a low temperature environment or even an ultra-low temperature environment, and the temperature measurement and heating are combined to greatly reduce the possibility of the electromagnetic valve being open and easy to freeze and block in an ultra-low temperature environment, so that the gas-water separator can normally separate water and hydrogen in a low temperature environment, and ensure the circulation supply of hydrogen and water in the battery stack. Thus, the present invention achieves the effect of using the separated water heating to prevent freezing, and, in the extremely low temperature scenario, by setting the number and installation position of the detection device, the separation water discharge timing setting, the temperature detection timing setting, and the start heating timing and discharge amount (the amount of separation water retained in the water storage part 1-14) setting, the freezing risk level is obtained, and different heating and discharge water amount settings are performed according to different freezing risk levels, so that the present invention can achieve non-freezing in an extremely low temperature environment, and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. It can be seen that the discharge water volume and heating water volume of the present invention are dynamically adjusted, so that the heating water volume and the discharge water volume can be adaptively and accurately graded to prevent freezing and reduce heat energy consumption, and can achieve the purpose of rapid drainage without freezing.

[0055] When the fuel cell system is operating at an ambient temperature of 0 to -40°C, in order to prevent the drain valve of the present invention from freezing and being unable to open / close normally, the present invention designs heater modules 1-6 and 1-12. The heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 will measure the temperature of the water in the water storage box of the gas-water separator and the temperature of the drain valve in real time during the operation of the fuel cell system. When the temperature is close to 0°C, the heating function is turned on to prevent the water from freezing and causing the water level sensor 1-13 and the drain valve to malfunction. If the system is frozen and blocked, it will be impossible to drain water in time, making it difficult to perform gas-water separation normally, and the circulating gas and water circulation cannot operate normally.

[0056] The schematic diagram of the control process of the present invention is as follows Figure 2 When the fuel cell system is in operation, first determine whether the temperature of the water box and the drain valve is lower than 5°C. If the temperature of the water box and the drain valve is lower than 5°C, it is determined that the water box and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, and then start the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 until the temperature of the water box and the drain valve is higher than 40°C, then immediately turn off the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 to stop heating. If the temperature of the water box and the drain valve is not lower than 5°C, it is determined that there is no risk of freezing of the water box and the drain valve.

[0057] During the water level judgment stage of the water storage box, the water level of the water storage box is monitored in real time. When the water level of the water storage box reaches the maximum value, the drain valve is opened to drain the water. The drain valve is closed until the water level of the water storage box reaches the minimum value. At this time, the water storage box can continue to store water.

[0058] As described above, the water temperature sensor 1-8 and the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 detect the water temperature and the drain valve temperature in real time. If at least one of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than 5°C at any stage, it is determined that the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve are at risk of freezing, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are started until the temperature of the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve is higher than 40°C, and then the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are turned off to stop heating.

[0059] Based on the present invention, the discharge and heating of separation water are detected and controlled, and the heating can be implemented by heating the separation water to avoid freezing. In addition, storing a certain amount of separation water and then discharging it can gain benefits in efficiency and cost, and facilitate the allocation of circulating water. In addition, in the extremely low temperature environment (-40°C) achieved by the present invention, the solenoid valve is often open and easily causes ice to form and block the discharge. Therefore, the present invention stores separation water, detects the water level, discharges separation water when necessary, and at the same time, monitors the water temperature and the temperature of the drain valve, and starts heating when necessary to avoid freezing in the above-mentioned extremely low temperature environment (-40°C). In one scheme, the water level sensor 1-13 measures the amount of water in the water storage part 1-14. When the water level sensor 1-13 detects that the water storage volume has reached the maximum value, the maximum value is that the water storage volume reaches 90% of the full amount, and the discharge control is started. The reason why the full amount is not taken as the maximum value is that the water level sensor 1-13 performs heating and discharge operations only when it detects the full amount, and there may even be freezing resulting in untimely discharge, leading to the risk of overflow. Therefore, the present invention determines the timing of starting the discharge control as when the water volume reaches 90% of the full amount.

[0060] In the present invention, if the water temperature is lower than 5°C and the drain valve temperature is not lower than 5°C, it is judged that the water storage part 1-14 has the risk of freezing, then the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are started, and at the same time the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is discharged to the first water level, reaching 15% of the full amount, and the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to close until the temperature of the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve is higher than 40°C, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are closed.

[0061] If the water temperature is not lower than 5°C and the drain valve temperature is lower than 5°C, it is judged that the drain valve is at risk of freezing, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are started. At the same time, the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is discharged to the second water level, reaching 20% ​​of the full amount. The water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to close until the temperature of the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve is higher than 40°C, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are turned off.

[0062] If the water temperature is lower than 5°C and the drain valve temperature is lower than 5°C, it is judged that the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are started. At the same time, the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is discharged to the fourth water level, reaching 25% of the full amount. The water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to close until the temperature of the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve is higher than 40°C, and the heater modules 1-6 and 1-12 are closed.

[0063] If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are both not lower than 5°C, it is determined that there is no risk of freezing in the water storage box and the drain valve, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is gradually discharged along with the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7. When the water storage volume reaches the minimum value, reaching 10% of the full volume, the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to close.

[0064] As described above, when the water level reaches the maximum value, the discharge control is started. The present invention simultaneously starts the water temperature and the discharge valve temperature detection, and controls the water discharge volume through the water temperature and the discharge valve temperature, and does not drain the separated water, and the retained water volume of the separated water in different scenarios is also different. That is, the present invention monitors the water level and reaches the discharge time, immediately analyzes the temperature data, judges the current system freezing risk according to the temperature data, and, according to the risk level, performs corresponding heating treatment and performs drainage operations with different drainage volumes, so that in a low temperature environment, the drainage volume is controlled, and combined with the heating means, the drainage volume is adaptively adjusted according to the risk level, on the one hand, the heating heat is adaptively adjusted to avoid wasting heat energy, and on the other hand, the water is discharged as quickly as possible.

[0065] Therefore, on the one hand, the present invention needs to use water heating to avoid freezing. On the other hand, the inventor found that based on the matching relationship and installation position of the device of the present invention, the combination of the temperature of the water temperature and the temperature of the discharge valve has different freezing risks, and this dual-position, water and valve coordinated temperature detection combination can truly reflect the level of freezing risk. Moreover, for situations with high freezing risk, the present invention should retain a slightly higher amount of water, and with heating, more high-temperature hot water can be used to reduce the freezing risk. In situations with medium and low risks, the purpose of heat saving can be achieved. Therefore, the present invention retains the most water in the highest freezing risk scenario where the water temperature is lower than 5°C and the drain valve temperature is lower than 5°C. In the lowest freezing risk scenario where the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than 5°C, the least amount of water is retained. The retention of this amount of water still takes into account the irregularity of separation water entering the water storage part 1-14 and the use of water heating by the present invention to prevent freezing.

[0066] As described above, the above-mentioned means of the present invention achieves the effect of utilizing separated water heating to prevent freezing, and, in extremely low temperature scenarios, by means of separating water discharge timing, temperature detection timing, heating start timing and discharge amount (retention amount) control, settings are made according to different freezing risks, so that the present invention can achieve extremely low temperature environment (-40°C) without freezing, and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. This control process can realize the normal operation of the gas-water separator at an ambient temperature of 0 to -40°C without the risk of freezing. At the same time, the automatic emptying of the accumulated water in the water storage box can be realized, effectively reducing the leakage of hydrogen during the opening stage of the drain valve, and improving the safety level of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system.

[0067] Table 1 System operation data under different low temperature environments

[0068] Serial number Operating temperature / ℃ Running time / h Frozen times 01 0 2000 0 02 -10 1200 0 03 -20 800 0 04 -30 400 0 05 -40 200 0

[0069] In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0070] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0071] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; 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, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0072] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0073] In the present invention, the term "and / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the previously associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one" means one or more; "at least one of A and B" is similar to "A and / or B", describing the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, at least one of A and B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0074] In the present invention, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0075] The above are only preferred specific implementation methods of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can make equivalent replacements or changes according to the technical solutions and inventive concepts of the present invention within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas-water separator system for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, characterized in that: include A shell body, with an internally formed accommodation space; A separator, used for separating hydrogen from water, arranged at the upper part of the accommodating space; A water storage part, used for containing separated water, and arranged at the lower part of the accommodating space; The water collecting plate is arranged between the separator and the water storage part, and is used for receiving the separated water output by the separator and guiding the separated water to the water storage part.

2. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized in that: in, The water storage unit comprises A water level sensor, used for measuring the water level of the separated water contained in the water storage part; An electromagnetic drain valve is arranged at the bottom of the water storage part, and the electromagnetic drain valve is opened to discharge the separated water contained in the water storage part; the electromagnetic drain valve is closed to stop discharging the separated water contained in the water storage part; A water level controller, which controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open or close according to the water level measured by the water level sensor; A water temperature sensor, used to measure the temperature of the separated water contained in the water storage part; Drain valve temperature sensor, used to measure the temperature of the drain valve; A heater module, the heater module is turned on to heat the separated water in the water storage part; the heater module is turned off to stop heating the separated water in the water storage part; The heater module controller controls the heater module to be turned on or off according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor.

3. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The separator is a cyclone type gravity separator.

4. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The water collecting plate is formed into a cone-like shape which is high in the middle and low around, and includes two pairs of undulating valley peaks.

5. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A containing cavity is arranged at the bottom of the water storage part, wherein the water level controller is arranged in the first containing cavity, the heater module controller is arranged in the second containing cavity, and the electromagnetic drain valve is arranged in the third containing cavity.

6. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom end of the water level sensor is installed at the bottom of the water storage part and is arranged along the water level height direction; the water level sensor is shielded by the plate surface of the water collecting plate above it; A water temperature sensor is installed at the bottom of the water storage part, and the water temperature sensor is connected to the heater module controller; The drain valve temperature sensor is arranged near the drain outlet of the electromagnetic drain valve, and the drain valve temperature sensor is connected to the heater module controller; The heater modules are distributed at intervals or continuously on the inner circumference of the water storage part, and the bottom end of the heater module is installed at the bottom of the water storage part. The heater module is connected to a heater module controller.

7. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water level sensor is connected to the water level controller; the electromagnetic drain valve is connected to the water level controller.

8. The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The water temperature sensor is installed in the middle of the bottom of the water storage part.

9. A control method for a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, characterized in that: When the fuel cell system is in operation, the unreacted hydrogen mixed with water enters the gas-water separation pipeline from the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack through the inlet of the gas-water separator system, and the water is separated from the hydrogen through the gas-water separation and flows out from the water outlet; the outlet water is guided into the water storage part by the water collecting plate, and the hydrogen enters the hydrogen circulation subsystem through the hydrogen outlet of the gas-water separator system, and then participates in the electrochemical reaction again; Control methods include: According to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor, it is judged that: if at least one of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage part and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started until the water storage part and the drain valve temperature are higher than the second temperature, and then the heater module is turned off to stop heating; if the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage box and the drain valve have no risk of freezing; The water level sensor measures the amount of water in the water storage section. The water in the water storage section gradually accumulates as the fuel cell system operates. When the water storage amount reaches the maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open and discharge the water in the water storage section. The water in the water storage section is gradually discharged along the electromagnetic drain valve. When the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

10. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 9, wherein: The first temperature is 5°C, and the second temperature is 40°C; When the water storage volume reaches the maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open and drain the water in the water storage part. When the water storage volume reaches the maximum value, according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor, wherein the maximum value is 90% of the full water storage volume, it is determined that: If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage part has a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the first water level, reaching 15% of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature, and the heater module is turned off; If the water temperature is not lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the drain valve has a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the second water level, reaching 20% ​​of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature, and the heater module is turned off; If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is determined that the water storage part and the drain valve have a risk of freezing, and the heater module is started, and at the same time, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage part is discharged to the third water level, reaching 25% of the full amount, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature, and the heater module is turned off; If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is judged that there is no risk of freezing in the water storage box and the drain valve, and the water in the water storage part is gradually discharged along the electromagnetic drain valve. When the water storage volume reaches the minimum value, reaching 10% of the full volume, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

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