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

Abstract

The application relates to a gas-water separator system and control method of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, belongs to the field of fuel cell systems, and aims to solve the problem of water freezing on the hydrogen side of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack in a low-temperature environment. The application is characterized in that a holding space is formed in the inside of a shell; a separator is arranged at the upper part of the holding space and used for separating hydrogen and water; a water storage part is arranged at the lower part of the holding space and used for storing separated water; and a water collecting plate is arranged between the separator and the water storage part and used for collecting separated water output by the separator and guiding the separated water to the water storage part. The application can realize reliable separation of water in unreacted hydrogen of a fuel cell stack in a low-temperature or even extremely low-temperature environment, improve the output power of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, and expand the application environment range of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of fuel cell system design, and particularly relates to a gas-water separator system for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and a control process thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] A fuel cell system is a power generation device that directly converts chemical energy in fuel and oxidant into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction, and has the advantages of high energy conversion efficiency, no pollution, and low noise. A fuel cell single cell is composed of a polar plate and a membrane electrode, and multiple single cells are stacked into a fuel cell stack. In the working process of the fuel cell stack in a hydrogen fuel cell system, hydrogen as fuel enters the stack from the stack hydrogen inlet, generates water through an electrochemical reaction to release electrical energy, and the hydrogen not participating in the reaction is discharged from the stack hydrogen outlet and reenters the stack hydrogen inlet through a hydrogen circulation subsystem to participate in the electrochemical reaction.

[0003] In the working process of the fuel cell stack in the hydrogen fuel cell system, the hydrogen not participating in the reaction and the water generated in the electrochemical reaction process will reenter the stack through the hydrogen circulation subsystem to participate in the electrochemical reaction. The generated water will gradually accumulate and increase during the hydrogen circulation process. Too much 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 hydrogen side of the stack increases rapidly, preventing hydrogen from participating in the electrochemical reaction, which causes the power of the fuel cell system to continuously decrease until the proton exchange membrane is damaged. SUMMARY

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

[0005] A housing with an internal shaped accommodation space;

[0006] A separator for separating hydrogen and water, arranged at the upper part of the accommodation space;

[0007] A water storage part for storing separated water, arranged at the lower part of the accommodation space;

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

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

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

[0011] An electromagnetic drain valve is arranged at the bottom of the water storage portion, and the electromagnetic drain valve is opened to drain the separated water in the water storage portion, and the electromagnetic drain valve is closed to stop draining the separated water in the water storage portion.

[0012] A water level controller is arranged to control the electromagnetic drain valve to be opened or closed according to the water level measured by the water level sensor.

[0013] A water temperature sensor is arranged to measure the water temperature of the separated water in the water storage portion.

[0014] A drain valve temperature sensor is arranged to measure the temperature of the electromagnetic drain valve.

[0015] A heater module is arranged to heat the separated water in the water storage portion when the heater module is turned on, and the heater module stops heating the separated water in the water storage portion when the heater module is turned off.

[0016] A heater module controller is arranged to control the heater module to be turned on or turned off according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the temperature of the electromagnetic drain valve measured by the drain valve temperature sensor.

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

[0018] The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0019] The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0020] The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0021] The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0022] The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to some embodiments of the present application is a cyclone gravity separator.

[0023] The heater modules are spaced or continuously distributed on the inner periphery of the water storage portion, and the bottom end of the heater modules is installed on the bottom of the water storage portion, and the heater modules are connected with 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, a water level sensor is connected with a water level controller; and an electromagnetic drain valve is connected with 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, a water temperature sensor is installed in the middle of the bottom of the water storage portion.

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

[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 determined that if at least one of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than a first temperature, the water storage portion and the drain valve have a risk of icing, and then the heater module is started until the temperature of the water storage portion and the drain valve is higher than a second temperature, and then the heater module is stopped to stop heating; if the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is determined that the water storage box and the drain valve have no risk of icing.

[0029] The water level sensor measures the amount of water in the water storage portion, and the water in the water storage portion gradually accumulates as the fuel cell system operates; when the water storage amount reaches a maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage portion is drained; the water in the water storage portion is gradually drained as the electromagnetic drain valve gradually drains, and when the water storage amount reaches a 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 exchange membrane fuel cell system of some embodiments of the present application, the first temperature is 5℃, and the second temperature is 40℃.

[0031] When the water storage amount reaches the maximum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, and the water in the water storage portion is drained.

[0032] When the water storage 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 amount, it is judged that:

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

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

[0035] If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature, the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that the water storage part and the drain valve have the risk of icing, then the heater module is started, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, the water in the water storage part is discharged to the third water level, reaches 25% of the full amount, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close, until the water storage part and the drain valve temperature are 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 the water storage box and the drain valve have no risk of icing, then the water in the water storage part is gradually discharged with the electromagnetic drain valve, when the water storage reaches the minimum value, reaches 10% of the full amount, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

[0037] Beneficial effects: the application can store and timely discharge the separated water of the gas-water separator in a low-temperature environment or even an ultralow-temperature environment by using the temperature measurement and the heater module in cooperation with the water level measurement and the electromagnetic valve, greatly reducing the possibility of icing and blockage of the electromagnetic valve in an ultralow-temperature environment, so that the gas-water separator can normally separate water and hydrogen in a low-temperature environment, and guarantee the circulation supply of hydrogen and water of the stack. Thus, the application realizes the effects of heating the separated water and preventing icing, and in an ultralow-temperature scenario, by setting the number and installation position of the detection devices, the separated water discharge timing, the temperature detection timing, the heating start timing and the discharge amount (the reserved amount of separated water in the water storage part), the icing risk level is obtained, and according to different icing risk levels, different heating and water discharge amounts are set, so that the application can realize no icing in an ultralow-temperature environment, and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. It can be seen that the water discharge amount and the heating water amount are dynamically adjusted, so that the heating water amount and the water discharge amount can be self-adaptively and accurately controlled in stages to prevent icing and reduce heat energy consumption, and the purpose of fast water discharge under the premise of guaranteeing no icing is realized.

[0038] Additional aspects and advantages of the application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or can be learned by practice of the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

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

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

[0041] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a water collecting plate in an embodiment of the application.

[0042] Reference signs: 1-1. gas-water separator outlet, 1-2. hydrogen backflow pipeline, 1-3. gas-water separation pipeline, 1-4. hydrogen backflow pipeline inlet, 1-5. water collecting plate, 1-6. heater module, 1-7. electromagnetic 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 application are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, examples of which are shown in the drawings, wherein the same or similar reference signs represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout.

[0044] Figure 1 The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is installed at the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack through the bolt and the sealing ring. That is, the gas-water separator of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system has a screw hole, and is fastened to the hydrogen outlet of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system by the bolt. As shown in Figure 1 The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system includes a housing, a separator 1-3 (gas-water separation pipeline), a water storage part (water storage box) 1-14, and a water collecting plate 1-5. The water storage part 1-14 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, and the like.

[0045] The inside of the housing is shaped to form a containing space. The separator is used to separate hydrogen and water, and is arranged at the upper part of the containing space. The separator is preferably a cyclone gravity separator. The water storage part 1-14 is used to store the separated water, and is arranged at the lower part of the containing 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 application, the water collecting plate 1-5 is shaped as a conical shape with a high middle and low periphery, and contains two pairs of undulating valleys and peaks. After the hydrogen discharged through the cyclone gravity separator contacts the water collecting plate 1-5 shaped as above, a vortex flow is generated at an angle with the current flow direction. The vortex flow can further separate the fine water mist in the hydrogen, and the separated fine water mist is gathered on the water collecting plate 1-5 as larger droplets, and enters the water storage part 1-14 at the lower part of the containing space.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present application, the water level sensor 1-13 is used to measure the water level of the separated water stored in the water storage part 1-14. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is arranged at the bottom of the water storage part 1-14. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is opened to discharge the separated water stored in the water storage part 1-14. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is closed to stop discharging the separated water stored in the water storage part 1-14. The water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to be opened or closed 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 stored in the water storage part 1-14. The drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is used to measure the temperature of the drain valve. The heater module 1-6, 1-12 is opened to heat the separated water in the water storage part 1-14. The heater module 1-6, 1-12 is closed to stop heating the separated water in the water storage part 1-14. The heater module controller 1-11 controls the heater module 1-6, 1-12 to be opened or closed according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor 1-8 and the temperature of the drain valve measured by the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9.

[0047] In this embodiment, as preferred, the bottom end of the water level sensor 1-13 is installed at the bottom of the water storage part 1-14 and arranged along the water level height direction. The water level sensor 1-13 is shielded by the plate surface of the water collecting plate 1-5 above it, so as to avoid the water level sensor from collecting false data caused by the water collecting plate drainage. The water temperature sensor 1-8 is installed at the bottom of the water storage part 1-14, and the water temperature sensor 1-8 is connected with the heater module controller 1-11. The drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is arranged near the drain port of the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7, and the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9 is connected with the heater module controller 1-11. The heater modules 1-6, 1-12 are distributed at intervals or continuously at the inner periphery of the water storage part 1-14, and the bottom end of the heater modules 1-6, 1-12 is installed at the bottom of the water storage part 1-14, and the heater modules 1-6, 1-12 are connected with the heater module controller 1-11. The water level sensor 1-13 is connected with the water level controller 1-10. The electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is connected with the water level controller 1-10.

[0048] In this embodiment, as preferred, the bottom of the water storage part 1-14 is provided with accommodating cavities, wherein the water level controller 1-10 is arranged in the first accommodating cavity, the heater module controller 1-11 is arranged in the second accommodating cavity, and the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 is arranged in the third accommodating cavity. The water temperature sensor 1-8 is installed at the middle part of the bottom of the water storage part 1-14.

[0049] In the above scheme, the hydrogen gas mixed with water in the gas-water separator of the present application enters into the inside of the gas-water separator through the gas-water separator inlet 1-15, and after passing through the gas-water separation pipeline 1-3, the water is separated and enters the water storage box 1-14 through the water collecting plate 1-5. The hydrogen gas from which the water is removed flows back to the gas-water separator outlet 1-1 through the hydrogen gas backflow pipeline inlet 1-4 and the hydrogen gas backflow pipeline 1-2, and then enters the hydrogen gas circulation subsystem of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, and then participates in the electrochemical reaction again.

[0050] In the separator system of the present application, the water level sensor 1-13 sends the water amount 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 storage amount allowed by the water storage box 1-14, so as to complete the discharge of the water in the water storage box 1-14.

[0051] The heater module 1-6, 1-12 controls the water temperature in the water storage box and the temperature of the drain valve from the water temperature sensor 1-8 and the drain valve temperature sensor 1-9. The heater 1-6, 1-12 is controlled by the heater module controller 1-11 to heat and melt ice in the water storage box 1-14 and the drain valve module 1-7. The heater module 1-6, 1-12 is a common heater material such as an integrated resistance wire, which is exposed to the inner wall and bottom wall of the box space, or embedded in the inner wall and bottom wall of the box. The inner wall and bottom wall of the box are preferably embedded in the inner wall and bottom wall of the box, and the inner wall and bottom wall of the box are made of heat-conducting material. In one embodiment, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system gas-water separator system is made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The surface is coated with an insulating layer to enhance the insulation properties and corrosion resistance.

[0052] The water in the water storage box 1-14 will gradually accumulate and increase with the operation of the fuel cell system, and the water level sensor 1-13 measures the water amount in the water storage box in real time. When the water storage amount 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. With the water being drained, the water storage amount gradually decreases, and when the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, the water level controller 1-10 closes the drain valve. The drain valve is preferably an electromagnetic valve.

[0053] The proton exchange membrane fuel cell system gas-water separator and its control process can reliably separate water from unreacted hydrogen in the fuel cell stack under low temperature or even extremely low temperature conditions, thereby improving the output power of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system and expanding the application environment of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system.

[0054] The application can store and timely discharge the separated water of the gas-water separator in a low-temperature environment or even an ultralow-temperature environment, greatly reduces the possibility of icing and blockage of the electromagnetic valve in an ultralow-temperature environment, and enables the gas-water separator to normally separate water and hydrogen in a low-temperature environment, thereby guaranteeing the circulation supply of hydrogen and water of the stack. Thus, the application realizes the effect of preventing icing by heating the separated water, and in an ultralow-temperature environment, the number and installation position of the detection devices, the setting of the separated water discharge time, the setting of the temperature detection time, the setting of the heating start time and the discharge amount (the reserved amount of the separated water in the water storage part 1-14), and the acquisition of the icing risk level are set, different heating and water discharge amounts are set according to different icing risk levels, so that the application can realize no icing in an ultralow-temperature environment and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. It can be seen that the water discharge amount and the heating water amount are dynamically adjusted, so that the heating water amount and the water discharge amount can be self-adaptively and accurately controlled in stages to prevent icing and reduce heat consumption, and the purpose of fast water discharge under the premise of no icing is realized.

[0055] When the fuel cell system works in an environment temperature of 0-40℃, to avoid the drainage valve of the application from icing and failing to normally open / close, the application designs the heater module 1-6, 1-12. The heater module 1-6, 1-12 measures the temperature of the water in the water storage box of the gas-water separator and the temperature of the drainage valve in real time during the operation of the fuel cell system, opens the heating function when the temperature approaches 0℃, and prevents the water from icing to cause the water level sensor 1-13 and the drainage valve to fail to normally work. This leads to system freezing and blockage, so that the water cannot be timely discharged, the gas-water separation cannot be normally performed, and the circulation gas and water circulation cannot normally operate.

[0056] The control flowchart of the application is shown in Figure 2 When the fuel cell system is in the running state, firstly, it is judged whether the temperature of the water storage box and the drainage valve is lower than 5℃. If the temperature of the water storage box and the drainage valve is lower than 5℃, it is judged that the water storage box and the drainage valve have the risk of icing, then the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is started until the temperature of the water storage box and the drainage valve is higher than 40℃, then the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is immediately closed to stop heating. If the temperature of the water storage box and the drainage valve is not lower than 5℃, it is judged that the water storage box and the drainage valve have no risk of icing.

[0057] In the water level judgment stage of the water storage box, the water level of the water storage box is monitored in real time, the drainage valve is opened to discharge water when the water level of the water storage box reaches the maximum value, and the drainage valve is closed when the water level of the water storage box reaches the minimum value, at which time the water storage box can continue to store water.

[0058] From the 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℃ at any stage, it is determined that the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve have a risk of icing, and the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is started until the temperature of the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve is higher than 40℃, and then the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is turned off to stop heating.

[0059] The present application detects and controls the separation water discharge and heating, and the heating is implemented by heating the separation water to avoid icing. In addition, the storage of a certain amount of separation water and the discharge can obtain benefits in efficiency and cost, and facilitate the allocation of circulating water. In addition, in the extremely low temperature environment (-40℃) realized by the present application, the normally open electromagnetic valve is easy to cause icing and block the discharge. Therefore, the present application stores the separation water, detects the water level, discharges the separation water when necessary, and monitors the water temperature and the drain valve temperature, and starts heating when necessary to avoid icing in the above-mentioned extremely low temperature environment (-40℃). In one scheme, the water level sensor 1-13 measures the water amount in the water storage part 1-14. When the water level sensor 1-13 detects that the water amount reaches the maximum value, the maximum value is 90% of the full amount of the water storage, and the discharge control is started. The reason why the full amount is not used as the maximum value is that the water level sensor 1-13 detects the full amount to perform heating and discharge operation, and even possible icing causes the discharge to be not timely, which leads to the risk of overflow. Therefore, the present application determines the timing of starting the discharge control as the water amount reaches 90% of the full amount.

[0060] In the present application, if the water temperature is lower than 5℃ and the drain valve temperature is not lower than 5℃, it is determined that the water storage part 1-14 has a risk of icing, and the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is started, and the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open, discharges the water in the water storage part 1-14 to the first water level, reaches 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℃, and the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is turned off.

[0061] If the water temperature is not lower than 5℃ and the drain valve temperature is lower than 5℃, it is determined that the drain valve has a risk of icing, and the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is started, and the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to open, discharges the water in the water storage part 1-14 to the second water level, reaches 20% 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℃, and the heater module 1-6, 1-12 is turned off.

[0062] If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are both lower than 5℃, it is judged that the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve have no risk of icing, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is gradually discharged through the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7. When the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, which is 10% of the full amount, the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to be closed.

[0063] If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are both lower than 5℃, it is judged that the water storage part 1-14 and the drain valve have no risk of icing, and the water in the water storage part 1-14 is gradually discharged through the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7. When the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, which is 10% of the full amount, the water level controller 1-10 controls the electromagnetic drain valve 1-7 to be closed.

[0064] From the above, the water level reaches the maximum value to start the discharge control. The present application simultaneously starts the water temperature and the drain valve temperature detection, and controls the water discharge amount through the water temperature and the drain valve temperature. Moreover, the separated water is not emptied, and the reserved water amount of the separated water is also different in different situations. That is, the present application analyzes the temperature data immediately when the water level monitoring reaches the discharge time. According to the temperature data, the current system icing risk is judged, and according to the risk level, the corresponding heating treatment and different water discharge amount are performed. In the low temperature environment, the water discharge amount is controlled, and the heating means is combined to adaptively adjust the water discharge amount according to the risk level, on the one hand, the heat of the heating is adaptively adjusted, and the heat energy is not wasted, on the other hand, the water is discharged as quickly as possible.

[0065] Therefore, on the one hand, the present application needs to use water heating to avoid icing, on the other hand, the inventor finds that based on the device cooperation relationship and the installation position of the present application, the water temperature and the drain valve temperature have different icing risks, and the mutual combination of the temperature detection of the water and the valve cooperation can truly reflect the high and low of the icing risk. Moreover, for the situation of high icing risk, the present application should reserve more water, and cooperate with heating to reduce the icing risk with more high-temperature water. In the medium and low risk situations, the heat saving purpose can be achieved. Therefore, the present application reserves the most water amount in the situation of the highest icing risk of the water temperature lower than 5℃ and the drain valve temperature lower than 5℃. In the situation of the lowest icing risk of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature not lower than 5℃, the least water amount is reserved. The reservation of the water amount still considers the irregularity of the separated water entering the water storage part 1-14 and the use of water heating means of the present application to prevent icing.

[0066] From the above, the above-mentioned means of the present application realizes the effect of preventing icing by using separated water heating, and in an extremely low temperature situation, through the means of separated water discharge timing, temperature detection timing, and start heating timing and discharge amount (retention amount) control, setting according to different icing risks, so that the present application can realize no icing in an extremely low temperature environment (-40 DEG C), and can effectively discharge the separated water as soon as possible. The control process can realize normal working of the gas-water separator in 0~ -40 DEG C ambient temperature, without icing risk. At the same time, it can realize automatic emptying of the accumulated water in the water storage box, effectively reduce the hydrogen leakage amount in the opening stage of the drain valve, and improve the safety level of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system.

[0067] Table 1 System running data in different low temperature environments

[0068] Serial number Running temperature / ℃ Running time / h Number of freeze-ups 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 application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

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

[0071] In the present application, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection", "fixing" and the like should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or it can be integrated; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected or in communication with each other; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication or interaction relationship of two elements, unless otherwise specifically limited. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0072] In the present application, unless specifically defined otherwise or the context clearly dictates otherwise, a first feature is "on", "over", or "above" a second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact with an intervening medium. Also, a first feature can be "over", "above", or "on top of" a second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is horizontally higher than the second feature. A first feature can be "under", "below", or "underneath" a second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is horizontally lower than the second feature.

[0073] In the present application, the term "and / or", describing the association relationship of associated objects, means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can mean that A exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally means that the associated objects before and after 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, meaning that there can be three relationships, for example, at least one of A and B can mean that A exists alone, A and B exist together, and B exists alone.

[0074] In the present application, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an example", "a specific example", or "some examples" and the like mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in the present specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples without contradiction, and the combination is included in the scope of the present application.

[0075] The above is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can make equivalent replacement or change according to the technical scheme and the inventive concept of the present application within the technical scope disclosed by the present application, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A control method of a gas-water separator system of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, characterized by, When the fuel cell system is in operation, unreacted hydrogen mixed with water flows from the hydrogen outlet of the fuel cell stack into the gas-water separation pipeline through the gas-water separator system inlet, the water is separated from the hydrogen through gas-water separation, and the water flows out from the water outlet; the 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; The gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system comprises a shell, an internal shaped accommodation space; a separator for separating hydrogen and water, arranged at the upper part of the accommodation space; a water storage part for storing separated water, arranged at the lower part of the accommodation space; a water collecting plate arranged between the separator and the water storage part, for receiving the separated water output by the separator and guiding the separated water to the water storage part; The water storage part comprises a water level sensor for measuring the water level of the separated water stored in the water storage part; an electromagnetic drain valve arranged at the bottom of the water storage part, which opens to drain the separated water stored in the water storage part, and closes to stop draining the separated water stored in the water storage part; a water level controller for controlling the electromagnetic drain valve to open or close according to the water level measured by the water level sensor; a water temperature sensor for measuring the water temperature of the separated water stored in the water storage part; a drain valve temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the drain valve; a heater module, which opens to heat the separated water in the water storage part, and closes to stop heating the separated water in the water storage part; a heater module controller for controlling the heater module to open or close according to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor; The control method comprises: According to the water temperature measured by the water temperature sensor and the drain valve temperature measured by the drain valve temperature sensor, if at least one of the water temperature and the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, it is judged that there is a risk of icing in the water storage part and the drain valve, and the heater module is started until the temperature of the water storage part and the drain valve is higher than the second temperature, and then the heater module is closed to stop heating; 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 icing in the water storage box and the drain valve; The water level sensor measures the amount of water in the water storage part, and the water in the water storage part 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 the water in the water storage part is discharged; the water in the water storage part is gradually discharged as the electromagnetic drain valve gradually discharges, and when the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close; When the water storage amount 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, it is judged that If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature, the drain valve temperature is not lower than the first temperature, and it is determined that the water storage part has a risk of icing, the heater module is started, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, so that the water in the water storage part is discharged to the first water level, 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 closed. If the water temperature is not lower than the first temperature, the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, and it is determined that the drain valve has a risk of icing, the heater module is started, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, so that the water in the water storage part is discharged to the second water level, 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 closed. If the water temperature is lower than the first temperature, the drain valve temperature is lower than the first temperature, and it is determined that the water storage part and the drain valve have a risk of icing, the heater module is started, and the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to open, so that the water in the water storage part is discharged to the third water level, 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 closed. If the water temperature and the drain valve temperature are not lower than the first temperature, it is determined that the water storage box and the drain valve have no risk of icing, and the water in the water storage part is gradually discharged through the electromagnetic drain valve, and when the water storage amount reaches the minimum value, which is 10% of the full amount, the water level controller controls the electromagnetic drain valve to close.

2. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1, characterized by, The first temperature is 5℃, and the second temperature is 40℃, wherein the maximum value is 90% of the full amount of water storage, the first water level reaches 15% of the full amount, the second water level reaches 20% of the full amount, and the third water level reaches 25% of the full amount.

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

4. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, The water collecting plate of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is shaped like a conical shape with a high middle and low periphery, and contains two pairs of undulating valleys and peaks.

5. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, The bottom of the water storage part of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is provided with a containing cavity, wherein a water level controller is arranged in the first containing cavity, a heater module controller is arranged in the second containing cavity, and an electromagnetic drain valve is arranged in the third containing cavity.

6. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 5, characterized by, The bottom end of the water level sensor of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is installed at the bottom of the water storage part and arranged in the direction of water level height, and the water level sensor is covered 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 with the heater module controller. A drain valve temperature sensor is arranged near the drain port of the electromagnetic drain valve, and the drain valve temperature sensor is connected with the heater module controller. The heater modules are distributed at intervals or continuously around the inner periphery of the water storage part, and the bottom end of the heater module is installed at the bottom of the water storage part, and the heater module is connected with the heater module controller.

7. The control method of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system according to claim 5, characterized by, The water level sensor of the gas-water separator system of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is connected with the water level controller, and the electromagnetic drain valve is connected with the water level controller.

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

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