Vehicle and method for determining the status of an air filter of a fuel cell system

Abstract

The invention proposes a vehicle (10) and a method for determining a state of an air filter (2) of a fuel cell system (1). The method comprises the following steps: determining an operating parameter of the fuel cell system (1), and / or determining a stay point of the fuel cell system (1), and determining a state of the air filter (2) according to a reference in combination with the operating parameter and / or the stay point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle and a method for determining the condition of an air filter of a fuel cell system. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved evaluation of the air filter of a vehicle-based fuel cell system so that the replacement interval can be better matched to the actual needs. Background Art

[0002] The electrification of private individual transport is currently developing rapidly. In addition to electrochemical accumulators, fuel cells are also being pursued as traction energy carriers. In these, the fuel is oxidized by adding air oxygen and the energy released during this process is used to generate electricity. The intake air is cleaned by air filters to protect the system from contamination. These air filters are replaced after a preset operating time / running time.

[0003] DE102015114601A1 discloses a system and method for predicting the life of an air filter for a fuel cell based on a database of air pollution data obtained at the location of a vehicle. A notification system is included in the vehicle, which notifies a user of the pollution state of the air filter based on operating characteristic parameters of the vehicle and air pollution data along the driving route.

[0004] In known vehicles with primary particle filtration, the area of ​​the air filter that is strongly circulated is worn out faster than other areas. This leads to locally increased pressure loss, which in turn leads to changed flow characteristics in the area of ​​the air filter that is less strongly worn out inside the filter. In this way, the air filter is used and worn out evenly. As a result, the increased pressure loss in the air filter means that the air filter needs to be replaced. In fuel cell vehicles, an air filter is used to filter out harmful gases from the inhaled air. For this reason, an activated carbon layer is generally provided in the air filter, but the storage capacity of the activated carbon layer is limited, and the storage capacity limits the required replacement interval of the air filter. The amount of harmful substances stored in the air filter (also referred to as "saturation") is related to the amount of harmful gases filtered. Relatively speaking, the saturation of the harmful gas air filter has no direct effect on its pressure loss / flow resistance. Therefore, the harmful gas load of the air filter cannot necessarily be inferred by the pressure loss. The fixed replacement interval must take into account the worst case (highest air pollution, highest air flow). Therefore, the air filter is generally replaced prematurely under normal load. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and make the replacement interval of the air filter more practical.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features of the independent claim and by a vehicle having the features of independent claim 11. The dependent claims have preferred further developments of the invention as technical solutions.

[0007] The present invention is based on the following core concept, that is, air pollution or harmful gas load is not the same at all places of use of fuel cell systems or air filters. Therefore, when the degree of air pollution in the area of ​​the fuel cell system is known, the harmful gas load of the air filter can be estimated, and the replacement request for the air filter is issued only after the predefined harmful gas load is reached. If the fuel cell system is used in a vehicle, the amount of air flowing through the filter can be estimated by means of a sensor device (such as an air volume meter) installed in the vehicle. This information can be combined with local air pollution and accumulated into the pollution caused to the air filter. Therefore, the amount of harmful gases that have been filtered and stored can be integrated over time and / or on the path and / or on the running duration to estimate the saturation of the air filter. For local air pollution, an "air pollution map" can be stored. Alternatively, current measurement data can be used online, as is available, for example, at the website https: / / aqicn.org / city / or in a multi-stage principle, first current air pollution data can be used, and if these current air pollution data are not available, a historical pollutant load database for a plurality of operating locations or an operating location of the fuel cell system according to the invention can be used. Of course, a maximum operating duration / duration of use of the air filter can also be specified and a signal can be issued to the user after the maximum operating duration / duration of use has expired.

[0008] In other words, a method for determining the state of an air filter of a fuel cell system is proposed. The fuel cell system can be configured to provide traction energy or electrical energy to be used in other ways. In a first step, the operating parameters of the fuel cell system are determined. For example, the amount of air delivered by the fuel cell system and / or the load state and / or the electrical energy output by the fuel cell system can be measured. For this purpose, corresponding sensors can be used, which can provide operating parameters in the form of data. Alternatively or in addition to the above steps, the stop location of the fuel cell system or the air filter is determined. The stop location can be, for example, the geographical location of the fuel cell system. This can be determined based on satellites and / or communicatively through a terrestrial wireless communication infrastructure. In particular, when specific information about harmful gas loads or air pollution is available, the stop location is important for determining the state of the air filter. They can also be included in a reference like comparative data for operating parameters, which can be used in combination with operating parameters and / or stop location to determine the state of the air filter. Preferably, not only the one or more operating parameters of the fuel cell system are determined, but also the stop location of the fuel cell system, especially the air filter, is determined, and the amount of harmful substances that may accumulate in the air filter is determined based on the reference. If a predefined total amount of harmful gases / harmful substances is determined for a given air filter, the air filter can be marked as "exhausted" or "to be replaced" in terms of data technology. For this purpose, a signal can be sent to the user of the fuel cell system, but in any case a signal can be sent to a remote entity (e.g. a factory, a server, etc.) via the Internet. As a result, the actually existing air filtering capacity of the air filter can be better utilized and premature replacement of the air filter can be avoided.

[0009] The dependent claims describe preferred further developments of the invention.

[0010] The reference may for example include a geographic map including air pollution data and / or harmful gas data. The geographic map may be designed corresponding to a navigation map. In addition, the following information may be stored or associated in a map for a navigation system, which information provides a conclusion about the air pollution at a location included in the map. The air pollution data may for example be marked as an area or a road section on which a vehicle may travel. The method according to the invention may determine and record the air pollution accumulated in an air filter when passing through the area or when passing through a predetermined point (e.g., a point of interest, POI) from this information.

[0011] For the method according to the invention, particularly accurate values ​​can be obtained from a measuring station that determines real-time data about the harmful substances that are relevant for the air filter. For example, the data can be retrieved via a wireless data connection, in particular via the Internet. However, real-time data is not necessarily required for this. Instead, in a first approximation, it is sufficient to base it on air pollution data at an earlier time corresponding to the current time. This can be, for example, the same weekday within the same month under the corresponding traffic load and the corresponding weather conditions. At least, the time of day can give the following information when classified according to weekdays or holidays / Sundays: how much traffic and harmful substance load may occur on the road that the fuel cell system is driving on.

[0012] The operating parameters can be determined, for example, by means of an air quantity meter of the fuel cell system and / or by means of a speed meter of the turbo compressor of the fuel cell system. Alternatively or additionally, a load state indicator or an ammeter / voltmeter / and / or a power meter of the fuel cell system can report an electrical output parameter of the fuel cell system as an operating parameter and estimate the air flow rate based on this. Alternatively or additionally, in a similar manner, a speed meter of the compressor of the fuel cell system and / or a speed meter of the electric motor supplied with electrical energy by the fuel cell system and / or a fuel quantity meter can accumulate the estimated air flow rate and thus determine the operating parameters. In this case, without knowing the current pollution level of the inhaled air, an average value for air pollution can be used. In particular, a local data memory associated with the fuel cell system can be accessed in this data memory, in which the driving / use scenarios of the fuel cell system so far are recorded. As long as information about the determined pollution amount is also stored in this history, the previously determined amount of pollutants entering the air filter can also be used for the current application situation when the driving purpose / use scenario is sufficiently relevant. In particular, the time of day, weekdays / holidays / Sundays, season, outside temperature, weather conditions etc. can also be taken into account here, so that the data stored in the history are used instead of the currently determined air pollution data only when they are sufficiently relevant to the current purpose of use.

[0013] Of course, the method can be implemented periodically, in particular at regular time intervals and / or when predefined events occur and / or continuously, whereby the state of the air filter is continuously updated. In other words, the state of the air filter with respect to the contained gas is continuously updated at least when the fuel cell system is in operation, so that the replacement of the air filter can be activated in a timely manner. For this purpose, for example, a signal can be issued to a user of the fuel cell system. When used in a vehicle, a prompt can be issued to the user on a display (e.g., a combination instrument panel and / or CID, central information display). Of course, this notification can be accompanied / supplemented by an acoustic and / or tactile prompt.

[0014] If the fuel cell system is designed for mobile use, the route to be traveled can be predefined (e.g. according to a navigation plan) and the database can be contacted according to the route to retrieve local air pollution data / noxious gas load data for each location on the route. In particular, it can be taken into account at which point a location on the route is reached and the predicted and / or actual data curve of the movement on the route can be used in conjunction with the operating parameters of the fuel cell system prevailing therein to determine the filter contamination. In this way, radio blind spots can be avoided Or information that is not available in mobile use prevents filter contamination determination.

[0015] The air filter can in particular comprise a carbon filter, particularly preferably an activated carbon filter. This does not exclude that the air filter can have other (partial) filters and / or membranes, which are typically worn by particles. However, in particular the carbon in the air filter can be filled with harmful gases without the flow resistance of the air filter at this location changing measurably. However, since the capacity of the air filter in the area of ​​the carbon is limited, the method according to the invention can avoid premature replacement of the air filter and ensure timely replacement of the air filter.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided, which can be designed as a car, a transporter, a motorcycle, a truck, an air vehicle and / or a water vehicle. The vehicle can implement the method according to the first inventive aspect described above, and thus can achieve the same features, feature combinations and advantages as the method according to the invention. Therefore, in order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further details, features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 a schematic overview diagram showing navigation planning for a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system; and

[0019] Figure 2 A flow chart illustrating the steps of an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention for determining the state of an air filter of a fuel cell system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Figure 1A passenger car is shown as a vehicle 10, which has a fuel cell system 1 with a fuel cell 3 and an air filter 2. The fuel cell system 1 can supply electrical energy to a tractor 4. The operating parameters of the tractor 4, the fuel cell 3 and the air filter 2 are stored in a local data memory 6 in the vehicle 10. If the implementation of the method according to the invention results in the need to replace the air filter 2, a corresponding prompt can be generated to the user on the central information display 5. By means of an antenna 13, the vehicle 10 can determine its own position by means of a geostationary satellite 8. In addition, data from air measuring stations 7 in a large city 9 loaded with smog 11 and in a rural environment 14 can be determined via the Internet along a route on a road 12. If data transmission is possible when driving through a rural environment 14 or a large city 9, the current air measurement data can be used in combination with the corresponding operating parameters of the fuel cell system 1 as a basis for determining the contamination of the air filter 2. Otherwise, the recorded data about the corresponding ambient air contamination, which corresponds as closely as possible to the current operating situation, can be used to determine the remaining capacity of the activated carbon filter element in the air filter 2.

[0021] Figure 2 The steps of an embodiment of a method for determining the state of an air filter of a fuel cell system according to the present invention are shown. In step 100, a navigation plan of a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell system is predefined. Here, the route and the expected arrival time are selected by the user. After the navigation plan is started, local air pollution data for each location on the route are retrieved in step 200. These local air pollution data can be current measurement data or historical data that have been determined earlier at the corresponding time point and environmental conditions. In step 300, the operating parameters of the fuel cell system are determined by means of an air volume meter. In other words, information about how much air flows through the air filter per unit time is determined as an operating parameter. In addition, in step 400, the stopover location of the fuel cell system is determined by means of a satellite-based positioning system. According to a reference preset in data technology in combination with the operating parameters and the stopover location, the state of the air filter is determined in step 500, or the degree of contamination of the air filter over time is stored and continuously updated.

[0022] The method according to the invention thus makes it possible to avoid premature maintenance of the air filter or to ensure timely replacement of the air filter. In this way, cost advantages and material savings are achieved for the vehicle user. The filter no longer has to be replaced at predetermined intervals; the capacity limit of the activated carbon filter element can be fully utilized.

[0023] Reference numerals list

[0024] 1. Fuel Cell System

[0025] 2 Air Filter

[0026] 3. Fuel Cell

[0027] 4 Traction machine

[0028] 5Central Information Display

[0029] 6Data storage

[0030] 7 Air Measurement Stations

[0031] 8 satellites

[0032] 9 major cities

[0033] 10. Transportation

[0034] 11 Smoke

[0035] 12 Road

[0036] 13 Antenna

[0037] 14 Rural Environment

[0038] 100 to 500 method steps

Claims

1. A method for determining a state of an air filter (2) of a fuel cell system (1), the method comprising the following steps: - determining (300) operating parameters of the fuel cell system (1), and / or - determining (400) a stop location of the fuel cell system (1) and combining the operating parameters and / or the stop location with the reference - determining (500) the state of the air filter (2), - In this case, the determined state of the air filter (2) is written to a digital data memory (6) which is associated via the Internet.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The reference comprises a geographical map comprising air pollution data, in particular harmful gas data.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The reference is retrieved from a remote measuring station (7) by means of a data connection, in particular via the Internet.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: With the help of - air volume meter and / or - load status indicator and / or - tachometer and / or -Fuel quantity meter The operating parameters are determined.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method is carried out multiple times, in particular at regular time intervals and / or on an event basis, and the state of the air filter (2) is continuously updated in the process.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: In response to a predefined state of the air filter (2), a notification is issued to a user of the fuel cell system (1).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: - predefine (100) a route on which the fuel cell system should be used, and according to the route - Retrieving (200) local air pollution data for locations on said route.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: - determining the planned time course on the route and - Retrieving air pollution data corresponding to the time course for locations on the route.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The air filter comprises a carbon filter, in particular an activated carbon filter.

10. A vehicle (10) configured to carry out the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

Images