Fuel cell cold start control method and related equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a fuel cell cold start control method and related equipment, and relates to the technical field of fuel cell control. The fuel cell system comprises a first switch valve. The method comprises the following steps: detecting the opening degree of a temperature control valve; when the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, the first switch valve is controlled to be cut off, and the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system. According to the technical scheme, the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator outlet, and the state of the first switch valve is controlled according to the opening degree of the temperature control valve, so that communication between large and small cycles in the cold start process can be effectively prevented, the risk of internal leakage of the temperature control valve is completely eradicated, and cooling liquid at the radiator outlet is prevented from being added into small cycles; the volume of the cooling liquid heated by the heater in the small circulation is increased, so that the heating time is prolonged, and the cold start speed of the fuel cell is influenced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of fuel cell control technology, and more specifically, to a fuel cell cold start control method, a fuel cell cold start control device, an electronic device and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a device that converts chemical energy in fuel into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions. During the electrochemical reaction, the fuel cell consumes hydrogen at the anode and consumes oxygen and generates water at the cathode, so it is clean and pollution-free. Low-temperature cold start capability is a key technology of the fuel cell system. The length of the cold start time directly reflects the performance of the fuel cell system in a low-temperature environment and affects the user's car experience.

[0003] The commonly used cold start mode at present is a combination of heater heating and stack self-starting heating. The power of the heater and the volume of coolant involved in the heating process are important factors affecting the heating time. Since the temperature control valve is arranged at the entrance of the stack, a two-inlet and one-outlet structure is adopted. When the water pump is running, negative pressure will be formed at the outlet of the temperature control valve. Affected by the pressure, the opening of the temperature control valve may change, causing the coolant at the radiator outlet to flow in, causing the coolant in the large circulation loop to participate in the small circulation loop, which increases the volume of the coolant that needs to be heated and prolongs the heating time, affecting the start-up time of the fuel cell system.

[0004] Therefore, a new technical solution is urgently needed to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the invention

[0005] A series of simplified concepts are introduced in the Summary of the Invention, which will be further described in detail in the Detailed Description of the Invention. The Summary of the Invention does not mean to attempt to define the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor does it mean to attempt to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a fuel cell cold start control method, the fuel cell system includes a first switch valve, and the method includes:

[0007] Detect the opening of the temperature control valve;

[0008] When the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, the first switch valve is controlled to be cut off, wherein the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system.

[0009] In some embodiments, the fuel cell system further includes a second switching valve, and the method further includes:

[0010] Detect the inlet temperature of the fuel cell system;

[0011] Based on the stack entry temperature, the second switch valve is controlled to be turned on or off, wherein the second switch valve is arranged between the water pump and the intercooler in the fuel cell system.

[0012] In some embodiments, the fuel cell system further comprises a heater, and the method further comprises:

[0013] Based on the incoming temperature, the heater power is adjusted.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fuel cell system further comprises a temperature detection device, which is disposed between the heater and the fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system and at a position close to the direction of entry of the fuel cell stack;

[0015] Based on the incoming temperature, adjust the heater power, including:

[0016] Using a temperature detection device, the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater is obtained;

[0017] The power of the heater is adjusted based on the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater and the inlet temperature.

[0018] In some embodiments, the temperature control valve is a three-way switch valve, and the fuel cell system includes a first circuit and a second circuit.

[0019] The method also includes:

[0020] Control the outlet of the three-way switch valve to be connected to the first inlet, so that the first switch valve is cut off, and when the first switch valve is in the cut-off state, the first circuit is connected, wherein the first circuit includes a heater; or,

[0021] The outlet of the three-way switch valve is controlled to be connected to the second inlet, so that the first switch valve is turned on. When the first switch valve is in the turned-on state, the second circuit is turned on, wherein the second circuit includes a radiator.

[0022] In some embodiments, based on the stack entry temperature, controlling the second switch valve to be turned on or off includes:

[0023] When the stack entry temperature is lower than a first preset temperature threshold, the second switch valve is controlled to be cut off;

[0024] When the stack entry temperature is higher than a second preset temperature threshold, controlling the second switch valve to be turned on;

[0025] When the second switch valve is in the on state, the water pump is controlled to provide heated coolant to the intercooler, so as to utilize the intercooler to heat the gas output by the air compressor in the fuel cell system.

[0026] In some embodiments, before detecting the opening of the temperature control valve, the method further includes:

[0027] The ambient temperature is detected to enter the cold start mode when the ambient temperature does not exceed a third preset temperature threshold.

[0028] In a second aspect, a fuel cell cold start control device is also proposed, the fuel cell system includes a first switch valve, and the device includes:

[0029] A detection unit, detecting the opening of the temperature control valve;

[0030] The control unit controls the first switch valve to be cut off when the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, wherein the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system.

[0031] In a third aspect, an electronic device is also proposed, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores computer program instructions, and the computer program instructions are used to execute the above-mentioned fuel cell cold start control method when the processor is running.

[0032] In a fourth aspect, a storage medium is also proposed, on which program instructions are stored, and the program instructions are used to execute the fuel cell cold start control method as described above when running.

[0033] According to the above technical solution, a first switch valve is set between the temperature control valve and the radiator outlet, and the state of the first switch valve is controlled according to the opening of the temperature control valve, which can effectively prevent the connection between the small and large cycles during the cold start process, eliminate the risk of internal leakage of the temperature control valve, and avoid the coolant at the radiator outlet from adding to the small cycle, resulting in an increase in the volume of the coolant heated by the heater in the small cycle, thereby prolonging the heating time and affecting the cold start speed of the fuel cell.

[0034] The fuel cell cold start control method of the present invention, other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will be reflected in part through the following description, and in part will be understood by those skilled in the art through research and practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

[0036] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0037] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting the present application. Also, the same reference symbols are used throughout the accompanying drawings to represent the same components. In the accompanying drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic flow chart of a fuel cell cold start control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of another fuel cell cold start control method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a fuel cell cold start control device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application, the scheme of the present application will be further described below. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0044] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any of their variations are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0045] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application, but the present application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0046] In order to solve the above technical problems, according to a first aspect of the present application, a fuel cell cold start control method is proposed. Figure 1 A schematic flow chart of a fuel cell cold start control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the control method may include the following steps.

[0047] Step S110, detecting the opening of the temperature control valve.

[0048] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a fuel cell system provided in an embodiment of the present application. For example, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell system may include a thermal management subsystem, an air subsystem and an intercooler. The intercooler is a component for the thermal management subsystem and the air subsystem to interact, and can realize heat exchange between the water path and the air path. The thermal management subsystem may include a particle filter, a water pump, a deionizer, a temperature control valve, a heater, a water tank and a radiator. Among them, a first switch valve K1 is also arranged between the outlet of the temperature control valve and the radiator. The function of the water pump is to adjust the temperature difference between the coolant entering and leaving the stack, and to provide power for the fluid flow. The function of the heater is to provide auxiliary heating for the stack during low-temperature cold start. The function of the particle filter is to filter impurities in the coolant. The function of the deionizer is to adsorb charged particles in the stack. The temperature control valve may be a three-way switch valve. The function of the water tank is to provide coolant replenishment for the system. The function of the heat dissipation assembly is to adjust the temperature of the coolant entering the stack. As shown Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell system may include a first loop and a second loop. The first loop may include a stack outlet, a heater, a temperature control valve ba, a water pump, a particle filter, and a stack inlet. The first loop may be referred to as a small loop. The second loop may include a stack outlet, a radiator, a first switch valve, a temperature control valve ca, a water pump, a particle filter, and a stack inlet. The second loop may be referred to as a large loop. Thus, the opening of the large and small loops may be controlled by adjusting the opening of the temperature control valve.

[0049] Exemplarily, a temperature detection device can be used to detect the ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature does not exceed a third preset temperature threshold, such as 0°C, the cold start mode can be entered. Otherwise, the normal temperature start mode is entered. In the cold start mode, when the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to -40°C and less than or equal to -20°C, the heater is controlled to start and the coolant in the water circuit is heated. At this time, the temperature control valve ba is connected. Under the action of the water pump, the heated coolant is provided to the fuel cell stack. Exemplarily, the opening of the temperature control valve can be detected by an opening detection device, a flow rate or flow velocity detection device, etc.

[0050] Step S120, when the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, control the first switch valve to be cut off.

[0051] Exemplarily, when the opening of the temperature control valve is determined to be zero according to the above detection device, that is, when ba is connected, it can be determined that the fuel cell system is in a small cycle conduction state at this time, and the first switch valve K1 can be controlled to be cut off. The coolant leaving the stack flows through the heater, the temperature control valve ba, the water pump and the particulate filter before entering the stack, which can achieve rapid temperature rise of the coolant. In the small cycle conduction state, the first switch valve is in a cut-off state, and the coolant at the radiator outlet cannot flow into the small cycle through the first switch valve.

[0052] According to the above technical solution, a first switch valve is set between the temperature control valve and the radiator outlet, and the state of the first switch valve is controlled according to the opening of the temperature control valve, which can effectively prevent the connection between the small and large cycles during the cold start process, eliminate the risk of internal leakage of the temperature control valve, and avoid the coolant at the radiator outlet from adding to the small cycle, resulting in an increase in the volume of the coolant heated by the heater in the small cycle, thereby prolonging the heating time and affecting the cold start speed of the fuel cell.

[0053] For example, Figure 2 As shown, the fuel cell system may further include a second switch valve K2. The second switch valve K2 is disposed between a water pump and an intercooler in the fuel cell system. In some embodiments, the method may further include: detecting a stack entry temperature of the fuel cell system. Based on the stack entry temperature, controlling the second switch valve to be turned on or off.

[0054] Combined with the above, as the heater is heating, the coolant temperature gradually rises. Figure 2 The temperature detection device Tw2 is set at the stack insertion position shown in the figure to detect the stack insertion temperature of the coolant. When the stack insertion temperature is lower than the first preset temperature threshold, such as 60°C, the second switch valve can be controlled to be cut off. Figure 2, because the second switch valve K2 is in the closed state, affected by the pressure, the water pump cannot provide cooling water to the intercooler through the water path. That is, the water path between the intercooler and the water pump and the water path between the intercooler and the temperature control valve b do not participate in the small cycle, and the heater does not need to heat the coolant in these two water paths. In some embodiments, the second switch valve can also be set Figure 2 In the water path between the intercooler and the temperature control valve b shown in the figure, the principle is the same as the previous one. The water path between the intercooler and the temperature control valve b and the water path between the intercooler and the water pump do not participate in the small cycle, and the heater does not need to heat the coolant in these two water paths. As a result, the volume of coolant that needs to be heated by the heater is significantly reduced, achieving the purpose of reducing the heating time of the heater. For example, taking the power of the heater as 7.5kW, if the volume of coolant that needs to be heated can be reduced from 15L to 9L, the heating time of the heater can be shortened by 80s, and the shortening rate is 15s / L.

[0055] When the inlet temperature is higher than the second preset temperature threshold, for example, 80°C, the second switch valve can be controlled to be turned on, and the water pump is controlled to provide heated coolant to the intercooler, so as to use the intercooler to heat the gas output by the air compressor in the fuel cell system. Exemplarily, the intercooler can be used as a heat exchanger. As mentioned above, the water pump can provide heated coolant to the intercooler, and the coolant can heat the inlet air output by the air compressor. The higher the temperature of the inlet air, the higher the reaction efficiency of the stack. Therefore, the heat of the coolant can be effectively used to improve the reaction efficiency of the stack.

[0056] In some embodiments, the method may further include: adjusting the power of the heater based on the in-pile temperature.

[0057] Exemplarily, at the beginning of a cold start, the heating power of the heater when it starts heating is P1. Based on the above method, the temperature entering the stack can be obtained. When the temperature of the coolant entering the stack is greater than or equal to -20°C, the heating power of the heater can be adjusted from P1 to P2, where P2<P1. Among them, the specific values ​​of P1 and P2 can be calibrated according to actual heating requirements. It should be noted that different power outputs can be set according to the power requirements of different heating stages to obtain the optimal combination of heating time and heating energy consumption, so that a power-adjustable heater can be used to obtain a corresponding combination with the shortest heating time and the lowest energy consumption.

[0058] Exemplarily, the fuel cell system may further include a temperature detection device, which is disposed between the heater and the fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system, at a position close to the direction of the fuel cell stack, that is, at the outlet of the heater. In some embodiments, adjusting the power of the heater based on the stack entry temperature includes: obtaining the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater using the temperature detection device; and adjusting the power of the heater based on the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater and the stack entry temperature.

[0059] Exemplarily, the temperature detection device disposed at the above position can accurately obtain the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater. Based on experience or experiments, the corresponding relationship between the coolant temperature entering the stack and the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater can be obtained, that is, there is energy loss in the water path from the time when the heater heats the coolant to the time when the coolant enters the stack. Therefore, based on the corresponding relationship between the two, the power of the heater is adjusted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the adjustment of the heater power, thereby taking into account both the heating time and the heating energy consumption.

[0060] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of another fuel cell cold start control method provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the ambient temperature is first detected. When the ambient temperature is less than or equal to 0°C, the cold start mode is entered. Conversely, when the ambient temperature is greater than 0°C, the normal temperature start mode is entered. In the cold start mode, when the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to -40°C and less than or equal to -20°C, the temperature control valve ba is controlled to be connected, and the water pump runs at the set speed. At this time, the heater PTC runs at power P1, and the first switch valve (switch valve 1) and the second switch valve (switch valve 2) are both in the cut-off state. As the heating work of the heater continues, the coolant temperature at the inlet can be detected in real time. When the coolant temperature is greater than or equal to -20°C, the hydrogen subsystem is started, and the heating power of the PTC is reduced to P2. After starting the hydrogen subsystem, first determine that there is no blockage in the hydrogen circuit and that the equipment in the hydrogen subsystem can operate normally. After that, start the air subsystem to control the speed, flow rate and purge time of the air compressor. Then set the current loading target and adjust the current loading rate. The coolant temperature at the inlet is detected, and when the coolant temperature is greater than or equal to T1, for example, 80°C, the second switch valve can be controlled to be turned on. In combination with the above, the relationship between the inlet coolant temperature and the heating power of the heater can be calibrated at different heating stages to obtain the optimal combination of heating time and heating energy consumption. When the coolant temperature exceeds the preset stop heating temperature, the heater can stop working.

[0061] According to the second aspect of the present application, a fuel cell cold start control device is also provided. The fuel cell system includes a first switch valve, Figure 4A schematic block diagram of a fuel cell cold start control device provided in an embodiment of the present application. For example, Figure 4 As shown, the apparatus 400 may include:

[0062] A detection unit 410 detects the opening of the temperature control valve;

[0063] The control unit 420 controls the first switch valve to be turned off when the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, wherein the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system.

[0064] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is also provided. Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device 500 may include a processor 510 and a memory 520. The memory 520 stores computer program instructions, which are used by the processor 510 to execute the above-mentioned fuel cell cold start control method when the processor 510 is running.

[0065] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is also provided, on which program instructions are stored, and the program instructions are used to execute the above-mentioned fuel cell cold start control method when running. The storage medium may include, for example, a storage component of a tablet computer, a hard disk of a computer, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), a USB memory, or any combination of the above storage media. The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more computer-readable storage media.

[0066] A person skilled in the art may understand the specific details and beneficial effects of the fuel cell cold start control device, electronic device and storage medium by reading the above description of the fuel cell cold start control method, which will not be described here for brevity.

[0067] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and / or equipment can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are only schematic, for example, the division of units is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0068] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed on multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

[0069] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit. The above-mentioned integrated unit may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.

[0070] If the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the various embodiments of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), disk or optical disk and other media that can store program codes.

[0071] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some of the technical features therein by equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A fuel cell cold start control method, characterized in that: The fuel cell system includes a first switch valve, and the method includes: Detect the opening of the temperature control valve; When the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, the first switch valve is controlled to be cut off, wherein the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system.

2. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuel cell system further includes a second switch valve, and the method further includes: Detecting the stack entry temperature of the fuel cell system; Based on the stack entry temperature, the second switch valve is controlled to be turned on or off, wherein the second switch valve is arranged between a water pump and an intercooler in the fuel cell system.

3. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fuel cell system further includes a heater, and the method further includes: Based on the inlet temperature, the power of the heater is adjusted.

4. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fuel cell system further comprises a temperature detection device, which is arranged between the heater and the fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system and at a position close to the stacking direction of the fuel cell stack; The step of adjusting the power of the heater based on the stack entry temperature includes: Using the temperature detection device, obtaining the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater; The power of the heater is adjusted based on the coolant temperature at the output end of the heater and the stack inlet temperature.

5. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The temperature control valve is a three-way switch valve, and the fuel cell system includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The method further comprises: Control the outlet of the three-way switch valve to be connected to the first inlet, so that the first switch valve is turned off, and when the first switch valve is in the off state, the first circuit is turned on, wherein the first circuit includes the heater; or The outlet of the three-way switch valve is controlled to be connected to the second inlet so that the first switch valve is turned on. When the first switch valve is in the turned-on state, the second circuit is turned on, wherein the second circuit includes the radiator.

6. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controlling the second switch valve to be turned on or off based on the stack entry temperature includes: When the stack entry temperature is lower than a first preset temperature threshold, controlling the second switch valve to be cut off; When the stack entry temperature is higher than a second preset temperature threshold, controlling the second switch valve to be turned on; When the second switch valve is in the on state, the water pump is controlled to provide heated coolant to the intercooler, so as to use the intercooler to heat the gas output by the air compressor in the fuel cell system.

7. The fuel cell cold start control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before detecting the opening of the temperature control valve, the method further includes: The ambient temperature is detected to enter a cold start mode when the ambient temperature does not exceed a third preset temperature threshold.

8. A fuel cell cold start control device, characterized in that: The fuel cell system includes a first switch valve, the device comprising: A detection unit, detecting the opening of the temperature control valve; The control unit controls the first switch valve to be cut off when the opening degree of the temperature control valve is equal to zero, wherein the first switch valve is arranged between the temperature control valve and the radiator in the fuel cell system.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that: It comprises a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores computer program instructions, and the computer program instructions are used to execute the fuel cell cold start control method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 when the processor is running.

10. A storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are used to execute the fuel cell cold start control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 when running.

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