Vehicle control method, device, controller and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control method, device, controller and vehicle, and relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and can complete self-pressurization of a liquid hydrogen tank in advance before starting of a fuel cell, so as to provide sufficient pressure for starting of the fuel cell. The vehicle control method comprises: acquiring pressure in a liquid hydrogen tank of a vehicle when the vehicle is powered on and the vehicle is in a Ready state; and increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to a starting pressure of the fuel cell, when the pressure is less than the starting pressure of the fuel cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of fuel cell technology, and more specifically, to a vehicle control method, apparatus, controller, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, after refueling, the pressure of the gas cylinder in the hydrogen supply system cannot meet the operating pressure of the fuel cell system, causing the fuel cell system to fail to start normally. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a vehicle control method, apparatus, controller, and vehicle.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this disclosure provides a vehicle control method, the method comprising:

[0005] With the vehicle powered on and in a Ready state, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank of the vehicle is obtained;

[0006] If the pressure is less than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell, increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure.

[0007] Secondly, this disclosure provides a vehicle control device, the device comprising:

[0008] The acquisition module is configured to acquire the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank when the vehicle is powered on and the vehicle is in a Ready state;

[0009] The execution module is configured to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure when the pressure is less than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell.

[0010] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a controller, including:

[0011] The first memory, on which the computer program is stored;

[0012] A first processor is configured to execute the computer program in the first memory to implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0013] Fourthly, this disclosure provides a vehicle including the controller described in the third aspect.

[0014] Fifthly, this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in the first aspect.

[0015] In a sixth aspect, this disclosure provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in the first aspect.

[0016] With the above technical solution, when the vehicle is powered on and in a Ready state, if the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the starting pressure of the fuel cell, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased until it is greater than or equal to the starting pressure. The pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank can be increased before the fuel cell starts, thereby completing the self-pressurization of the liquid hydrogen tank in advance, so that the hydrogen supply system can provide sufficient pressure for the start-up of the fuel cell and avoid the fuel cell system failing to start normally due to insufficient pressure.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating information interaction of a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hydrogen supply system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 4 This is another flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 5 This is another flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a control block diagram of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0027] It is worth noting that hydrogen, as a new energy source with high calorific value, green and environmentally friendly production methods, and diverse utilization forms, can release energy by burning directly in the air, or it can convert its own energy into electrical energy, and can be used as an energy source for fuel cell vehicles.

[0028] Currently, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are in a critical stage of demonstration operation. Although hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have significant advantages in terms of environmental protection and energy efficiency, the high cost of storing gaseous hydrogen in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has constrained their development. Compared to the storage of gaseous hydrogen, the storage of liquid hydrogen is more efficient and compact, and its storage and transportation costs are lower. Therefore, liquid hydrogen is being used as the main energy source for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

[0029] As mentioned in the background section, in related technologies, after refueling, the hydrogen supply system in a vehicle may not maintain the normal operating pressure of the fuel cell system, preventing it from starting. Furthermore, during maintenance, to ensure safety, the hydrogen in the cylinders needs to be safely released, and the cylinder pressure must be restored to normal operating pressure after maintenance. However, after the hydrogen supply system is pressurized, the cylinder pressure is high. During prolonged storage of hydrogen, the cylinder continuously transfers heat, causing the pressure to rise further and triggering the safety valve to open, resulting in continuous hydrogen release. This wastes hydrogen and negatively impacts the vehicle's economy and safety.

[0030] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a vehicle control method, device, controller and vehicle that can pre-pressurize the liquid hydrogen tank before the fuel cell starts, providing sufficient pressure for the start-up of the fuel cell.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle control method may include the following steps:

[0032] In step S101, when the vehicle is powered on and in a Ready state, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank of the vehicle is obtained.

[0033] It is worth noting that whether the vehicle is powered on can be determined based on the state of the ignition switch in the vehicle; for example, the vehicle is powered on when the ignition switch is in the ON position. Other existing methods can also be used to determine whether the vehicle is powered on, and this embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to these methods.

[0034] In step S102, if the pressure is less than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure.

[0035] In the above technical solution, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank can be adaptively adjusted through information interaction between the fuel cell unit (FCU), vehicle control unit (VCU), and hydrogen management system (HMS) on the vehicle.

[0036] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the FCU, VCU, and HMS are all connected to the vehicle's power CAN bus for information exchange. Specifically, the FCU, VCU, and HMS collect status information of their respective components in the vehicle and exchange this information via the power CAN bus. The VCU sends operation or shutdown commands to the FCU, and boost or hydrogen consumption commands to the HMS. The FCU controls the operating status of the fuel cell system based on the operation or shutdown commands sent by the VCU. The HMS controls the pressure of the liquid hydrogen tank in the vehicle and supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell based on the boost or hydrogen consumption commands sent by the VCU, thereby providing power to the entire vehicle and ensuring its stable operation.

[0037] Through the above technical solution, when the vehicle is powered on and in a Ready state, if the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is lower than the fuel cell's start-up pressure, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased until it is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure. This allows the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to be increased before the fuel cell starts, thus completing the self-pressurization of the liquid hydrogen tank in advance. This ensures that the hydrogen supply system provides sufficient pressure for the fuel cell to start, avoiding the inability to start the fuel cell system normally due to insufficient pressure. Furthermore, stable pressure control can reduce pressure fluctuations in the liquid hydrogen tank and the fuel cell system, thereby reducing the mechanical stress on fuel cell-related equipment in the vehicle, extending the service life of fuel cell-related equipment, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0038] To facilitate a better understanding of the vehicle control method provided in this disclosure by those skilled in the art, the steps of the vehicle control method are described in detail below.

[0039] In one feasible embodiment, increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank in step S102 may include:

[0040] The solenoid valves of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle are controlled to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0041] In the above technical solutions, such as Figure 3As shown, the hydrogen supply system includes a booster solenoid valve, a liquid outlet solenoid valve, an economy regulating solenoid valve, a retarder, a hydrogen supply solenoid valve, a safety valve, pressure sensor P1, and pressure sensor P2. The first port of the liquid hydrogen cylinder is connected to the first end of the booster solenoid valve and pressure sensor P2. The second port of the liquid hydrogen cylinder is connected to the second end of the booster solenoid valve. The third port of the liquid hydrogen cylinder is connected to the first end of the liquid outlet solenoid valve. The second end of the liquid outlet solenoid valve is connected to the first end of the retarder. The second end of the retarder is connected to the first end of the hydrogen supply solenoid valve. The second end of the hydrogen supply solenoid valve is connected to the fuel cell and pressure sensor P1. The fourth port of the liquid hydrogen cylinder is connected to the first end of the economy regulating solenoid valve and the first end of the safety valve. The second end of the economy regulating solenoid valve is connected to the first end of the retarder. The second end of the safety valve is connected to the atmosphere.

[0042] In the above technical solution, by controlling the state of the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank can be increased in stages, which can achieve precise adjustment of the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank and improve the control accuracy.

[0043] It is worth noting that the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system is controlled in two ways: Method 1: When the vehicle is in Ready state, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased in stages by repeatedly opening the boost solenoid valve; Method 2: When the vehicle is in Ready state, the boost battery valve is controlled to open, increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to the first preset boost pressure. When the vehicle enters FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) mode from Ready state, the boost solenoid valve is controlled to open, increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank in stages to the second preset boost pressure.

[0044] For method one: when the vehicle is in the Ready state, increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank in stages by repeatedly opening the booster solenoid valve.

[0045] In one feasible embodiment, controlling the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank may include:

[0046] The pressure boosting solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is opened for a preset time. If the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is still lower than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell after the preset time, the pressure boosting solenoid valve is opened again for a preset time to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank. The pressure boosting solenoid valve is used to pressurize the liquid hydrogen tank when it is open.

[0047] In this embodiment, the preset duration can be preset according to the control precision of the pressure; the shorter the preset duration, the higher the control precision.

[0048] In the above technical solution, when the vehicle is in a Ready state, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank can be increased in stages by repeatedly controlling the opening of the booster solenoid valve for a preset duration, so as to achieve precise adjustment of the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0049] For method two: When the vehicle is in Ready state, control the boost battery valve to open and increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to the first preset boost pressure. When the vehicle enters FCV mode from Ready state, control the boost solenoid valve to open and gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to the second preset boost pressure.

[0050] In one feasible embodiment, controlling the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank may include:

[0051] When the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is less than the first preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is opened until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than or equal to the first preset boost pressure. The first preset boost pressure is less than the starting pressure. When the boost solenoid valve is in the open function state, it is used to boost the liquid hydrogen cylinder.

[0052] When the vehicle enters FCV mode from Ready state and the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the second preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be open until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the second preset boost pressure, wherein the second preset boost pressure is greater than the first preset boost pressure.

[0053] The second preset boost pressure can be greater than, equal to, or less than the fuel cell's start-up pressure. If the second preset boost pressure is less than the fuel cell's start-up pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system can be reopened when the fuel cell requires startup, continuing to boost the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the fuel cell's start-up pressure. Based on the relationship between the liquid hydrogen tank pressure and the first and second preset boost pressures under the vehicle's current condition, the state of the boost solenoid valve in the hydrogen supply system can be controlled to perform staged boosting of the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0054] In this embodiment, when the vehicle is in the Ready state, the booster valve is kept open to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to a first preset booster pressure. This allows for at least one self-pressurization process in the liquid hydrogen tank before the vehicle transitions from the Ready state to FCV mode. Furthermore, when the vehicle transitions from the Ready state to FCV mode, the booster valve remains open until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank reaches the fuel cell start-up pressure. Upon transitioning from the Ready state to FCV mode, the liquid hydrogen tank undergoes another self-pressurization process, achieving staged pressurization of the liquid hydrogen. Additionally, during fuel cell startup, the outlet valve is kept open to regulate the flow rate in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0055] In the above technical solution, the booster solenoid valve can be opened multiple times while the vehicle is in Ready state to achieve staged boosting; alternatively, while the vehicle is in Ready state, the booster battery valve can be opened for at least one self-boost, and after the vehicle enters FCV mode from Ready state, the booster battery valve can be opened again for at least one self-boost, achieving staged boosting. Both staged boosting methods can achieve precise control of the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0056] The following describes two control methods for the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system using a complete embodiment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the following steps may be included:

[0057] In step S101, with the vehicle powered on and in a Ready state, the pressure in the vehicle's liquid hydrogen tank is acquired. Then, step S1021 is executed.

[0058] The pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank of the vehicle can be obtained through the pressure sensor P2, which is connected to the first interface of the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0059] In step S1021, if the pressure is lower than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell, the current state of the vehicle is determined. Steps S10221 and S1023 are executed, or steps S10222, S10223 and S1023 are executed.

[0060] In step S10221, the booster solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to open for a preset time. If the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is still lower than the starting pressure of the fuel cell after the preset time, the booster solenoid valve is controlled to open for a preset time again to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0061] In step S10222, when the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is less than the first preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be in the open state until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than or equal to the first preset boost pressure, wherein the first preset boost pressure is less than the starting pressure.

[0062] In step S10223, when the vehicle enters FCV mode from the Ready state and the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the second preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be in the open state, wherein the second preset boost pressure is greater than the first preset boost pressure.

[0063] In step S1023, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is kept greater than or equal to the starting pressure, and when the fuel cell starts, the liquid hydrogen supply system's outlet solenoid valve is controlled to be in the open state so that the liquid hydrogen cylinder supplies gas to the fuel cell.

[0064] In the above technical solution, the solenoid valve in the hydrogen supply system can be controlled by two different control methods to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder in stages, thereby precisely regulating the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder.

[0065] In one feasible embodiment, after supplying gas to the fuel cell, the vehicle control method may further include:

[0066] When the vehicle switches from FCV mode to EV mode, the outlet solenoid valve and the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle are kept closed, while the supply solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is kept open until the fuel cell stops operating.

[0067] In the above technical solution, after the vehicle switches from FCV mode to EV mode, the fuel cell shuts down. This can be achieved by controlling the liquid outlet solenoid valve and the boost solenoid valve to be in the closed state, and controlling the hydrogen supply solenoid valve to be in the open state, thereby reducing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank, thus extending the storage time of hydrogen and avoiding hydrogen waste.

[0068] In one feasible embodiment, after the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the starting pressure, the above vehicle control method may further include:

[0069] Determine the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is operating, and the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank;

[0070] When the current power is greater than the fuel cell's start-up power but less than the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the current power.

[0071] When the current power is greater than or equal to the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the target power.

[0072] In this embodiment, the required power of the vehicle can be calculated based on the driving force, speed, and mechanical efficiency of the transmission system during vehicle operation, using the vehicle's dynamic equations. This required power is then used as the target power. The vehicle's dynamic equations are as follows: , Characterizing the vehicle's power demand at time t, Characterizing the driving force of the vehicle at time t, Characterizing vehicle speed, This characterizes the mechanical efficiency of the vehicle's transmission system at time t. On the other hand, the voltage-current characteristic curve (IV curve) of the fuel cell under the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank can be determined first. Then, based on the current pressure and hydrogen flow rate of the liquid hydrogen tank, combined with the IV curve of the fuel cell under the current pressure, the voltage and current of the fuel cell under the current workload can be determined. Finally, the product of the voltage and current can be calculated to obtain the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0073] In the above technical solution, when the current power corresponding to the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is working, the fuel cell operates according to the target power. When the current power corresponding to the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than the starting power of the fuel cell but less than the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is working, the fuel cell operates according to the current power corresponding to the liquid hydrogen tank. That is, the power of the fuel cell is adjusted according to the hydrogen supply capacity of the hydrogen supply system to ensure that the fuel cell can obtain a stable hydrogen supply under different power requirements.

[0074] In a feasible embodiment, the above vehicle control method may further include:

[0075] When the current power is less than the starting power of the fuel cell, the liquid outlet solenoid valve and the pressure boosting solenoid valve are kept open to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the power corresponding to the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than the starting power of the fuel cell.

[0076] In this embodiment, the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is proportional to its corresponding current power. The current power increases with the increase of the current pressure and decreases with the decrease of the current pressure. Therefore, when the current power is less than the starting power of the fuel cell, the liquid outlet solenoid valve and the pressure boosting solenoid valve can be controlled to be in the open state, thereby increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank so that the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the starting power of the fuel cell, ensuring that the fuel cell can start normally.

[0077] In a feasible embodiment, the above vehicle control method may further include:

[0078] When the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder exceeds the preset exhaust pressure, the economic regulation solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is opened until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder exceeds the preset exhaust pressure again. Then, the safety valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is opened. The economic regulation solenoid valve is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder to the retarder in the hydrogen supply system when it is open, and the safety valve is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder to the outside atmosphere when it is open.

[0079] In this embodiment, the preset exhaust pressure can be preset according to the storage capacity of the liquid hydrogen cylinder, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0080] In the above technical solution, when the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than the preset exhaust pressure, the economic regulating solenoid valve can be opened to allow hydrogen to flow into the buffer tank, thereby reducing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder and preventing large pressure fluctuations, as well as extending the storage time of hydrogen. When the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is again greater than the preset exhaust pressure, the safety valve can be opened to allow the hydrogen in the liquid hydrogen cylinder to be discharged into the atmosphere, thus achieving phased depressurization of the liquid hydrogen cylinder.

[0081] The vehicle control method provided in this disclosure is described below with a complete embodiment, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the vehicle control method may include the following steps:

[0082] I. After the vehicle is powered on, the HMS determines whether the current pressure P2 in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than the preset exhaust pressure. If so, the HMS controls the economy regulating solenoid valve to be in the open state. If P2 is greater than the preset exhaust pressure again, the HMS controls the safety valve to be in the open state until P2 is less than or equal to the preset exhaust pressure, and then controls the economy regulating solenoid valve and the safety valve to be in the closed state.

[0083] II. When the vehicle enters the Ready state, the VCU sends a first-level boost command to the HMS. The HMS responds to the first-level boost command and determines whether the current pressure P2 in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the first preset boost pressure. If so, it controls the boost solenoid valve to be in the open state until P2 is greater than or equal to the first preset boost pressure, and then controls all solenoid valves to be in the closed state.

[0084] III. The VCU determines the status of the vehicle's rocker switch.

[0085] IV. When the rocker switch state indicates that the vehicle is transitioning from the Ready state to FCV mode:

[0086] a. The VCU sends a secondary pressurization command to the HMS. The HMS responds by determining whether the current pressure P2 in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the second preset pressurization pressure. If so, it controls the pressurization solenoid valve to be open. If the current pressure P2 in the pressurized liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the starting pressure, it controls the pressurization battery valve to be closed. When the fuel cell is running, it controls the liquid hydrogen outlet solenoid valve and the hydrogen supply solenoid valve to be open, controlling the liquid hydrogen tank to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell.

[0087] b. The VCU determines the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank and determines whether the current power is greater than or equal to the start-up power of the fuel cell.

[0088] c. When the current power is greater than or equal to the starting power of the fuel cell, determine the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is working, and determine whether the current power is greater than or equal to the target power. If the current power is greater than or equal to the target power, the FCU controls the fuel cell to operate in response to the target power. If the current power is less than the target power, the FCU controls the fuel cell to operate in response to the current power.

[0089] d. If the current power is less than the starting power of the fuel cell, then return to step a.

[0090] e. Return to step III.

[0091] V. When the rocker switch state indicates that the vehicle is switching from FCV mode to EV mode:

[0092] a. The VCU sends a shutdown command to the FCU and a hydrogen consumption command to the HMS.

[0093] b. In response to the hydrogen consumption command, the HMS controls the liquid outlet solenoid valve and the booster solenoid valve to be in the closed state, and controls the hydrogen supply solenoid valve to be in the open state.

[0094] c. The FCU responds to the shutdown command and completes the shutdown.

[0095] d. The VCU stops sending hydrogen consumption commands to the HMS.

[0096] e. Return to step III.

[0097] In the above technical solution, through information interaction between the VCU, FCU, and HMS, the solenoid valves in the hydrogen supply system are selectively opened or closed. Before the fuel cell starts, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased, thus pre-pressurizing the liquid hydrogen tank. During fuel cell startup, the liquid hydrogen tank is controlled to supply gas to the fuel cell, preventing insufficient liquid hydrogen supply pressure that could prevent normal startup. After the fuel cell shuts down, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is automatically reduced, extending the hydrogen storage time and preventing hydrogen waste. The pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is also automatically adjusted to reduce the fuel cell failure rate caused by fluctuations in hydrogen supply pressure. Furthermore, the operating power of the fuel cell is adjusted based on the hydrogen supply capacity of the hydrogen supply system to ensure a stable hydrogen supply to the fuel cell under different power demands.

[0098] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a vehicle control device, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the vehicle control device includes:

[0099] The acquisition module 601 is configured to acquire the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank when the vehicle is powered on and the vehicle is in a Ready state;

[0100] The execution module 602 is configured to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure when the pressure is less than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell.

[0101] Through the above technical solution, when the vehicle is powered on and in a Ready state, if the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is lower than the fuel cell's start-up pressure, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased until it is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure. This allows the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to be increased before the fuel cell starts, thus completing the self-pressurization of the liquid hydrogen tank in advance. This ensures that the hydrogen supply system provides sufficient pressure for the fuel cell to start, avoiding the inability to start the fuel cell system normally due to insufficient pressure. Furthermore, stable pressure control can reduce pressure fluctuations in the liquid hydrogen tank and the fuel cell system, thereby reducing the mechanical stress on fuel cell-related equipment in the vehicle, extending the service life of fuel cell-related equipment, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0102] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is configured to determine the current state of the vehicle;

[0103] The solenoid valves of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle are controlled to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

[0104] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is configured to control the pressurization solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to open for a preset time, and if the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is still lower than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell after the preset time, control the pressurization solenoid valve to open for a preset time again to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank in stages. The pressurization solenoid valve is used to pressurize the liquid hydrogen tank when it is open.

[0105] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is configured to control the booster solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to be in the open state when the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is less than the first preset booster pressure, until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than or equal to the first preset booster pressure, wherein the first preset booster pressure is less than the starting pressure, and the booster solenoid valve is used to boost the liquid hydrogen cylinder in the open state.

[0106] When the vehicle enters FCV mode from Ready state and the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the second preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be open until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the second preset boost pressure, wherein the second preset boost pressure is greater than the first preset boost pressure.

[0107] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is also configured to control the economy regulating solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to be in the open state when the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than the preset exhaust pressure, until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than the preset exhaust pressure again, and then control the safety valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to be in the open state. The economy regulating solenoid valve is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder and the buffer tank in the hydrogen supply system when it is in the open state, and the safety valve is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder and the external atmosphere when it is in the open state.

[0108] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is configured to, when the vehicle switches from FCV mode to EV mode, control the outlet solenoid valve and the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to be closed, and control the supply solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to be open, until the fuel cell stops operating.

[0109] Furthermore, the execution module 602 is configured to determine the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is operating, and the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank, after the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure.

[0110] When the current power is greater than the fuel cell's start-up power but less than the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the current power.

[0111] If the current power is greater than or equal to the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the target power.

[0112] Regarding the vehicle control device in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0113] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a controller, including:

[0114] The first memory, on which the computer program is stored;

[0115] A first processor is configured to execute the computer program in a first memory to implement the vehicle control method described above.

[0116] Through the above technical solution, when the vehicle is powered on and in a Ready state, if the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is lower than the fuel cell's start-up pressure, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is increased until it is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure. This allows the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank to be increased before the fuel cell starts, thus completing the self-pressurization of the liquid hydrogen tank in advance. This ensures that the hydrogen supply system provides sufficient pressure for the fuel cell to start, avoiding the inability to start the fuel cell system normally due to insufficient pressure. On the other hand, stable pressure control can reduce pressure fluctuations in the liquid hydrogen tank and the fuel cell system, thereby reducing the mechanical stress on fuel cell-related equipment in the vehicle, extending the service life of fuel cell-related equipment, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0117] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned controller.

[0118] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle 700 according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, vehicle 700 can be a hybrid vehicle, a non-hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or other types of vehicle. Vehicle 700 can be an autonomous vehicle or a semi-autonomous vehicle.

[0119] Reference Figure 7 The vehicle 700 may include various subsystems, such as an infotainment system 710, a perception system 720, a decision control system 730, a drive system 740, and a computing platform 750. The vehicle 700 may also include more or fewer subsystems, and each subsystem may include multiple components. Furthermore, each subsystem and each component of the vehicle 700 can be interconnected via wired or wireless means.

[0120] In some embodiments, the infotainment system 710 may include a communication system, an entertainment system, and a navigation system, etc.

[0121] The perception system 720 may include several sensors for sensing information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 700. For example, the perception system 720 may include a global positioning system (which may be a GPS system, a BeiDou system, or another positioning system), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a lidar, a millimeter-wave radar, an ultrasonic radar, and a camera device.

[0122] The decision control system 730 may include a computing system, a vehicle controller, a steering system, a throttle, a braking system, and the aforementioned controllers.

[0123] The drive system 740 may include components that provide powered motion to the vehicle 700. In one embodiment, the drive system 740 may include an engine, an energy source, a transmission system, and wheels. The engine may be one or a combination of internal combustion engines, electric motors, and compressed air engines. The engine is capable of converting energy provided by the energy source into mechanical energy.

[0124] Some or all of the functions of the vehicle 700 are controlled by a computing platform 750. The computing platform 750 may include at least one second processor 751 and a second memory 752, the second processor 751 being able to execute instructions 753 stored in the second memory 752.

[0125] The second processor 751 can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU. The processor may also include a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-a-chip (SOC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof.

[0126] The second memory 752 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0127] In addition to instruction 753, the second memory 752 can also store data, such as road maps, route information, vehicle position, direction, speed, and other data. The data stored in the second memory 752 can be used by the computing platform 750.

[0128] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the second processor 751 may execute instructions 753 to complete all or part of the steps of the vehicle control method described above.

[0129] In another exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium including program instructions is also provided, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the vehicle control method described above. For example, the computer-readable storage medium may be the second memory 752 including the program instructions, which may be executed by the second processor 751 of the vehicle 700 to complete the vehicle control method described above.

[0130] In another exemplary embodiment, a computer program product is also provided, which includes a computer program executable by a processor, which, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the vehicle control method described above.

[0131] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0132] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0133] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, characterized in that, The method includes: With the vehicle powered on and in a Ready state, the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank of the vehicle is obtained; If the pressure is less than the starting pressure of the vehicle's fuel cell, increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the starting pressure; After the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than or equal to the starting pressure, the method further includes: Determine the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is operating, and the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank; If the current power is greater than the starting power of the fuel cell but less than the target power, the fuel cell is controlled to operate according to the current power. If the current power is greater than or equal to the target power, the fuel cell is controlled to operate according to the target power. Determining the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder includes: Determine the voltage-current characteristic curve of the fuel cell at the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank; Based on the voltage-current characteristic curve, the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank, and the hydrogen flow rate in the liquid hydrogen tank, determine the voltage and current of the fuel cell under the current operating load. The product of the voltage and the current is determined to obtain the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder.

2. The vehicle control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Increasing the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder includes: The solenoid valves of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle are controlled to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder.

3. The vehicle control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control of the solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder includes: When the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is less than the first preset boosting pressure, the boosting solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be in the open state until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than or equal to the first preset boosting pressure. The first preset boosting pressure is less than the starting pressure. The boosting solenoid valve is used to boost the pressure of the liquid hydrogen cylinder when it is in the open state. When the vehicle enters FCV mode from Ready state and the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is less than the second preset boost pressure, the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be in the open state until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the second preset boost pressure, wherein the second preset boost pressure is greater than the first preset boost pressure.

4. The vehicle control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Controlling the solenoid valves of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank includes: The pressure boosting solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to open for a preset time. If the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is still lower than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell after the preset time, the pressure boosting solenoid valve is controlled to open for the preset time again to gradually increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank. The pressure boosting solenoid valve is used to pressurize the liquid hydrogen tank when it is open.

5. The vehicle control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After supplying gas to the fuel cell, the method further includes: When the vehicle switches from FCV mode to EV mode, the outlet solenoid valve and the boost solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle are controlled to be closed, and the supply solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be open, until the fuel cell stops operating.

6. The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than the preset exhaust pressure, the economic adjustment solenoid valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be open until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen cylinder is greater than the preset exhaust pressure again. Then, the safety valve of the hydrogen supply system in the vehicle is controlled to be open. When the economic adjustment solenoid valve is open, it is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder to the gas retarder in the hydrogen supply system. When the safety valve is open, it is used to connect the liquid hydrogen cylinder to the outside atmosphere.

7. A vehicle control device, characterized in that, The device includes: The acquisition module is configured to acquire the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank when the vehicle is powered on and the vehicle is in a Ready state. The execution module is configured to increase the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank until the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure when the pressure is less than the start-up pressure of the fuel cell. The execution module is further configured to, after the pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank is greater than or equal to the start-up pressure, determine the target power of the fuel cell when the vehicle is operating, and the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank; if the current power is greater than the start-up power of the fuel cell but less than the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the current power; if the current power is greater than or equal to the target power, control the fuel cell to operate according to the target power; and determine the voltage-current characteristic curve of the fuel cell at the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank; determine the voltage and current of the fuel cell at the current operating level based on the voltage-current characteristic curve, the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank, and the hydrogen flow rate in the liquid hydrogen tank; and determine the product of the voltage and the current to obtain the current power corresponding to the current pressure in the liquid hydrogen tank.

8. A controller, characterized in that, include: The first memory, on which the computer program is stored; A first processor is configured to execute the computer program in the first memory to implement the method of any one of claims 1-6.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the controller as described in claim 8.

Images