A fuel cell system and its operation and maintenance self-cleaning control method

Abstract

The application discloses a fuel cell system and a self-cleaning control method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of fuel cell systems. The system comprises an air filter, an air flow meter, an air compressor, a middle cooler, an air stop valve, an air bypass valve, a humidifier, a temperature-humidity-pressure integrated sensor, a back pressure valve, an air path-to-cooling path electric valve, a cooling path-to-air path electric valve, an inlet hydrogen electromagnetic valve, a hydrogen supply module, a hydrogen pressure sensor, a water distributor, a hydrogen circulation pump, an anode hydrogen discharge valve, an anode water discharge valve, a hydrogen path-to-cooling path electromagnetic valve, a cooling path-to-hydrogen path electromagnetic valve, a cooling path outlet temperature-pressure integrated sensor, a cooling path water pump, an electric three-way valve, a deionizer, a PTC heater, a cooling path inlet temperature-pressure integrated sensor, a water discharge valve, a radiator module, a water supplement tank, a tail exhaust pipe, a stack, an external water storage tank and a water supplement pump. The application can realize self-cleaning control of the fuel cell system, prolong the service life and improve the maintenance convenience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fuel cell system technology, and more specifically, to a fuel cell system and its operation and maintenance self-cleaning control method. Background Technology

[0002] A fuel cell is a chemical device that directly converts the chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy. It can be applied in industries such as automotive, power generation, shipbuilding, aerospace, and home power. During long-term operation, fuel cell systems accumulate impurities on the anode and cathode sides. These impurities may be introduced by external hydrogen or air (such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, or dust due to decreased filter capacity), or they may be due to oxidation or wear of system components over time (such as the shedding of stack sealing materials and graphite bipolar plate particles, oxidation of the aluminum intercooler in the air subsystem to alumina, and mechanical wear of the hydrogen injection valve in the hydrogen subsystem).

[0003] Some pollutants are discharged from the cathode and anode tailpipes during fuel cell operation, while others remain on the surfaces of the cathode and anode channels, diffusion layer, or catalyst layer of the fuel cell stack, and may also adhere to the inner walls of pipes and components. The presence of pollutants inside the fuel cell system poses potential risks to its operation, such as poisoning the catalyst, clogging the diffusion layer and channels, affecting gas mass transfer, and thus impacting performance. Disassembling and maintaining the fuel cell system is also time-consuming and labor-intensive, and may also affect sealing.

[0004] Therefore, further solutions are needed to periodically clean the air and hydrogen sides of the fuel cell system without disassembling the system, relying on the system's own devices and measures to dissolve impurities, flush out dust and particulate matter, improve the cleaning of battery impurities, extend battery life, and enhance maintenance convenience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a fuel cell system and its operation and maintenance self-cleaning control method.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell system is provided. The system includes: an air filter, an air flow meter, an air compressor, an intercooler, an air shut-off valve, an air bypass valve, a humidifier, a temperature, humidity, and pressure integrated sensor, a back pressure valve, an electric valve connecting the air path to the cooling path, an electric valve connecting the cooling path to the air path, a hydrogen inlet solenoid valve, a hydrogen supply module, a hydrogen pressure sensor, a water distributor, a hydrogen circulation pump, an anode hydrogen discharge valve, an anode drain valve, a hydrogen path to the cooling path solenoid valve, a cooling path to the hydrogen path solenoid valve, a cooling path outlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor, a cooling path water pump, an electric three-way valve, a deionizer, a PTC heater, a cooling path inlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor, a drain valve, a radiator module, a water supply tank, a tailpipe, a fuel cell stack, an external water storage tank, and a water supply pump.

[0007] in:

[0008] The air compressor, the intercooler, the humidifier, the air shut-off valve, the air bypass valve, and the back pressure valve are arranged in the air circuit;

[0009] The hydrogen inlet solenoid valve, the hydrogen supply module, the water distributor, the anode hydrogen discharge valve, and the hydrogen circulation pump are installed in the hydrogen circuit;

[0010] The cooling water pump, the PTC heater, the water supply tank, the radiator module, and the drain valve are installed in the cooling circuit;

[0011] The external water storage tank and the water replenishment pump are used to provide deionized water;

[0012] An electric valve connecting the air path to the cooling path and an electric valve connecting the cooling path to the air path are installed between the air path and the cooling path to control the entry and exit of deionized water in the cooling path and the air path.

[0013] A solenoid valve for the hydrogen path to the cooling path and a solenoid valve for the cooling path to the hydrogen path are installed between the hydrogen path and the cooling path to control the entry and exit of deionized water in the cooling path and the hydrogen path.

[0014] The cooling water pump and the PTC heater are used to circulate and heat deionized water, thereby achieving self-cleaning of the air and hydrogen circuits.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a self-cleaning control method for the operation and maintenance of a fuel cell system is provided. The method includes the following steps:

[0016] Construct a fuel cell system based on the above;

[0017] The fuel cell system is automatically controlled to perform self-cleaning using a pre-defined self-cleaning program.

[0018] In one embodiment, when the self-cleaning control is started, the antifreeze in the cooling circuit is discharged through the drain valve, and the cooling circuit is replaced multiple times with deionized water from the external water tank.

[0019] In one embodiment, during the self-cleaning control process, the deionized water from the cooling path is led to the air path using the air path to cooling path electric valve and the cooling path to air path electric valve, and the air shut-off valve and the back pressure valve are closed.

[0020] In one embodiment, during the self-cleaning control process, the deionized water from the cooling path is drawn to the hydrogen path using the solenoid valve from the hydrogen path to the cooling path and the solenoid valve from the cooling path to the hydrogen path, and the hydrogen supply module and the anode hydrogen discharge valve are shut off.

[0021] In one embodiment, the PTC heater is used to heat deionized water to a set temperature, and the deionized water in the cooling path, air path, and hydrogen path is circulated by the cooling path water pump until impurities inside the air path and hydrogen path are removed.

[0022] In one embodiment, when the heating and circulation time of the cleaning deionized water reaches a preset condition, the cleaning deionized water is discharged to the tail drain pipe through the cooling circuit drain valve.

[0023] In one embodiment, after cleaning is completed, the air-to-cooling-path electric valve and the cooling-to-air-path electric valve are closed, and the hydrogen-to-cooling-path solenoid valve and the cooling-to-hydrogen solenoid valve are also closed.

[0024] In one embodiment, the air path is supplied with air through the air compressor, and the hydrogen path is supplied with hydrogen through the hydrogen supply module. The air shut-off valve and the back pressure valve are opened, as are the anode hydrogen discharge valve, the anode drain valve, and the hydrogen circulation pump, to blow the residual water in the air path and the hydrogen path away from the fuel cell stack.

[0025] In one embodiment, the water tank is equipped with a level sensor to detect whether the coolant is sufficient.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are that, during operation and maintenance, without disassembling the fuel cell system, the system can be periodically cleaned of impurities on the air and hydrogen sides by heating deionized water, which dissolves impurities and flushes out dust and particulate matter from the system, thereby improving lifespan and convenience of maintenance.

[0027] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fuel cell system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a self-cleaning control method for the operation and maintenance of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0032] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0033] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0034] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0035] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0036] In summary, this invention provides a fuel cell system and its self-cleaning control method. During regular maintenance of the fuel cell system, the antifreeze in the cooling circuit is drained from the system. Then, by diverting externally supplied deionized water from the cooling circuit to the air and hydrogen sides of the system, the deionized water is circulated and heated using a cooling circuit water pump and a PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater, thus self-cleaning the air and hydrogen circuits. For example, the cooling circuit and air circuit are equipped with one inlet and one outlet electric valve, and the hydrogen circuit is equipped with one inlet and one outlet solenoid valve, respectively used to control the entry of deionized water from the cooling circuit into the air and hydrogen circuits. During the cleaning process, water can be added to the system's cooling circuit water tank via an external water storage tank. After a certain period, the circulated water is drained to the system tailpipe through the cooling circuit drain valve, and deionized water is replenished and circulated for heating again, repeating this process multiple times. Finally, air and hydrogen are supplied through the system air compressor and hydrogen supply module, blowing away any remaining moisture from the air and hydrogen circuits from the fuel cell stack, enabling normal system startup.

[0037] See Figure 1 As shown, the provided fuel cell system includes an air filter 1, an air flow meter 2, an air compressor 3, an intercooler 4, an air shut-off valve 5, an air bypass valve 6, a humidifier 7, a temperature, humidity and pressure integrated sensor 8, a back pressure valve 9, an electric valve from the air path to the cooling path 10, an electric valve from the cooling path to the air path 11, a hydrogen inlet solenoid valve 12, a hydrogen supply module 13, a hydrogen pressure sensor 14, a water distributor 15, a hydrogen circulation pump 16, an anode hydrogen discharge valve 17, an anode drain valve 18, a hydrogen path to the cooling path solenoid valve 19, a cooling path to the hydrogen path solenoid valve 20, a cooling path outlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor 21, a cooling path water pump 22, an electric three-way valve 23, a deionizer 24, a PTC heater 25, a cooling path inlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor 26, a drain valve 27, a radiator module 28, a water tank 29, a tailpipe 30, a fuel cell stack 31, an external water storage tank 32, and a water pump 33. The air compressor 3, intercooler 4, humidifier 7, air shut-off valve 5, air bypass valve, and back pressure valve 9 are installed in the air circuit; the hydrogen inlet solenoid valve 12, hydrogen supply module 13, water distributor 15, anode hydrogen discharge valve 17, and hydrogen circulation pump 16 are installed in the hydrogen circuit; the cooling circuit water pump 22, PTC heater 25, water replenishment tank 29, radiator module 28, and drain valve 27 are installed in the cooling circuit; an air circuit to cooling circuit electric valve 10 and a cooling circuit to air circuit electric valve are installed between the air circuit and the cooling circuit to control the entry and exit of deionized water in the cooling circuit; the hydrogen circuit to cooling circuit solenoid valve 19 and the cooling circuit to hydrogen circuit solenoid valve 20 are installed between the hydrogen circuit and the cooling circuit to control the entry and exit of deionized water in the cooling circuit and the hydrogen circuit.

[0038] Combination Figure 1As shown, in one embodiment, when the fuel cell system is operating normally, air is drawn from the atmosphere into the system by air compressor 3. Air filter 1 filters dust, and air flow meter 2 measures air flow. Intercooler 4 cools the air outlet of air compressor 3, and humidifier 7 humidifies the air. Temperature, humidity, and pressure integrated sensor 8 measures the temperature, pressure, and humidity of the air entering the fuel cell stack 31. Back pressure valve 9 controls the pressure entering the fuel cell stack 31. Air shut-off valve 5 can be closed during shutdown to prevent air from entering the fuel cell stack 31, and during startup, it works with bypass valve 6 to direct air to the exhaust instead of entering the fuel cell stack, thus reducing hydrogen concentration.

[0039] In one embodiment, during normal operation of the fuel cell system, the hydrogen inlet solenoid valve 12 is opened, the hydrogen supply module 13 controls the pressure of hydrogen entering the fuel cell stack 31, and the hydrogen pressure sensor 14 provides feedback on the pressure value entering the fuel cell stack 31. The water separator 15 can separate the hydrogen from the anode outlet of the fuel cell stack 31 into gas and liquid phases, and the hydrogen circulation pump 16 circulates the separated hydrogen to the anode inlet to mix with dry hydrogen. The anode drain valve 18 and the anode hydrogen discharge valve 17 are used to discharge liquid water from the anode and nitrogen permeating from the cathode from the fuel cell stack.

[0040] In one embodiment, during normal operation of the fuel cell system, the cooling circuit water pump 22 rotates to control the cooling circuit pressure and flow rate. A cooling circuit outlet temperature and pressure sensor 21 monitors the outlet temperature and pressure of the fuel cell stack 31, and a cooling circuit inlet temperature and pressure sensor 26 monitors the inlet temperature and pressure of the fuel cell stack 31. An electrically operated three-way valve 23 controls the flow rate of coolant into the radiator module 28 and the PTC heater 25. A deionizer 24 filters ions from the cooling circuit, and a water tank 29 is equipped with a level sensor to detect whether the coolant is sufficient. A drain valve 27 drains coolant into the tailpipe 30.

[0041] Optionally, the external water storage tank 32 and the water replenishment pump 33 are used to draw deionized water into the water replenishment tank 29 during operation and maintenance. The external water storage tank 32 contains a certain amount of deionized water.

[0042] Reference Figure 2 ,against Figure 1 The self-cleaning control method for the operation and maintenance of a fuel cell system includes the following steps:

[0043] Step S1 involves draining the cooling circuit and cleaning it multiple times with deionized water.

[0044] Specifically, when the fuel cell system needs to be cleaned during operation and maintenance, the coolant is first discharged to the tailpipe 30 through the drain valve 27. At the same time, the cooling circuit is cleaned and replaced multiple times through the external water tank 32 and the water pump 33 to reduce the concentration of antifreeze in the cooling circuit and avoid the antifreeze from affecting the cathode and anode of the fuel cell stack 31.

[0045] Step S2: The fuel cell system self-cleaning procedure is initiated.

[0046] After the cooling circuit is cleaned and replaced, the fuel cell system enters its self-cleaning process, which can be performed automatically.

[0047] Step S3: Open the two electric valves (one inlet and one outlet) of the cooling circuit and the air circuit, and open the two solenoid valves (one inlet and one outlet) of the cooling circuit and the hydrogen circuit.

[0048] Specifically, the air-to-cooling-path electric valve 10 and the cooling-to-air-path electric valve 11 are opened, and the hydrogen-to-cooling-path solenoid valve 19 and the cooling-to-hydrogen solenoid valve 20 are opened.

[0049] Step S4: Turn on the water supply pump and the cooling water pump, and set the speed n1.

[0050] Specifically, the water supply pump 33 and the cooling circuit water pump 21 are turned on and set to speed n1 to circulate the deionized water in a closed loop, expelling air bubbles. Wait for the deionized water to fill the cooling circuit, air circuit, and hydrogen circuit. At this time, the air shut-off valve 5 is closed to prevent deionized water from flowing back into the air compressor 3 and causing damage; the bypass valve 6 prevents deionized water from being ineffectively discharged from the system. Similarly, the hydrogen supply module 13, the anode drain valve 18, and the anode hydrogen discharge valve 17 are closed to prevent ineffective discharge of deionized water.

[0051] Step S5: Determine if the water replenishment tank is larger than L1.

[0052] For example, when the water level in the replenishment tank 29 is greater than L1, it indicates that the deionized water has basically filled the cooling path, air path, and hydrogen path, and then step S6 is executed.

[0053] Step S6: Stop the water supply pump and deionize the water in the PTC heater.

[0054] Specifically, the water supply pump 33 is stopped, the PTC heater 25 starts heating the deionized water, and the cooling water pump 21 continues to run. The electric three-way valve 23 controls the heated deionized water to pass through the small circulation only, without passing through the large circulation radiator module 28.

[0055] Step S7: Determine whether the temperature of the cooling path is greater than T1.

[0056] If the water temperature monitored by the integrated temperature and pressure sensor 26 at the cooling circuit inlet is greater than T1, it indicates that the water temperature in the cooling circuit meets the temperature required for cleaning, and then step S8 is executed.

[0057] Step S8: Stop the PTC heater, adjust the speed of the cooling water pump to n2, and start timing the cleaning time.

[0058] Specifically, stop the PTC heater 25 from heating the deionized water, adjust the speed of the cooling water pump 21 to n2, and start timing the cleaning time.

[0059] Step S9: Determine whether the cleaning time is greater than t1.

[0060] If the determination is yes, then proceed to step S10.

[0061] Step S10: Open the drain valve to drain the deionized water and turn off the cooling water pump.

[0062] When the cleaning time is greater than t1, it indicates that the single cleaning is completed. Open the cooling circuit drain valve 27 and turn off the cooling circuit water pump 22.

[0063] Step S11: Determine whether the drainage time is greater than t2.

[0064] Step S12: Close the drain valve.

[0065] When the drainage time is greater than t2, it means that the deionized water from this cleaning has been discharged from the system. Close the cooling circuit drain valve 27 and record one cleaning cycle.

[0066] Step S13: Determine whether the number of cleaning cycles is greater than or equal to m.

[0067] If the number of cleaning cycles is less than m, proceed to step S4 to continue the cleaning process. If the number of cleaning cycles is greater than or equal to m, proceed to step S14.

[0068] Step S14: Close the two electric valves (one inlet and one outlet) between the cooling circuit and the air circuit, and close the two solenoid valves (one inlet and one outlet) between the cooling circuit and the hydrogen circuit.

[0069] Specifically, close the two electric valves 10 and 11, one inlet and one outlet, between the cooling circuit and the air circuit. Close the two solenoid valves 19 and 20, one inlet and one outlet, between the cooling circuit and the hydrogen circuit. Disconnect the cooling circuit from the air circuit and the hydrogen circuit.

[0070] Step S15: Open the air shut-off valve and back pressure valve, turn on the air compressor and set the air pressure to P1, and turn on the hydrogen supply module, anode hydrogen discharge valve and drain valve, and set the hydrogen pressure to P2.

[0071] Specifically, the air shut-off valve 5 and back pressure valve 9 are opened, the air compressor 3 is turned on, the air pressure (i.e., air pressure) P1 is set, the hydrogen supply module 13, the anode hydrogen discharge valve 17 and the anode drain valve 18 are opened, the hydrogen pressure P2 is set, and the fuel cell air subsystem and hydrogen subsystem are purged.

[0072] Step S16: Determine whether the purging time is greater than t3.

[0073] If the determination is yes, then proceed to step S17.

[0074] Step S17: Close the air compressor, air shut-off valve and back pressure valve, and close the hydrogen supply module and hydrogen discharge valve.

[0075] When the purging time is greater than t3, it indicates that the purging of the air and hydrogen subsystems by air and hydrogen has ended. Turn off air compressor 3, air shut-off valve 5, and back pressure valve 9; turn off hydrogen supply module 13, anode hydrogen discharge valve 17, and anode drain valve 18.

[0076] Step S18: The fuel cell system self-cleaning procedure ends.

[0077] Step S19: Add antifreeze and turn on the cooling water pump to remove air bubbles.

[0078] Specifically, antifreeze is added to the water tank 29, and the cooling water pump 22 is turned on to remove air bubbles from the antifreeze.

[0079] Step S20: The fuel cell system is restored to the standby state.

[0080] It needs to be further explained that, Figure 2 The self-cleaning control process for the operation and maintenance of fuel cell systems has the following main characteristics and advantages:

[0081] 1) The antifreeze in the cooling circuit needs to be drained from the system through the drain valve first. Then, the deionized water in the external water tank should be used to replace the cooling circuit multiple times to avoid the antifreeze from contaminating the subsequent air circuit and hydrogen circuit.

[0082] 2) Two electric valves, one inlet and one outlet, are installed between the air circuit and the cooling circuit to direct deionized water from the cooling circuit to the air circuit. At the same time, the air shut-off valve and the back pressure valve are closed to prevent deionized water from flowing back into the air compressor or being ineffectively discharged from the system.

[0083] 3) Two solenoid valves, one inlet and one outlet, are installed between the hydrogen circuit and the cooling circuit to direct deionized water from the cooling circuit to the hydrogen circuit. Simultaneously, the hydrogen supply module and the hydrogen discharge valve in the hydrogen circuit are closed to prevent deionized water from being ineffectively discharged from the system.

[0084] 4) Deionized water is heated to a suitable temperature by PTC, and then the deionized water is circulated in the cooling circuit, air circuit and hydrogen circuit by water pump, thereby achieving the effect of cleaning impurities inside the air circuit and hydrogen circuit.

[0085] 5) After the deionized water used for cleaning is heated and circulated for a certain period of time, it is discharged to the tailpipe through the cooling circuit drain valve. The cleaning process needs to be repeated multiple times to fully dissolve and dilute the impurities and further improve the clogging of dust and particulate matter.

[0086] 6) After cleaning, close the electric valve between the air circuit and the cooling circuit, and close the solenoid valve between the hydrogen circuit and the cooling circuit.

[0087] 7) The air and hydrogen circuits are supplied with air and hydrogen through the air compressor and hydrogen supply module. Open the air shut-off valve and back pressure valve, open the anode hydrogen discharge valve, anode drain valve and hydrogen circulation pump to blow the residual water in the air and hydrogen circuits away from the fuel cell stack, so as to avoid the cathode and anode being flooded when restarting.

[0088] 8) After the cleaning process is completed, refill the antifreeze, turn on the water pump to remove air bubbles, and restore the system to the standby state.

[0089] 9) After draining the antifreeze from the system through the drain valve, deionized water is introduced to the system water tank through an external water storage tank and water pump. Then, a self-cleaning program can be set to automatically execute the above self-cleaning process. When the cleaning effect is achieved, the program will stop automatically.

[0090] 10) The cooling circuit is equipped with a water pump, a PTC heater, a water supply tank, and a drain valve. The water pump and PTC heater can heat and circulate the deionized water required for cleaning; the water supply tank and drain valve can replenish deionized water and discharge the cleaned deionized water. The water pump and PTC heater can be controlled for speed and heating, and the integrated temperature and pressure sensor at the cooling circuit inlet can provide feedback on the temperature and pressure of the deionized water.

[0091] 11) During the cleaning process, an external deionized water storage tank and a water replenishment pump are required to replenish the system's water replenishment tank with deionized water. The water replenishment tank may be equipped with a level sensor to provide feedback on the water level signal and control the on / off state of the water replenishment pump.

[0092] 12) After the cleaning process is completed, close the electric valve between the air circuit and the cooling circuit, and close the solenoid valve between the hydrogen circuit and the cooling circuit. The cooling circuit will drain deionized water. The air circuit and hydrogen circuit are supplied with air and hydrogen through the air compressor and hydrogen supply module. Open the air shut-off valve and back pressure valve, and open the hydrogen discharge valve and hydrogen circulation pump to blow the residual water in the air circuit and hydrogen circuit away from the fuel cell stack, so as to prevent the cathode and anode from being flooded during restart.

[0093] 13) The air and hydrogen circuits are equipped with air flow meters, air temperature, humidity and pressure integrated sensors and hydrogen pressure sensors. The air compressor speed, back pressure valve opening, hydrogen supply module opening and anode hydrogen discharge valve and drain valve switching frequency can all be controlled, thereby controlling the purging flow and pressure to adjust the purging effect.

[0094] In summary, the fuel cell system provided by this invention generally includes an air circuit, a hydrogen circuit, and a cooling circuit. The air circuit includes an air compressor, an intercooler, a humidifier, an air shut-off valve, a bypass valve, and a back pressure valve. The hydrogen circuit includes a hydrogen inlet solenoid valve, a hydrogen supply module, a water distributor, a hydrogen discharge valve, and a hydrogen circulation pump. The cooling circuit includes a water pump, a PTC heater, a makeup water tank, a radiator, and a drain valve. Two electrically operated valves, one inlet and one outlet, are installed between the air circuit and the cooling circuit. Two solenoid valves, one inlet and one outlet, are also installed between the hydrogen circuit and the cooling circuit. During the self-cleaning process, the fuel cell system can utilize an external water tank and a makeup water pump to provide deionized water for cleaning. By diverting the externally supplied deionized water from the cooling circuit to the air and hydrogen sides of the system, the deionized water is circulated and heated using the cooling circuit water pump and the PTC heater, thus performing self-cleaning on the air and hydrogen circuits. The self-cleaning process can be integrated into a complete automatic control program. After the cleaning process is completed, antifreeze is refilled, the water pump rotates to expel air bubbles, and the system returns to a standby state. This invention's self-cleaning control method can periodically clean impurities in the air and hydrogen paths, dissolve impurities, and flush out dust and particulate matter from the system without disassembling the fuel cell system, thus improving lifespan and maintenance convenience.

[0095] This invention can be a system, method, and / or computer program product. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the invention.

[0096] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. It will be known to those skilled in the art that implementation in hardware, implementation in software, and implementation using a combination of software and hardware are equivalent.

[0097] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system, characterized in that, The system comprises an air filter (1), an air flow meter (2), an air compressor (3), an intercooler (4), an air cut-off valve (5), an air bypass valve (6), a humidifier (7), a temperature and humidity pressure integrated sensor (8), a back pressure valve (9), an air path to cooling path electric valve (10), a cooling path to air path electric valve (11), a hydrogen inlet solenoid valve (12), a hydrogen supply module (13), a hydrogen pressure sensor (14), a water distributor (15), a hydrogen circulation pump (16), an anode hydrogen exhaust valve (17), an anode water exhaust valve (18), a hydrogen path to cooling path solenoid valve (19), a cooling path to hydrogen path solenoid valve (20), a cooling path outlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor (21), a cooling path water pump (22), an electric three-way valve (23), a deionizer (24), a PTC heater (25), a cooling path inlet temperature and pressure integrated sensor (26), a water exhaust valve (27), a radiator module (28), a water supplement tank (29), a tail exhaust pipe (30), a stack (31), an external water storage tank (32), and a water supplement pump (33). The air compressor (3), the intercooler (4), the humidifier (7), the air cut-off valve (5), the air bypass valve, and the back pressure valve (9) are arranged in the air path. The hydrogen inlet solenoid valve (12), the hydrogen supply module (13), the water distributor (15), the anode hydrogen exhaust valve (17), and the hydrogen circulation pump (16) are arranged in the hydrogen path. The cooling path water pump (22), the PTC heater (25), the water supplement tank (29), the radiator module (28), and the water exhaust valve (27) are arranged in the cooling path. The external water storage tank (32) and the water supplement pump (33) are used to provide deionized water. The air path to cooling path electric valve (10) and the cooling path to air path electric valve (11) are arranged between the air path and the cooling path, and are used to control the deionized water in the cooling path to enter or exit the air path. The hydrogen path to cooling path solenoid valve (19) and the cooling path to hydrogen path solenoid valve (20) are arranged between the hydrogen path and the cooling path, and are used to control the deionized water in the cooling path to enter or exit the hydrogen path. The cooling path water pump (22) and the PTC heater (25) are used to circulate and heat the deionized water, so as to realize self-cleaning of the air path and the hydrogen path. The system comprises the following steps: Constructing the fuel cell system according to claim 1; 2. A method for operation and maintenance self-cleaning control of a fuel cell system, characterized in that, Using a set self-cleaning program to automatically control the fuel cell system to perform self-cleaning. When the operation and maintenance self-cleaning control starts, the cooling path antifreeze is discharged through the water exhaust valve (27), and the deionized water in the external water storage tank (32) is used to replace the cooling path for multiple rounds. During the operation and maintenance self-cleaning control, the deionized water in the cooling path is introduced to the air path by using the air path to cooling path electric valve (10) and the cooling path to air path electric valve (11), and the air cut-off valve (5) and the back pressure valve (9) are closed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, ​ 4. The method of claim 2, wherein, ​ 5. The method of claim 2, wherein, In the operation and maintenance self-cleaning control process, the deionized water of the cooling path is introduced to the hydrogen path by the hydrogen path to cooling path solenoid valve (19) and the cooling path to hydrogen path solenoid valve (20), and the hydrogen supply module (13) and the anode hydrogen exhaust valve (17) are closed.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein, The PTC heater (25) is used to heat the deionized water to a set temperature, and the deionized water in the cooling path, air path and hydrogen path is circulated by the cooling path water pump (22) until the impurities in the air path and hydrogen path are removed.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein, When the cleaning and heating circulation time of the deionized water reaches the preset condition, the cleaned deionized water is discharged to the tail exhaust pipe (30) through the cooling path drain valve (27).

8. The method of claim 2, wherein, After the cleaning is completed, the air path to cooling path electric valve (10) and the cooling path to air path electric valve (11) are closed, and the hydrogen path to cooling path solenoid valve (19) and the cooling path to hydrogen path solenoid valve (20) are closed.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein, The air path provides air through the air compressor (3), the hydrogen path provides hydrogen through the hydrogen supply module (13), the air cut-off valve (5) and the back pressure valve (9) are opened, the anode hydrogen exhaust valve (17), the anode water exhaust valve (18) and the hydrogen circulation pump (16) are opened, and the residual water in the air path and hydrogen path is blown away from the electric pile.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein, The water supplement tank (29) is provided with a liquid level sensor for detecting whether the cooling liquid is sufficient.

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