Fuel cell air system, control method and vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a fuel cell air system, a control method of the fuel cell air system and a vehicle, and relates to the technical field of vehicle manufacturing, the fuel cell air system comprises an air compressor, a cell stack, an expansion machine and an air outlet pipeline, the air compressor is suitable for selectively communicating with the inlet end of the expansion machine or communicating with the inlet end of the expansion machine after passing through the cell stack, the air compressor is suitable for selectively communicating with the inlet end of the air outlet pipeline or communicating with the inlet end of the air outlet pipeline after passing through the battery stack, the outlet end of the expansion machine selectively communicates with the inlet end of the air outlet pipeline, the expansion machine is provided with a turbine shell, and a drainage hole is formed in the bottom of the turbine shell. According to the fuel cell air system provided by the embodiment of the invention, the air compressor selectively communicates with the plurality of pipelines, and the drain hole is formed in the bottom of the turbine shell, so that the operation reliability of the expansion machine is ensured, the service life of the expansion machine is prolonged, and the operation reliability of the air compressor is ensured; and the operation stability of the fuel cell air system can be ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle manufacturing technology, and in particular to a fuel cell air system, a control method for the fuel cell air system, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the national economy and the continuous improvement of living standards, vehicles are becoming increasingly important in daily life and travel. Energy efficiency and environmental friendliness are key considerations in vehicle production. Existing vehicles can be equipped with fuel cell systems, which convert chemical energy into electrical energy to power the vehicle. A compressor is installed within the fuel cell system to supply the air required for the reaction in the fuel cell stack. To reduce the power consumption of the compressor, an expander can be installed to recover the energy from the exhaust gases produced by the fuel cell stack reaction.

[0003] However, due to the high humidity of the exhaust gas entering the expander, liquid water is easily retained at the end sealing position of the expander and the lowest point of the expander installation position. As a result, when the expander is in a low-temperature environment for a long time, the stored liquid water will freeze, causing the expander rotor to jam and the VNT nozzle ring to freeze during cold start. There is room for improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a fuel cell air system with a simple structure and low installation cost, which can ensure the reliability of turbine housing drainage, thereby avoiding rotor jamming or VNT freezing in the expander, ensuring the operational reliability of the expander and compressor, extending the service life of the expander and compressor, and thus ensuring the operational stability of the fuel cell air system.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a fuel cell air system includes: a compressor, a battery stack, an expander, and an outlet pipeline. The compressor is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander or to be connected to the inlet end of the expander after passing through the battery stack. The compressor is also adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipeline or to be connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipeline after passing through the battery stack. The outlet end of the expander is selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipeline. The expander is provided with a turbine housing, and the bottom of the turbine housing is provided with a drain hole.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fuel cell air system selectively connects the compressor to multiple pipelines of the fuel cell air system, and provides a drain hole at the bottom of the turbine housing. This allows the compressor to purge the battery stack or expander separately to melt, purge, and discharge stored ice slag, preventing rotor jamming or VNT freezing in the expander, ensuring the reliability of expander operation, extending the expander's service life, and allowing the compressor to directly exhaust to the outside during VNT self-checks, avoiding compressor surge and other problems, ensuring compressor operation reliability, extending compressor service life, and thus ensuring the operational stability of the fuel cell air system, resulting in better performance and a wider range of applications.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell air system further includes a first connecting branch and a second connecting branch, wherein the outlet end of the compressor is adapted to selectively connect to the inlet end of the battery stack or the inlet end of the first connecting branch, the outlet end of the battery stack or the outlet end of the first connecting branch is selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander or the inlet end of the second connecting branch, and the outlet end of the expander and the outlet end of the second connecting branch are both connected to the air outlet pipeline.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell air system further includes a sensor assembly and a control valve assembly. The sensor assembly is used to detect the temperature of the inlet end of the expander, the outlet pipe and the drain hole, and the control valve assembly is used to control the connection relationship of the compressor, the battery stack, the expander, the outlet pipe, the first connecting branch and the second connecting branch according to the temperature detected by the sensor assembly.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the fuel cell air system of the present invention, the sensor assembly includes a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is used to detect the medium temperature at the inlet end of the expander, the second temperature sensor is used to detect the medium temperature in the outlet pipe, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the water flow temperature at the drain hole.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel cell air system further includes an intermediate pipeline, and the control valve assembly includes a first control valve, a second control valve, and a third control valve; wherein, the outlet end of the compressor is selectively connected to the inlet end of the battery stack or the inlet end of the first connecting branch through the first control valve, the outlet end of the battery stack or the outlet end of the first connecting branch is selectively connected to the inlet end of the intermediate pipeline through the second control valve, and the outlet end of the intermediate pipeline is selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander and the inlet end of the second connecting branch through the third control valve.

[0011] The present invention also proposes a control method for a fuel cell air system.

[0012] A control method for a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control method being applicable to any of the fuel cell air systems described above, and the control method comprising: After the fuel cell air system is cold-started, the compressor is controlled to run at a first speed and connected to the battery stack for air supply, and the battery stack is controlled to be connected to the outlet pipeline for exhaust. The exhaust temperature of the outlet pipe is obtained, and after the exhaust temperature is greater than the first set temperature, the compressor is connected to the expander to blow air into the expander. The air inlet temperature at the inlet end of the expander is obtained, and the drain hole is controlled to drain water after the air inlet temperature is greater than the second set temperature. The drainage temperature of the drainage hole is obtained. After the drainage temperature is greater than the third target temperature, the compressor, the battery stack, the expander and the outlet pipeline are connected in sequence to enter the normal operation state.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a control method for a fuel cell air system further includes: After the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature and before entering normal operation, connect the compressor to the outlet pipeline; Control the VNT operation of the expander to perform expander self-test; Once the normal operation of the expander's VNT is detected, the control operation to enter the normal operation state is then executed.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a control method for a fuel cell air system further includes: After the exhaust temperature is lower than the first set temperature, the compressor is controlled to run at the second speed for a set period of time. Furthermore, after the exhaust temperature exceeds the first set temperature, the compressor is further controlled to operate at the first rotational speed. The second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a control method for a fuel cell air system further includes: After the drainage temperature is lower than the third target temperature, the compressor is controlled to run at the second speed for a set period of time. Furthermore, after the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature, the compressor is further controlled to operate at the first rotational speed. The second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

[0016] The present invention also proposes a vehicle.

[0017] The vehicle according to embodiments of the present invention includes the fuel cell air system described in any of the preceding claims.

[0018] The vehicle, the control method of the fuel cell air system, and the aforementioned fuel cell air system have the same advantages over the prior art, and will not be repeated here.

[0019] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the turbine housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a flow chart of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is a flow chart of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 6 This is a flow chart of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 ; Figure 7 This is a flow chart of a fuel cell air system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 .

[0021] Figure label: Fuel cell air system 100, Battery stack 1, intercooler 2, membrane humidifier 3, 4. Compressor; 5. Expander; 51. Turbine housing; 52. Drainage trough; 53. Drain hole; 54. VNT actuator; 55. Drain valve; 6. Motor. First connecting branch 71, second connecting branch 72, intermediate pipe 73, exhaust pipe 74, intake pipe 75, and exhaust pipe 76. First temperature sensor 81, second temperature sensor 82, first control valve 91, first valve first port 911, first valve second port 912, first valve third port 913, second control valve 92, second valve first port 921, second valve second port 922, second valve third port 923, third control valve 93, third valve first port 931, third valve second port 932, third valve third port 933. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] The following is for reference. Figures 1-2 The fuel cell air system 100 described in this embodiment of the invention has a simple structure and low installation cost. It can ensure the reliability of drainage of the turbine housing 51, thereby avoiding rotor jamming or VNT freezing of the expander 5, ensuring the operational reliability of the expander 5 and the compressor 4, extending the service life of the expander 5 and the compressor 4, and thus ensuring the operational stability of the fuel cell air system 100.

[0026] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a fuel cell air system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a compressor 4, a battery stack 1, an expander 5, and an air outlet pipeline 74.

[0027] The compressor 4 is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 or connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 after passing through the battery stack 1. The compressor 4 is also adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74 or connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74 after passing through the battery stack 1. The outlet end of the expander 5 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74. The expander 5 is provided with a turbine housing 51, and the bottom of the turbine housing 51 is provided with a drain hole 53.

[0028] The fuel cell air system 100 is used to supply air to the fuel cell system, which can convert chemical energy into electrical energy to power the vehicle. The fuel cell air system 100 may be equipped with an expander 5 and a compressor 4. The compressor 4 can supply the air required for the reaction to the fuel cell stack 1. The expander 5 can recover the energy in the exhaust gas produced by the reaction of the fuel cell stack 1 to power the compressor 4, thereby reducing the power consumption of the compressor 4, reducing operating energy consumption, and improving energy efficiency.

[0029] Specifically, the fuel cell air system 100 is equipped with a compressor 4 and a fuel cell stack 1. The compressor 4 draws in ambient air and compresses and pressurizes it to increase the mass flow rate and partial pressure of oxygen in the air supplied to the fuel cell stack 1, thereby ensuring the reliability of the fuel cell stack 1 reaction. An air filter is installed upstream of the compressor 4 to filter impurities in the air, preventing blockage of other structures in the fuel cell air system 100 and ensuring the reliable operation of the fuel cell air system 100. Downstream of the compressor 4, an intercooler 2 and a membrane humidifier 3 are sequentially installed. Intercooler 2 is used to cool the high-temperature air compressed by compressor 4, so as to avoid the high-temperature compressed gas affecting the reaction efficiency of battery stack 1 and to avoid damage to the membrane electrode assembly of battery stack 1, thus ensuring the reliability of battery stack 1. In addition, the proton exchange membrane of battery stack 1 needs to achieve humidity exchange through the water vapor partial pressure difference on both sides to maintain the membrane proton conductivity. Membrane humidifier 3 can use the residual moisture of the humid air discharged from battery stack 1 to humidify the dry compressed air that is about to enter battery stack 1, thereby ensuring the membrane proton conductivity and ensuring the operational reliability of battery stack 1.

[0030] Furthermore, the fuel cell air system 100 is also equipped with an expander 5. The expander 5 and the compressor 4 can be coaxially arranged via a motor 6. The expander 5 can recover the energy of the high-temperature and high-pressure exhaust gas discharged from the battery stack 1 and convert it into mechanical work, which can then drive the compressor 4, reducing the power consumption of the compressor 4 and improving the net output power and efficiency of the fuel cell air system 100. That is, when the fuel cell air system 100 is running, the compressor 4 can compress and pressurize the filtered air and then deliver it to the battery stack 1 through pipelines for reaction, so that the chemical energy can be converted into kinetic energy through the battery stack 1, thereby providing power to the vehicle. The exhaust gas produced by the reaction of the battery stack 1 can be delivered to the expander 5 through pipelines, so that the energy in the exhaust gas can be recovered by the expander 5, which can then drive the compressor 4, reducing the energy consumption of the compressor 4, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the fuel cell air system 100 and improving environmental protection and energy saving.

[0031] Furthermore, the fuel cell air system 100 is also provided with an outlet pipe 74. The front end of the outlet pipe 74 is connected to the outlet end of the expander 5, and the rear end of the outlet pipe 74 is connected to the outside. The compressor 4 is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 or connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 after passing through the battery stack 1. That is, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 is connected to the inlet end of the expander 5, or the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the inlet end of the expander 5. The compressor 4 is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74 or connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74 after passing through the battery stack 1. That is, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 is connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74, or the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74, and the outlet end of the expander 5 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74.

[0032] Thus, when the fuel cell air system 100 is in a low-temperature environment for a long time, the liquid water condensed from the moisture in the exhaust gas will freeze in the pipes and expander 5. Before the fuel cell air system 100 is started, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 can be connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe 74, so that the compressor 4 can melt and purge the ice in the battery stack 1 and the pipes, and discharge it directly into the fuel cell air system 100 through the outlet pipe 74. This can increase the overall temperature of the fuel cell air system 100 and preheat the fuel cell air system 100.

[0033] In addition, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the inlet end of the expander 5, so that the compressor 4 can melt and purge the ice in the expander 5 to melt, purge and discharge the stored ice slag, avoid rotor jamming or VNT freezing in the expander 5, ensure the operational reliability of the expander 5, and extend the service life of the expander 5. Furthermore, the battery stack 1 can be directly connected to the inlet end of the exhaust pipe 74, so that the compressor 4 can directly exhaust to the outside. At this time, the VNT of the expander 5 can perform an opening self-check to ensure the operational reliability of the expander 5 and avoid problems such as surge of the compressor 4 during the self-check of the expander 5, thus ensuring the operational reliability of the compressor 4, extending the service life of the compressor 4, and ensuring the operational stability of the fuel cell air system 100.

[0034] Furthermore, after melting and purging the ice in various parts of the fuel cell air system 100, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 can be connected to the inlet end of the expander 5. This allows the expander 5 to drive the compressor 4 by recovering the heat from the battery stack 1, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the compressor 4 and improving the overall energy-saving and emission-reduction performance of the fuel cell air system 100. In addition, the expander 5 is equipped with a turbine housing 51, and the bottom of the turbine housing 51 is equipped with a drain hole 53, which allows the melted liquid water to be discharged from the drain hole 53. When the fuel cell air system 100 is shut down after operation, the liquid water can also be discharged through the drain hole 53 to reduce the amount of liquid water stored in the expander 5, thereby ensuring the operational reliability of the expander 5 and extending the service life of the expander 5.

[0035] In addition, such as Figure 2 As shown, the drain hole 53 is located below the turbine housing 51. A drain trough 52 is also formed below the inner wall of the turbine housing 51. The drain trough 52 is recessed downwards, and the drain hole 53 is located inside the drain trough 52. The drain trough 52 can reduce the liquid level of the water stored in the turbine housing 51, thereby reducing the risk of VNT freezing inside the expander 5 and ensuring reliable operation.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fuel cell air system 100 selectively connects the compressor 4 to multiple pipelines of the fuel cell air system 100, and provides a drain hole 53 at the bottom of the turbine housing 51. This allows the compressor 4 to purge the battery stack 1 or the expander 5 separately, melting, purging, and discharging the stored ice slag. This prevents the expander 5 from experiencing rotor jamming or VNT freezing, ensuring the reliability of the expander 5's operation and extending its service life. Furthermore, when the VNT performs a self-test, the compressor 4 can directly exhaust to the outside, preventing problems such as surge in the compressor 4. This ensures the reliability of the compressor 4's operation and extends its service life, thereby guaranteeing the operational stability of the fuel cell air system 100, resulting in better performance and a wider range of applications.

[0037] In some embodiments, the fuel cell air system 100 further includes a first connecting branch 71 and a second connecting branch 72. The outlet end of the compressor 4 is adapted to selectively connect to the inlet end of the battery stack 1 or the inlet end of the first connecting branch 71. The outlet end of the battery stack 1 or the outlet end of the first connecting branch 71 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 or the inlet end of the second connecting branch 72. The outlet end of the expander 5 and the outlet end of the second connecting branch 72 are both connected to the air outlet pipe 74.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell air system 100 is also provided with a first connecting branch 71 and a second connecting branch 72. One end of the first connecting branch 71 is located between the battery stack 1 and the compressor 4, and the other end of the first connecting branch 71 is located downstream of the battery stack 1. One end of the second connecting branch 72 is located between the other end of the first connecting branch 71 and the inlet end of the expander 5, and the other end of the second connecting branch 72 is connected to the outlet pipe 74, so that the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the expander 5 through the first connecting branch 71, or the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the outlet pipe 74 through the first connecting branch 71 and the second connecting branch 72.

[0039] Thus, when the compressor 4 purges the ice in the battery stack 1 and pipelines, the second connecting branch 72 can be connected to the outlet pipeline 74, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure gas compressed by the compressor 4 to flow directly to the battery stack 1, then through the battery stack 1 to the second connecting branch 72, and finally directly discharged through the outlet pipeline 74. Similarly, when the compressor 4 purges the ice in the expander 5, the compressor 4 can be connected to the expander 5 through the first connecting branch 71, and the expander 5 can be connected to the outlet pipeline 74, allowing the high-temperature, high-pressure gas compressed by the compressor 4 to flow directly to the expander 5 to melt and purge the ice inside, and then discharge through the outlet pipeline 74, ensuring the reliable operation of the expander 5.

[0040] In addition, when the expander 5 performs a self-test, the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the outlet pipe 74 through the first connecting branch 71 and the second connecting branch 72, so that the high-temperature and high-pressure gas compressed by the compressor 4 can be directly discharged through the outlet pipe 74, avoiding gas backflow that causes the compressor 4 to surge and ensuring the service life of the compressor 4.

[0041] In some embodiments, the fuel cell air system 100 further includes a sensor assembly and a control valve assembly. The sensor assembly is used to detect the temperature of the inlet end of the expander 5, the outlet pipe 74 and the drain hole 53, and the control valve assembly is used to control the connection relationship of the compressor 4, the battery stack 1, the expander 5, the outlet pipe 74, the first connecting branch 71 and the second connecting branch 72 according to the temperature detected by the sensor assembly.

[0042] Specifically, the fuel cell air system 100 is also equipped with a sensor assembly and a control valve assembly. The sensor assembly can detect the temperature of the inlet end of the expander 5, the outlet pipe 74, and the drain hole 53. That is, the sensor assembly can be equipped with a temperature sensor. By setting the temperature sensor, the melting of ice at the inlet end of the expander 5, the outlet pipe 74, and the drain hole 53 can be detected, thereby adjusting the connection of each pipe in the fuel cell air system 100. The control valve assembly can control the connection relationship of the compressor 4, the battery stack 1, the expander 5, the outlet pipe 74, the first connecting branch 71, and the second connecting branch 72 according to the detection results of the sensor assembly. When the fuel cell air system 100 is started in a low-temperature environment for a long time, the compressor 4 can perform purging actions at various parts of the fuel cell air system 100 through the control valve assembly to ensure purging reliability and improve the operational reliability of the fuel cell air system 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, the sensor assembly includes a first temperature sensor 81, a second temperature sensor 82, and a third temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor 81 is used to detect the temperature of the medium at the inlet end of the expander 5, the second temperature sensor 82 is used to detect the temperature of the medium in the outlet pipe 74, and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the water flow at the drain hole 53.

[0044] Specifically, the sensor assembly includes a first temperature sensor 81, a second temperature sensor 82, and a third temperature sensor, and as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the first temperature sensor 81 is located at the inlet end of the expander 5, and can be used to detect the medium temperature at the inlet end of the expander 5; the second temperature sensor 82 is located at the outlet pipe 74, and can be used to detect the medium temperature at the outlet pipe 74; and the third temperature sensor is located at the drain hole 53, and can be used to detect the medium temperature at the drain hole 53.

[0045] Furthermore, when the compressor 4 is connected to the battery stack 1 and the second connecting branch 72, that is, when the compressor 4 purges the battery stack 1 and the pipeline, the second temperature sensor 82 can detect the temperature in the gas pipeline 74. When the data detected by the second temperature sensor 82 meets the required data, the purging of the battery stack 1 and the gas outlet pipeline 74 is completed, and the next step can be performed. When the compressor 4 is connected to the first connecting branch 71 and the expander 5 is connected to the gas outlet pipeline 74, that is, when the compressor 4 purges the expander 5, the first temperature sensor 81 can detect the temperature of the gas pipeline 74. When the data detected by the first temperature sensor 81 meets the required data, the ice in the expander 5 has been melted. At this time, the drain hole 53 can be opened to drain the water, and the water temperature at the drain hole 53 can be detected by the third temperature sensor. If the data detected by the third temperature sensor meets the required data, the ice at the drain hole 53 has been melted, and the ice melting is completed.

[0046] In this way, the melting of ice and the purging results at various locations in the fuel cell air system 100 can be detected by the first temperature sensor 81, the second temperature sensor 82 and the third temperature sensor, thereby ensuring the reliability of the purging results and ensuring the operational reliability of the fuel cell air system 100.

[0047] In some embodiments, the fuel cell air system 100 further includes an intermediate pipeline 73, and the control valve assembly includes a first control valve 91, a second control valve 92, and a third control valve 93; wherein the outlet end of the compressor 4 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the battery stack 1 or the inlet end of the first connecting branch 71 through the first control valve 91, the outlet end of the battery stack 1 or the outlet end of the first connecting branch 71 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the intermediate pipeline 73 through the second control valve 92, and the outlet end of the intermediate pipeline 73 is selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander 5 and the inlet end of the second connecting branch 72 through the third control valve 93.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell air system 100 is also provided with an intermediate pipe 73. One end of the intermediate pipe 73 is selectively connected to the first connecting branch 71 and the battery stack 1, respectively. The other end of the intermediate pipe 73 is selectively connected to the second connecting branch 72 and the inlet end of the expander 5, respectively. This allows the exhaust gas from the battery stack 1 to flow to the expander 5 through the intermediate pipe 73, or to the second connecting branch 72 through the intermediate pipe 73. The compressed gas from the compressor 4 can flow to the intermediate pipe 73 through the first connecting branch 71, so as to flow to the expander 5 or to the second connecting branch 72.

[0049] Furthermore, such as Figure 1As shown, the control valve assembly includes a first control valve 91, a second control valve 92, and a third control valve 93. The first control valve 91 has a first valve port 911, a second valve port 912, and a third valve port 913. The second control valve 92 has a second valve port 921, a second valve port 922, and a third valve port 923. The third control valve 93 has a third valve port 931, a second valve port 932, and a third valve port 933. The fuel cell air system 100 also includes an intake pipe 75 and an exhaust pipe 76. The intake pipe 75 connects the compressor 4 and the battery stack 1, and the exhaust pipe 76 connects the battery stack 1 and the intermediate pipe 73.

[0050] Specifically, the third valve port 913 of the first valve is connected to the compressor 4, the second valve port 912 of the first valve is connected to the first connecting branch 71, the first valve port 911 of the first valve is connected to the intake pipe 75, the third valve port 923 of the second valve is connected to the intermediate pipe 73, the second valve port 922 of the second valve is connected to the first connecting branch 71, the first valve port 921 of the second valve is connected to the exhaust pipe 76, the first valve port 931 of the third valve is connected to the intermediate pipe 73, the second valve port 932 of the third valve is connected to the second connecting branch 72, and the third valve port 933 of the third valve is connected to the expander 5.

[0051] In this way, by switching the valve ports of the first control valve 91, the second control valve 92, and the third control valve 93, the connection relationship between the compressor 4, the first connecting branch 71, the intake pipe 75, the exhaust pipe 76, the intermediate pipe 73, the second connecting branch 72, and the expander 5 can be changed. This allows for selective purging of various parts of the fuel cell air system 100, ensuring purging reliability and guaranteeing the operational stability of the compressor 4 during expander 5 self-test, thereby extending the service life of the compressor 4.

[0052] The present invention also proposes a control method for a fuel cell air system 100.

[0053] According to the control method of the fuel cell air system 100 of the present invention, the control method is applicable to the fuel cell air system 100 of any of the above claims, and as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the control methods include: S1. After the fuel cell air system 100 is cold-started, the compressor 4 is controlled to run at the first speed and connected to the battery stack 1 to supply air, and the battery stack 1 is controlled to be connected to the exhaust pipe 74 to exhaust. S2. Obtain the exhaust temperature of the exhaust pipe 74. After the exhaust temperature is greater than the first set temperature, control the compressor 4 to connect with the expander 5 to blow air into the expander 5. S3. Obtain the inlet temperature at the inlet end of the expander 5. After the inlet temperature is greater than the second set temperature, control the drain hole 53 to drain. S4. Obtain the drainage temperature of the drainage hole 53. After the drainage temperature is greater than the third target temperature, control the compressor 4, battery stack 1, expander 5 and outlet pipe 74 to be connected in sequence to enter the normal operation state.

[0054] Specifically, when the fuel cell air system 100 restarts after being in a low-temperature environment for an extended period, this is considered a cold start. During a cold start, the liquid water condensed from the moisture in the exhaust gas generated during the previous operation of the fuel cell air system 100 will freeze in the pipes and expander 5. Therefore, the ice in the battery stack 1, pipes, and expander 5 needs to be melted and purged to ensure the reliability of the fuel cell air system 100 during startup. After the cold start of the fuel cell air system 100, the compressor 4 is controlled to run at the first speed. The speed is generally low idle speed, such as 31,000 rpm or 40,000 rpm, which can be set according to the actual situation. The control valve connects the third valve port 913 of the first valve to the first valve port 911 of the first valve, the third valve port 923 of the second valve to the first valve port 921 of the second valve, and the first valve port 931 of the third valve to the second valve port 932 of the third valve. This allows the compressor 4 to connect to the battery stack 1, and the battery stack 1 to connect to the outside world through the second connecting branch 72 and the air outlet pipe 74, so that the compressor 4 can purge the battery stack 1 and its connecting pipes.

[0055] Furthermore, the second temperature sensor 82 is controlled to detect the exhaust temperature of the exhaust pipe 74. When the detected exhaust temperature is greater than the first set temperature, it means that the ice in the battery stack 1 and the pipe has completely melted. The compressor 4 can then be controlled to purge the expander 5. That is, the third valve port 913 of the first valve is connected to the second valve port 912 of the first valve, the second valve port 922 of the second valve is connected to the third valve port 923 of the second valve, and the first valve port 931 of the third valve is connected to the third valve port 933 of the third valve. This connects the compressor 4 and the expander 5, and the expander 5 is connected to the outside through the exhaust pipe 74, allowing the compressor 4 to purge the expander 5. The first temperature sensor 81 is controlled to detect the inlet temperature of the expander 5. When the detected inlet temperature is greater than the second set temperature, it means that the ice in the expander 5 is melting. A drain valve 55 is provided at the drain hole 53. The drain valve 55 can be controlled to open the drain hole 53 to discharge the water in the expander 5.

[0056] At this time, the third temperature sensor can be controlled to detect the drainage temperature at the drainage hole 53. When the drainage temperature is greater than the third target temperature, it is determined that the ice at the lowest point in the expander 5 has completely melted. At this time, the ice in the battery stack 1, pipeline and expander 5 has been completely purged. Then, the third valve port 913 of the first valve can be connected to the first valve port 911 of the first valve, the first valve port 921 of the second valve can be connected to the third valve port 923 of the second valve, and the first valve port 931 of the third valve can be connected to the third valve port 933 of the third valve. This allows the expander 5 to provide the energy in the exhaust gas to drive the compressor 4 to operate, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the compressor 4.

[0057] According to the control method of the fuel cell air system 100 of the present invention, by selectively connecting the compressor 4 to multiple pipelines of the fuel cell air system 100, and providing a drain hole 53 at the bottom of the turbine housing 51, the compressor 4 can purge the battery stack 1 or the expander 5 separately to melt, purge and discharge the stored ice slag, avoid rotor jamming or VNT freezing in the expander 5, ensure the operational reliability of the expander 5, extend the service life of the expander 5, and allow the compressor 4 to directly exhaust to the outside when the VNT is performing a self-test, avoid surge and other problems of the compressor 4, ensure the operational reliability of the compressor 4, extend the service life of the compressor 4, and thus ensure the operational stability of the fuel cell air system 100, resulting in better performance and a wider range of applications.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the control method also includes: S5. After the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature and before entering normal operation, connect the compressor 4 to the outlet pipeline 74. S6. Control the VNT operation of expander 5 to perform self-test of expander 5; S7. When the normal operation of the VNT of the expander 5 is detected, the control operation to enter the normal operation state is then executed.

[0059] Specifically, when the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature, meaning the ice at the lowest point inside the expander 5 has completely melted, a self-check of the VNT is required via the VNT actuator 54. The VNT actuator 54 can control the VNT to perform a self-check from 0% to 100% opening to detect any jamming or other issues during VNT operation. During the VNT self-check, the compressor 4 must be connected to the outlet pipeline 74, i.e., the third valve port 913 of the first valve is connected to the second valve port 912 of the first valve, and the second valve port 922 of the second valve is connected to the third valve port of the second valve. The first valve port 931 of the third valve is connected to the second valve port 932 of the third valve, so that the compressor 4 can be directly connected to the outlet pipeline 74 through the first connecting branch 71 and the second connecting branch 72. This can prevent the compressor 4 from experiencing surge or other issues during the self-test of the expander 5, and extend the service life of the compressor 4. When the normal operation of VNT is detected, the compressor 4, the battery stack 1, the expander 5 and the outlet pipeline 74 are connected in sequence to enter the normal operation state, ensuring the operational reliability of the fuel cell air system 100.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the control method also includes: S8. After the exhaust temperature is lower than the first set temperature, control the compressor 4 to run at the second speed for a set time; S9, and, after the exhaust temperature exceeds the first set temperature, also includes controlling the compressor 4 to operate at a first speed; S10, wherein the second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

[0061] Specifically, if the exhaust temperature detected by the second temperature sensor 82 is lower than the first set temperature, that is, the temperature of the gas delivered by the compressor 4 does not meet the purging requirements, the compressor 4 can be controlled to run at a second speed for a set time. The second speed is greater than the first speed, which can increase the temperature of the gas compressed by the compressor 4, thereby increasing the exhaust temperature of the outlet pipe 74, and thus ensuring the reliability of purging the battery stack 1 and the pipe. The second speed can be set to 60,000 rpm, and the set time can be 2 minutes. In actual use, it can be set according to the requirements.

[0062] Furthermore, when the exhaust temperature rises above the first set temperature, the compressor 4 can be controlled to reduce its speed to the first speed, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency while meeting the purging requirements.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the control method also includes: S11. After the drainage temperature is lower than the third target temperature, control the compressor 4 to run at the second speed for a set time. S12, and, after the drainage temperature is greater than the third target temperature, also includes controlling the compressor 4 to run at a first speed; S13, wherein the second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

[0064] Specifically, if the drainage temperature at the drain hole 53 detected by the third temperature sensor is lower than the third target temperature, that is, the temperature of the gas delivered by the compressor 4 is insufficient to melt all the ice at the bottom of the expander 5, the compressor 4 can be controlled to run at the second speed for a set time. The second speed is greater than the first speed, which can increase the temperature of the gas compressed by the compressor 4, thereby increasing the drainage temperature at the drain hole 53 and ensuring the reliability of purging the expander 5. The second speed can be set to 60,000 rpm and the set time can be 2 minutes. In actual use, it can be set according to the requirements.

[0065] Furthermore, when the drainage temperature rises above the third target temperature, the compressor 4 can be controlled to reduce its speed to the first speed, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency while meeting the purging requirements.

[0066] Among them, such as Figure 3 As shown, the complete operation process of the fuel cell air system 100 is as follows: After the fuel cell air system 100 enters cold start, the first control valve 91, the second control valve 92, and the third control valve 93 are adjusted to connect the compressor 4 to the intake pipe 75. The exhaust pipe 76 is connected to the second connecting branch 72 via the intermediate pipe 73, and then to the outlet pipe 74. This allows the exhaust gas from the battery stack 1 to be discharged directly through the outlet pipe 74 without passing through the expander 5. The air compressor is started and runs at the first speed. At this time, the VNT opening is not detected and is assumed to be the opening at the shutdown position. After the compressor 4 has been running for 2 minutes, the exhaust temperature is detected. If the exhaust temperature cannot rise to the first set temperature in a short time due to the low ambient temperature, such as -40℃, the compressor 4 is controlled to increase its speed to the second speed and continue running. If the exhaust temperature is higher than the first set temperature, the next step is performed. The first set temperature can be set to 5℃.

[0067] Reduce the compressor 4 speed to the first speed, and adjust the first control valve 91, the second control valve 92, and the third control valve 93 so that the compressor 4 can connect to the expander 5 through the first connecting branch 71 and the intermediate pipeline 73. This allows the compressor 4 to directly purge and de-ice the expander 5. After running for 2 minutes, check the inlet air temperature. If the inlet air temperature is higher than the second set temperature, control the drain valve 55 to open the drain hole 53 to drain the air. At the same time, check the drain temperature. If the inlet air temperature is lower than the second set temperature, control the compressor 4 to increase its speed to the second speed and continue running. This raises the temperature of the gas compressed by the compressor 4 to continue de-icing the VNT of the expander 5. If the drain temperature is higher than the third target temperature, it indicates that the lowest point of the expander 5 has been de-iced, the VNT de-icing is complete, and the compressor 4 is controlled to return to the first speed.

[0068] Furthermore, the first control valve 91, the second control valve 92, and the third control valve 93 are adjusted so that the compressor 4 can be connected to the second connection branch 72 through the first connecting branch 71 and the intermediate pipe 73, allowing the gas compressed by the compressor 4 to be directly discharged through the outlet pipe 74, preventing the compressor 4 from surging. Then, a self-check of the VNT's opening degree from 0% to 100% is performed. If the VNT is still stuck, the connection between the compressor 4 and the expander 5 is restored to purge and de-ice the expander 5. If the VNT can open and close normally, the first control valve 91, the second control valve 92, and the third control valve 93 are adjusted so that the compressor is connected to the battery stack 1 through the intake pipe 75, and the battery stack 1 is connected to the expander 5 through the exhaust pipe 76 and the intermediate pipe 73. The expander 5 is also connected to the outlet pipe 74, ending the cold start.

[0069] The cold start determination process is as follows: read the ambient temperature, intake temperature, exhaust temperature and drainage temperature, and compare them with the low temperature freezing threshold temperature. By comparison, determine whether the fuel cell air system 100 has been running in a low temperature environment for a long time and then stopped briefly before starting, or whether it has been stopped for a long time in a low temperature environment and then started. If the fuel cell air system 100 has been stopped for a long time in a low temperature environment and then started, it needs to enter the cold start process.

[0070] The present invention also proposes a vehicle.

[0071] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the fuel cell air system 100 of any of the above claims.

[0072] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle is provided with a fuel cell air system 100. The fuel cell air system 100 selectively connects a compressor 4 to multiple pipelines, and a drain hole 53 is provided at the bottom of the turbine housing 51. This allows the compressor 4 to purge the battery stack 1 or the expander 5 separately to melt, purge, and discharge stored ice slag, preventing rotor jamming or VNT freezing in the expander 5, ensuring the reliability of the expander 5, extending the service life of the expander 5, and allowing the compressor 4 to directly exhaust to the outside during the VNT's self-test, preventing surge and other problems in the compressor 4, ensuring the reliability of the compressor 4, extending the service life of the compressor 4, and thus ensuring the operational stability of the fuel cell air system 100, resulting in better performance and a wider range of applications.

[0073] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0074] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A fuel cell air system, characterized in that, include: The compressor (4), battery stack (1), expander (5), and outlet pipe (74) are provided. The compressor (4) is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander (5) or connected to the inlet end of the expander (5) after passing through the battery stack (1). The compressor (4) is adapted to be selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe (74) or connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe (74) after passing through the battery stack (1). The outlet end of the expander (5) is selectively connected to the inlet end of the outlet pipe (74). The expander (5) is provided with a turbine housing (51). The bottom of the turbine housing (51) is provided with a drain hole (53).

2. The fuel cell air system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first connecting branch (71) and a second connecting branch (72). The outlet end of the compressor (4) is adapted to selectively connect to the inlet end of the battery stack (1) or the inlet end of the first connecting branch (71). The outlet end of the battery stack (1) or the outlet end of the first connecting branch (71) is selectively connected to the inlet end of the expander (5) or the inlet end of the second connecting branch (72). The outlet end of the expander (5) and the outlet end of the second connecting branch (72) are both connected to the exhaust pipe (74).

3. The fuel cell air system according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a sensor assembly and a control valve assembly. The sensor assembly is used to detect the temperature of the inlet end of the expander (5), the outlet pipe (74) and the drain hole (53), and the control valve assembly is used to control the connection relationship of the compressor (4), the battery stack (1), the expander (5), the outlet pipe (74), the first connecting branch (71) and the second connecting branch (72) according to the temperature detected by the sensor assembly.

4. The fuel cell air system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sensor assembly includes a first temperature sensor (81), a second temperature sensor (82), and a third temperature sensor. The first temperature sensor (81) is used to detect the medium temperature at the inlet end of the expander (5), the second temperature sensor (82) is used to detect the medium temperature at the outlet pipe (74), and the third temperature sensor is used to detect the water flow temperature at the drain hole (53).

5. The fuel cell air system according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes an intermediate pipeline (73), and the control valve assembly includes a first control valve (91), a second control valve (92) and a third control valve (93). The outlet of the compressor (4) is selectively connected to the inlet of the battery stack (1) or the inlet of the first connecting branch (71) via the first control valve (91). The outlet of the battery stack (1) or the outlet of the first connecting branch (71) is selectively connected to the inlet of the intermediate pipeline (73) via the second control valve (92). The outlet of the intermediate pipeline (73) is selectively connected to the inlet of the expander (5) and the inlet of the second connecting branch (72) via the third control valve (93).

6. A control method for a fuel cell air system, characterized in that, The control method is applicable to the fuel cell air system (100) according to any one of claims 1-5, and the control method includes: After the fuel cell air system (100) is cold-started, the compressor (4) is controlled to run at a first speed and connected to the battery stack (1) to supply air, and the battery stack (1) is controlled to be connected to the exhaust pipe (74) to exhaust air. The exhaust temperature of the exhaust pipe (74) is obtained. After the exhaust temperature is greater than the first set temperature, the compressor (4) is connected to the expander (5) to blow air into the expander (5). Obtain the inlet temperature at the inlet end of the expander (5), and control the drain hole (53) to drain after the inlet temperature is greater than the second set temperature; The drainage temperature of the drainage hole (53) is obtained. After the drainage temperature is greater than the third target temperature, the compressor (4), the battery stack (1), the expander (5) and the outlet pipe (74) are connected in sequence to enter the normal operation state.

7. The control method for a fuel cell air system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control method further includes: After the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature and before entering normal operation, connect the compressor (4) to the outlet pipeline (74); Control the VNT operation of the expander (5) to perform a self-test of the expander (5); When the VNT of the expander (5) is detected to be operating normally, the control operation to enter the normal operation state is then executed.

8. The control method for a fuel cell air system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control method further includes: After the exhaust temperature is lower than the first set temperature, the compressor (4) is controlled to run at the second speed for a set time. Furthermore, after the exhaust temperature exceeds the first set temperature, the compressor (4) is controlled to operate at the first rotational speed. The second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

9. The control method for a fuel cell air system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control method further includes: After the drainage temperature is lower than the third target temperature, the compressor (4) is controlled to run at the second speed for a set time; Furthermore, after the drainage temperature exceeds the third target temperature, the compressor (4) is controlled to operate at the first rotational speed. The second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The fuel cell air system (100) includes any one of claims 1-5.

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