Membrane electrode activation method, device, apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a membrane electrode activation method, device, equipment and storage medium. The membrane electrode activation method comprises the following steps: introducing over-humidified hydrogen into an anode side of a fuel cell and introducing over-humidified nitrogen into the anode side of the fuel cell; calculating an interval time according to parameters of a membrane electrode of the fuel cell; and introducing over-humidified oxygen into a cathode side of the fuel cell after the interval time. The technical scheme of the application can realize wetting of the membrane electrode at normal temperature, and can realize rapid activation of the membrane electrode by introducing nitrogen into the cathode side first and then introducing oxygen, so that the technical effect of rapidly activating the performance of the membrane electrode is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of fuel cells, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for activating membrane electrodes. Background Technology

[0002] A proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a power generation device that directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy. It boasts high energy conversion efficiency and is environmentally friendly, making it one of the most promising power energy sources. PEMFCs are typically formed by stacking plates and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). The MEAs, as the core component of the fuel cell, are also the main factor affecting its lifespan. The activation process is the initial stage of performance or durability testing, allowing the fuel cell to achieve optimal performance. MEA activation enables the fuel cell to reach its maximum output power and achieves reproducible performance. Currently, the main MEA activation methods used include constant (variable) current activation, constant (variable) voltage activation, hydrogen pump activation, and cathode starvation activation. Traditional MEA activation methods are slow, time-consuming, and only achievable with high hydrogen demand, resulting in low efficiency and high cost. How to properly solve these problems has become a pressing issue for the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a membrane electrode activation method, apparatus, device, and storage medium to achieve membrane electrode wetting at room temperature. By first introducing nitrogen gas and then oxygen gas on the cathode side, the membrane electrode is rapidly activated, thereby achieving the technical effect of rapidly activating the membrane electrode performance.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for activating a membrane electrode is provided, the method comprising:

[0005] Humidified hydrogen and humidified nitrogen are introduced into the anode side of the fuel cell.

[0006] The interval time is calculated based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell.

[0007] After the interval, humidified oxygen is introduced into the cathode side of the fuel cell.

[0008] In one embodiment, the introduction of humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas onto the anode side of the fuel cell includes:

[0009] The flow rate of humidified hydrogen gas introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell is greater than the flow rate of humidified nitrogen gas introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell.

[0010] The gas pressure on the anode side of the fuel cell is higher than the gas pressure on the cathode side.

[0011] In one embodiment, it also includes:

[0012] The ratio of the flow rate of humidified hydrogen to the flow rate of humidified nitrogen is 3-10 times.

[0013] The gas pressure on the anode side is 25-40 kPa higher than that on the cathode side.

[0014] In one embodiment, calculating the interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell includes:

[0015]

[0016] Among them, t Δ σ is the proton transport time, p is the resistivity of the proton exchange membrane, d is the thickness of the proton exchange membrane, σ is the proton conductivity, A is the cross-sectional area for proton transport, and C is the membrane capacitance.

[0017] In one embodiment, it also includes:

[0018] After introducing oxygen at a preset overhumidified oxygen flow rate, a variable load cycle or conventional membrane electrode activation method is applied to activate the membrane electrode.

[0019] In one embodiment, the oxygen introduced at a preset overhumidified oxygen flow rate includes:

[0020]

[0021] Among them, Q O2 The flow rate of oxygen through humidification is F, F is the Faraday constant, I is the operating current of the fuel cell, and t is the humidification oxygen flow rate. c It is the operation time, P O2 It is the pressure of oxygen.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a membrane electrode activation apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0023] The first inlet module is used to introduce humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of the fuel cell.

[0024] The calculation module is used to calculate the interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell;

[0025] A second inlet module is used to introduce humidified oxygen into the cathode side of the fuel cell after the interval.

[0026] In one embodiment, the first access module, the calculation module, and the second access module are controlled to execute any of the above-described membrane electrode activation methods.

[0027] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a communication interface, a processor, and a memory;

[0028] The memory is used to store program instructions, which, when executed by the processor that is connected to the memory via the communication interface, implement any of the above-described membrane electrode activation methods.

[0029] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer program instructions are stored, which, when executed by a computer (e.g., a processor in a computer), implement any of the above-described membrane electrode activation methods.

[0030] In summary, this invention provides a method and apparatus for activating a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The method includes: introducing humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of a fuel cell; calculating an interval time based on the parameters of the MEA; and introducing humidified oxygen gas into the cathode side of the fuel cell after the interval time. The technical solution of this application can achieve MEA humidification at room temperature, and achieves rapid MEA activation by first introducing nitrogen gas and then oxygen gas into the cathode side, thereby achieving the technical effect of rapidly activating MEA performance.

[0031] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the written description, claims, and drawings.

[0032] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 A flowchart of a membrane electrode activation method provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 A flowchart of another membrane electrode activation method provided for embodiments of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another membrane electrode activation method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 A structural diagram of a membrane electrode activation device provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an electronic device provided as an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will be described in detail below. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain this application and not to limit it. For those skilled in the art, this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples.

[0040] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a membrane electrode activation method, which includes:

[0042] In step S11, humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas are introduced into the anode side of the fuel cell.

[0043] In step S12, the interval time is calculated based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell;

[0044] In step S13, after the interval, humidified oxygen is introduced into the cathode side of the fuel cell.

[0045] In one embodiment, the activation process is the initial stage of performance or durability testing, enabling the fuel cell to achieve optimal performance. A suitable activation method can allow the cell to reach maximum output power and achieve reproducible performance. The flow rate of humidified hydrogen introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell is greater than the flow rate of humidified nitrogen introduced to the anode side. The gas pressure on the anode side of the fuel cell is higher than the gas pressure on the cathode side. Further, the ratio of the flow rate of humidified hydrogen to the flow rate of humidified nitrogen is 3-10 times, and the gas pressure on the anode side is 25-40 kPa higher than the gas pressure on the cathode side. Humidified hydrogen and nitrogen are introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell, and an interval time is calculated based on the membrane electrode parameters. After the interval time, humidified oxygen is introduced to the cathode side of the fuel cell.

[0046] The interval time is calculated to determine when oxygen should be introduced to the cathode side to initiate the electrochemical reaction, and it is related to the time it takes for the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to reach a properly wetted state. The interval time is calculated based on the MEA parameters of the fuel cell, using the formula shown below:

[0047]

[0048] Among them, t Δ σ is the proton transport time, p is the resistivity of the proton exchange membrane, d is the thickness of the proton exchange membrane, σ is the proton conductivity, A is the cross-sectional area for proton transport, and C is the membrane capacitance.

[0049] For example, select an active area of ​​50 cm². 2 The membrane electrode assembly can be set to room temperature, with humidity exceeding 100% on both the cathode and anode sides. The pressure on the anode side is higher than that on the cathode side, with a pressure difference of 30 kPa. The flow rate of hydrogen gas through the anode is 1 liter per minute, and the flow rate of nitrogen gas through the cathode is 0.2 liters per minute. Figure 3 As shown, moistened protons pass through the proton exchange membrane to the cathode side. During this process, the catalyst layer between the cathode and anode gradually fills with protons. An represents the anode, and Ca represents the cathode. After a preset time interval, the nitrogen environment on the cathode side changes to an oxygen environment. The catalyst layer near the cathode side generates a large amount of water due to the combination of protons and oxygen, achieving rapid wetting of the catalyst layer and thus realizing the technical effect of rapid activation of the membrane electrode.

[0050] The technical solution in this embodiment can achieve wetting of the membrane electrode at room temperature. By first introducing nitrogen gas and then oxygen gas on the cathode side, the membrane electrode can be rapidly activated, thereby achieving the technical effect of rapidly activating the membrane electrode performance.

[0051] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, it also includes the following step S21:

[0052] In step S21, after introducing oxygen at a preset overhumidified oxygen flow rate, a variable load cycle or a conventional membrane electrode activation method is applied to activate the membrane electrode.

[0053] In one embodiment, activating the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) aims to improve fuel cell performance and ensure the MEA is in optimal operating condition. The oxygen supplied at a preset over-humidified oxygen flow rate includes:

[0054]

[0055] Among them, Q O2 The flow rate of oxygen through humidification is F, F is the Faraday constant, I is the operating current of the fuel cell, and t is the humidification oxygen flow rate. c It is the operation time, P O2 It is the pressure of oxygen.

[0056] The introduced humidified oxygen flow rate ensures that the proton exchange membrane (PEM) in the membrane electrode is properly humidified, thereby improving proton conductivity.

[0057] The flow rate of the humidified oxygen introduced is related to the following key parameters:

[0058] F is the Faraday constant, used to calculate the transfer of electrons in an electrochemical reaction; I is the operating current of the fuel cell, representing the electrochemical reaction rate of the cell; t c Operating time, i.e., the battery's operating time; P O2 The oxygen pressure affects the solubility and diffusivity of oxygen in the membrane.

[0059] After the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is properly wetted, it can be further activated using variable load cycling or conventional MEA activation methods to achieve optimal performance. Variable load cycling involves cyclically changing the battery load, while conventional MEA activation methods include constant (variable) current activation, constant (variable) voltage activation, hydrogen pump activation, and cathode starvation activation.

[0060] In one embodiment, Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a membrane electrode activation device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 4 As shown, the membrane electrode activation device includes a first inlet module 41, a calculation module 42, and a second inlet module 43.

[0061] The first inlet module 41 is used to introduce humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of the fuel cell.

[0062] The calculation module 42 is used to calculate the interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell.

[0063] The second inlet module 43 is used to introduce humidified oxygen into the cathode side of the fuel cell after the interval.

[0064] The first access module 41, the calculation module 42, and the second access module 43 included in the block diagram of the membrane electrode activation device are controlled to execute the membrane electrode activation method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0065] like Figure 5 As shown, the present invention provides an electronic device 500, which includes: a communication interface, a processor 501, and a memory 502;

[0066] The memory 502 is used to store program instructions. When the program instructions are executed by the processor 501, which is communicatively connected to the memory 502 via the communication interface, the program instructions introduce humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of the fuel cell; calculate the interval time according to the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell; and after the interval time, introduce humidified oxygen gas into the cathode side of the fuel cell.

[0067] The present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed by a processor, introduce humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of a fuel cell; calculate an interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell; and after the interval time, introduce humidified oxygen gas into the cathode side of the fuel cell.

[0068] It should be understood that the specific features, operations, and details described above regarding the method of the present invention can also be similarly applied to the apparatus and system of the present invention, or vice versa. Furthermore, each step of the method of the present invention described above can be performed by a corresponding component or unit of the apparatus or system of the present invention.

[0069] It should be understood that the various modules / units of the device of the present invention can be implemented wholly or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof. Each module / unit can be embedded in the processor of a computer device in hardware or firmware form or independent of the processor, or it can be stored in the memory of a computer device in software form for the processor to call to execute the operation of each module / unit. Each module / unit can be implemented as an independent component or module, or two or more modules / units can be implemented as a single component or module.

[0070] In one embodiment, a computer device is provided, including a memory and a processor. The memory stores computer instructions executable by the processor, which, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform steps of the methods of embodiments of the present invention. The computer device can be broadly categorized as a server, terminal, or any other electronic device with the necessary computing and / or processing capabilities. In one embodiment, the computer device may include a processor, memory, network interface, communication interface, etc., connected via a system bus. The processor of the computer device can be used to provide the necessary computing, processing, and / or control capabilities. The memory of the computer device may include a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium may store an operating system, computer programs, etc. The internal memory can provide an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs in the non-volatile storage medium. The network interface and communication interface of the computer device can be used to connect and communicate with external devices via a network. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it performs the steps of the methods of the present invention.

[0071] This invention can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the steps of the methods of embodiments of the invention to be performed. In one embodiment, the computer program is distributed across multiple network-coupled computer devices or processors, such that the computer program is stored, accessed, and executed in a distributed manner by one or more computer devices or processors. A single method step / operation, or two or more method steps / operations, may be executed by a single computer device or processor or by two or more computer devices or processors. One or more method steps / operations may be executed by one or more computer devices or processors, and one or more other method steps / operations may be executed by one or more other computer devices or processors. One or more computer devices or processors may execute a single method step / operation, or execute two or more method steps / operations.

[0072] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the method steps of the present invention can be performed by a computer program instructing related hardware, such as a computer device or processor. The computer program can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and its execution causes the steps of the present invention to be performed. Depending on the context, any references herein to memory, storage, databases, or other media may include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (PROM) (which enables wetting of the membrane electrode at room temperature by first introducing nitrogen followed by oxygen on the cathode side to achieve rapid activation of the membrane electrode performance), flash memory, magnetic tape, floppy disk, magneto-optical data storage device, optical data storage device, hard disk, solid-state drive, etc. Examples of volatile memory include random access memory (RAM), external cache memory, etc.

[0073] The technical features described above can be combined arbitrarily. Although not all possible combinations of these technical features are described, any combination of these technical features should be considered to be covered by this specification, provided that such combination does not contain contradictions.

[0074] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for activating a membrane electrode, characterized in that, include: Humidified hydrogen and humidified nitrogen are introduced into the anode side of the fuel cell. The interval time is calculated based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell. After the interval, humidified oxygen is introduced into the cathode side of the fuel cell; The process of introducing humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas onto the anode side of the fuel cell includes: The flow rate of humidified hydrogen gas introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell is greater than the flow rate of humidified nitrogen gas introduced to the anode side of the fuel cell. The gas pressure on the anode side of the fuel cell is higher than the gas pressure on the cathode side of the fuel cell. Also includes: The ratio of the flow rate of humidified hydrogen to the flow rate of humidified nitrogen is 3-10 times. The gas pressure on the anode side is 25-40 kPa higher than that on the cathode side; The calculation of the interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell includes: Among them, t Δ ρ is the proton transport time, p is the resistivity of the proton exchange membrane, and d is the thickness of the proton exchange membrane. is the conductivity of the proton, A is the cross-sectional area for proton transport, and C is the capacitance of the membrane; Also includes: After introducing oxygen at a preset overhumidified oxygen flow rate, apply variable load cycling or conventional membrane electrode activation method to activate the membrane electrode. The oxygen introduced at the preset humidified oxygen flow rate includes: Among them, Q O2 The flow rate of oxygen through humidification is F, F is the Faraday constant, I is the operating current of the fuel cell, and t is the humidification oxygen flow rate. c It is the operation time, P O2 It is the pressure of oxygen.

2. A membrane electrode activation device, characterized in that, include: The first inlet module is used to introduce humidified hydrogen gas and humidified nitrogen gas into the anode side of the fuel cell. The calculation module is used to calculate the interval time based on the parameters of the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell; The second inlet module is used to introduce humidified oxygen into the cathode side of the fuel cell after the interval time. An application module is used to apply a variable load cycle or a conventional membrane electrode activation method after introducing oxygen at a preset overhumidified oxygen flow rate to activate the membrane electrode. The first input module, the calculation module, the second input module, and the application module are controlled to execute the membrane electrode activation method according to claim 1.

3. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: Communication interface, processor, memory; The memory is used to store program instructions, which, when executed by the processor that is communicatively connected to the memory via the communication interface, cause the electronic device to implement the membrane electrode activation method of claim 1.

4. A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer performs the membrane electrode activation method according to claim 1.

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