Flexible hydrogen sensing device and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention is mainly used in the technical field of hydrogen sensors. The invention discloses a flexible hydrogen sensing device and a control method thereof. The device comprises a hydrogen sensing unit and a control unit, the hydrogen sensing unit comprises a flexible circuit board and a hydrogen-sensitive assembly, and the hydrogen-sensitive assembly is arranged on the flexible circuit board and used for sensing hydrogen-related information in the current environment and converting the hydrogen-related information into an electric signal; the flexible circuit board is made of a deformable polymer material, is electrically connected with the control unit and is used for being attached to the non-planar monitoring surface and transmitting an electric signal to the control unit; the control unit is used for converting the electric signal into a hydrogen concentration value. The application adaptability of the hydrogen sensor in various scenes can be remarkably improved, and the comprehensiveness and reliability of hydrogen concentration monitoring are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hydrogen sensor technology, specifically to a flexible hydrogen sensing device and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of hydrogen energy utilization and industrial safety monitoring, real-time hydrogen concentration sensing is a key technological link in ensuring process safety and preventing leaks and explosions. Traditional electrochemical hydrogen sensors have become the mainstream solution for hydrogen monitoring due to their advantages such as rapid response, good selectivity, and low detection limit. These sensors typically use ceramic, metal, or glass as the supporting substrate, constructing a catalytic electrode and a solid electrolyte membrane layer of a fixed thickness on a planar surface, and achieving mechanical protection and gas path isolation through a rigid shell. This structure is stable, the technology is mature, and it performs reliably in fixed point source monitoring scenarios.

[0003] However, as hydrogen energy applications expand towards greater complexity and integration, the demand for space-sensitive monitoring is becoming increasingly prominent. In the ellipsoidal heads of liquid hydrogen storage tanks, the bends and irregular weld surfaces of hydrogen pipelines, the meandering flow channels of fuel cell stacks, and the lightweight curved wall structures of aerospace vehicles, the surfaces to be measured generally exhibit non-planar and high-curvature geometric characteristics. Traditional rigid sensors, due to their high Young's modulus and inflexibility, cannot achieve conformal fit with these complex curved surfaces, leading to poor interface contact, attenuated response signals, and severely uneven local sensitivity. Especially in dynamic service environments, the micro-gap between the rigid probe and the curved substrate can easily cause distortion of the hydrogen diffusion path, creating monitoring blind spots and the risk of missed detections. Furthermore, rigid structures are prone to stress concentration under bending, stretching, and other deformation states, causing electrode cracking or electrolyte peeling, greatly limiting their deployment capability on flexible or deformable structures. Therefore, existing rigid electrochemical hydrogen sensors have significant bottlenecks in terms of coverage and scenario adaptability in complex spaces, making it difficult to meet the technical requirements of the next-generation hydrogen safety monitoring system for comprehensive, seamless, and highly reliable sensing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a flexible hydrogen sensing device and its control method, which can significantly improve the application adaptability of hydrogen sensors in various scenarios and ensure the comprehensiveness and reliability of hydrogen concentration monitoring.

[0005] This invention provides a flexible hydrogen sensing device, which includes a hydrogen sensing unit and a control unit; The hydrogen sensing unit includes a flexible circuit board and a hydrogen-sensitive component. The hydrogen-sensitive component is disposed on the flexible circuit board and is used to sense hydrogen-related information in the current environment and convert it into an electrical signal. The flexible circuit board is made of a deformable polymer material and is electrically connected to the control unit. It is used to attach to a non-planar monitoring surface and transmit the electrical signals to the control unit. The control unit is used to convert the electrical signal into a hydrogen concentration value.

[0006] Optionally, the flexible hydrogen sensing device further includes a frame structure that surrounds the hydrogen-sensitive component; A moisturizing layer is embedded on the inner side or inside of the frame structure. The moisturizing layer is made of water-absorbing material and is used to maintain the humidity of the area where the hydrogen-sensitive component is located at a preset value.

[0007] Optionally, the flexible circuit board has a multilayer structure, in which each layer is bonded to the other, and the multilayer structure includes at least a first flexible base layer, a hydrogen-sensitive element layer, and a second flexible base layer stacked sequentially. The hydrogen-sensitive component is disposed on the hydrogen-sensitive element layer; Both the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate have built-in circuits that are electrically connected to the control unit, and are electrically connected to the hydrogen-sensitive component of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer through conductive vias.

[0008] Optionally, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer includes a catalytic layer and a proton exchange membrane; A thermoplastic is embedded in the central region of the catalyst layer. The thermoplastic fills the interface gap between the catalyst layer and the proton exchange membrane, and between the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the first flexible substrate or the second flexible substrate, so that the first flexible substrate, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the second flexible substrate can be tightly bonded throughout the entire area through the thermoplastic.

[0009] Optionally, the hydrogen-sensitive component includes a plurality of hydrogen-sensitive elements, which are distributed in the hydrogen-sensitive region of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer to form a plurality of hydrogen-sensitive units arranged in an array within the hydrogen-sensitive region; Each of the hydrogen-sensitive units includes a proton exchange membrane and a platinum catalyst layer coated on both sides of the proton exchange membrane; Each of the hydrogen-sensitive units is used to independently sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding region, or, After multiple hydrogen-sensitive units are combined to form a sensing element group, they can sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding area.

[0010] Optionally, the control unit further includes a fault diagnosis module; The fault diagnosis module is electrically connected to each of the hydrogen sensing units and is used for: Receive the electrical signal output by each of the hydrogen-sensitive units; Fault diagnosis is performed based on the spatial distribution characteristics and temporal variation trends of the electrical signals of the multiple hydrogen-sensitive units. When the fault diagnosis result indicates the presence of hydrogen leakage, the location of the hydrogen leakage is determined and an alarm signal is issued.

[0011] Optionally, a heating circuit layer is further sandwiched between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate; The heating circuit layer is electrically isolated from other layers or other conductive structures within the flexible circuit board by an insulating layer.

[0012] Optionally, the heating circuit layer includes a heating circuit and a temperature sensor assembly; The control unit includes an intelligent temperature control module; The intelligent temperature control module is electrically connected to the temperature sensor assembly and is used to calculate and output a control signal based on the signal fed back by the temperature sensor assembly. The control signal is used to drive the heating circuit to keep the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within a preset target temperature range.

[0013] The present invention also provides a control method for a flexible hydrogen sensing device, the control method being implemented using the flexible hydrogen sensing device described above, the control method comprising: Acquire temperature and humidity sensing data for the hydrogen sensing unit; Based on the temperature sensing data, the heating circuit is driven by the intelligent temperature control module to maintain the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within the target temperature range. The voltage signal output by the hydrogen-sensitive component is acquired through multiple sensing transmission channels; The voltage signal corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels is sequentially subjected to signal conditioning and digital filtering to obtain the sensing signal corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels. Based on the humidity sensing data and the target temperature range, cross-influence compensation for temperature and humidity is performed on each of the sensing signals. Based on each compensated signal, calculate the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels; The hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each of the sensor transmission channels is compared with a preset alarm threshold. An alarm is triggered when the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to any of the aforementioned sensing transmission channels exceeds the alarm threshold. Based on the spatial distribution of sensor transmission channels corresponding to hydrogen concentration values ​​greater than the alarm threshold, the area corresponding to the sensor transmission channel with the highest hydrogen concentration value is determined as the leak point.

[0014] Optionally, specific implementations for compensating for the cross-influence of temperature and humidity on each of the sensing signals include: Based on the pre-stored reference temperature and humidity values, as well as the temperature influence coefficient, humidity influence coefficient, and drift compensation coefficient obtained through experimental calibration, the sensing signal is calculated to eliminate the influence of temperature changes, humidity changes, and long-term drift on the sensing signal, and the compensated signal is calculated.

[0015] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: This technical solution achieves excellent adaptability and monitoring reliability of the hydrogen sensor in various scenarios through the innovative design of a flexible circuit board and a hydrogen-sensitive component. The flexible circuit board, made of deformable polymer material, can be attached to non-planar monitoring surfaces, such as pipe bends and complex-shaped areas like equipment casings, broadening the sensor's application range and overcoming the limitations of traditional rigid sensors in non-planar environments. The hydrogen-sensitive component, mounted on the flexible circuit board, accurately senses hydrogen information and converts it into an electrical signal. After electrical connection with the control unit, it accurately converts the electrical signal into a hydrogen concentration value, ensuring reliable output of monitoring data. This structural design allows the hydrogen sensor to operate stably in complex environments and on surfaces of different shapes, achieving comprehensive and reliable hydrogen concentration monitoring and significantly improving its application adaptability in various scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to further understand the technical solutions of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present invention to explain the technical solutions of the present invention, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible hydrogen sensing device. Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of a flexible hydrogen sensing device; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure in a flexible hydrogen sensing device; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of a hydrogen sensing unit in a flexible hydrogen sensing device; Figure 5 This is a functional module architecture diagram of a flexible hydrogen sensing device; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a control method for a flexible hydrogen sensing device. Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a control method for implementing a flexible hydrogen sensing device. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0019] It should be noted that electrochemical hydrogen sensors are widely used due to their high sensitivity and fast response. However, traditional electrochemical hydrogen sensors typically employ a rigid structure. Rigid sensors cannot effectively conform to complex curved surfaces such as pipe bends, valves, and storage tank arcs, leading to monitoring blind spots. Especially in space- and weight-sensitive applications such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and mobile hydrogen storage devices, the poor installation adaptability of traditional rigid sensors limits their application scope.

[0020] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0021] This embodiment provides a flexible hydrogen sensing device, which includes a hydrogen sensing unit and a control unit.

[0022] The hydrogen sensing unit includes a flexible circuit board and a hydrogen-sensitive component. The hydrogen-sensitive component is located on the flexible circuit board and is used to sense information related to hydrogen in the current environment and convert it into an electrical signal. The flexible circuit board is made of a deformable polymer material and is electrically connected to the control unit. It is used to attach to a non-planar monitoring surface and transmit the electrical signal to the control unit.

[0023] The control unit is used to convert electrical signals into hydrogen concentration values.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is another schematic diagram of a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0025] Understandably, this technical solution achieves excellent adaptability and monitoring reliability of the hydrogen sensor in different scenarios through the innovative design of the flexible circuit board and hydrogen-sensitive component. The flexible circuit board, made of deformable polymer material, can be attached to non-planar monitoring surfaces, such as pipe bends and complex-shaped areas like equipment casings, broadening the sensor's application range and overcoming the limitations of traditional rigid sensors in non-planar environments. The hydrogen-sensitive component, mounted on the flexible circuit board, accurately senses hydrogen information and converts it into an electrical signal. After being electrically connected to the control unit, it accurately converts the electrical signal into a hydrogen concentration value, ensuring reliable output of monitoring data. This structural design allows the hydrogen sensor to operate stably in complex environments and on surfaces of different shapes, achieving comprehensive and reliable hydrogen concentration monitoring and significantly improving its application adaptability in various scenarios.

[0026] In some embodiments, the flexible hydrogen sensing device further includes a frame structure surrounding the hydrogen-sensitive component; a moisturizing layer is embedded on the inner side or inside of the frame structure, the moisturizing layer being made of a water-absorbing material to maintain the humidity of the area where the hydrogen-sensitive component is located at a preset value.

[0027] Understandably, in this embodiment, the frame structure surrounds the hydrogen-sensitive component, protecting it from external physical interference. The inner or internal moisturizing layer is made of absorbent material, maintaining the humidity of the area where the hydrogen-sensitive component is located at a preset value. This allows the hydrogen-sensitive component to maintain stable performance under different environmental humidity conditions, avoiding detection errors caused by humidity changes, further improving the accuracy and reliability of hydrogen concentration monitoring, and enhancing the adaptability and stability of the flexible hydrogen sensing device in complex environments, enabling accurate and reliable hydrogen monitoring in more scenarios.

[0028] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame structure in a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0029] A moisture-retaining layer, made of highly absorbent material, is provided at the frame to maintain the humidity environment inside the sensor. The frame is made of PTFE material with a thickness of 100μm.

[0030] In some embodiments, the flexible circuit board is a multilayer structure in which each layer is bonded to the other, and the multilayer structure includes at least a first flexible base layer, a hydrogen-sensitive element layer and a second flexible base layer stacked in sequence.

[0031] The hydrogen-sensitive component is located on the hydrogen-sensitive element layer.

[0032] Both the first and second flexible substrates have built-in circuits that are electrically connected to the control unit, and are electrically connected to the hydrogen-sensitive component of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer through conductive vias.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the hydrogen sensing unit in a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first flexible substrate is made of polyimide (PI) material with a thickness of 25 μm, the circuit uses 18 μm copper foil, and the surface is plated with gold of 0.1 μm. The second flexible substrate is made of polyimide (PI) material with a thickness of 25 μm and is a single-layer acquisition circuit layer. The circuit uses 18 μm copper foil and the surface is plated with gold of 0.1 μm.

[0035] Understandably, in this embodiment, the multilayer structure includes a first flexible base layer, a hydrogen-sensitive element layer, and a second flexible base layer, with each layer electrically connected via adhesive and conductive vias. This design enhances the overall strength and stability of the flexible circuit board while providing a more reliable electrical connection environment for the hydrogen-sensitive component. The built-in circuitry in the first and second flexible base layers optimizes the signal transmission path, reduces signal interference, and improves signal transmission efficiency. The multilayer flexible circuit board exhibits greater adaptability to complex surface shapes and better protects the hydrogen-sensitive component. Combined with the moisture-retaining layer and frame structure, it further enhances the stability and reliability of the hydrogen sensor in various environments, ensuring the comprehensiveness and accuracy of hydrogen concentration monitoring and enabling it to perform excellently in more complex scenarios.

[0036] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer includes a catalyst layer and a proton exchange membrane.

[0037] A thermoplastic is embedded in the central region of the catalyst layer. The thermoplastic fills the interfacial gaps between the catalyst layer and the proton exchange membrane, as well as between the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the first flexible substrate or the second flexible substrate, so that the first flexible substrate, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the second flexible substrate can be tightly bonded throughout the entire region through the thermoplastic.

[0038] In some embodiments, the first flexible substrate, the second flexible substrate, and the hydrogen-sensitive element layer are precisely aligned and assembled, and then sealed by hot pressing. The hot pressing parameters are: temperature 100°C, pressure 1.0 MPa, and time 120 seconds. A penetrating thermoplastic layer is provided in the central region of the catalyst layer of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer. During the hot pressing process, the colloid melts and flows to fill the microscopic gaps between the electrode and the proton exchange membrane, effectively eliminating the bulging phenomenon caused by the hollow structure and ensuring a tight fit throughout the entire area.

[0039] Understandably, in this embodiment, the catalytic layer and the proton exchange membrane work together to enhance the detection sensitivity and selectivity of hydrogen. Thermoplastic fills the interfacial gaps between layers, achieving tight bonding across the entire area, enhancing the overall structural stability of the flexible circuit board, preventing interlayer peeling and moisture penetration, and extending its service life. Simultaneously, this structure optimizes the connection between the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the flexible substrate, ensuring the stability and consistency of signal transmission. Combined with the multilayer structure, moisturizing layer, and frame design, this solution significantly improves the adaptability, stability, and reliability of the hydrogen sensor in complex environments, enabling accurate and reliable hydrogen concentration monitoring in various application scenarios, further expanding its application range.

[0040] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-sensitive component includes a plurality of hydrogen-sensitive elements, which are distributed in the hydrogen-sensitive region of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer to form a plurality of hydrogen-sensitive units arranged in an array within the hydrogen-sensitive region; each hydrogen-sensitive unit includes a proton exchange membrane and a platinum catalyst layer coated on both sides of the proton exchange membrane; each hydrogen-sensitive unit is used to independently sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding region, or, multiple hydrogen-sensitive units can be combined into a sensing element group to sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding region.

[0041] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer, disposed between the upper and lower flexible circuit boards, adopts a Nafion 117 proton exchange membrane and has a 3×3 platinum catalyst layer array coated on both sides.

[0042] Understandably, in this embodiment, each of the multiple hydrogen-sensitive units in the hydrogen-sensitive element layer comprises a proton exchange membrane and a platinum catalyst layer, capable of independently or in combination sensing hydrogen concentration information. This array design significantly improves the sensitivity and spatial resolution of hydrogen detection, enabling precise capture of hydrogen concentration changes in minute areas. Simultaneously, the collaborative operation of multiple hydrogen-sensitive units enhances signal stability and reliability, reducing the false alarm rate. Combined with a multilayer structure, tight thermoplastic bonding, a moisture-retaining layer, and a protective frame, this solution further optimizes the overall performance of the hydrogen sensor, giving it greater adaptability, accuracy, and reliability in complex environments and different monitoring scenarios, significantly improving the comprehensiveness and stability of hydrogen concentration monitoring.

[0043] In some embodiments, the control unit further includes a fault diagnosis module.

[0044] The fault diagnosis module is electrically connected to each hydrogen-sensitive unit and is used to: receive the electrical signal output by each hydrogen-sensitive unit; perform fault diagnosis based on the spatial distribution characteristics and temporal variation trend of the electrical signals of multiple hydrogen-sensitive units; and determine the location of hydrogen leakage and issue an alarm signal when the fault diagnosis result indicates that hydrogen leakage exists.

[0045] Understandably, the fault diagnosis module is electrically connected to the hydrogen-sensitive unit, enabling it to receive electrical signals and perform fault diagnosis based on their spatial distribution characteristics and temporal variation trends. When a hydrogen leak is detected, the leak location can be accurately pinpointed and an alarm issued. This improvement not only enhances the monitoring accuracy and reliability of the hydrogen sensor but also strengthens its proactive safety protection capabilities. Combining the previous multi-layer structure, hydrogen-sensitive unit array, thermoplastic adhesive bonding, moisture-retaining layer, and frame protection, this solution achieves a comprehensive functional upgrade from hydrogen detection to fault diagnosis, ensuring more accurate and stable hydrogen concentration monitoring in complex environments and application scenarios, while effectively preventing hydrogen leakage risks and ensuring safe use.

[0046] In some embodiments, a heating circuit layer is further sandwiched between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate; the heating circuit layer is electrically isolated from other layers or other conductive structures within the flexible circuit board by an insulating layer.

[0047] In some embodiments, the heating circuit layer includes a heating circuit and a temperature sensor, located above the acquisition circuit layer and isolated by an insulating layer. The circuit of the heating circuit layer uses 18μm copper foil with a 0.1μm gold plating on the surface.

[0048] Understandably, the heating circuit layer is sandwiched between the first and second flexible base layers and isolated from other layers or conductive structures by an insulating layer to ensure safe and stable operation. This design allows the hydrogen-sensitive element to maintain a suitable operating temperature in low-temperature environments, improving the response speed and detection accuracy of the hydrogen-sensitive element, and enhancing the sensor's adaptability and reliability under different temperature conditions. Combining previous multilayer structures, hydrogen-sensitive unit arrays, and fault diagnosis modules, this solution further optimizes the performance of the hydrogen sensor, enabling it to stably and accurately monitor hydrogen concentration in complex environments (such as low temperature and humidity changes), while also possessing fault diagnosis and safety warning functions, significantly improving the overall performance and application value of the hydrogen sensor.

[0049] In some embodiments, the heating circuit layer includes a heating circuit and a temperature sensor assembly.

[0050] The control unit includes an intelligent temperature control module.

[0051] The intelligent temperature control module is electrically connected to the temperature sensor assembly. It is used to calculate and output a control signal based on the signal fed back by the temperature sensor assembly. The control signal is used to drive the heating circuit to keep the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within the preset target temperature range.

[0052] It is understandable that the technical performance is significantly enhanced by introducing the heating circuit and temperature sensor components in the heating circuit layer, as well as the intelligent temperature control module in the control unit. The heating circuit and temperature sensor components work together, and the intelligent temperature control module precisely controls the heating circuit based on feedback signals, ensuring that the hydrogen-sensitive component always operates within the preset target temperature range. This improvement enables the hydrogen sensor to maintain stable detection performance even in extreme temperature environments, further improving detection accuracy and response speed. Combining the previous multi-layer structure, hydrogen-sensitive unit array, fault diagnosis module, and heating circuit layer, this solution achieves comprehensive optimization from environmental adaptability to detection accuracy, and from fault diagnosis to temperature control, significantly improving the reliability and stability of the hydrogen sensor under complex operating conditions, ensuring the comprehensiveness and safety of hydrogen concentration monitoring.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5This is a functional module architecture diagram of a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0054] The flexible hydrogen sensing device shown in the figure includes a multi-channel signal acquisition module, an intelligent temperature control module, a signal processing module, a communication interface module, a power management module, and a fault diagnosis module.

[0055] In some embodiments, the multi-channel signal acquisition module supports up to 64 sensor channels.

[0056] In some embodiments, the intelligent temperature control module employs an adaptive PID algorithm to dynamically adjust the PID parameters according to the temperature distribution, achieving a control accuracy of ±0.5°C and a temperature uniformity of ±1.0°C, thereby maintaining the hydrogen flexible sensor at the set value.

[0057] In some embodiments, the communication interface module supports RS485 and MODBUS protocols.

[0058] In some embodiments, the power management module provides multiple isolated power supplies.

[0059] In some embodiments, the fault diagnosis module monitors the system status in real time, determines areas with high or low hydrogen concentrations, and then identifies hydrogen leak points and issues timely alarms.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the control method for a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0061] This embodiment also provides a control method for a flexible hydrogen sensing device. The control method is implemented using the aforementioned flexible hydrogen sensing device and includes: S101. Acquire temperature and humidity sensing data for the hydrogen sensing unit.

[0062] S102. Based on temperature sensing data, the heating circuit is driven by an intelligent temperature control module to maintain the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within the target temperature range.

[0063] S103. Obtain the voltage signal output by the hydrogen-sensitive component through multiple sensing transmission channels.

[0064] S104. Perform signal conditioning and digital filtering on the voltage signal corresponding to each sensing transmission channel in sequence to obtain the sensing signal corresponding to each sensing transmission channel.

[0065] S105. Based on humidity sensing data and target temperature range, perform cross-influence compensation for temperature and humidity on each sensing signal.

[0066] S106. Calculate the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each sensing transmission channel based on each compensated signal.

[0067] S107. Compare the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each sensor transmission channel with the preset alarm threshold.

[0068] S108. When the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to any sensing transmission channel is greater than the alarm threshold, an alarm is triggered.

[0069] S109. Based on the spatial distribution of the sensor transmission channels corresponding to hydrogen concentration values ​​greater than the alarm threshold, the area corresponding to the sensor transmission channel with the highest hydrogen concentration value is determined as the leak point.

[0070] Understandably, through this control method, the flexible hydrogen sensing device achieves intelligent control throughout the entire process, from environmental monitoring to signal processing, concentration calculation, and leak location. First, temperature and humidity data are acquired. An intelligent temperature control module adjusts the heating circuit to ensure the hydrogen-sensitive component operates within the target temperature range. Simultaneously, temperature and humidity cross-compensation is applied to the sensing signal to improve detection accuracy. Further, the signals from each sensing transmission channel are conditioned and filtered to calculate the hydrogen concentration value, which is then compared with an alarm threshold to quickly locate the leak and trigger an alarm. This control method, combining multi-layered structure, hydrogen-sensitive unit array, fault diagnosis module, and temperature control technologies, significantly improves the adaptability, detection accuracy, and response speed of the hydrogen sensor in complex environments, enhances safety early warning capabilities, and ensures the comprehensiveness and reliability of hydrogen concentration monitoring.

[0071] In some embodiments, specific implementations for compensating for the cross-influence of temperature and humidity on each sensing signal include: Based on the pre-stored reference temperature and humidity values, as well as the temperature influence coefficient, humidity influence coefficient, and drift compensation coefficient obtained through experimental calibration, the sensor signal is calculated to eliminate the influence of temperature changes, humidity changes, and long-term drift on the sensor signal, and the compensated signal is calculated.

[0072] In this embodiment, the signal processing module executes a multi-parameter compensation algorithm, and the compensation formula is:

[0073] Among them, V comp To compensate for the voltage, V raw For measuring voltage, T is for measuring temperature. ref H represents the reference temperature, and H represents the measured humidity. ref The reference humidity is α and β, which are coefficients obtained through experimental calibration and curve fitting, and δ is the drift compensation coefficient.

[0074] In some embodiments, the compensated signal is converted into a corresponding hydrogen concentration value according to a preset, experimentally calibrated nonlinear conversion relationship. Specifically, the voltage value is converted into hydrogen concentration according to a pre-calibrated formula:

[0075] Where C is the hydrogen concentration, and a and b are coefficients obtained through experimental calibration and curve fitting.

[0076] Repeated experiments were conducted under the following measurement conditions to obtain the coefficients α, β, δ, a, and b.

[0077] The testing environment included: hydrogen concentration: 1, 10, 100, 200, 500, 1000 ppm; ambient humidity: 20%, 50%, 80%; ambient temperature: 25℃, 40℃, 50℃, 60℃.

[0078] Understandably, this embodiment uses pre-stored reference temperature and humidity values, along with experimentally calibrated temperature, humidity, and drift compensation coefficients, to accurately calculate the sensing signal, effectively eliminating the effects of temperature and humidity changes and long-term drift on the sensing signal. This improvement significantly enhances the accuracy and stability of hydrogen concentration measurement, especially under complex and variable environmental conditions, ensuring the reliability of the sensor's output signal. Combined with the previous multi-layer structure, hydrogen-sensitive unit array, fault diagnosis module, intelligent temperature control, and signal processing flow, this solution achieves comprehensive optimization from environmental adaptability to signal accuracy, further enhancing the performance of the hydrogen sensor in practical applications. This makes it more accurate and reliable in monitoring hydrogen concentration, while also providing efficient leak location and alarm functions.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a control method for implementing a flexible hydrogen sensing device.

[0080] As shown in the figure, the workflow of the flexible hydrogen sensing device during operation is as follows: (1) Read the set hydrogen alarm threshold of 100ppm; (2) Read data from the temperature sensor and humidity sensor; (3) Implement intelligent temperature control to maintain the sensor operating temperature at 50±1℃; (4) Collect voltage signals from each sensor channel; (5) Perform signal conditioning and digital filtering; (6) Perform temperature-humidity-concentration joint compensation; (7) Calculate the hydrogen concentration value; (8) Output data and status information through the communication interface; (9) An alarm is issued when the concentration measured in any channel exceeds the threshold. The leak point is located by analyzing the concentration data of different channels, i.e., the point with the highest hydrogen concentration is the leak point for hydrogen diagnosis.

[0081] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the sensor is completely flexible, can be adapted to hydrogen leakage monitoring on complex curved surfaces, and has a long bending life.

[0082] By integrating heating functionality and stabilizing the sensor operating temperature at 50±1℃, the influence of ambient temperature fluctuations is eliminated. The design of the frame's moisturizing layer ensures the humidity of the hydrogen-sensitive element, reducing the impact of ambient humidity. The hot-pressing process and the design of double-sided electrodes increase the contact between the hydrogen-sensitive element and the electrodes, improving the stability of signal acquisition.

[0083] The sensor has a high detection limit and its sensitivity can be as low as 1 ppm.

[0084] The sensor has a simple manufacturing process, reduces production costs, and is easy to install and maintain.

[0085] The sensor itself can be expanded as needed, with the design supporting configurations of up to 64 channels. The standardized RS485 / MODBUS interface facilitates integration into existing industrial control systems.

[0086] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, apparatus, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices. It should be understood that in this application, “at least one” means one or more, and “more than one” means two or more.

[0087] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices, or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0088] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0089] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0090] Although the description of this application has been quite detailed and particularly focused on several of the described embodiments, it is not intended to limit itself to any of these details or embodiments or any particular embodiment. Rather, it should be considered as effectively covering the intended scope of this application by referring to the appended claims and taking into account the prior art, which provides for a broad possible interpretation of these claims. Furthermore, the foregoing description of this application with respect to embodiments foreseeable by the inventors is intended to provide a useful description, and non-substantial modifications to this application that have not yet been foreseen may still represent equivalent modifications.

Claims

1. A flexible hydrogen sensing device, characterized in that, The device includes a hydrogen sensing unit and a control unit; The hydrogen sensing unit includes a flexible circuit board and a hydrogen-sensitive component. The hydrogen-sensitive component is disposed on the flexible circuit board and is used to sense hydrogen-related information in the current environment and convert it into an electrical signal. The flexible circuit board is made of a deformable polymer material and is electrically connected to the control unit. It is used to attach to a non-planar monitoring surface and transmit the electrical signals to the control unit. The control unit is used to convert the electrical signal into a hydrogen concentration value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible hydrogen sensing device also includes a frame structure, which is arranged around the hydrogen-sensitive component. A moisturizing layer is embedded on the inner side or inside of the frame structure. The moisturizing layer is made of water-absorbing material and is used to maintain the humidity of the area where the hydrogen-sensitive component is located at a preset value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible circuit board has a multi-layer structure, in which each layer is bonded to each other, and the multi-layer structure includes at least a first flexible base layer, a hydrogen-sensitive element layer and a second flexible base layer stacked in sequence. The hydrogen-sensitive component is disposed on the hydrogen-sensitive element layer; Both the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate have built-in circuits that are electrically connected to the control unit, and are electrically connected to the hydrogen-sensitive component of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer through conductive vias.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hydrogen-sensitive element layer includes a catalytic layer and a proton exchange membrane; A thermoplastic is embedded in the central region of the catalyst layer. The thermoplastic fills the interface gap between the catalyst layer and the proton exchange membrane, and between the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the first flexible substrate or the second flexible substrate, so that the first flexible substrate, the hydrogen-sensitive element layer and the second flexible substrate can be tightly bonded throughout the entire area through the thermoplastic.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hydrogen-sensitive component includes multiple hydrogen-sensitive elements, which are distributed in the hydrogen-sensitive region of the hydrogen-sensitive element layer to form multiple hydrogen-sensitive units arranged in an array within the hydrogen-sensitive region. Each of the hydrogen-sensitive units includes a proton exchange membrane and a platinum catalyst layer coated on both sides of the proton exchange membrane; Each of the hydrogen-sensitive units is used to independently sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding region, or, After multiple hydrogen-sensitive units are combined to form a sensing element group, they can sense the hydrogen concentration information of the corresponding area.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit also includes a fault diagnosis module; The fault diagnosis module is electrically connected to each of the hydrogen sensing units and is used for: Receive the electrical signal output by each of the hydrogen-sensitive units; Fault diagnosis is performed based on the spatial distribution characteristics and temporal variation trends of the electrical signals of the multiple hydrogen-sensitive units. When the fault diagnosis result indicates the presence of hydrogen leakage, the location of the hydrogen leakage is determined and an alarm signal is issued.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, A heating circuit layer is also sandwiched between the first flexible base layer and the second flexible base layer; The heating circuit layer is electrically isolated from other layers or other conductive structures within the flexible circuit board by an insulating layer.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heating circuit layer includes a heating circuit and a temperature sensor assembly; The control unit includes an intelligent temperature control module; The intelligent temperature control module is electrically connected to the temperature sensor assembly and is used to calculate and output a control signal based on the signal fed back by the temperature sensor assembly. The control signal is used to drive the heating circuit to keep the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within a preset target temperature range.

9. A control method for a flexible hydrogen sensing device, characterized in that, The control method is implemented using the flexible hydrogen sensing device as described in claim 8, and the control method includes: Acquire temperature and humidity sensing data for the hydrogen sensing unit; Based on the temperature sensing data, the heating circuit is driven by the intelligent temperature control module to maintain the operating temperature of the hydrogen-sensitive component within the target temperature range. The voltage signal output by the hydrogen-sensitive component is acquired through multiple sensing transmission channels; The voltage signal corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels is sequentially subjected to signal conditioning and digital filtering to obtain the sensing signal corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels. Based on the humidity sensing data and the target temperature range, cross-influence compensation for temperature and humidity is performed on each of the sensing signals. Based on each compensated signal, calculate the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each of the sensing transmission channels; The hydrogen concentration value corresponding to each of the sensor transmission channels is compared with a preset alarm threshold. An alarm is triggered when the hydrogen concentration value corresponding to any of the aforementioned sensing transmission channels exceeds the alarm threshold. Based on the spatial distribution of sensor transmission channels corresponding to hydrogen concentration values ​​greater than the alarm threshold, the area corresponding to the sensor transmission channel with the highest hydrogen concentration value is determined as the leak point.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Specific implementation methods for compensating for the cross-influence of temperature and humidity on each of the aforementioned sensing signals include: Based on the pre-stored reference temperature and humidity values, as well as the temperature influence coefficient, humidity influence coefficient, and drift compensation coefficient obtained through experimental calibration, the sensing signal is calculated to eliminate the influence of temperature changes, humidity changes, and long-term drift on the sensing signal, and the compensated signal is calculated.

Images