Fuel storage system of vehicle-mounted fuel cell, system and method for external use of fuel and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a fuel storage system of a vehicle-mounted fuel cell, a fuel external use system, a fuel external use method and a vehicle, the fuel storage system comprises a gas cylinder, a cylinder valve, a pressure reducing valve, a vehicle end pressure sensor, a tee joint, a discharge solenoid valve and an external joint, the cylinder valve is connected with the gas cylinder through a pipeline, and the pressure reducing valve is connected with the cylinder valve through a pipeline; the cylinder valve, the pressure reducing valve and the vehicle end pressure sensor are electrically connected with the fuel cell controller; the discharge electromagnetic valve is electrically connected with the fuel cell controller, and the outer connector is provided with a first communication module electrically connected with the whole vehicle controller; a first connector of the tee joint is connected with the pressure reducing valve through a pipeline, a second connector is connected with the fuel supply electromagnetic valve through a pipeline, a third connector is connected with the discharge electromagnetic valve through a pipeline, the discharge electromagnetic valve is connected with the outer connector through a pipeline, and the vehicle end pressure sensor is installed on the pipeline connecting the pressure reducing valve and the first connector of the tee joint. The external use of the fuel in some scenes can be realized, and the convenience is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fuel cell systems, specifically relating to a fuel storage system, a fuel external use system, a method, and a vehicle for an on-board fuel cell. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive applications powered by gaseous fuels (such as hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia), there are situations where gaseous energy is needed to handle crises, such as camping, traversing uninhabited areas, entering cold regions, and vehicle rescue. Currently, vehicles cannot directly discharge high-pressure gaseous fuels. Taking hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an example, the high-pressure section of hydrogen is generally above 5 MPa, and the medium-pressure section is also greater than 1.5 MPa. However, the vehicles have no interface for externally using hydrogen. In an emergency, the entire vehicle stops, and the hydrogen energy in the gas cylinder (i.e., the hydrogen storage tank) cannot be effectively utilized, lacking a means of crisis response. In addition, taking commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an example, when a vehicle is not used for a long time or the power battery and hydrogen are depleted due to other reasons, it needs to be towed to a charging station or a hydrogen refueling station to restart, resulting in high labor costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide a fuel storage system, fuel external use system, method and vehicle for on-board fuel cells, so as to realize fuel external use in some scenarios and improve convenience.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a fuel storage system for an on-board fuel cell, comprising: a gas cylinder, a cylinder valve, a pressure reducing valve, a vehicle-end pressure sensor, a three-way valve, an emission solenoid valve, and an external connector. The cylinder valve is connected to the gas cylinder via a pipeline, and the pressure reducing valve is connected to the cylinder valve via a pipeline. The cylinder valve, the pressure reducing valve, and the vehicle-end pressure sensor are electrically connected to a fuel cell controller. The emission solenoid valve is electrically connected to the fuel cell controller. The external connector has a first communication module electrically connected to a vehicle controller. The first connector of the three-way valve is connected to the pressure reducing valve via a pipeline, the second connector of the three-way valve is connected to a fuel supply solenoid valve via a pipeline, the third connector of the three-way valve is connected to the emission solenoid valve via a pipeline, the emission solenoid valve is connected to the external connector via a pipeline, and the vehicle-end pressure sensor is installed on the pipeline connecting the pressure reducing valve and the first connector of the three-way valve. A dedicated external fuel supply channel is branched off from the main fuel storage system (i.e., the third connector of the tee → the discharge solenoid valve → the external connector), forming a dedicated external supply channel in parallel with the normal fuel supply system. This allows for the external use of fuel in certain scenarios when fuel is not being used for power generation, thus improving convenience.

[0005] Secondly, this application provides a fuel externalization system, comprising: a fuel externalization device, a fuel storage system for the aforementioned on-board fuel cell, a fuel cell controller, a vehicle-side fuel concentration sensor electrically connected to the fuel cell controller, and a vehicle controller communicatively connected to the fuel cell controller. The fuel externalization device includes: a fuel consumption module, an externalization device controller electrically connected to the fuel consumption module, an externalization device pressure sensor, an externalization device fuel concentration sensor, and an externalization device solenoid valve electrically connected to the externalization device controller, and an external plug connected to the fuel consumption module via a pipeline. The external plug has a second communication module electrically connected to the externalization device controller. The externalization device pressure sensor and the externalization device solenoid valve are installed on the pipeline connecting the external plug and the fuel consumption module, and the externalization device fuel concentration sensor is installed near the fuel consumption module. The external plug mates with the external connector, allowing the second communication module to be electrically connected to the first communication module. The externalization device controller is communicatively connected to the vehicle controller via the second communication module and the first communication module.

[0006] The external plug and connector physically connect to directly open the channel for onboard fuel output, resulting in a simple and easy-to-operate structure. The external device controller communicates with the vehicle controller via a second communication module and then through the first communication module, enabling data exchange between the external fuel device and the vehicle system. An external device pressure sensor is installed on the pipeline connecting the external plug and the fuel consumption module, monitoring the fuel pressure along the external transmission path in real time to prevent abnormal pressure risks. An external device fuel concentration sensor is deployed near the fuel consumption module to accurately detect potential fuel leaks in external scenarios and promptly report them to the external device controller. The external device solenoid valve is electrically connected to the external device controller, allowing for rapid fuel supply cutoff based on monitoring data, forming a safe closed loop. This dual adaptation of communication and physical connection allows for flexible supply of onboard fuel to external devices, expanding the application scenarios for onboard fuel.

[0007] Optionally, the external fuel system also includes a central control screen, which is electrically connected to the vehicle controller. Users can directly operate the external fuel function through the central control screen, and can also use the central control screen to display the status of the external fuel function (such as abnormal operation, failure, etc.), forming a closed loop of vehicle controller → central control screen (information output / operation input) → vehicle controller (command execution), thus improving system response efficiency.

[0008] Optionally, both the first and second communication modules are CAN communication modules. CAN communication is a commonly used communication method in vehicles. Using CAN communication can ensure the uniformity of the communication method and eliminates the need to define other communication protocols.

[0009] Thirdly, this application provides a method for external fuel application, which employs the aforementioned external fuel application system, the method comprising:

[0010] If the communication between the external device controller and the vehicle controller is established normally, and the conditions for enabling the external fuel use function are met, a prompt will be made to enable the external fuel use function. Upon receiving the instruction to enable the external fuel use function, the fuel cell controller will be requested to open the cylinder valve and the discharge solenoid valve, and to operate the pressure reducing valve. The external device controller will be requested to open the external device solenoid valve and operate the fuel consumption module. The gas cylinder will discharge fuel to the external fuel use device for the fuel consumption module to use.

[0011] During the external fuel use process, the external device controller maintains communication with the vehicle controller. When the conditions for continued external fuel use are not met, a fuel external use function fault is indicated, and the fuel cell controller is requested to close the cylinder valve and the emission solenoid valve to cut off the fuel source. The external device controller is also requested to close the external device solenoid valve and stop the fuel consumption module from working.

[0012] During the external fuel use process, the external device controller maintains communication with the vehicle controller. When it receives a command to shut down the external fuel use function, it requests the fuel cell controller to close the cylinder valve and the emission solenoid valve to cut off the fuel source, and requests the external device controller to close the external device solenoid valve and stop the fuel consumption module from working.

[0013] Based on the premise of establishing normal communication between the external device controller and the vehicle controller, the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are then determined, thus avoiding control failures caused by communication anomalies at the source. Activation of the external fuel use function requires specific conditions to be met and user confirmation. Communication is maintained in real time during operation. If the conditions for continuing external fuel use are not met or a command to deactivate the external fuel use function is received, the fuel source is cut off, the fuel consumption module is shut down, and the risk of potential fuel leakage is quickly eliminated. Clear prompts are provided before and during the activation of the external fuel use function, informing users of the system status and avoiding blind operation. The activation command for the external fuel use function must be actively triggered by the user, while deactivation can be achieved through user commands or automatic system determination, balancing active control and passive protection.

[0014] Optionally, if communication between the external device controller and the vehicle controller is established, but the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are not met, a message indicating an abnormality in the external fuel use function will be displayed, preventing its activation. During the external fuel use process, if communication between the external device controller and the vehicle controller is abnormal, a message indicating a fault in the external fuel use function will be displayed, requesting the fuel cell controller to close the cylinder valve and the emission solenoid valve to cut off the fuel source. The external device controller will then actively control the external device solenoid valve to close and stop the fuel consumption module from operating.

[0015] When communication is established but the activation conditions are not met, a direct prompt indicates that activation is impossible, preventing users from forcibly activating the external fuel use function when conditions are not met (such as abnormal pressure or excessive fuel concentration), thus preventing potential risks such as fuel leakage and equipment damage at the source. In the event of communication interruption during operation, the shutdown process is automatically triggered without waiting for user commands. The fuel cell controller and the external device controller act synchronously, closing the cylinder valve, exhaust solenoid valve, and external device solenoid valve, cutting off the fuel source, and stopping the fuel consumption module, forming a double safety net to prevent control failure after communication failure. Clear prompts are provided for different abnormal scenarios (activation conditions not met, communication abnormalities during operation), avoiding user confusion when anomalies occur and improving system maintenance convenience.

[0016] Optionally, when the fuel external use system includes a central control screen, the central control screen can be controlled to pop up a prompt to indicate whether to enable the fuel external use function, or to pop up a prompt to indicate that the fuel external use function is abnormal and cannot be enabled, or to pop up a prompt to indicate that the fuel external use function is faulty. The central control screen has a soft switch to actively disable the fuel external use function.

[0017] For three core scenarios—confirmation of activation, inability to activate, and operational malfunction—different pop-up prompts are provided, allowing users to quickly distinguish the system status. The pop-up format on the central control screen is direct and eye-catching, attracting user attention more quickly than ordinary text prompts and preventing the omission of key information. A soft-switch for active shutdown has been added to the central control screen, allowing users to actively disable the fuel release function as needed. All key interactions (confirmation of activation, checking for abnormalities, emergency shutdown) are completed centrally on the central control screen, eliminating the need to switch operating devices, maintaining consistent interaction logic, conforming to users' habits of using the vehicle's central control system, and further lowering the operational threshold.

[0018] Optionally, if conditions 1a to 1d are met simultaneously, the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are met; otherwise, the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are not met. Condition 1a is: the remaining fuel level in the gas cylinder is greater than a preset first fuel level threshold; condition 1b is: the vehicle-side fuel consumption is 0, and the external fuel use device's fuel consumption is 0; condition 1c is: the vehicle-side fuel concentration is 0, and the external fuel use device's fuel concentration is 0; condition 1d is: the vehicle-side fuel pressure is within a preset first pressure threshold range, and the external fuel use device's fuel pressure is within a preset second pressure threshold range.

[0019] Condition 1a requires that the remaining fuel in the gas cylinder is greater than a preset first fuel quantity threshold. This avoids supply interruptions during external use due to insufficient fuel and reserves sufficient reserves to ensure the emergency needs of the vehicle system. This ensures stable operation of the external function from the supply source, avoiding resource waste. Condition 1b requires that both the vehicle-side fuel consumption and the external device fuel consumption be zero. This ensures that both are in a non-consuming state before startup, avoiding supply conflicts caused by simultaneous fuel consumption by the vehicle system and external device, or the impact of residual consumption on pressure and flow stability during external use. Condition 1c requires that both the vehicle-side fuel concentration and the external device fuel concentration be zero, directly eliminating the risk of fuel leakage before startup. This covers both the vehicle-side and external device, two key areas, providing comprehensive spatial control over the prerequisites for safe startup. Condition 1d sets threshold ranges for fuel pressure at both the vehicle-side and external device, ensuring that both pressures are within a safe and compatible range. This avoids pipeline rupture and leakage due to excessive pressure, or fuel transmission efficiency affected by excessively low pressure, laying the foundation for a stable supply later.

[0020] Optionally, if conditions 2a to 2d are met simultaneously, the conditions for continued external fuel use are met; otherwise, the conditions for continued external fuel use are not met. Condition 2a is: the remaining fuel amount in the cylinder is less than a preset second fuel quantity threshold, and the preset second fuel quantity threshold is less than a preset first fuel quantity threshold; condition 2b is: the vehicle-side fuel consumption equals the external equipment fuel consumption; condition 2c is: the vehicle-side fuel concentration is less than or equal to a preset first concentration threshold, and the external equipment fuel concentration is less than or equal to a preset first concentration threshold; condition 2d is: the difference between the vehicle-side fuel pressure and the external equipment fuel pressure is within a preset pressure difference threshold range.

[0021] Condition 2a uses a second fuel quantity threshold, lower than the preset first fuel quantity threshold, as the standard. When the remaining fuel in the cylinder falls below this value, external use is terminated to avoid excessive fuel consumption on the vehicle, reserve basic fuel for the on-board fuel cell system, ensure the vehicle's own power needs or emergency use, and balance external supply with vehicle priority. Condition 2b requires that the fuel consumption at the vehicle end is equal to the fuel consumption of the external equipment, ensuring that the fuel released from the vehicle end is completely used by the external fuel equipment. Condition 2c allows the fuel concentration to be less than or equal to the preset first concentration threshold, adapting to the normal scenario of a small amount of fuel residue during external use. Within the safety and compliance range (within the threshold), it avoids excessive sensitivity shutdowns, improves the continuity of the external use process, and strictly controls the risk of excessive leakage. Condition 2d controls the pressure difference between the fuel pressure at the vehicle end and the fuel pressure of the external equipment within the preset pressure difference threshold range, avoiding excessive pressure difference that could lead to uncontrolled fuel transmission speed and pipeline impact damage. It ensures stable fuel transmission under a stable pressure difference, reduces the risk of leakage, equipment wear, and other hazards, and ensures the long-term reliability of the external use process.

[0022] Fourthly, this application provides a vehicle that includes the aforementioned on-board fuel cell fuel storage system. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram of the external fuel system in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the fuel storage system and external fuel application equipment of the vehicle-mounted fuel cell in the embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the external use method for fuel in the embodiments of this application.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0029] 1-Gas cylinder; 2-Cylinder valve; 3-Pressure reducing valve; 4-Vehicle-side pressure sensor; 5-T-way; 6-Emission solenoid valve; 7-External connector; 8-Fuel supply solenoid valve; 9-Fuel cell controller; 10-Vehicle controller; 11-Vehicle-side fuel concentration sensor; 12-External device controller; 13-External plug; 14-Fuel consumption module; 15-External device pressure sensor; 16-External device fuel concentration sensor; 17-External device solenoid valve; 18-Central control screen; 71-First communication module; 131-Second communication module. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this application by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application, that is, this application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 The vehicle in this embodiment is a fuel cell vehicle, which includes an onboard fuel cell fuel storage system. As an example, it can be, but is not limited to, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

[0032] Please see Figure 2The external fuel dispensing system in this embodiment includes: an external fuel dispensing device, a fuel storage system, a fuel cell controller 9, a vehicle-side fuel concentration sensor 11 electrically connected to the fuel cell controller 9, and a vehicle controller 10 communicatively connected to the fuel cell controller 9. The vehicle-side fuel concentration sensor 11 is used to detect the fuel concentration in the vehicle-side environment, thereby assisting in determining whether there is a fuel leak.

[0033] The external fuel supply device includes: a fuel consumption module 14, an external device controller 12 electrically connected to the fuel consumption module 14, an external device pressure sensor 15, an external device fuel concentration sensor 16, and an external device solenoid valve 17 electrically connected to the external device controller 12, and an external plug 13 connected to the fuel consumption module 14 via a pipeline. The external plug 13 has a second communication module 131 electrically connected to the external device controller 12. The external device pressure sensor 15 and the external device solenoid valve 17 are installed on the pipeline connecting the external plug 13 and the fuel consumption module 14, and the external device fuel concentration sensor 16 is installed near the fuel consumption module 14. The external device pressure sensor 15 is used to detect the pressure in the external device's pipeline, and the external device fuel concentration sensor 16 is used to detect the fuel concentration in the external device's environment, thereby assisting in determining whether there is a fuel leak.

[0034] As an example, a fuel externalization device could be another vehicle with fuel externalization capabilities, or it could be a mobile device that utilizes fuel (such as a stand-alone portable fuel cell).

[0035] Please see Figure 3 The fuel storage system for an on-board fuel cell in this embodiment includes: a gas cylinder 1, a cylinder valve 2, a pressure reducing valve 3, a vehicle-end pressure sensor 4, a three-way valve 5, an exhaust solenoid valve 6, and an external connector 7. The cylinder valve 2 is connected to the gas cylinder 1 via a pipeline, and the pressure reducing valve 3 is connected to the cylinder valve 2 via a pipeline. The cylinder valve 2, pressure reducing valve 3, and vehicle-end pressure sensor 4 are electrically connected to a fuel cell controller 9, and the exhaust solenoid valve 6 is also electrically connected to the fuel cell controller 9. The external connector 7 has a first communication module 71 electrically connected to a vehicle controller 10. The first connector of the three-way valve 5 is connected to the pressure reducing valve 3 via a pipeline, the second connector of the three-way valve 5 is connected to a fuel supply solenoid valve 8 via a pipeline, the third connector of the three-way valve 5 is connected to the exhaust solenoid valve 6 via a pipeline, and the exhaust solenoid valve 6 is connected to the external connector 7 via a pipeline. The vehicle-end pressure sensor 4 is installed on the pipeline connecting the pressure reducing valve 3 and the first connector of the three-way valve 5. The vehicle-end pressure sensor 4 is used to detect the pressure in the vehicle-end pipeline. A dedicated external fuel supply channel is branched off from the main fuel storage system (i.e., the third connector of T-junction 5 → discharge solenoid valve 6 → external connector 7), forming a dedicated external supply channel in parallel with the normal fuel supply system. Under conditions where fuel is not used for power generation, external fuel supply can be realized in some scenarios, improving convenience.

[0036] As an example, the fuel here is hydrogen, and fuel supply solenoid valve 8 is a hydrogen inlet solenoid valve. Hydrogen is currently the most commonly used fuel in automobiles, and the hydrogen inlet solenoid valve is a component in a hydrogen fuel cell system.

[0037] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 The external plug 13 is connected to the external connector 7, so that the second communication module 131 is electrically connected to the first communication module 71. The external device controller 12 communicates with the vehicle controller 10 through the second communication module 131 and the first communication module 71.

[0038] The external plug 13 and external connector 4 are physically connected, directly opening the channel for the vehicle's fuel output. The structure is simple and easy to operate. The external device controller 12 communicates with the vehicle controller 10 via the second communication module 131 and the first communication module 71, enabling data exchange between the external fuel device and the vehicle system. The external device pressure sensor 15 is installed on the pipeline connecting the external plug 13 and the fuel consumption module 14 to monitor the fuel pressure in the external transmission path in real time, avoiding the risk of abnormal pressure. The external device fuel concentration sensor 16 is deployed near the fuel consumption module 14 to accurately detect potential fuel leakage in external scenarios and promptly report it to the external device controller 12. The external device solenoid valve 17 is electrically connected to the external device controller 12 and can quickly cut off the fuel supply based on monitoring data, forming a safe closed loop. Through the dual adaptation of communication and physical connection, the vehicle's fuel can be flexibly supplied to external devices, expanding the application scenarios of vehicle fuel.

[0039] In one possible embodiment, the fuel external use system also includes a central control screen 18, which is electrically connected to the vehicle controller 10. Users can directly operate the fuel external use function through the central control screen 18, and can also use the central control screen 18 to display the status of the fuel external use function (such as abnormal inability to start, malfunction, etc.), forming a closed loop of vehicle controller 10 → central control screen 18 (information output / operation input) → vehicle controller 10 (command execution), thereby improving system response efficiency.

[0040] In one possible embodiment, both the first communication module 71 and the second communication module 131 are CAN communication modules. CAN communication is a commonly used communication method in vehicles. Using CAN communication can ensure the uniformity of the communication method and eliminates the need to define other communication protocols.

[0041] Please see Figure 4 The fuel externalization method in this application embodiment uses the above-mentioned fuel externalization system. In this method, the vehicle controller 10 performs the following steps:

[0042] S1. Determine whether communication with the external device controller 12 has been established normally. If yes, proceed to S2; otherwise, end.

[0043] S2. Determine whether the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are met. If yes, execute S4; otherwise, execute S3.

[0044] In one possible embodiment, if conditions 1a to 1d are met simultaneously, it indicates that the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are met; otherwise, it indicates that the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are not met. Condition 1a is: the remaining fuel amount in the gas cylinder is greater than a preset first fuel quantity threshold; condition 1b is: the vehicle-side fuel consumption is 0, and the external device fuel consumption is 0; condition 1c is: the vehicle-side fuel concentration is 0, and the external device fuel concentration is 0; condition 1d is: the vehicle-side fuel pressure is within a preset first pressure threshold range, and the external device fuel pressure is within a preset second pressure threshold range.

[0045] Condition 1a requires that the remaining fuel in the gas cylinder is greater than a preset first fuel quantity threshold. This avoids supply interruptions during external use due to insufficient fuel and reserves sufficient reserves to ensure the emergency needs of the vehicle system. This ensures stable operation of the external function from the supply source, avoiding resource waste. Condition 1b requires that both the vehicle-side fuel consumption and the external device fuel consumption be zero. This ensures that both are in a non-consuming state before startup, avoiding supply conflicts caused by simultaneous fuel consumption by the vehicle system and external device, or the impact of residual consumption on pressure and flow stability during external use. Condition 1c requires that both the vehicle-side fuel concentration and the external device fuel concentration be zero, directly eliminating the risk of fuel leakage before startup. This covers both the vehicle-side and external device, two key areas, providing comprehensive spatial control over the prerequisites for safe startup. Condition 1d sets threshold ranges for fuel pressure at both the vehicle-side and external device, ensuring that both pressures are within a safe and compatible range. This avoids pipeline rupture and leakage due to excessive pressure, or fuel transmission efficiency affected by excessively low pressure, laying the foundation for a stable supply later.

[0046] S3. A message appears indicating that the external fuel use function is malfunctioning and cannot be activated, then the process ends.

[0047] S4. Prompt whether to enable the external fuel use function, then execute S5.

[0048] S5. Determine whether a command to activate the external fuel use function has been received within a preset time. If yes, proceed to S6; otherwise, end. For example, the preset time could be 5 seconds.

[0049] S6. Request the fuel cell controller 9 to open the cylinder valve 2 and the discharge solenoid valve 6, and to operate the pressure reducing valve 3. Request the external device controller 12 to open the external device solenoid valve 17 and to operate the fuel consumption module 14. Then execute S7.

[0050] S7. Determine if there is a communication error with the external device controller 12. If yes, execute S8; otherwise, execute S9.

[0051] S8. A fault is detected in the external fuel use function. The system requests the fuel cell controller 9 to close the cylinder valve 2 and the discharge solenoid valve 6 to cut off the fuel source, and then the process ends. At this time, the external device controller 12 detects an abnormal communication with the vehicle controller 10 and will actively control the external device solenoid valve 17 to close and control the fuel consumption module 14 to stop working.

[0052] S9. Determine whether the conditions for continued external use of fuel are met. If yes, execute S11; otherwise, execute S10.

[0053] In one possible embodiment, if conditions 2a to 2d are met simultaneously, it indicates that the condition for continued external fuel use is met; otherwise, it indicates that the condition for continued external fuel use is not met. Condition 2a is: the remaining fuel amount in the gas cylinder is less than a preset second fuel quantity threshold, and the preset second fuel quantity threshold is less than a preset first fuel quantity threshold; condition 2b is: the fuel consumption at the vehicle end is equal to the fuel consumption of the external equipment; condition 2c is: the fuel concentration at the vehicle end is less than or equal to a preset first concentration threshold, and the fuel concentration of the external equipment is less than or equal to a preset first concentration threshold; condition 2d is: the difference between the fuel pressure at the vehicle end and the fuel pressure of the external equipment is within a preset pressure difference threshold range.

[0054] Condition 2a uses a second fuel quantity threshold, lower than the preset first fuel quantity threshold, as the standard. When the remaining fuel in the cylinder falls below this value, external use is terminated to avoid excessive fuel consumption on the vehicle, reserve basic fuel for the on-board fuel cell system, ensure the vehicle's own power needs or emergency use, and balance external supply with vehicle priority. Condition 2b requires that the fuel consumption at the vehicle end is equal to the fuel consumption of the external equipment, ensuring that the fuel released from the vehicle end is completely used by the external fuel equipment. Condition 2c allows the fuel concentration to be less than or equal to the preset first concentration threshold, adapting to the normal scenario of a small amount of fuel residue during external use. Within the safety and compliance range (within the threshold), it avoids excessive sensitivity shutdowns, improves the continuity of the external use process, and strictly controls the risk of excessive leakage. Condition 2d controls the pressure difference between the fuel pressure at the vehicle end and the fuel pressure of the external equipment within the preset pressure difference threshold range, avoiding excessive pressure difference that could lead to uncontrolled fuel transmission speed and pipeline impact damage. It ensures stable fuel transmission under a stable pressure difference, reduces the risk of leakage, equipment wear, and other hazards, and ensures the long-term reliability of the external use process.

[0055] S10. Indicates a malfunction in the external fuel use function, requests the fuel cell controller 9 to close the cylinder valve 2 and the discharge solenoid valve 6 to cut off the fuel source, and requests the external equipment controller 12 to close the external equipment solenoid valve 17 and stop the fuel consumption module 14 from working, and then ends.

[0056] S11. Determine whether a command to shut down the external fuel use function has been received. If yes, execute S12; otherwise, return to execute S7.

[0057] S12, request the fuel cell controller 9 to close the cylinder valve 2 and the discharge solenoid valve 6 to cut off the fuel source, and request the external device controller 12 to close the external device solenoid valve 17 and stop the fuel consumption module 14 from working, and then end.

[0058] Assuming normal communication is established between the external device controller 12 and the vehicle controller 10, the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are then determined, thus mitigating control failures caused by communication anomalies at the source. Activation of the external fuel use function requires specific conditions to be met and user confirmation. Communication is maintained in real-time during operation. If the conditions for continued external fuel use are not met or a command to deactivate the external fuel use function is received, the fuel source is cut off, the fuel consumption module is shut down, and the risk of potential fuel leakage is quickly eliminated. Clear prompts are provided before and during the activation of the external fuel use function, informing the user of the system status and avoiding blind operation. The user must actively trigger the activation command for the external fuel use function, while deactivation can be achieved through user commands or automatic system determination, balancing active control and passive protection.

[0059] When communication is established but the activation conditions are not met, a prompt will be displayed indicating that activation is not possible. This prevents users from forcibly activating the external fuel use function when conditions are not met (such as abnormal pressure or excessive fuel concentration), thus preventing potential risks such as fuel leakage and equipment damage at the source. In the event of communication interruption during operation, the shutdown process is automatically triggered without waiting for user commands. The fuel cell controller and the external device controller act synchronously, closing the cylinder valve, exhaust solenoid valve, and external device solenoid valve, cutting off the fuel source and stopping the fuel consumption module, forming a double safety net to prevent control failure after communication failure. Clear prompts are provided for different abnormal scenarios (activation conditions not met, communication abnormalities during operation), avoiding user confusion when anomalies occur and improving the ease of system maintenance.

[0060] In one possible embodiment, the vehicle controller 10 prompts the central control screen 18 via a pop-up window whether to enable the external fuel consumption function. When the user clicks the "OK" button on the pop-up window, a command to enable the external fuel consumption function is sent to the vehicle controller 10. The vehicle controller 10 may also prompt the central control screen 18 via a pop-up window indicating that the external fuel consumption function is malfunctioning and cannot be enabled (equivalent to an abnormal alarm), or that the external fuel consumption function is faulty (equivalent to a fault alarm). The central control screen 18 has a soft switch to actively disable the external fuel consumption function; the user can manually click this soft switch to send a command to the vehicle controller 10 to disable the external fuel consumption function. The pop-up window format is direct and eye-catching, attracting user attention more quickly than ordinary text prompts and preventing the omission of key information.

[0061] This application utilizes the fuel gas energy stored in the vehicle, making it convenient for users and providing an additional crisis management strategy in extreme situations. It allows users to directly use the fuel gas energy, increasing the usage scenarios of vehicle-side fuel gas energy in special circumstances.

[0062] Taking hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as an example, when a vehicle is not used for a long time or the power battery and hydrogen are depleted due to other reasons (i.e., the vehicle stops), the hydrogen external use function of another vehicle can be used to recharge the vehicle. After the charging reaches a certain mileage, the vehicle can go to the charging station or hydrogen refueling station on its own, thereby reducing labor costs.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the application of this application is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art can understand that implementing all or part of the processes of the above embodiments and making equivalent changes according to the claims of this application still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A fuel storage system for an on-board fuel cell, comprising: The system comprises a gas cylinder (1), a cylinder valve (2), a pressure reducing valve (3), and a vehicle-end pressure sensor (4). The cylinder valve (2) is connected to the gas cylinder (1) via a pipeline, and the pressure reducing valve (3) is connected to the cylinder valve (2) via a pipeline. The cylinder valve (2), the pressure reducing valve (3), and the vehicle-end pressure sensor (4) are electrically connected to the fuel cell controller (9). The system is characterized by further comprising a three-way valve (5), an exhaust solenoid valve (6), and an external connector (7). The exhaust solenoid valve (6) is electrically connected to the fuel cell controller (9), and the external connector (7) has a first communication module (71) electrically connected to the vehicle controller (10). The first connector of the three-way valve (5) is connected to the pressure reducing valve (3) via a pipeline, the second connector is connected to the fuel supply solenoid valve (8) via a pipeline, and the third connector is connected to the exhaust solenoid valve (6) via a pipeline. The exhaust solenoid valve (6) is connected to the external connector (7) via a pipeline. The vehicle-end pressure sensor (4) is installed on the pipeline connecting the pressure reducing valve (3) and the first connector of the three-way valve (5).

2. A fuel external use system, characterized in that, include: Fuel external device, fuel storage system as described in claim 1, fuel cell controller (9), vehicle-side fuel concentration sensor (11) electrically connected to fuel cell controller (9), and vehicle controller (10) communicatively connected to fuel cell controller (9). The external fuel device includes: a fuel consumption module (14), an external device controller (12) electrically connected to the fuel consumption module (14), an external device pressure sensor (15), an external device fuel concentration sensor (16), and an external device solenoid valve (17) electrically connected to the external device controller (12), and an external plug (13) connected to the fuel consumption module (14) via a pipeline; the external plug (13) has a second communication module (131) electrically connected to the external device controller (12), the external device pressure sensor (15) and the external device solenoid valve (17) are installed on the pipeline connecting the external plug (13) and the fuel consumption module (14), and the external device fuel concentration sensor (16) is installed near the fuel consumption module (14); The external plug (13) is connected to the external connector (7) so that the second communication module (131) is electrically connected to the first communication module (71). The external device controller (12) is connected to the vehicle controller (10) through the second communication module (131) and the first communication module (71).

3. The external fuel system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The external fuel system also includes a central control screen (18), which is electrically connected to the vehicle controller (10).

4. The external fuel system according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both the first communication module (71) and the second communication module (131) are CAN communication modules.

5. A method for external fuel application, employing the external fuel application system as described in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The method includes: When the communication between the external device controller (12) and the vehicle controller (10) has been established normally, if the conditions for opening the external fuel function are met, the system will prompt whether to open the external fuel function. Upon receiving the instruction to open the external fuel function, the system will request the fuel cell controller (9) to open the cylinder valve (2) and the discharge solenoid valve (6), and to operate the pressure reducing valve (3). The system will also request the external device controller (12) to open the external device solenoid valve (17) and to operate the fuel consumption module (14). The gas cylinder will discharge fuel to the external fuel device for use by the fuel consumption module (14). During the external use of fuel, the external use device controller (12) maintains communication with the vehicle controller (10). When the conditions for continued external use of fuel are not met, a fault in the external use of fuel function is indicated, and the fuel cell controller (9) is requested to close the cylinder valve (2) and the emission solenoid valve (6) to cut off the fuel source. The external use device controller (12) is also requested to close the external use device solenoid valve (17) and stop the fuel consumption module (14) from working. During the external fuel use process, the external device controller (12) maintains communication with the vehicle controller (10). When it receives a command to shut down the external fuel use function, it requests the fuel cell controller (9) to control the cylinder valve (2) and the emission solenoid valve (6) to close, cut off the fuel source, and requests the external device controller (12) to control the external device solenoid valve (17) to close and control the fuel consumption module (14) to stop working.

6. The method for external use of fuel according to claim 5, characterized in that: If the communication between the external device controller (12) and the vehicle controller (10) has been established, and the conditions for opening the external fuel function are not met, the external fuel function will be prompted as abnormal and cannot be opened. If the external device controller (12) and the vehicle controller (10) communicate abnormally during the external fuel use process, the external fuel use function will be prompted as faulty, and the fuel cell controller (9) will be requested to control the bottle valve (2) and the discharge solenoid valve (6) to close and cut off the fuel source. The external device controller (12) will actively control the external device solenoid valve (17) to close and control the fuel consumption module (14) to stop working.

7. The method for external use of fuel according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the external fuel system includes a central control screen (18), the central control screen (18) can display a pop-up prompt to indicate whether to enable the external fuel function, or display a pop-up prompt to indicate that the external fuel function is abnormal and cannot be enabled, or display a pop-up prompt to indicate that the external fuel function is faulty. The central control screen (18) has a soft switch to actively disable the external fuel function.

8. The method for external use of fuel according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, If conditions 1a to 1d are met simultaneously, it indicates that the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are met; otherwise, it indicates that the conditions for activating the external fuel use function are not met. Condition 1a is: the remaining fuel in the gas cylinder is greater than the preset first fuel quantity threshold; Condition 1b is: the fuel consumption at the vehicle end is equal to 0, and the fuel consumption of external equipment is equal to 0; Condition 1c is: the fuel concentration at the vehicle end is equal to 0, and the fuel concentration of external equipment is equal to 0; Condition 1d is: the fuel pressure at the vehicle end is within the preset first pressure threshold range, and the fuel pressure of the external equipment is within the preset second pressure threshold range.

9. The method for external use of fuel according to claim 8, characterized in that, If conditions 2a to 2d are met simultaneously, then the conditions for continued external use of fuel are met; otherwise, the conditions for continued external use of fuel are not met. Condition 2a is: the remaining fuel in the gas cylinder is less than the preset second fuel quantity threshold, and the preset second fuel quantity threshold is less than the preset first fuel quantity threshold; Condition 2b is: the fuel consumption at the vehicle end is equal to the fuel consumption of external equipment; Condition 2c is: the fuel concentration at the vehicle end is less than or equal to the preset first concentration threshold, and the fuel concentration of external equipment is less than or equal to the preset first concentration threshold; Condition 2d is: the difference between the fuel pressure at the vehicle end and the fuel pressure of external equipment is within the preset differential pressure threshold range.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: Including the fuel storage system for the on-board fuel cell as described in claim 1.

Images