A fuel cell stack test system

Abstract

The application discloses a fuel cell stack test system, comprising: an air inlet module, the air inlet module comprising a hydrogen air inlet module or an air air inlet module; a first refrigeration module, the first refrigeration module being used for refrigerating the gas passing through the first refrigeration module, the first refrigeration module being connected with the fuel cell stack; a proportional three-way valve, a first interface of the proportional three-way valve being connected with the air inlet module, a second interface of the proportional three-way valve being connected with the first refrigeration module, a third interface of the proportional three-way valve being connected with the fuel cell stack, the proportional three-way valve being used for proportionally shunting part of the gas or all of the gas supplied by the air inlet module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration. Thus, since the temperature of the gas refrigerated by the first refrigeration module is not adjusted, the adjustment of the target temperature can be quickly realized by adjusting the proportion of the proportional three-way valve only, the temperature adjustment speed is improved, and the test efficiency of the fuel cell stack is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fuel cells, and in particular to a fuel cell stack testing system. Background Technology

[0002] Fuel cells, as a type of efficient and clean energy conversion battery, can convert the chemical energy of fuel and oxidant into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions. The fuel in a fuel cell can be hydrogen, and the oxidant can be oxygen. Stacking multiple fuel cells according to a specific structure and method can form a fuel cell stack.

[0003] To ensure the normal operation of fuel cell stacks under various real-world conditions, testing is necessary. These conditions can include different ambient temperatures. For example, a cold start test can be performed, where the fuel cell stack is started in a cold environment. Therefore, before conducting a cold start test, it's essential to simulate a real cold start scenario, which includes cooling the gas supplied to the fuel cell stack to a specific temperature.

[0004] Typically, a cooling module can be added between the gas supply module and the fuel cell stack to cool the gas to the target temperature after it passes through the cooling module. However, when testing the operation of the fuel cell stack at different temperatures, the slow temperature adjustment rate of the cooling module leads to reduced efficiency in the fuel cell stack testing process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a fuel cell stack testing system to improve the efficiency of the fuel cell stack testing process.

[0006] This application provides a fuel cell stack testing system, comprising: an air intake module, which includes a hydrogen intake module or an air intake module, wherein the hydrogen intake module supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell stack, and the air intake module supplies air to the fuel cell stack; a first refrigeration module, which cools the gas passing through it and is connected to the fuel cell stack; and a proportional three-way valve, wherein a first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the air intake module, a second port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first refrigeration module, and a third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, wherein the proportional three-way valve is used to proportionally divert a portion or all of the gas supplied by the air intake module to the first refrigeration module for cooling.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the system further includes: a heating module for heating gas passing through the heating module; and a first port of the proportional three-way valve connected to the air intake module, comprising: the first port of the proportional three-way valve connected to the heating module, and the heating module connected to the air intake module.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the system further includes a first three-way valve; the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, including: the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first port of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second port of the first three-way valve; the first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack, including: the first refrigeration module is connected to the first port of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second port of the first three-way valve; the first three-way valve is used to divert the gas passing through the first three-way valve to the third port of the first three-way valve for discharge when the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve does not meet the first temperature range, and to divert the gas passing through the first three-way valve to the fuel cell stack via the second port of the first three-way valve when the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve meets the first temperature range.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the system further includes an environmental chamber, in which the fuel cell stack is placed, the environmental chamber being used to simulate a test scenario for the fuel cell stack.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the fuel cell stack includes a water chamber for dissipating or heating the fuel cell stack. The system further includes: a first circulation pump for driving the flow of liquid through the first circulation pump, the liquid through the first circulation pump including deionized water, the first circulation pump being connected to a first interface of the water chamber; and a temperature control module for controlling the temperature of the liquid through the temperature control module, the temperature control module being connected to a second interface of the water chamber, the first circulation pump being connected to the temperature control module.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the first circulating pump is located outside the environmental chamber. The system further includes a second three-way valve, a third three-way valve, the second circulating pump, and a heat exchanger. The second circulating pump drives the flow of liquid through it, the liquid including antifreeze. The second circulating pump is connected to a first interface of the water chamber and to a second interface of the water chamber via the heat exchanger. The connection of the first circulating pump to the first interface of the water chamber includes: the first circulating pump being connected to the first interface of the second three-way valve, and the second interface of the second three-way valve being connected to the first interface of the water chamber. The connection of the temperature control module to the second interface of the water chamber includes: the temperature control module being connected to the first interface of the third three-way valve, and the second interface of the third three-way valve being connected to the second interface of the water chamber. The second three-way valve is connected to the third three-way valve via the heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate is used to exchange heat between the deionized water between the third ports of the second and third three-way valves and the antifreeze between the second circulation pump and the second port of the water chamber. The second and third three-way valves are used to divert the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump to the area between the third ports of the second and third three-way valves when the temperature in the environmental chamber meets the second temperature range, and to divert the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump to the area between the second and third three-way valves when the temperature in the environmental chamber does not meet the second temperature range. The second temperature range is the range of temperatures at which deionized water solidifies.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the system further includes: a third circulation pump for driving liquid flow through the third circulation pump, the liquid through the third circulation pump including antifreeze; The fourth and fifth three-way valves are configured such that the third circulation pump is connected to the second port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third circulation pump is connected to the second port of the fifth three-way valve. The second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the water chamber, including: the second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third port of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the first port of the water chamber. The second circulation pump is connected to the second port of the water chamber, including: the second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the fifth three-way valve, and the third port of the fifth three-way valve is connected to the second port of the water chamber. The fourth and fifth three-way valves are used to drive the antifreeze using the second circulation pump when the temperature control conditions are met, and to drive the antifreeze using the third circulation pump when the temperature control conditions are not met. The temperature control conditions are conditions for controlling the temperature of the antifreeze, including the temperature of the fuel cell stack exceeding a temperature threshold, or the fuel cell stack failing a test.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the system further includes: a second refrigeration module for cooling liquid passing through the second refrigeration module; a valve device connected to a first interface and a second interface of the second refrigeration module; and a third circulation pump connected to a second interface of the fourth three-way valve, comprising: the third circulation pump being connected to the valve device, and the valve device being connected to the second interface of the fourth three-way valve; the valve device being used to divert antifreeze driven by the third circulation pump to the second refrigeration module for cooling under certain cooling conditions, the cooling conditions including a cold start test of the fuel cell stack.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the system further includes a controller for controlling the proportional three-way valve to divert a portion or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration according to the stated proportion.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the ratio is determined by the controller based on the target temperature, the temperature reached by the first refrigeration module in cooling the gas, and the initial temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module.

[0016] In the fuel cell stack testing system of this application embodiment, the system includes: an air intake module, wherein the air intake module includes a hydrogen intake module or an air intake module, the hydrogen intake module is used to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell stack, and the air intake module is used to supply air to the fuel cell stack; a first refrigeration module, the first refrigeration module is used to refrigerate the gas passing through the first refrigeration module, and the first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack; a proportional three-way valve, the first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the air intake module, the second port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first refrigeration module, and the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, the proportional three-way valve is used to proportionally divert part or all of the gas supplied by the air intake module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration.

[0017] Typically, the first refrigeration module adjusts its temperature relatively slowly. Therefore, when testing the operation of the fuel cell stack at different temperatures, without adjusting the first refrigeration module's gas cooling temperature, the flow ratio of the proportional three-way valve can be adjusted. This allows a portion or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to be diverted to the first refrigeration module. Consequently, the uncooled and cooled portions of the supplied gas mix, achieving rapid temperature adjustment. For example, if the first refrigeration module cools the gas to -20 degrees Celsius (°C), and the initial temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module is 0°C, then if the target temperature entering the fuel cell stack is -10°C, 50% of the supplied gas can be diverted to the first refrigeration module using the proportional three-way valve. It is understood that after the two diverted gas portions mix, the target temperature can be achieved. Since the temperature of the gas refrigeration by the first refrigeration module is not adjusted, the target temperature can be quickly adjusted simply by adjusting the ratio of the proportional three-way valve. This improves the speed of temperature adjustment and enhances the testing efficiency of the fuel cell stack. Compared to increasing the temperature change rate of the refrigeration module, the proportional three-way valve is less expensive, which in turn lowers the testing cost of the fuel cell stack. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of yet another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of yet another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of yet another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To ensure the normal operation of fuel cell stacks under various real-world conditions, testing of the fuel cell stack is necessary. For example, the fuel cell can be placed in simulated operating conditions to test its startup and operation. These simulated conditions can be different temperature scenarios, such as cold start testing of the fuel cell stack in a cold environment or testing under other temperature conditions. In practical applications, if the fuel cell is at a certain ambient temperature, the gases supplied to the fuel cell (including fuel and oxidant) should also simulate that temperature to fully simulate the scenario.

[0021] Let's take the cold start of a fuel cell stack as an example. Typically, in order to simulate the temperature of the gas supplied to the fuel cell to the temperature required for cold start (i.e., the target temperature), a refrigeration module can be added to the pipeline between the gas supply module and the fuel cell stack. Then, under the cooling effect of the refrigeration module, the supplied gas can be cooled to the aforementioned target temperature after passing through the refrigeration module.

[0022] The refrigeration module may include a refrigeration unit and a heat exchange plate, thereby exchanging heat with the gas through the refrigeration module to achieve the effect of cooling the gas. Alternatively, the refrigeration module may also be implemented in other forms, which are not limited thereto.

[0023] However, since the testing of fuel cell stacks requires testing their startup and operation at different temperatures, the target temperature will vary depending on the testing requirements. Typically, adjusting the temperature reached by the cooling module to cool the gas requires a significant amount of time, or, conversely, cooling modules that can be adjusted in relatively less time are often more expensive. Consequently, the efficiency of fuel cell stack testing is limited by the cooling module and thus reduced.

[0024] Based on this, in the fuel cell stack testing system of this application embodiment, the system includes: an air intake module, wherein the air intake module includes a hydrogen air intake module or an air intake module, the hydrogen air intake module is used to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell stack, and the air intake module is used to supply air to the fuel cell stack; a first refrigeration module, the first refrigeration module is used to refrigerate the gas passing through the first refrigeration module, and the first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack; a proportional three-way valve, the first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the air intake module, the second port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first refrigeration module, and the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, the proportional three-way valve is used to proportionally divert part or all of the gas supplied by the air intake module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration.

[0025] Typically, the first refrigeration module adjusts its temperature relatively slowly. Therefore, when testing the operation of a fuel cell stack at different temperatures, without adjusting the first refrigeration module's gas cooling temperature, the flow ratio of the proportional three-way valve can be adjusted. This allows a portion or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to be diverted to the first refrigeration module. Consequently, the uncooled and cooled portions of the supplied gas mix, enabling rapid temperature adjustment. Since the first refrigeration module's gas cooling temperature is not adjusted, the target temperature can be quickly adjusted simply by changing the ratio of the proportional three-way valve, improving the speed of temperature adjustment and increasing the testing efficiency of the fuel cell stack. Compared to increasing the temperature change rate of the refrigeration module, the proportional three-way valve is less expensive, thus reducing the overall testing cost of the fuel cell stack.

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, various non-limiting embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] See Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Figure 1 As shown, the fuel cell stack test system includes an air intake module, a first refrigeration module, and a proportional three-way valve.

[0028] An intake module is a module used to supply the gases required for the operation of a fuel cell stack. This intake module can include a hydrogen intake module, which supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell stack; it can also include an air intake module, which supplies air to the fuel cell stack. The intake module can also supply other forms of gas, such as an oxygen supply module that supplies oxygen to the fuel cell stack; there is no limitation on this.

[0029] The first refrigeration module (other refrigeration modules are similar) refers to a module used to cool the gas entering the module. In one implementation, the first refrigeration module may include a refrigeration unit and a heat exchanger. The refrigeration unit can cool the gas to a specific temperature, and the refrigeration unit and the heat exchanger are connected. Furthermore, the gas passing through the heat exchanger can exchange heat with the refrigeration unit under the action of the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the gas passing through the first refrigeration module to a specific temperature. It should be noted that the above implementation is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the module.

[0030] A proportional three-way valve is a valve with three ports: one inlet and two outlets. The outlet ports can divert a portion or all of the fluid from the inlet in a specific ratio. It should be noted that... Figure 1 In a proportional three-way valve, the numerical identifiers "1", "2", and "3" are used to indicate the first, second, and third ports of the proportional three-way valve, respectively. Furthermore, the "first", "second", and "third" are only used to identify different ports of the proportional three-way valve and do not limit the order or a specific port.

[0031] The intake module is connected to the first port of the proportional three-way valve, the second port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first refrigeration module, the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, and the first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack. In this embodiment, "connected" refers to the connection between the intake module and the first port of the proportional three-way valve. Specifically, this could mean the intake module and the first port of the proportional three-way valve are directly connected via a pipeline, or indirectly connected via a pipeline and other components; there is no limitation on this connection.

[0032] Based on the aforementioned connection, the proportional three-way valve can be used to proportionally divert part or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to the first refrigeration module for cooling. Specifically, after the gas supplied by the intake module reaches the proportional three-way valve, under its action, a portion flows through the second interface to the first refrigeration module for cooling before flowing to the fuel cell stack, while the other portion flows directly to the fuel cell stack through the third interface. The refrigerated and unrefrigerated gases can be mixed via pipeline merging before reaching the fuel cell stack, or they can be mixed after reaching the fuel cell stack; there is no limitation on this.

[0033] Therefore, when testing the operation of the fuel cell stack at different temperatures, without adjusting the temperature of the gas cooled by the first refrigeration module, the flow ratio of the proportional three-way valve can be adjusted. This allows a portion or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to be diverted to the first refrigeration module. Consequently, the gas temperature can be rapidly adjusted after the uncooled and cooled portions of the supplied gas are mixed. For example, the first refrigeration module can cool the gas to -20°C, and the initial temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module is 0°C. Based on this, if the target temperature entering the fuel cell stack is -10°C, 50% of the supplied gas can be diverted to the first refrigeration module using the proportional three-way valve. It can be understood that after the two gas portions are mixed, the target temperature can be achieved. In practical applications, the temperature cooled by the first refrigeration module can be continuously maintained at the lowest temperature achievable by the first refrigeration module, thus covering a wider range of target temperatures.

[0034] As one implementation method, the above system may also include a controller, such as Figure 2 As shown.

[0035] A controller is a device that has control and data processing capabilities. For example, a controller can be a programmable logic controller (PLC), etc., without limitation.

[0036] The controller can be directly connected to the proportional three-way valve to control the aforementioned proportional three-way valve. For example, the controller can be connected to the proportional three-way valve via a bus, such as a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIE) bus.

[0037] In this embodiment, the controller can be used to control a proportional three-way valve to divert part or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to the first refrigeration module for cooling. For example, the controller can send an electrical signal to the proportional three-way valve to indicate the diversion ratio, and then the proportional three-way valve adjusts the position of the valve core based on the electrical signal so that the position of the valve core satisfies the above ratio.

[0038] For example, the controller can first determine the above ratio based on the target temperature of the fuel cell stack, the temperature achieved by the first refrigeration module in cooling the gas, and the initial temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module. For instance, the above temperatures satisfy the following relationship: Cooling temperature × first proportional coefficient + initial temperature × second proportional coefficient = target temperature (Equation 1) Wherein, the cooling temperature is the temperature reached by the first refrigeration module in cooling the gas; the first proportional coefficient is the percentage of gas diverted to the first refrigeration module for cooling out of the total supplied gas; and the second proportional coefficient is the percentage of gas not cooled out of the total supplied gas. It can be understood that, under normal circumstances, the sum of the first and second proportional coefficients is 1. Based on this, the controller can determine the above proportions and then control the proportional three-way valve to divert the gas according to the proportions.

[0039] It is worth noting that the target temperature ranges between the cooling temperature and the initial temperature.

[0040] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to... Figure 1 , Figure 3 The system also includes a heating module.

[0041] A heating module is a module capable of heating gas passing through it. One implementation may include a heating unit and a heat exchanger. The heating unit can heat the gas to a specific temperature, and the heating unit and the heat exchanger are connected. Furthermore, the gas passing through the heat exchanger can exchange heat with a cooling unit under the action of the heat exchanger, thereby heating the gas through the heating module to the specific temperature. It should be noted that the above implementation is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the application.

[0042] in, Figure 1 The first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the intake module. Specifically, the first port of the proportional three-way valve can be connected to the intake module through the heating module mentioned above. That is, the first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the heating module, and the heating module is connected to the intake module.

[0043] Thus, since the heating module can raise the temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module from the initial temperature to the heating temperature, the target temperature range of the gas supplied to the fuel cell stack can be wider, that is, the target temperature range is between the cooling temperature and the initial temperature, which improves the comprehensiveness of the test system.

[0044] like Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to Figure 1 , Figure 4 The system also includes a first three-way valve.

[0045] The first three-way valve (similar to other three-way valves in the illustrations) is a valve with three ports: one inlet and two outlets. It should be noted that... Figure 4 The numbers “1”, “2”, and “3” in the first three-way valve are used to indicate the first, second, and third ports of the first three-way valve, respectively. Furthermore, the “first”, “second”, and “third” are only used to identify different ports of the first three-way valve and do not limit the order or a specific port.

[0046] in, Figure 1 The third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack. Specifically, the third port of the proportional three-way valve can be connected to the fuel cell stack through the aforementioned first three-way valve. That is, the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first port of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second port of the first three-way valve. Figure 1 The first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack. Specifically, the first refrigeration module can be connected to the fuel cell stack through the aforementioned first three-way valve. That is, the first refrigeration module is connected to the first interface of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second interface of the first three-way valve.

[0047] Due to the presence of the first three-way valve, gases passing through the first refrigeration module and those not passing through the first refrigeration module mix at the first port of the first three-way valve (or before the first port). Typically, the initially mixed gas may still not meet the system requirements; for example, the gas may not have cooled to the target temperature. Therefore, if the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve does not meet the first temperature range, the first three-way valve can divert the gas to its third port for discharge. Furthermore, if the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve meets the first temperature range, the gas is diverted to the fuel cell stack via the second port of the first three-way valve. It is understood that this first temperature range is the temperature range of the gas required by the system to enter the fuel cell stack.

[0048] In this way, the first three-way valve can prevent gases that do not meet the temperature range from being input into the fuel cell stack, ensuring the accuracy of the testing process and avoiding affecting the test simulation results.

[0049] besides, Figure 4 The system shown may also include Figure 3 The heating module in the middle will not be described in detail here. Additionally, Figure 2 The controller in the system shown can also be used to control the valve core of the first three-way valve, thereby controlling whether to divert gas into the fuel cell stack.

[0050] It should be noted that, Figure 4 The system shown may include a thermometer (not shown) for measuring the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve. Additionally, other components may be present on the pipeline between the gas supply module and the fuel cell stack, such as a gas humidification module or a gas flow control module; there are no limitations on this.

[0051] like Figure 5 The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to... Figure 1 , Figure 5 The system also includes an environmental chamber, a first circulation pump, and a temperature control module.

[0052] An environmental chamber is the environmental space within a fuel cell stack testing system, used to simulate various testing scenarios for the fuel cell stack, such as providing cold or high-temperature environments, without limitation. The environmental chamber can be a low-temperature environmental chamber, a high-temperature environmental chamber, or a high-low temperature negative pressure environmental chamber, etc., without limitation.

[0053] The first circulation pump (and similarly the second and third circulation pumps mentioned later) refers to the device used to drive the circulation of a fluid medium; that is, the first circulation pump drives the flow of liquid through it. The liquid driven by the first circulation pump can include deionized water, i.e., water from which ions have been removed. Alternatively, the liquid driven by the first circulation pump can be antifreeze, i.e., a liquid that does not freeze in low-temperature environments (below the freezing point of deionized water). Generally, deionized water is less expensive than antifreeze.

[0054] A temperature control module is a module that can control the temperature of a liquid passing through it. A temperature control module can be a device integrating a refrigeration module and a heating module, or it can be other types of devices, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0055] Figure 5The fuel cell stack shown includes a water chamber. This is because the fuel cell stack generates a large amount of heat during operation. The water chamber helps to dissipate or heat the fuel cell stack; that is, the liquid in the water chamber carries away some of the heat from the fuel cell stack. It should be noted that the water chamber includes two interfaces: an inlet and an outlet. For example, it could be... Figure 5 The number “1” corresponds to the first interface and the number “2” corresponds to the second interface. For example, the first interface is the inlet of the water cavity and the second interface is the outlet of the water cavity, or the first interface is the outlet of the water cavity and the second interface is the inlet of the water cavity. There is no limitation on this.

[0056] The first circulating pump is connected to the first interface of the water chamber, the temperature control module is connected to the second interface of the water chamber, and the first circulating pump is also connected to the temperature control module. Thus, the first circulating pump, the water chamber, and the temperature control module form a loop.

[0057] In practical applications, the first circulation pump can drive the liquid to flow in the above-mentioned circuit. The temperature control module can cool the liquid in the circuit to dissipate heat from the fuel cell stack, or the temperature control module can heat the liquid in the circuit to increase the temperature of the fuel cell stack and ensure the normal operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0058] To reduce costs and minimize liquid waste in the water chamber, deionized water can typically be used as the liquid driven by the first circulation pump. However, when the environment inside the aforementioned environmental chamber is low-temperature, the deionized water may freeze, potentially affecting the normal operation of the system and the stability of the fuel cell stack.

[0059] Based on this, such as Figure 6 The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to Figure 5 , Figure 6 The system also includes a second three-way valve, a third three-way valve, a second circulating pump, and a heat exchange plate.

[0060] For information on the second circulation pump, the second three-way valve, and the third three-way valve, please refer to the relevant introductions to the first circulation pump and the first three-way valve; they will not be repeated here.

[0061] A heat exchanger is a device that can exchange heat between different fluids passing through it.

[0062] The second circulating pump is connected to the first interface of the water chamber, and the second circulating pump is connected to the second interface of the water chamber via a heat exchange plate. The first circulating pump is also connected to the first interface of the water chamber, specifically through a second three-way valve, that is, the first circulating pump is connected to the first interface of the second three-way valve, and the second interface of the second three-way valve is connected to the first interface of the water chamber. The temperature control module is connected to the second interface of the water chamber, specifically through a third three-way valve, that is, the temperature control module is connected to the first interface of the third three-way valve, and the second interface of the third three-way valve is connected to the second interface of the water chamber. Additionally, the third interface of the second three-way valve is connected to the third interface of the third three-way valve via a heat exchange plate. In this way, the second circulating pump, the heat exchange plate, and the water chamber can form a loop.

[0063] To reduce costs, the liquid driven by the first circulation pump can be deionized water, and the first circulation pump is placed outside the environmental chamber. The liquid driven by the second circulation pump can be antifreeze. Furthermore, the heat exchange plate can exchange heat between the deionized water between the third port of the second three-way valve and the third port of the third three-way valve, and between the antifreeze between the second circulation pump and the second port of the water chamber.

[0064] Based on this, if the temperature inside the environmental chamber is low, meaning it meets the second temperature range (the range at which deionized water freezes), and the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump flows through the water chamber, it will cause freezing. Therefore, the second and third three-way valves can be used to divert the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump between the third ports of the second and third three-way valves, using heat exchange plates to heat or cool the antifreeze driven by the second circulation pump, forming a loop between the second circulation pump and the water chamber, thus preventing the deionized water from freezing. If the temperature inside the environmental chamber is high, meaning it does not meet the second temperature range, the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump can be diverted between the second and third ports of the second and third three-way valves, forming a loop between the first circulation pump and the water chamber.

[0065] In this way, deionized water can be used to cool or heat the fuel cell stack when it doesn't freeze, and antifreeze can be used when it does freeze, greatly reducing antifreeze waste and lowering testing costs. Furthermore, the loop formed between the second circulation pump and the water chamber can be minimized, further reducing antifreeze waste and costs.

[0066] like Figure 7 The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to... Figure 6 , Figure 7 The system also includes a third circulation pump, a fourth three-way valve, and a fifth three-way valve.

[0067] For further information on the third circulation pump, the fourth three-way valve, and the fifth three-way valve, please refer to the previous sections on the first circulation pump and the first three-way valve; these will not be repeated here.

[0068] The third circulation pump is connected to the second port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third circulation pump is also connected to the second port of the fifth three-way valve. The second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the water chamber, specifically, the second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the water chamber via the fourth three-way valve, that is, the second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third port of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the first port of the water chamber. The second circulation pump is also connected to the second port of the water chamber, specifically, the second circulation pump is connected to the second port of the water chamber via the fifth three-way valve, that is, the second circulation pump is connected to the first port of the fifth three-way valve, and the third port of the fifth three-way valve is connected to the second port of the water chamber.

[0069] It should be noted that the liquid passing through the third circulation pump may include antifreeze, or it may be deionized water (provided that the deionized water will not freeze).

[0070] Normally, the heat released by a fuel cell stack during normal operation is dissipated solely through liquid circulation, without the need for additional temperature control of the liquid flowing through the water chamber. Thus, utilizing the flow-guiding action of the fourth and fifth three-way valves, a third circulation pump (which can be antifreeze) can be used to drive liquid flow when temperature control conditions are not met. Only when temperature control conditions are met is a second circulation pump used to drive the antifreeze. Here, temperature control conditions refer to the conditions requiring control of the antifreeze temperature. For example, temperature control conditions may include the fuel cell stack temperature exceeding a temperature threshold, meaning that when the temperature is too high, antifreeze temperature control is necessary to ensure normal operation of the fuel cell stack. Temperature control conditions may also include fuel cell stack test failures (such as cold start tests), in which case the fuel cell stack temperature needs to be rapidly increased or decreased to the normal operating range, again requiring antifreeze temperature control. Alternatively, temperature control conditions may include other conditions requiring temperature control of the fuel cell stack; for example, the controller can send temperature control commands, which are not limited.

[0071] Therefore, by using a second circulation pump to drive the antifreeze while meeting the temperature control requirements, the power consumption caused by liquid temperature control can be reduced, thus lowering the system cost.

[0072] like Figure 8The diagram shown is a schematic of another fuel cell stack testing system provided in this application. Compared to Figure 7 , Figure 8 The system also includes a second refrigeration module and valve devices.

[0073] A valve device is a device that can change the direction of liquid flow. In this device, a three-way valve or other valve components can be integrated to achieve a specific change in flow direction.

[0074] Regarding the second refrigeration module, please refer to the previous description of the first refrigeration module, which will not be repeated here. It should be noted that the second refrigeration module includes two interfaces, namely the inlet and outlet of the second refrigeration module. For example, the first interface is the inlet of the second refrigeration module and the second interface is the outlet of the second refrigeration module, or the first interface is the outlet of the second refrigeration module and the second interface is the inlet of the second refrigeration module. There is no limitation on this.

[0075] The valve device is connected to the first and second interfaces of the second refrigeration module. The third circulation pump is connected to the second interface of the fourth three-way valve. Specifically, the third circulation pump can be connected to the second interface of the fourth three-way valve through the aforementioned valve device; that is, the third circulation pump is connected to the valve device, and the valve device is connected to the second interface of the fourth three-way valve.

[0076] Typically, testing a fuel cell stack involves simulating the target temperature not only to bring the gas entering the stack and the surrounding environment to the target temperature, but also to simulate the target temperature for other components of the fuel cell, especially cooling them to the target temperature for cold start experiments. However, if the fuel cell stack is placed directly in an environmental chamber, it takes a significant amount of time for the temperature of each component to change to the target temperature.

[0077] Based on this, the valve device can, under the condition that the cooling conditions are met, divert the antifreeze driven by the third circulation pump to the second refrigeration module for cooling. These cooling conditions may include cold start testing of the fuel cell stack, or other conditions requiring the fuel cell stack to be cooled to a target temperature; there are no limitations on this. In this way, the third circulation pump can drive the flow of antifreeze in the water chamber to cool the fuel cell stack. This can quickly reduce the temperature of the fuel cell stack and its components, saving significant time and reducing testing costs.

[0078] It should be noted that in many other fuel cell stack testing systems, it is also possible to have only one component... Figures 5 to 8 The partial loops in the system shown, for example, a fuel cell stack test system, may only include... Figure 7The third circulation pump shown and the loop formed between it and the water chamber are not limited thereto. Figures 5 to 8 In the system shown, the valve cores of each valve are adjusted according to conditions. Specifically, the controller may issue control commands to drive the valve cores of each valve to adjust to the target position to achieve the purpose of diversion. There is no limitation on this.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, the "first" in names such as "first three-way valve" is only used for naming purposes and does not represent the first in order. The same rule applies to "second," "third," etc.

[0080] As can be seen from the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that all or part of the steps in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus a general-purpose hardware platform. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as a read-only memory (ROM) / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network communication device such as a router) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments of this application.

[0081] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the device embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. Modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without creative effort.

[0082] The above description is merely an exemplary implementation of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A fuel cell stack testing system, characterized in that, The system includes: An air intake module, comprising a hydrogen intake module or an air intake module, wherein the hydrogen intake module is used to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell stack, and the air intake module is used to supply air to the fuel cell stack; A first refrigeration module is used to refrigerate the gas passing through it, and the first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack. A proportional three-way valve is provided, wherein the first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the air intake module, the second port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first refrigeration module, and the third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack. The proportional three-way valve is used to divert part or all of the gas supplied by the air intake module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration according to a certain ratio.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes: A heating module for heating the gas passing through it; The first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the intake module, including: The first port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the heating module, and the heating module is connected to the air intake module.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The system also includes a first three-way valve; The third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the fuel cell stack, including: The third port of the proportional three-way valve is connected to the first port of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second port of the first three-way valve. The first refrigeration module is connected to the fuel cell stack and includes: The first refrigeration module is connected to the first interface of the first three-way valve, and the fuel cell stack is connected to the second interface of the first three-way valve. The first three-way valve is used to divert the gas passing through the first three-way valve to the third port of the first three-way valve for discharge when the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve does not meet the first temperature range, and to divert the gas passing through the first three-way valve to the fuel cell stack through the second port of the first three-way valve when the temperature of the gas passing through the first three-way valve meets the first temperature range.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes: An environmental chamber is used to simulate the test scenario of the fuel cell stack.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fuel cell stack includes a water chamber for heat dissipation or heating of the fuel cell stack. The system further includes: A first circulation pump is used to drive the flow of liquid through the first circulation pump, the liquid through the first circulation pump including deionized water, and the first circulation pump is connected to a first interface of the water chamber. A temperature control module is provided, which is used to control the temperature of the liquid passing through the temperature control module. The temperature control module is connected to the second interface of the water chamber, and the first circulation pump is connected to the temperature control module.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first circulating pump is located outside the environmental chamber, and the system also includes a second three-way valve, a third three-way valve, a second circulating pump, and a heat exchange plate. The second circulation pump is used to drive the flow of liquid through the second circulation pump, the liquid through the second circulation pump including antifreeze, the second circulation pump is connected to the first interface of the water chamber, and the second circulation pump is connected to the second interface of the water chamber through the heat exchange plate; The first circulating pump is connected to the first interface of the water chamber, including: The first circulating pump is connected to the first port of the second three-way valve, and the second port of the second three-way valve is connected to the first port of the water chamber; The temperature control module is connected to the second interface of the water cavity, and includes: The temperature control module is connected to the first interface of the third three-way valve, and the second interface of the third three-way valve is connected to the second interface of the water chamber; The third port of the second three-way valve is connected to the third port of the third three-way valve via the heat exchange plate. The heat exchange plate is used to exchange heat between the deionized water passing through the third port of the second three-way valve and the third port of the third three-way valve and the antifreeze passing through the second circulation pump and the second port of the water chamber. The second three-way valve and the third three-way valve are used to divert the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump to the area between the third ports of the second three-way valve and the third port of the third three-way valve when the temperature in the environmental chamber meets the second temperature range, and to divert the deionized water driven by the first circulation pump to the area between the second ports of the second three-way valve and the second port of the third three-way valve when the temperature in the environmental chamber does not meet the second temperature range. The second temperature range is the range of temperatures at which deionized water solidifies.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system also includes: A third circulation pump is used to drive the flow of liquid through the third circulation pump, the liquid through the third circulation pump including antifreeze; The fourth three-way valve and the fifth three-way valve, wherein the third circulation pump is connected to the second port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third circulation pump is connected to the second port of the fifth three-way valve; The second circulating pump is connected to the first interface of the water chamber, and includes: The second circulating pump is connected to the first port of the fourth three-way valve, and the third port of the fourth three-way valve is connected to the first port of the water chamber; The second circulating pump is connected to the second interface of the water chamber, and includes: The second circulating pump is connected to the first port of the fifth three-way valve, and the third port of the fifth three-way valve is connected to the second port of the water chamber; The fourth three-way valve and the fifth three-way valve are used to drive the antifreeze using the second circulation pump when the temperature control conditions are met, and to drive the antifreeze using the third circulation pump when the temperature control conditions are not met. The temperature control conditions are conditions for controlling the temperature of the antifreeze, including the temperature of the fuel cell stack exceeding a temperature threshold, or the test performed on the fuel cell stack failing.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The system also includes: The second refrigeration module is used to refrigerate the liquid passing through it. A valve device, wherein the valve device is connected to the first interface and the second interface of the second refrigeration module; The third circulating pump is connected to the second port of the fourth three-way valve, including: The third circulating pump is connected to the valve device, and the valve device is connected to the second port of the fourth three-way valve; The valve device is used to divert the antifreeze driven by the third circulation pump to the second refrigeration module for cooling when the cooling conditions are met. The cooling conditions include the cold start test of the fuel cell stack.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes: The controller is used to control the proportional three-way valve to divert part or all of the gas supplied by the intake module to the first refrigeration module for refrigeration according to the specified ratio.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The ratio is determined by the controller based on the target temperature, the temperature reached by the first refrigeration module in cooling the gas, and the initial temperature of the gas supplied by the intake module.

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