Method for managing hydrogen supply to vehicles

Abstract

To provide a management method for optimizing production or restocking of hydrogen at distribution stations as well as supply of hydrogen to vehicles, with control of production and purchase costs.SOLUTION: A method for managing supply of hydrogen to a moving vehicle 1 from hydrogen distributed by a distribution station 7 comprises: collecting, by at least two sensors (sensor 2, geolocation means 3) mounted on a vehicle, at least two parameters relating to the moving vehicle, including at least geolocation of the vehicle; transmitting the parameters to a control module 5; collecting, by at least one quantification means 12, at least one parameter relating to the hydrogen available in the hydrogen distribution station; transmitting the parameter to the control module; identifying at least one hydrogen distribution station when the vehicle moves; and informing the user of the vehicle about the available hydrogen distribution station and about hydrogen refueling conditions in the identified hydrogen distribution station.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for managing hydrogen supply to a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The term "vehicle" here collectively refers to any type of vehicle on land, rail, sea, or air. As a non-limiting example, passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, buses, airplanes, trains, ships, boats, etc. can be mentioned. In these vehicles, at least the motive power required for vehicle movement, and further the motive power for starting at least one tool attached to the vehicle, are provided by an electric motor. A fuel cell or a hydrogen cell installed in the vehicle enables the generation of electricity. Therefore, this type of vehicle is at least partially liberated from recharging at a fixed terminal for recharging.

[0003] Hydrogen is a chemical element that exists in many natural compounds, also in large quantities, but hardly exists in molecular form in nature. Therefore, hydrogen has to be produced by various methods such as reforming or gasification of hydrocarbons such as methane, electrolysis of water, or thermochemical dissociation of water or biomass. The selection of the method is made according to many parameters, namely, among others, the type of primary energy required, the yield, the presence of impurities, the by-products or waste generated. Almost all of the hydrogen produced today mainly comes from the reforming of natural gas. Electrolysis of water is only used for small or medium-scale production when electricity is inexpensive and / or a high purity of the hydrogen produced is required. Regardless of its production mode, hydrogen is always obtained in a gaseous state. The liquid state is obtained by continuously expanding the gas to a temperature below 253°C. Maintaining a liquid state of hydrogen at this temperature requires large-scale cryogenic production methods. Similarly, the sale and storage of hydrogen, at least for use within vehicles, is mostly done in gaseous form at pressures of 35 MPa or 70 MPa, which are generally the pressures currently employed by automakers. Storage and use in liquid form are reserved for large-scale equipment and vehicles such as trucks and buses. Currently, there are two types of hydrogen sales stations for vehicles: those that sell hydrogen from one or more tanks, similar to existing gasoline sales stations, and are supplied by truck, rail, sea, or gas pipeline; and those equipped with autonomous hydrogen production units. In all cases, the technical constraints of hydrogen storage and / or production are important, as are the limitations on implementation time, as well as the limitations on equipment, manufacturing protocols, sales, and / or storage. Therefore, resupplying hydrogen to hydrogen sales stations or realizing a hydrogen production cycle is neither as simple nor as quick as resupplying hydrocarbon sales stations.

[0004] Furthermore, hydrogen always exists at a pressure higher than the vehicle's operating pressure, which is 35 MPa or 70 MPa, at sales stations. Thus, vehicle tank refueling is essentially carried out by the pressure difference, and gas expansion occurs during hydrogen sales, and consequently, during vehicle hydrogen tank refueling. When hydrogen is filled into a vehicle's tank, the expansion of the hydrogen stored in the station's tank generates heat, and the volume occupied by the gas changes according to the Joule-Thomson law. During this filling process, the hydrogen pressure inside the vehicle's tank increases very rapidly, and therefore this hydrogen compression inside the tank is considered adiabatic compression because there is no time for heat exchange to occur. As a result, the temperature of the hydrogen inside the vehicle's tank can rise to several tens of degrees Celsius. This temperature rise is determined by several factors, particularly the filling rate of the vehicle tank, as well as the pressure difference between the station tank and the vehicle tank. Once the temperature of the vehicle's tank has decreased and returned to ambient temperature, the hydrogen pressure inside the vehicle's tank will decrease according to Gay-Lussac's law. Thus, the final pressure inside the vehicle's tank may be lower than initially expected. To ensure the delivery of the desired quantity and maintain the final hydrogen pressure in the vehicle tank at the initial level as close to the original level as possible, hydrogen stored in sales stations is often cooled to around -40°C, and unless climatic conditions are extreme, the heat generated during filling the vehicle tank brings the hydrogen in the tank to around ambient temperature.

[0005] At sales stations, if electricity is readily available via the electrical network or alternative sources such as wind or solar power, hydrogen can be produced locally in gaseous form, for example, by electrolysis of water, before compression, temporary storage, and sale. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of water is, advantageously, a by-product that is not wasted into the atmosphere but rather utilized effectively. Hydrogen production at fueling stations is particularly well-suited to relatively small-scale facilities intended to supply hydrogen to small vehicles. However, a complete hydrogen production cycle that allows for immediate sale requires a certain amount of time.

[0006] Therefore, depending on whether a station receives its hydrogen supply from an external manufacturing facility or produces it itself, there is a risk, albeit with some variation, of a shortage of hydrogen available for sale at the station for extended periods. This risk is even more disadvantageous to users because the number of hydrogen sales stations is still limited and therefore, to some extent, they are far away, meaning users do not have sufficient driving range, and consequently, they may not be able to reach a station with enough hydrogen—at least enough hydrogen to continue their journey and be used within a timeframe acceptable to the user. Furthermore, the existence of peaks in production and / or storage, as well as the complexity of production and / or storage technologies, results in high production and sales costs for hydrogen. One solution for a hydrogen fueling station to communicate with a vehicle is publicly known, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 255952. Based on the vehicle parameters transmitted to the station, the station adapts its manufacturing process and provides the vehicle with its geographical location information so that the driver can refuel it. In the case of such devices, the principle is that the station must always be in a state where it can replenish vehicles, as production must be adapted according to the nearby vehicles and their estimated needs. Conversely, drivers do not necessarily have all the information regarding the terms of sale, nor do they know whether the station is always ready to provide the service upon their arrival. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 255952 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to plan the optimal hydrogen supply to sales stations on the one hand, and to plan the hydrogen refueling from sales stations to users on the other hand. The present invention aims to satisfy this dual need by providing a method for managing hydrogen supply to vehicles, which optimizes hydrogen production or replenishment at sales stations and hydrogen supply to vehicles, while controlling manufacturing and purchase costs, so that users can go to sales stations with confidence that they can obtain hydrogen under the desired optimal conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Therefore, in a method for managing the supply of hydrogen from hydrogen sold by a sales station to a vehicle in transit, -a) A step of collecting at least two parameters relating to the operation and driving of the vehicle during movement, including at least the vehicle's geographical location and the vehicle's hydrogen requirement, using at least two sensors mounted on the vehicle, -b) The step of transmitting at least the hydrogen requirement of the vehicle and parameters related to its geographic location to the control module, -c) A step of collecting at least one parameter regarding the hydrogen available at the hydrogen sales station using at least one sensor located within the hydrogen sales station, -d) A method comprising the step of transmitting this parameter regarding the hydrogen available in the hydrogen sales station to a control module, -e) A step in which the control module identifies at least one hydrogen sales station from which the vehicle can be refueled during transit, -f) The objective is a method characterized by comprising at least the step of providing the vehicle user with information about at least one hydrogen sales station where the vehicle can be refueled during travel, and the conditions for hydrogen refueling at the identified hydrogen sales station.

[0010] Thus, the present invention provides a means for tracking the availability of hydrogen within a sales station and the hydrogen requirements of vehicles that may be refueled within the station in real time. Therefore, the present invention enables the user to optimize their hydrogen refueling not only according to their own journey and driving, but also according to the availability of hydrogen at nearby stations.

[0011] According to an advantageous but non-compulsory aspect of the present invention, such a method can include one or more of the following steps.

[0012] Sensors for collecting parameters related to vehicle weight, tire air pressure, presence of a trailer, and vehicle acceleration are mounted on the vehicle.

[0013] The control module is housed in a server remote from the hydrogen sales station.

[0014] The control module is based on artificial intelligence (AI).

[0015] In step f), an offer of hydrogen price adapted to the user's required amount and the availability of hydrogen at the proposed station is presented to the user.

[0016] In step f), the price offer takes into account the presence of a set fee and the user's preference regarding the selection of the hydrogen sales station.

[0017] In step f), the user is notified if they are at a defined distance from a hydrogen sales station.

[0018] After step f), the user notifies the control module of their selection.

[0019] After step f), the user can notify and reserve the selected sales station for refueling.

[0020] The present invention will be better understood and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when reading the following description, which is given by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] This is a simplified schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. The implementation of this method includes at least one vehicle 1. Here, Vehicle 1 is a passenger car. In its modified form, this could be a transport vehicle, such as a bus, taxi, truck, agricultural machinery, construction machinery, railway vehicle, ship, or aircraft vehicle. Therefore, this could be any type of vehicle, insofar as it has a drive mechanism that uses hydrogen for operation, for the purpose of moving and / or activating at least one tool attached to the vehicle, such as a lifting arm, hatch door, skip, etc. In all cases, the vehicle is equipped with at least two sensors, schematically illustrated by reference number 2, which enable the collection of at least two parameters relating to vehicle 1 during movement, including at least one parameter relating to the hydrogen requirements of the moving vehicle and its geographic location. For example, this could include sensors such as a speed sensor connected to the vehicle's tachymeter, and a sensor for the amount of hydrogen available in the vehicle, for example, by measuring the pressure in the hydrogen tank or by another parameter representing the amount of hydrogen remaining in the vehicle. It is possible to mount other sensors on the vehicle for the purpose of collecting other parameters. This could be a pressure sensor installed inside a seat, which would allow for the determination of the number of passengers and, consequently, the estimation of the vehicle's weight. This could be at least one accelerometer that displays information about the vehicle's driving type, and consequently, the amount of hydrogen consumed. The vehicle may be equipped with sensors that indicate the status of the drive system, tire pressure, the presence of a trailer or trailer house, or any type of sensor adapted to collect parameters that generally affect the operation of the vehicle and its hydrogen consumption.

[0023] Therefore, in addition to one or more sensors 2, the vehicle 1 is equipped with geolocation means as schematically illustrated in reference number 3. This could be a transmission means connected to a GPS equipped in vehicle 1, or a dedicated GPS mounted on vehicle 1, whether removable or not. In the modified form, other means of geographical location determination are provided. This could be, for example, a beacon using a telephone communication network, a 4G / 5G network, radio waves, or the like.

[0024] Vehicle 1 is also equipped with a communication means designated with reference number 4, which enables it to exchange information with at least one control module 5 that constitutes an implementation element of the method for which the present invention is an objective, and thus to transmit and receive such information. Module 5 is also equipped with a communication means 6. Module 5 is advantageously located in remote areas, such as the locations of sales station managers, vehicle fleet managers, or specialized service providers.

[0025] A communication means 8 is also provided in at least one hydrogen sales station that constitutes an implementation element of the method, which is designated with reference number 7. Communication methods 4, 6, and 8 utilize transmission technologies that are known in themselves, namely Wi-Fi®, telephone communication networks, 4G / 5G networks, radio waves, satellite links, and others.

[0026] The hydrogen sales station 7 includes at least one means 9 for refueling the vehicle 1 with hydrogen. Such hydrogen refueling means 9 advantageously includes at least one flexible pipe 10 and means 11 for connecting to a tank (not shown) of the vehicle 1. Such a connecting means 11 is known in itself. Station 7 may be equipped with multiple hydrogen refueling methods 9. Station 7 also includes a quantification device, reference numbered 12, which allows for the determination of the exact amount of hydrogen that Station 7 dispatches and that is supplied to Vehicle 1 by the refueling device 9. Advantageously, such a quantification means 12 utilizes at least one sensor installed in the connecting means 11 and / or flexible pipe 10 that enables the measurement of the amount of hydrogen delivered, regardless of the ambient temperature, the initial hydrogen temperature and / or the initial hydrogen pressure and / or replenishment pressure. In a modified configuration, the station may sell other energy sources in addition to hydrogen, such as electric energy and / or gas and / or LPG via one or more recharge terminals. Similarly, it is conceivable that such a station 7 could provide services other than energy replenishment, such as car wash services, sales of automotive products, or driver-oriented services such as the food service industry.

[0027] As is clear from Figure 1, the sales station 7 is refueled with hydrogen either by a hydrogen production facility 13 which is either integrated into the station 7 or is at least close enough to be directly connected to the station by a gas pipeline 14. In the modified configuration, hydrogen is produced at a remote hydrogen production facility 15 that enables refueling for multiple stations 7. The transportation of hydrogen between the hydrogen production facility 15 and the station 7 is carried out by known means, such as a tank truck 16. In all cases, the hydrogen production facilities 13, 15 and the transport means 16 are also equipped with communication means 17, 18, and 19, respectively. It is conceivable that communication means 4, 6, 17, 18, and 19 may utilize the same or different technologies depending, for example, the range and / or the type of data to be transmitted and / or received.

[0028] Here, we will describe the various steps of the method, referring to the elements mentioned above. To match Figure 1 and for greater clarity, the method will be described as comprising a single vehicle, a sales station, a hydrogen production facility integrated into the station, a remote hydrogen production facility, and a means of delivery. The control module is envisioned to be associated with tens, even hundreds, of sales stations, facilities, delivery systems, and hundreds or thousands of vehicles. Furthermore, multiple control modules can work together and / or be managed by a central control unit, for example, on a national scale, by the hydrogen producer or the sales station operator.

[0029] When a vehicle 1 is active and moving, that is, when its various means are in an active configuration, typically when the motor is running and the means are receiving power, its geolocation is automatically determined by the sensor 3. Simultaneously or incidentally, sensor 2 is in an active position and collects at least data on the amount of available hydrogen in the vehicle tank and information on the vehicle's speed. If this information is sufficient to estimate the driving range based on theoretical average consumption or vehicle history through simple calculations, then this estimation can be further enhanced by other sensors 2. To achieve this, as mentioned earlier, driving conditions, vehicle weight, and other parameters if necessary, such as road traffic volume, weather, road conditions, tire condition and air pressure, etc., must be considered. In all cases, the data collected by sensors 2 and 3 is transmitted to the control module 5 by communication means 8 and 6, at least according to the double arrow F. According to one advantageous embodiment, this data is also displayed within the vehicle, for example, via the vehicle's computer or via a dedicated computer. The data is envisioned to be stored within vehicle 1 and / or control module 5, and even further, for example, in cloud computing, i.e., on a dedicated remote server hosted in the cloud. In every case, data is advantageously utilized by AI.

[0030] Similarly, data regarding the amount of hydrogen available at at least one sales station 7 is transmitted to the control module 5 by the communication means 8 in accordance with the double arrow F1. These data include not only a quantification of hydrogen inventory, but also a forecast of hydrogen replenishment at Station 7. This could be the amount of hydrogen that the manufacturing facility 13 is currently producing or has planned to produce. These data are similarly provided to the control module 5 by the communication means 17 in accordance with the double arrow F2. If hydrogen production is carried out remotely from Station 7, these production-related data are transmitted to the control module 5 by the communication means 18 of the production equipment 15, following the double arrow F3. Similarly, information regarding the delivery of hydrogen by the delivery means 16 is transmitted to the control module 5 by the communication means 19, following the double arrow F4. In the modified configuration, the hydrogen production station 7 is envisioned to be able to receive replenishment from tank truck 16 if necessary, or to supply hydrogen to another station, and transportation will also be carried out by tank truck 16.

[0031] As is evident from Figure 1, the delivery means 16 also communicates with the manufacturing facility 15 from which the delivery means extracts hydrogen and with the sales station 7 to which the delivery means must deliver hydrogen, respectively, according to the double arrows F5 and F6. In this way, it is possible to optimize deliveries in terms of delivery time, process, and / or the amount of hydrogen to be delivered.

[0032] In all cases, these various data provided by the vehicle 1, manufacturing equipment 13 and 15, delivery means 16, and sales station 7 are taken into consideration by the control module 5. The control module 5 uses AI to identify at least one sales station 7 as the most suitable for resupplying the vehicle in terms of distance, hydrogen quantity, and sales conditions, particularly refueling deadline. This information is transmitted to vehicle 1 when vehicle 1 requests resupply. Advantageously, the control module 5 proposes multiple stations 7 and links these stations 7 to, for example, hydrogen purchase price offers per kilometer. If the user of vehicle 1 does not wish to follow the hydrogen refueling proposal made by control module 5, the price proposal will be re-evaluated when the user subsequently wishes to refuel. Advantageously, after Module 5 issues a resupply proposal, the user can indicate their choice to Module 5 and / or the relevant Station 7, for example, using a dedicated command via touch or voice. According to the present invention, there is constant information exchange between the vehicle and its driver and the station 7, which not only enables the optimization of hydrogen production but also allows the driver to easily reserve their refueling while being assured that hydrogen is available and that refueling will be carried out quickly and at a controlled price under good conditions, thereby enabling the movement of the vehicle 1 to be optimized.

[0033] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, vehicle 1 also communicates directly with station 7 according to the double arrow F7. Such communications may occur sequentially depending on the location of the vehicle 1, for example, in the case of a hydrogen supply subscription contract or set fee, or for one or more preferred and frequently used stations, with a given one or a group of stations 7, or with all stations 7 within a defined zone around a moving vehicle 1, i.e., in several of these cases. In all cases, such direct communication between station 7 and vehicle 1 allows vehicle 1 to notify the station of its arrival and, for example, make a reservation or display a scheduled time slot. In this way, the station can notify vehicles of any changes regarding hydrogen availability, and can also plan for the production and sale of hydrogen.

[0034] In one embodiment, information regarding the availability of hydrogen is updated periodically and provided to the vehicle 1 periodically or continuously, so that the vehicle 1 always has information regarding hydrogen refueling. In the modified configuration, this information is only available when a residual hydrogen threshold in the vehicle is reached, which is selected by the manufacturer of vehicle 1 or the user of vehicle 1, or defined by an AI installed in the control module 5 according to the hydrogen supply and demand relationship at a given moment. In the transformed configuration, information is transmitted to the vehicle when the vehicle is at a given distance from Station 7.

[0035] In one embodiment, the user has a subscription agreement or a one-time set fee with one or more hydrogen suppliers, in which case this parameter will be taken into consideration in the proposals presented by the control module 5, and the one or more suppliers involved will be given preferential treatment in price offers.

[0036] Because control module 5 is AI-based, it can optimize the production and sale of hydrogen in the vehicle, and there is always learning about hydrogen production.

[0037] In one advantageous embodiment, information relating to the vehicle 1, its movement, its operation, or sales station 7 is transmitted to the control module 5 voluntarily or automatically. This information includes, for example, the safety of the vehicle or vehicle user, the motor, and the operating status of the sales station. At this time, the control module may initiate coordination actions on vehicle 1 and / or station 7 and / or activate visual and / or audible alarms and / or initiate action against a third party, typically contacting rescue services, maintenance services for station 7, or repair services for vehicle 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 vehicle 2 sensors 3 Geolocation means 4. Means of communication 5. Control Module 6. Means of communication 7. Hydrogen sales stations 8. Means of communication 9. Means of hydrogen refueling 10 Flexible pipes 11 Connection means 12 Quantification measures 13. Hydrogen production facilities 14 Gas pipelines 15. Hydrogen production facilities 16 Means of transportation 17. Means of communication 18. Means of communication 19. Means of communication

Claims

1. A method configured to manage the supply of hydrogen from at least one sales station (7) to at least one moving vehicle (1), - a) A step of collecting at least two parameters relating to the operation and driving of the vehicle (1) during movement, including at least the geographic location (3) of the vehicle (1), the speed of the vehicle and the amount of available hydrogen in the vehicle tank, using at least two sensors (2, 3) mounted inside the vehicle (1), -b) The step of transmitting at least the hydrogen requirement of the vehicle (1) and parameters related to its geographic location to the control module (5) via the communication means (4) in the vehicle (1), -c) The step of collecting at least one parameter relating to the hydrogen available in the hydrogen sales station (7) using at least one sensor (12) located within the hydrogen sales station (7), -d) A step of transmitting to the control module (5) at least one parameter relating to the hydrogen collected in step c) and available in the hydrogen sales station (7), -e) A step of transmitting the hydrogen inventory in the hydrogen sales station (7) and the replenishment forecast for the hydrogen station (7) to the control module (5), -f) The control module (5) identifies at least one hydrogen sales station (7) that can refuel the vehicle, -g) The control module (5) provides the user of the vehicle (1) with information about at least one hydrogen sales station (7) that can refuel the vehicle (1), and the hydrogen refueling conditions at the identified hydrogen sales station (7), -h) The control module (5) provides the user of the vehicle (1) with information about hydrogen price offers adapted to the amount of hydrogen required for the vehicle (1) and proposed stations (7) for refueling, -i) The step of transmitting the user's selection to refuel their own vehicle (1) to at least the control module (5) via communication means (4), A method that includes this.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor (2) for collecting parameters related to vehicle weight, tire pressure, presence of a trailer, acceleration, and road conditions is mounted on the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the control module (5) is housed in a server remotely from the hydrogen sales station (7).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step i), if the user does not wish to comply with the hydrogen refueling offer transmitted by the control module (5), the price is subsequently re-evaluated.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step h), the price offer takes into account the existence of a set price and the user's preference regarding the selection of a hydrogen sales station (7).

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in step h), the user of the vehicle (1) is notified if the vehicle (1) is within a defined distance from the hydrogen sales station (7).

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in steps g) and h), the information transmitted to the user of the vehicle (1) is updated periodically.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after step h), the user of the vehicle (1) notifies the control module (5) of another selected sales station (7) and makes a reservation.

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