Fuel Cell System Refilling Control via Main Stop Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ensuring safety and convenience during fuel cell refilling in vehicles, where existing systems may compromise safety for convenience or vice versa, and there is a need to manage fuel gas supply effectively to prevent hydrogen shortages and maintain system integrity.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a cell stack, fuel gas storage, a supply path, a main stop valve, and a controller that closes the main stop valve before opening the filling port when the vehicle is stopped, allowing safe and convenient refilling by ensuring the fuel cell system is not operational during movement and optimizing the refilling process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the filling port is opened during vehicle movement or when the fuel cell system is operational, then refilling can be performed more quickly and conveniently, but safety is compromised due to risk of fuel gas leakage and system damage
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically closes the main stop valve before opening the filling port, performing a safety preparation action in advance. This ensures that fuel gas supply to the cell stack is stopped before the filling operation begins, preventing potential leakage and system damage while allowing convenient refilling.
2Productivity
If the main stop valve remains open during refilling, then fuel gas supply to the cell stack continues uninterrupted maintaining system operation, but fuel gas leakage and system deterioration may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary closure of the main stop valve before initiating the filling operation. This preliminary action prevents fuel gas from leaking into the cell stack during refilling, eliminating a harmful effect while the filling port is open.
Solution Approach 2:
The temporary interruption of fuel gas supply to the cell stack during refilling is converted into a beneficial safety feature. By deliberately stopping the supply, the system prevents potential harmful effects such as fuel gas leakage and system deterioration, transforming what could be seen as a productivity loss into a safety enhancement.
3Device complexity
If the filling port is opened without closing the main stop valve first, then the refilling process is simpler and faster, but hydrogen shortages in the fuel gas storage portion may occur affecting system integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically executes the valve closure sequence before opening the filling port, performing the necessary safety preparation without requiring user intervention. This maintains simple operation for the user while ensuring system integrity through automated preliminary actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs the safety check and valve control automatically through the controller, making the system self-regulating. The controller monitors the filling port state and automatically closes the main stop valve when needed, eliminating the need for complex user operations while maintaining system integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances safety by preventing fuel gas shortages and maintaining system integrity by ensuring the fuel cell system is stopped before refilling, while also improving user convenience by allowing refilling only when the vehicle is stationary, thus reducing the likelihood of hydrogen shortages and potential system deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a cell stack including a plurality of single cells generating power by receiving supply of fuel gas and oxidizing gas
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a technology for ensuring the safety of a vehicle on which a fuel cell is mounted and the convenience of a user.In a fuel cell system which is able to be mounted on a movable body, it is determined whether or not the movement of the movable body is stopped and the fuel cell system is operated when an opening instruction for opening a filling port for filling a fuel gas storage portion with fuel gas is received. When it is determined that the movement of the movable body is stopped and the fuel cell system is operated, a main stop valve controlling the supply of the fuel gas to the cell stack from the fuel gas storage portion is closed, and then the filling port is opened.