Hydrogen Tank Evaporation Coordination via V2V Communication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The uncoordinated evaporation of hydrogen from multiple motor vehicles can lead to dangerous ignition mixtures due to exceeding the 4% hydrogen concentration in the air, posing safety risks to vehicles and surrounding areas.
Innovation Solution
An assistance system coordinates the evaporation process of hydrogen tanks through electronic computing devices and communication technologies like V2V and V2X, allowing vehicles to share evaporation information and adjust evaporation times and amounts to prevent critical hydrogen concentrations, and includes warning systems to inform nearby individuals and authorities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If uncoordinated evaporation is allowed for each vehicle independently, then each vehicle can manage its own hydrogen pressure relief, but the cumulative hydrogen concentration in the surrounding area may exceed safe limits (4%)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual vehicle evaporation management into a coordinated system where vehicles communicate with each other and with infrastructure. The control units of multiple vehicles are combined into a networked system that collectively manages hydrogen release, ensuring the cumulative concentration remains below 4% through shared information about evaporation status, location, and environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where vehicles continuously monitor and communicate their evaporation status, hydrogen concentration levels, and environmental conditions to both neighboring vehicles and infrastructure. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of evaporation timing and rate to maintain safe concentration levels while managing pressure relief needs.
2Reliability
If evaporation timing is coordinated between multiple vehicles, then safety is improved by preventing excessive hydrogen concentration, but system complexity increases due to communication and coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The coordination system is segmented into multiple independent but interconnected control units, each residing in individual vehicles. Each control unit autonomously manages its own vehicle's evaporation while communicating with others, dividing the complex coordination task into manageable local decisions based on shared information rather than requiring centralized control of all vehicles simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces infrastructure components (such as communication networks, servers, or roadside units) that act as intermediaries between vehicles. These intermediaries facilitate coordination by relaying information, managing communication protocols, and providing centralized data processing when needed, thereby reducing the direct communication burden between individual vehicles.
3Reliability
If evaporation information is shared between vehicles via communication devices, then coordinated safety management is achieved, but information transmission requirements and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and prioritizes only the essential evaporation-related information for communication between vehicles and infrastructure, such as evaporation status, timing, location, and environmental conditions. Non-essential data is excluded from transmission, reducing communication overhead while maintaining the coordination functionality needed for safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Vehicles perform preliminary assessments of their evaporation needs and communicate this information in advance to neighboring vehicles and infrastructure. This preliminary action allows the coordination system to plan evaporation timing and sequencing before actual pressure relief is needed, reducing urgent communication demands and enabling more efficient information exchange.
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 approach minimizes the risk of ignition by ensuring coordinated evaporation, preventing excessive hydrogen concentrations, and enhancing safety for vehicles and surrounding areas by informing owners and authorities of potential dangers.
Implementation Method 1
in accordance with a hydrogen pressure in the hydrogen tank
Implementation Method 2
this evaporates when heated
Implementation Method 3
this evaporates when heated
Data Source
AI summary
A method for coordinating an evaporation process of hydrogen from a hydrogen tank of a motor vehicle by an assistance system includes initiating the evaporation process of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank of the motor vehicle into an area surrounding the motor vehicle by an electronic computing device of the assistance system in accordance with a hydrogen pressure in the hydrogen tank. Evaporation information regarding an additional motor vehicle having an additional hydrogen tank is received by a communication device of the assistance system. The evaporation process of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank of the motor vehicle is coordinated in accordance with the evaporation information regarding the additional motor vehicle.