Hydrogen Refueling Sensor Correlation for Line Loss Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for refueling hydrogen-powered vehicles at H2 filling stations fail to accurately account for hydrogen diffusion losses, leading to unreliable billing due to the location of gas meters at the fuel pump, which does not consider line losses.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize two sensors, one at the H2 filling station and another at a different position, to correlate measured hydrogen amounts, creating a lookup table to determine the actual hydrogen delivered to the vehicle, accounting for line losses and ensuring calibration law compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If gas meters are located at the fuel pump to measure hydrogen delivery, then measurement can be performed, but line losses cannot be accounted for leading to unreliable billing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement system into two separate measurement points: one at the fuel pump (first sensor) and one at the vehicle tank (second sensor). This segmentation allows independent measurement of hydrogen delivered and hydrogen received, enabling accurate calculation of line losses and reliable billing.
2Device complexity
If conventional single-sensor methods are used, then device complexity is low, but line losses cannot be detected leading to measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a correlation calculation mechanism (using lookup tables or mathematical models) as an intermediary between the two sensor measurements. This intermediary processes the data from both sensors to determine the actual hydrogen delivered, accurately accounting for line losses without requiring complex hardware modifications.
3Reliability
If multiple sensors at different positions are deployed, then line losses can be accounted for, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a virtual copy approach where the second sensor at the vehicle tank provides data that is correlated with the first sensor data through predefined lookup tables or mathematical models. This copying/correlation method enables accurate line loss detection without requiring complex real-time communication infrastructure or additional processing hardware at the filling station.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining, in accordance with calibration law, the quantity of hydrogen (20) actually dispensed to a hydrogen-powered vehicle (22) during a refueling process at an H2 filling station (4), comprising the steps of initiating (40) a refueling process of the hydrogen-powered vehicle (22) by means of a control unit (14) of the H2 filling station (4), acquiring (42) at least one measured value to determine a quantity of hydrogen (20) dispensed during the refueling process by means of a first sensor (12) arranged at a first position within the H2 filling station (4), acquiring (44) at least one measured value to determine a quantity of hydrogen (20) dispensed during the refueling process by means of a further sensor (18) at a second position,from the first different position as well as determining (46) the actual quantity of hydrogen (20) delivered to the hydrogen-powered vehicle (22) based on a correlation of the quantities of hydrogen (20) determined by means of the first sensor (12) and by means of the further sensor (18).