Hydrogen Tank Expansion Modeling for Flowmeter Failure Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flowmeter failure diagnosis methods in hydrogen filling apparatuses are inaccurate due to variations in fuel tank expansion rates, which are not consistently accounted for, leading to errors in determining flowmeter failures.
Innovation Solution
A method that considers the expansion rate of the fuel tank when calculating the filling amount by using pressure and temperature data to determine the presence or absence of flowmeter failure, utilizing a flowmeter, acquirer, filling amount calculator, and determiner to analyze the error value between measured and calculated filling amounts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a constant offset amount is used to account for fuel tank expansion in flowmeter failure determination, then the method is simple to implement, but the accuracy of failure determination deteriorates because the expansion rate varies with filling pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used to account for fuel tank expansion from a constant offset value to a variable expansion rate that depends on filling pressure. The expansion rate is determined based on the relationship between filling pressure and tank volume change, allowing the system to adapt to varying expansion conditions and improve determination accuracy without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a static constant offset approach to a dynamic expansion rate approach that adjusts according to filling pressure conditions. The system dynamically determines the appropriate expansion rate based on current pressure conditions, making the failure determination process adaptive to changing operational parameters
2Device complexity
If the expansion rate is not considered in calculating filling amount, then the calculation is simpler, but the error value between measured and calculated filling amounts increases leading to inaccurate failure determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the expansion rate as a variable parameter in the filling amount calculation based on filling pressure. By incorporating this pressure-dependent parameter, the calculation accurately reflects the actual tank volume changes during filling, reducing errors in failure determination while maintaining reasonable computational complexity
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
Improves the accuracy of flowmeter failure determination by reducing the error value and variation, allowing for quicker and more precise identification of flowmeter issues.
Implementation Method 1
an expansion rate of the fuel tank is not necessarily constant and depends on a filling pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A flowmeter failure determination method includes: a step of measuring a filling amount of hydrogen gas filled in a fuel tank of an automobile, using a flowmeter; a step of acquiring information of a pressure and a temperature of the fuel tank; a step of calculating the filling amount of the hydrogen gas filled in the fuel tank based on the acquired pressure and temperature and a capacity of the fuel tank in which an expansion rate of the fuel tank is considered; and a step of determining presence or absence of a failure of the flowmeter using an error value between the measured filling amount and the calculated filling amount.