Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/04664—Failure or abnormal function
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
  • G01M3/02—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
  • G01M3/26—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0432—Temperature; Ambient temperature
  • H01M8/04358—Temperature; Ambient temperature of the coolant
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
  • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
  • H01M8/0438—Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
  • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
  • Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
  • Y02T10/7072—Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
  • Y02T90/14—Plug-in electric vehicles
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02T90/40—Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for diagnosing a leak in a fuel cell system and to a fuel cell system itself.
• Fuel cell system it may therefore be useful to a leak
• a permissible, maximum leakage value is often defined at a certain operating point under certain conditions. Over the service life of the fluid system, this is therefore in particular the operating environment taken several times and produced under laboratory conditions, the previously defined operating point with the specific conditions, so that the leakage can be detected under these conditions and tested against the maximum permissible leakage value.
• the present invention relates to a method according to the independent method claim and a device according to the independent
• the method according to the invention for diagnosing a leakage (in particular a critical leakage) of at least one first fluid of a fluid system comprises the steps a) to d).
• a first reference gradient of an operating pressure of the first fluid is provided.
• Step b) includes determining an operating gradient of the operating pressure at a first operating point.
• a second reference gradient of the operating pressure is determined by a model. The model takes into account the first reference gradient and at least one further operating parameter at the first operating point. A comparison of the operating gradient of the second reference gradient takes place in accordance with step d).
• a leakage can be understood in particular as a volume loss of the first fluid from the fluid system per unit of time.
• a critical leak may also be a leak that can be hazardous to the fluid system or the environment. However, leakage may be critical even if it appears interesting for some other reason, such as the effect on the consumption of the first fluid.
• Leakage of the first fluid of the fluid system may in particular be the gradient of the operating pressure.
• a gradient may be understood to mean the change with time of a pressure, in particular a pressure drop over time.
• the first reference gradient of the Operating pressure can therefore also be understood as the limit of the pressure change per unit time under fixed conditions, up to which an operating gradient under these conditions can be classified as non-critical or critical.
• the first reference gradient may represent a maximum allowable pressure gradient under the specified conditions.
• the model determines the second reference gradient in particular from the first reference gradient and at least one ambient condition in the form of a further operating parameter at the first operating point.
• an operating point may comprise a period during the determination of the operating gradient.
• the second reference gradient represents in particular a limit of the pressure change per time under real
• Fluid system is reduced.
• Maintenance intervals may be provided so that a malfunction of the operation is reduced by the method.
• the method can, for example, also run automatically in a computer program or can be controlled by a computer program.
• the operating gradient of the operating pressure is further easily measurable, so that a precise localization of a leakage point for the diagnosis of the particular critical
• Reference gradient of the operating pressure also be defined for the fluid system once in a reference operating point.
• Such a one-time test can, for. B. already be performed under laboratory conditions prior to delivery of the fluid system to the end customer, in particular so that a Tolerance determination individually for each manufactured product is possible. As a result, the accuracy of the method can be increased because in the first
• the fluid system may be a fuel cell system, so that the method according to the invention may advantageously be designed to diagnose a leak (in particular a critical leakage) in a fuel cell system.
• the operating pressure may preferably be an anode pressure of the fuel cell system. This can increase safety in the fuel cell system
• the first fluid may be hydrogen, which is under high pressure in the fuel cell system, and a particularly strong outlet from the fuel
• Fuel cell system may pose a potential source of danger. Therefore, early detection of leaks in a fuel cell system is particularly desirable.
• the method is used in a fluid system in a vehicle or the fluid system is installed in a vehicle while a method according to the invention is being carried out.
• This correspondingly increases the safety during operation of the vehicle, in particular since the method is carried out under real conditions and thus the real ambient conditions can also be taken into account.
• the method z. B. automatically during operation of the vehicle, eg permanent or at regular intervals or fixed triggering functions (eg. Before starting or after stopping) or manually triggered by the driver.
• the method is carried out in a workshop, for example during an inspection of the vehicle.
• the method can be performed when starting the vehicle, so that a malfunction of the operation is reduced and previously formed leaks, especially before a possible hazard, are detected. It is also conceivable that a method according to the invention is carried out under steady-state operating conditions. Thus, for example, it may be provided that a section of the fluid system is at least partially closed by closing at least one valve. This allows the determined
• Flow equilibrium is or that no additional pressure of the first fluid, for example, is generated by a pump in the portion of the fluid system.
• the model takes into account a secondary pressure of a second fluid based on a further operating parameter in the first operating point.
• the secondary pressure may preferably be the cathode pressure of a fuel cell.
• the second fluid can be understood to mean a gas or a liquid, the second fluid particularly preferably a
• the secondary pressure itself, a pressure difference between an anode and a cathode in the fuel cell system or a further quantity dependent on the secondary pressure can represent the further operating parameter.
• an environmental parameter can thus be taken into account by the model, which is easy to measure.
• the cathode pressure has a great influence on the accuracy of the result, so that consideration of the cathode pressure in a fuel cell system results in a high accuracy of the method and thus an increased safety of the fuel cell system.
• the model can advantageously be based on a further operating parameter in the first operating point
• condensation of water in the fluid system may preferably be represented by a partial pressure of the water.
• the condensation of water itself the partial pressure of the water as a function of the condensation of water or a further quantity dependent on the condensation of water can be the further operating parameter.
• water vapor may condense in the fluid system during the measurement of the operating gradient or during the execution of the method, the percentage of the condensed water in particular depending on the dew point of the water.
• Water in turn, may result in a change in the operating gradient, such that consideration by the model approximates the second reference gradient to the real conditions. As a result, a more accurate method and thus increased safety of the fluid system can be achieved.
• the first fluid is cooled by a coolant, the model taking into account the change in the temperature of the coolant based on a further operating parameter at the first operating point and / or the cooling before carrying out at least step b). of the method is turned off. Also the
• Cooling as such may have an impact on the operating gradient during performance of the process, particularly during the establishment of the operating gradient, so that a corresponding pressure drop or pressure increase is not entirely due to leakage.
• the change in the temperature of the coolant itself or a dependent on the temperature of the coolant size represent the other operating parameters.
• the second Reference gradients can be achieved so that the safety of the fluid system is increased.
• the frequency of a misjudgment of a critical leak can be reduced.
• the model has a reaction term which takes into account the influence of a chemical reaction within the fluid system on the second reference gradient on the basis of at least one further operating parameter in the first operating point.
• the reaction term z As the, in particular mathematical, modeling of the chemical reaction at the membrane of a fuel cell can be understood. This results in possible
• Reaction term may preferably be provided as an analytical, mathematical function or as a characteristic map generally intended for a series or a single product of the fluid system. This can be an influence of a
• Residual reaction of at least the first fluid to the operating gradient of the operating pressure are taken into account and therefore a more accurate result can be achieved. This, in turn, leads to increased security.
• the reaction term can in particular itself represent the further operating parameter.
• steps b) to d) of the method are repeated cyclically.
• a leak can be checked regularly, so that the sample size of the measured values and thus the accuracy of the method is increased.
• the z. B. takes place after a certain period.
• a cyclic repetition may also be understood to mean that the steps of the method are per cycle of operation of the fluid system, for. B. when starting and / or switching off the fluid system can be performed.
• an interruption of the operation can be reduced and a reliable detection of a critical leakage can be given.
• the method steps in the order a) to d) can take place.
• the method steps, if technically expedient are carried out in a changed order and / or individual steps of the method are repeated.
• a fuel cell system which has at least one first fluid and at least one sensor for detecting at least one operating pressure.
• the fuel line system for carrying out a method according to one of claims 1 to
• the sensor may preferably be a pressure sensor, so that a pressure gradient can be determined in a simple and cost-effective manner.
• the fuel cell system may be a fuel cell system of a vehicle, so that the safety of the vehicle is increased by the method.
• Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the individual steps
• 2a and 2b each show a diagram of a pressure gradient over time in a further exemplary embodiment, each with different operating gradients
• FIG. 3a-d a modeling of a second reference gradient in one
• Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a model of a
• Figure 5 shows an inventive fuel cell system in one
• Figure 6 shows a vehicle with an inventive
• Fuel cell system in another embodiment is fuel cell system.
• FIG. 1 shows steps a) to d) of a method 100 according to the invention in a first exemplary embodiment, wherein according to a step a) a first reference gradient 210 of an operating pressure 200 of a first fluid is provided.
• the provision may, for example, by a measurement of the first
• step b) becomes
• Operating gradient 201 of the operating pressure 200 in a first operating point 202 determined.
• a model 220 which takes into account the first reference gradient 210 according to step a) and at least one further operating parameter 221, a second reference gradient 211 is determined according to step c).
• the model 220 is predefined as a mathematical function, so that the further operating parameter 221 and the first reference gradient 210 can be used to determine the second reference gradient 211.
• the operating gradient 201 is compared and the second reference gradient 211. Specifically, at a time pressure loss represented by the operation gradient 201, which is higher than the second reference gradient 211, an error response 212 is triggered. This may warn a user of critical leakage.
• at least steps b) to d) can be repeated, for example by more
• FIG. 2 a shows a diagram of a pressure gradient with respect to at least one further operating parameter 221.
• Model 220 represents the respective reference gradients depending on the particular operating point.
• the illustrated diagram is a simple, two-dimensional representation, with a dependence of the model 220 of additional operating parameters next to the other
• Reference gradient 211 in the first operating point 202 is located.
• the operating gradient 201 is to be classified such that an existing leakage is not critical.
• the pressure gradient may be the amount of the pressure gradient.
• FIG. 2b shows a
• FIGS. 3 a to d each show different embodiments of the invention
• the diagrams each show a pressure gradient compared to a further operating parameter 221.
• the curve of the model 220 contains both a first reference gradient 210 which is assigned to a reference operating point 203 and a second reference gradient 211 which corresponds to a first operating point 202 assigned. Between the reference operating point 203 and the first operating point 202, the further one respectively differs
• the curve of the model 220 therefore arises due to a mathematical function that takes into account the reference gradient 210 and respective other operating parameters 221.
• the first reference gradient 210 is a constant in the mathematical modeling of the model 220.
• FIG. 3a the other one is involved
• FIG. 3b shows a diagram of a pressure gradient with respect to FIG.
• Partial pressure of water which depends on the condensation of water 221.2. Accordingly, the mathematical modeling of the curve of the model 220 is based on the first reference gradient 210 and the condensation of water 221.2. Since the condensation of water 221.2 is easy to measure, in particular via the partial pressure of the water, the dependence of the model 220 on the condensation of water 221.2 is realized by taking into account the partial pressure. Similarly, in the embodiment according to FIG. 3c, consideration of the change in the temperature 221.3 in the model 220 takes place in that the, in particular theoretical, physical change of an operating pressure 200 mathematically enters the model 220 due to the temperature change 221.3. Accordingly, e.g. also a
• FIG. 3d shows, in a further exemplary embodiment, a curve of the model 220, which has a first
• reaction term 221.4 is to be understood in particular as a further mathematical function which, for example, at least the influence of the temperature and the
• FIG. 4 schematically shows a model 220 with different input variables.
• the model 220 is dependent on a first reference gradient 210, a secondary pressure 221.1, which may be represented for example by a pressure difference between an anode and a cathode in a designed as a fuel cell system 1 fluid system 1, a condensation of
• Water 221.2 which may be represented, for example, by the partial pressure of water, a change in the temperature 221.3, which may be represented, for example.
• Temperature change 221.3 can be caused and a
• Reaction term 221.4 which represents the change in pressure due to a residual chemical reaction, in particular mathematically.
• FIG. 5 shows a fuel cell system 1 according to the invention in another
• Fuel cell system 1 a cathode 3, which is supplied with a second fluid 11 and an anode 2, which is supplied with a first fluid 10. A reaction of the first fluid 10 with the second fluid 11 in
• fuel cell system 1 can generate an electrical voltage.
• the flow path of the first fluid 10 further comprises two valves 5 and a sensor 6.
• the valves 5 can be closed so that the sensor determines an operating gradient 201 by measuring the pressure over a period of time, in particular at least two times.
• the operating gradient 201 is in particular independent of
• Fuel cell system 1 is cooled by a cooling 4 by means of a coolant 12, wherein this cooling can be switched off and / or the temperature change of the coolant 12 can be measurable, so that the influence of the coolant 12 on a method 100 for diagnosing a leakage, in particular a critical leakage, of the fuel cell system 1 can be reduced.
• FIG. 6 shows a vehicle 300, which is an inventive
• Fuel cell system 1 has.
• a method 100 for diagnosing a critical leakage can be carried out, wherein the method 100 can be initiated and in particular controlled by a control unit 301 of the vehicle 300.

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• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fuel Cell (AREA)
• Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)

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• 2015
  • 2015-12-17 DE DE102015225600.6A patent/DE102015225600A1/de active Pending
• 2016
  • 2016-12-06 JP JP2018529220A patent/JP6781757B2/ja active Active
  • 2016-12-06 CN CN201680073390.2A patent/CN108475797B/zh active Active
  • 2016-12-06 WO PCT/EP2016/079909 patent/WO2017102445A1/de active Application Filing

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