# US 12,191,541 B2 · Method for diagnosing failure in pressure gauge of hydrogen filling system and method for calibrating pressure gauge of hydrogen filling system

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- Number: US 12,191,541 B2
- Document ID: US12191541B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/019,992
- Filed: 2020-09-14
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-26
- Assignees: Eneos Corporation
- Applicants: ENEOS Corporation
- Inventors: Akihiko Fukunaga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191541B2

## CPC

- H01M 8/04425: {at auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners}
- B60L 3/0053: {relating to fuel cells}
- B60L 3/12: Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables}
- B60L 50/72: Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
- F17C 5/007: {for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles (filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00)}
- F17C 5/06: for filling with compressed gases
- F17C 13/02: Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment (measuring in general G01)
- F17C 13/025: {having the pressure as the parameter}
- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes}
- H01M 8/04753: {of fuel cell reactants}
- F17C 2205/0323: Valves
- F17C 2205/0332: Safety valves or pressure relief valves
- F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen
- F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2223/036: Very high pressure (>80 bar)
- F17C 2225/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
- F17C 2225/036: Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
- F17C 2227/0157: Compressors
- F17C 2227/0337: by cooling
- F17C 2227/0388: separate
- F17C 2227/043: by pressure cascade
- F17C 2250/032: using computers
- F17C 2250/034: using wireless transmissions
- F17C 2250/043: Pressure
- F17C 2250/0434: Pressure difference
- F17C 2250/0443: Flow or movement of content
- F17C 2250/0473: Time or time periods
- F17C 2250/0631: Temperature
- F17C 2250/0694: with calculations
- F17C 2260/024: Improving metering
- F17C 2265/065: for refuelling vehicle fuel tanks
- F17C 2270/0139: Fuel stations
- F17C 2270/0178: Cars
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for diagnosing failure in a pressure gauge of a hydrogen filling system includes filling a fuel cell vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel with the hydrogen fuel from an accumulator, in which the hydrogen fuel is accumulated, via a dispenser; and acquiring pressure values measured by a plurality of pressure gauges disposed at different positions in a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and an outlet of the dispenser at timing when a flow rate of the hydrogen fuel to be filled at a stage close to an end of the filling becomes a threshold value or less, determining whether or not a deviation between the pressure values is within a threshold value on the basis of acquired pressure values, and outputting a determination result.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for diagnosing failure in a pressure gauge of a hydrogen filling system, comprising:
providing a hydrogen filling system that includes:
an accumulator in which hydrogen fuel is accumulated;
a dispenser configured to fill a fuel cell vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel with the hydrogen fuel from the accumulator;
a plurality of pressure gauges disposed at different positions in a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and the outlet of the dispenser; and
a control circuit configured to control the hydrogen filling system, wherein the method further includes:
acquiring, with the control circuit, pressure values measured by the plurality of pressure gauges at a time that a pressure gauge closest to an outlet of the dispenser in the plurality of pressure gauges indicates a highest value during the filling of the hydrogen fuel,
determining, with the control circuit, whether or not a deviation between the pressure values is within a threshold pressure value on the basis of acquired pressure values from only the plurality of pressure gauges disposed between the accumulator and the outlet of the dispenser, and
outputting, with the control circuit, a determination result;
accumulating the hydrogen fuel in a multi-stage accumulator including the accumulator; and
providing the plurality of pressure gauges at least at a position adjacent to each accumulator of the multi-stage accumulator, near an inlet in the dispenser, and near an outlet in the dispenser.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
wherein the dispenser sequentially fills a plurality of fuel cell vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel with the hydrogen fuel on different dates from the accumulator,
and wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
acquire pressure values measured by pressure gauges disposed at different positions in a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and just before a shut-off valve of the dispenser in the plurality of pressure gauges at a time that the shut-off valve of the dispenser is closed after a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and the fuel cell vehicle filled with the hydrogen fuel is temporarily opened before starting the filling of the hydrogen fuel, for each time each of the plurality of fuel cell vehicles is filled with the hydrogen fuel, and record the pressure values in association with dates, and
determine whether or not a pressure change in transition of each pressure value recorded on a different date is within a threshold value, for each of the plurality of pressure gauges, and
output a determination result.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the filling of the hydrogen fuel is performed for a plurality of fuel cell vehicles on different dates, and
the control circuit is further configured to:
acquire pressure values measured by pressure gauges disposed at different positions in a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and just before a shut-off valve of the dispenser in the plurality of pressure gauges at a time that the shut-off valve of the dispenser is closed after a flow passage of the hydrogen fuel between the accumulator and the fuel cell vehicle filled with the hydrogen fuel is temporarily opened before starting the filling of the hydrogen fuel, for each time each of the plurality of fuel cell vehicles is filled with the hydrogen fuel, and record the pressure values in association with dates, and
determine whether or not a pressure change in transition of each pressure value recorded on a different date is within a threshold value, for each of the plurality of pressure gauges, and
output a determination result.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pressure gauges include two pressure gauges disposed in parallel near the outlet of the dispenser; and
the control circuit is further configured to automatically calibrate a pressure gauge diagnosed as a failure in the plurality of pressure gauges as the determination result, on the basis of one of the two pressure gauges.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
the control circuit is further configured to:
determine whether or not a pressure gauge in a depressurization portion of the dispenser in the plurality of pressure gauges indicates a zero gauge pressure at a time that a shut-off valve of the dispenser is closed and shut off after the filling ends and a flow passage on a side of an outlet of the dispenser is opened to an atmosphere; and
automatically calibrate the pressure gauge in the depressurization portion of the dispenser, in a state where the pressure gauge does not indicate the zero gauge pressure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
the control circuit is further configured to:
acquire pressure values measured by the plurality of pressure gauges at a time that a flow rate of the hydrogen fuel to be filled at a stage close to an end of the filling becomes a threshold value or less,
determine whether or not a deviation between the pressure values is within a threshold value on the basis of acquired pressure values, and
output a determination result.