Control method for hydrogen leak determining system of fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845014-B2
Application number	US-201514935386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A system control method is provided for measuring a distance between a smart key and a vehicle. When the distance between the smart key and the vehicle is changed based on a predetermined distance whether a hydrogen leak occurs is detected by a hydrogen sensor detection controller. A driver is then informed of a hydrogen leak via a display on a cluster, a turn-on of an emergency light, and a warning sound of the vehicle. Alternatively, a starting-impossible state of the vehicle or shutting-down starting of the vehicle is maintained to ensure safety measures based on the concentration of the leaking hydrogen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for a hydrogen leak determining system of a fuel cell vehicle which includes a plurality of hydrogen sensors disposed within the vehicle and configured to detect a hydrogen leak, the control method comprising:
receiving a hydrogen concentration measured by the hydrogen sensors, by a controller, and measuring a distance between the vehicle and a smart key,
determining, by the controller, whether the distance between the smart key and the vehicle is greater than or approaches a first set value;
executing, by the controller, detection of the hydrogen sensors when the distance between the smart key and the vehicle exceeds or approaches the first set value; and
determining, by the controller, whether a hydrogen leak occurs in the vehicle, using the hydrogen sensors,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
ventilate leaking hydrogen through a ventilator in response to determining that the hydrogen leak occurs.

2. The control method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that a hydrogen leak occurs, displaying, by the controller, a hydrogen leak message by turning on a cluster and an emergency light when an amount of the leaking hydrogen is equal to or greater than a second set value before or after starting the vehicle.

3. The control method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that a hydrogen leak occurs, maintaining, by the controller, a starting-impossible state of the vehicle or shutting-down starting of the vehicle when an amount of the leaking hydrogen is equal to or greater than a third set value before or after starting the vehicle.

4. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen sensors include four sensors, and the four sensors are disposed in the interior, an engine room, an engine room stack, and a hydrogen storage system of the vehicle, respectively.

5. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the detection of the hydrogen sensors is executed by a hydrogen storage control unit (HSCU).

6. A hydrogen leak determining system of a fuel cell vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of hydrogen sensors disposed within the vehicle and configured to detect a hydrogen leak; and
a controller configured to receive a hydrogen concentration measured by the hydrogen sensor and measure a distance between the vehicle and a smart key,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine whether the distance between the smart key and the vehicle is greater than or approaches a first set value;
execute detection of the hydrogen sensor when the distance between the smart key and the vehicle exceeds or approaches the first set value;
determine whether a hydrogen leak occurs in the vehicle, using the hydrogen sensor; and
ventilate leaking hydrogen through a ventilator in response to determining that the hydrogen leak occurs.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
display a hydrogen leak message by turning on a cluster and an emergency light when an amount of the leaking hydrogen is equal to or greater than a second set value before or after starting the vehicle in response to determining that a hydrogen leak occurs.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
maintain a starting-impossible state of the vehicle or shutting-down starting of the vehicle when an amount of the leaking hydrogen is equal to or greater than a third set value before or after starting the vehicle in response to determining that a hydrogen leak occurs.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the hydrogen sensors include four sensors, and the four sensors are disposed in the interior, an engine room, an engine room stack, and a hydrogen storage system of the vehicle, respectively.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Sang Hyun
• Shim Ji Hyun
• Hwang Ki Ho
• Kim Hyung Ki

Classifications

• B60K28/00

  Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions (electric safety devices on electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00) · CPC title

• B60L50/53

  in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines · CPC title

• B60L50/72

  Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L58/30

  for monitoring or controlling fuel cells · CPC title

• B60K2028/003

  inhibiting the starter motor, e.g. by controlling ignition or park lock circuits · CPC title