Method and control unit for monitoring a pressure tank system

Abstract

A method monitors a pressure tank system of a stationary vehicle. The method detects a wake-up situation by use of sensor data of a main sensor of the vehicle. Furthermore, in reaction to the detection of a wake-up situation, the method activates a further resource for detecting and/or for evaluating sensor data with regard to the pressure tank system. Moreover, the method determines, by use of the further resource, whether one or more protective measures are to be carried out in relation to the pressure tank system and/or the surroundings thereof.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a pressure tank system containing fuel of a road motor vehicle when the road motor vehicle is stationary, the method comprising the steps of: operating a movement sensor of the stationary road motor vehicle so as to generate first sensor data, wherein the movement sensor is configured to detect movement of the stationary road motor vehicle; detecting that a wake-up situation is present from the first sensor data; in response to the detecting that the wake-up situation is present, activating at least one device, so as to thereby acquire and/or evaluate second sensor data relating to the pressure tank system, wherein the at least one device is not activated for acquiring and/or evaluating second sensor data relating to the pressure tank system prior to the wake-up situation being present; and determining, by way of the device, whether one or more protective measures relating to the pressure tank system and/or surroundings of the pressure tank system are to be carried out.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of: activating computational resources for a more extensive evaluation of the first sensor data of the movement sensor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective measures comprise one or more of: (i) outputting a message to a user of the vehicle; (ii) outputting data relating to a state of the pressure tank system; (iii) outputting an emergency call to an emergency call center; and (iv) taking up contact with at least one security device in the surroundings of the vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: determining, by the device, a state of the pressure tank system and/or a state of the surroundings of the pressure tank system; and selecting the one or more protective measures from a multiplicity of possible protective measures as a function of the state of the pressure tank system and/or the state of the surroundings of the pressure tank system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel comprises: a pressurized fuel; compressed natural gas; and/or cryo-compressed hydrogen, hydrogen at ambient temperature or liquid hydrogen.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection of a wake-up situation comprises: comparing the first sensor data of the movement sensor with a threshold value; and/or determining that the wake-up situation is present when the first sensor data exceed the threshold value for a predefined minimum duration.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation of the at least one device comprises: activating at least one detail sensor to acquire the second sensor data relating to the pressure tank system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one detail sensor comprises one or more of: (i) at least one sensor for measuring a concentration of the fuel in the surroundings of the pressure tank system; and (ii) at least one sensor for measuring a temperature and/or a pressure in the pressure tank system.

9. A system for monitoring a pressure tank system of a road motor vehicle when the road motor vehicle is stationary, comprising: a movement sensor of the stationary road motor vehicle, wherein the movement sensor is operable to generate first sensor data, and wherein the movement sensor is configured to detect movement of the stationary road motor vehicle; a device configured to acquire and/or evaluate second sensor data relating to the pressure tank system; and a control unit configured to: detect that a wake-up situation is present from the first sensor data; activate the device in response to detecting that the wake-up situation is present, so as to acquire and/or evaluate the second sensor data, wherein the is not activated for acquiring and/or evaluating second sensor data relating to the pressure tank system prior to the wake-up situation being present; and determine, via the device, whether one or more protective measures relating to the pressure tank system and/or surroundings of the pressure tank system are to be carried out.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle having a pressure tank system.

(2) FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for monitoring a pressure tank system of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) As stated at the beginning, the present document is concerned with the reliable and energy-efficient monitoring of a pressure tank system of a stationary, in particular parked, vehicle. In this context, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a vehicle 100 with a pressure tank system 105 for storing a fuel 106 (e.g. for storing cryo-compressed hydrogen (CcH2), gaseous hydrogen (CGH2) or liquid hydrogen). The fuel 106 can be used to drive the vehicle 100. In particular, hydrogen 106 in a fuel cell can be converted into electrical energy for operating an electrical drive machine of the vehicle 100.

(4) The vehicle 100 comprises a multiplicity of sensors 104, 107, for monitoring the pressure tank system 105. Exemplary sensors 104, 107 are: (i) one or more sensors for measuring a leak of the pressure tank system 105, e.g. by measuring density differences, in particular with a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor; (ii) a hydrogen sensor system for measuring a hydrogen concentration in the surroundings of the pressure tank system 105; (iii) a sensor system for measuring a heat flow (e.g. by use of a thermoelectric generator); (iv) a sensor system for measuring temperature; (v) a sensor system (with one or more sensors and, if appropriate, evaluation logic) for monitoring insulation (e.g. for detecting a change in the internal energy in the pressure tank system 105 and/or for determining the vacuum pressure in the case of a CcH2 (cryo-compressed hydrogen) tank).

(5) The state of the pressure tank system 105 can be reliably determined on the basis of the sensors 104, 107. In particular, it is possible to determine whether a state of the pressure tank system 105 is present which requires a protective measure to be carried out. An exemplary protective measure is e.g. the outputting of a message to a user of the vehicle 100 via a communication unit 103 of the vehicle 100, the dispatching of an emergency call to an emergency call center (e.g. to the fire service) via the communication unit 103, the outputting of data relating to the state of the pressure tank system 105 to an emergency call center via the communication unit 103, and/or the contacting of an online-enabled object in the surroundings of the vehicle 100 (e.g. to the fire extinguishing system of a multi-storey car park or to the emergency ventilation system of a tunnel, or to a traffic light circuit or to an indicator board or to a smartphone of a passer-by in order to warn the passer-by etc.). For example, an emergency call can automatically be dispatched as a function of the criticality of the determined state of the pressure tank system 105. Alternatively or additionally, a camera system of the vehicle 100 can be activated in order to acquire image data of the surroundings and/or of the vehicle 100 and transmit them via the communication unit 103.

(6) In the parked state, the energized resources of a vehicle 100 are typically limited. In order thereby to permit reliable monitoring of a pressure tank system 105 of the vehicle 100, one or more basic sensors 102, 104 can be made available in the vehicle 100, which basic sensors 102, 104 are also active in the parked state of the vehicle 100 in order to check whether a wake-up situation is present which makes it necessary to activate a further sensor system 107 (in this document also referred to as one or more detail sensors 107) for determining the state of the pressure tank system 105.

(7) The one or more basic sensors 102, 104 can comprise e.g. a movement sensor 102 (in particular an acceleration sensor) which is configured to detect a movement of the parked vehicle 100. For example, on the basis of the movement sensors 102 it is possible to determine whether the parked vehicle 100 has been bumped into or whether another vehicle has driven into the parked vehicle 100. A substantial movement (in particular a substantial acceleration) of the parked vehicle 100 can be evaluated as a wake-up situation which makes further checking of the state of the pressure tank system 105 necessary.

(8) Alternatively or additionally, the one or more basic sensors 102, 104 can comprise one or more of the sensors for monitoring the state of the pressure tank system 105. For example, a temperature sensor and/or a heat flow sensor (if appropriate a plurality of sensors at different locations of the vehicle 100) can be used to detect substantial heating in the direct surroundings of the pressure tank system 105 as a wake-up situation. Alternatively or additionally, the fuel concentration in the direct surroundings of the pressure tank system 105 can be sensed by means of one or more fuel sensors and a wake-up situation can be detected when there is a raised fuel concentration.

(9) A control unit 101 of the vehicle 100 can periodically evaluate the sensor data of the one or more basic sensors 102, 104 to determine whether a wake-up situation and/or a wake-up event is present. For example, on the basis of an acceleration sensor 102 it is periodically or continuously possible to determine acceleration values. Alternatively or additionally, temperatures, pressure (in particular tank pressure) and/or the heat flow at different vehicle locations and, if appropriate, the concentration of hydrogen can be determined. It can then be determined whether an applied or a permanently defined threshold value is exceeded. Furthermore, the duration for which values are exceeded can be measured. It can then be decided whether an event and, if appropriate, what type of event, has taken place (e.g. a simple bump during parking, a serious accident, etc.). In particular it is possible to determine whether or not a wake-up situation is present.

(10) If it is determined that a wake-up situation is present, one or more detail sensors 107 and/or computational resources of the vehicle 100 can be activated. In particular, a control device of the pressure tank system 105 can be activated. On the basis of the sensor data of the one or more detail sensors 107 it is then possible to determine whether the pressure tank system 105 is in a state which makes it necessary to carry out a protective measure (e.g. whether there is damage to the pressure tank system 105). In particular, a protective measure can be carried out as a function of the sensor data of the one or more detail sensors 107.

(11) The one or more detail sensors 107 can comprise e.g. a sensor system (in particular one or more sensors and/or evaluation logic) for measuring a leak and/or for monitoring insulation. Furthermore, the one or more detail sensors 107 can comprise a sensor system for measuring a fuel concentration, for measuring a heat flow, for measuring a tank pressure and/or for measuring a temperature.

(12) Alternatively or additionally, additional resources for evaluating sensor data can be activated in reaction to the detection of a wake-up situation. In particular, plausibility checking of sensor data can be carried out (e.g. self-diagnostics of the sensors 102, 104, 107 for functional capability, coordination of the sensor data with the values when parking the vehicle 100, correction of sensor data (e.g. when changing the temperature) etc.).

(13) The sensor system 102, 104, 107 of the vehicle 100 can be installed in an electric on-board power system of the vehicle 100 in such a way that, even when the parked vehicle 100 experiences an accident, a power supply to the sensor system 102, 104, 107 and/or the computational resources 101 is ensured. At least part of the sensor system 102, 104, 107 (in particular for measuring heat flow) can be supplied with power in an autonomous fashion by a thermoelectric generator.

(14) If it is not possible to detect an event that requires the execution of a protective measure, the detail sensor system 107 and/or at least part of the control unit 101 can be deactivated or changed to a “sleep mode” (the power consumption of the electrical on-board power system of the vehicle 100 can therefore be reduced). The control unit 101 and/or the detail sensor system 107 can, if appropriate, be woken up again after permanently defined time periods, and monitoring can be started anew in order to detect possible thermodynamic and/or critical states of the pressure tank system 105.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method 200 for monitoring a pressure tank system 105 of a parked vehicle 100. The pressure tank system 105 contains a fuel 106 which is used to drive the vehicle 100. The method 200 can be executed if it is detected that the vehicle 100 has been parked at a parked position and/or that the drive engine of the vehicle 100 has been deactivated. The method 200 can be executed e.g. by means of a control unit 101 of the vehicle 100.

(16) The method 200 comprises detecting 201 a wake-up situation by way of sensor data of a basic sensor 102, 104 of the vehicle 100. The basic sensor 102, 104 can comprise, in particular, a movement sensor 102 (e.g. an accelerator sensor). For example, a wake-up situation can be detected if the sensor data of a movement sensor 102 of the vehicle 100 indicate that the parked vehicle 100 has been moved by more than a specific minimum distance, has moved at more than a specific minimum speed and/or has been accelerated by more than a specific minimum acceleration.

(17) Furthermore, the method 200 comprises, in reaction to the detection 201 of a wake-up situation, the activation 202 of further resources 101, 107 for acquiring and/or evaluating sensor data relating to the pressure tank system 105. In particular, one or more detail sensors 107 can be activated in order to acquire (more extensive) sensor data relating to the state of the pressure tank system 107. Alternatively or additionally, further computational resources (e.g. further computational resources of the control unit 101 and/or a control device of the pressure tank system 105 and/or a vehicle-external resource) can be activated in order to perform a more extensive evaluation of sensor data. It is then possible to determine, by means of the further resources 101, 107 (step 203), whether at least one protective measure relating to the pressure tank system 105 is to be carried out or not. If appropriate, a specific protective measure can then be carried out.

(18) Therefore, event-controlled monitoring of a thermodynamic tank system 105 of a vehicle 100 in a parked state is described. The described measures permit the detection and transmission of critical and safety-conditioned states, situations and/or events, as well as the transmission of information on the surroundings. This permits therefore improved estimation of situations and more rapid execution of protective measures relating to a pressure tank system 105 and its surroundings.

(19) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.