Optical sensor module to evaluate the safety of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging station against explosion

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This paper proposes an optical sensor module and level gauge to evaluate the safety of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging station and experimentally verifies its feasibility.

Methods/Statistical analysis: In this study, we propose an optical sensor module for the hydrogen storage tank of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging station. A fiber Bragg grating device with a sensor was constructed to monitor strain variations in order to measure the level of liquid hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank.

Findings: A fuel cell vehicle injects liquid hydrogen from a hydrogen station and operates on the electrical energy obtained it. Hydrogen stations have a risk of explosion. If an electrically operable element that can detect the level of the combustible liquid used, combustible vapor generated from the combustible liquid by the electric arc may ignite and cause a fire or an explosion. Therefore, methods to electrically detect the level of liquid pose a risk of safety. This risk can be eliminated by using a fiber module instead of an electrical signal to measure the flow rate and level of hydrogen.In this study, we propose and fabricate a fiber optic sensor for detecting the level of liquid hydrogen using optical signals. A hydrogen gauge based on a pulley type optical sensor module was implemented and its validity was demonstrated through experimental verification of each component.

Improvements/Applications: The results demonstrate that the proposed optical fiber sensor can stably detect the level of liquid hydrogen while preventing the risk of fire or explosion by using optical signals.

Keywords:Optic, Sensor, Module, Fiber Bragg grating, Hydrogen, Vehicle