This study aims to explore the primary acoustic sensing technologies in the field of hydrogen leak detection, focusing on analyzing their working principles and technological advancements.
Firstly, the typical sources of hydrogen leakage in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are categorized. Then, the acoustic characteristics of hydrogen leakage (e.g. frequency spectrum distribution and sound pressure variation) are analyzed in depth. Based on these characteristics, the major acoustic sensing technologies for hydrogen leakage detection are investigated. These include surface acoustic wave (SAW), ultrasonic, photoacoustic and artificial intelligence (AI) integrated acoustic sensing technologies, which are investigated and compared. Finally, the current challenges and future trends of acoustic sensing-bad hydrogen leakage detection are summarized.
Several major acoustic sensing technologies exhibit distinct characteristics in hydrogen leak detection: Ultrasonic sensing technology features non-contact operation, strong directionality and high environmental adaptability for detecting high-pressure hydrogen leaks. SAW sensing technology offers high sensitivity, strong anti-interference capabilities and passive wireless operation. Photoacoustic sensing technology exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity, making it suitable for precise detection of low-concentration gases. Concurrently, the integration of AI significantly enhances the interference resistance and detection accuracy of acoustic sensing systems in complex automotive environments. Despite playing a vital role in hydrogen leak detection, acoustic sensing technologies still face challenges, such as environmental interference, false alarms and the complexity of leak sound characteristics.
This study presents a systematic analytical framework for HFCV hydrogen leakage detection based on acoustic sensing. This framework integrates leakage source analysis, acoustic characteristic exploration and investigation of multi-type acoustic sensing technologies. It presents AI-integrated acoustic sensing will be the main future trends in detecting hydrogen leakage detection technologies, especially in complex automotive scenarios.
