Temperature Dependent Modeling of Silicon Strain Gauge-Based Pressure Sensors for Automotive Applications

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles have gained significant attention in the future mobility industry due to their fast refueling capabilities and long driving range. Hydrogen sensors play a crucial role in detecting hydrogen leaks in real time during storage, transportation, and utilization, preventing potential accidents. In particular, automotive pressure sensors monitor pressure levels within the hydrogen supply system, providing essential data for safe operation. Since hydrogen refueling occurs at low temperature, it is necessary for pressure sensors to accurately detect the refueling amount and optimize their temperature response time. In this letter, we propose a new simple methodology for evaluating and modeling the temperature responsiveness of automotive pressure sensors under low temperature hydrogen refueling conditions. We set up an experimental system to mimic rapid, low temperature hydrogen refueling and analyzed the correlation between input pressure of hydrogen and indicated pressure of the sensor. Through temperature response time analysis and corresponding parameters optimization, the proposed evaluation and modeling demonstrates its capability in assessing and improving sensor performance. These findings contribute to improving the reliability of hydrogen fuel systems and enhancing the safety for future automobiles and can be extended to other sensor technologies requiring a rapid temperature response.