Method for controlling startup of fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10090540-B2
Application number	US-201615186046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A method for controlling startup of a fuel cell vehicle is provided. The disclosed method includes detecting generation of a startup command from a vehicle and supplying hydrogen to a fuel cell by opening a hydrogen valve. Additionally, the method includes detecting whether a fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen, and a first startup of consuming generated electric power of the fuel cell through connection of a load device to the fuel cell, supplying air to the fuel cell through opening an air valve and adjusting the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through adjustment of a bus stage voltage of a power converter when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling startup of a fuel cell vehicle, comprising:
detecting, by a controller, generation of a startup command from a vehicle;
supplying, by the controller, hydrogen to a fuel cell through opening of a hydrogen valve;
detecting, by the controller, whether a fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen; and
first startup of consuming, by the controller, generated electric power of the fuel cell through connection of a load device to the fuel cell, supplying air to the fuel cell through opening an air valve and adjusting the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through adjustment of a bus stage voltage of a power converter when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during the first startup, when the controller determines that the voltage of the fuel cell has increased after supply of hydrogen, the controller is configured to increase a pressure of supplied hydrogen through operation of a hydrogen valve, and purge hydrogen from the fuel cell to the outside through operation of a hydrogen purge device.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein, during the first startup, when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen, the controller is configured to increase a pressure of supplied hydrogen, and connect the load device to the fuel cell after a first predetermined time elapses.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during the first startup, when the air valve is opened, the controller is configured to disconnect the fuel cell from the load device, and adjust the bus stage voltage of the power converter.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, during the first startup, the controller is configured to charge a high voltage battery connected to a bus stage with electric power generated from the fuel cell, through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the controller, a time passing after final hydrogen purge, after the hydrogen supply; and
second startup of supplying, by the controller, air to the fuel cell through opening of the air valve, and adjusting the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter when the passed time is equal to or less than a second predetermined time.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein, during the second startup, when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage does not increase after supply of hydrogen, and the passed time is equal to or less than a second predetermined time, the controller is configured to supply air to the fuel cell for a third predetermined time by opening the air valve, and adjust the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, during the second startup, when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage does not increase after supply of hydrogen, and the passed time exceeds the second predetermined time, the controller is configured to supply air to the fuel cell for a fourth predetermined time by opening the air valve, and adjust the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter, and the fourth predetermined time is greater than the third predetermined time.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein, during the second startup, the controller is configured to supply air to the fuel cell, and purge hydrogen from the fuel cell after a fifth predetermined time elapses by operating a hydrogen purge device.

10. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
detecting, by the controller, a cutoff time passing after final cutoff of supply of hydrogen after the purge detection,
wherein, during the second startup, when the passed time exceeds the second predetermined time, and the cutoff time is equal to or less than a sixth predetermined time, the controller is configured to supply air to the fuel cell for a fourth predetermined time by opening the air valve, and adjust the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein, during the second startup, in response to determining that the passed time exceeds the second predetermined time, the cutoff time exceeds the sixth predetermined time, and the fuel cell voltage does not increase after supply of hydrogen, the controller is configured to supply air to the fuel cell for a fourth predetermined time by opening the air valve, and adjust the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein, in response to determining that the passed time exceeds the second predetermined time, the cutoff time exceeds the sixth predetermined time, and the fuel cell voltage has increased after supply of hydrogen, the controller is configured to perform the first startup.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the controller, a voltage of the fuel cell before supply of hydrogen, after the start; and
third startup of adjusting, by the controller, the fuel cell voltage to be maintained at a predetermined level or less through the adjustment of the bus stage voltage of the power converter after supply of hydrogen, and supplying air to the fuel cell through opening of the air valve after a seventh predetermined time passes, when the controller determines that the fuel cell voltage before supply of hydrogen is high.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Sang Uk
• Suh Kyung Won

Classifications

• H01M8/04302

  applied during start-up · CPC title

• H01M8/04225 Primary

  during start-up · CPC title

• H01M16/006

  of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• B60R16/033

  characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) · CPC title