Structure of fuel cell system and controlling method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10090545-B2
Application number	US-201514734136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A structure of a fuel cell system and a controlling method thereof are provided. The structure of the fuel cell system includes a flow sensor that is configured to detect a flow of air introduced into the fuel cell system and an air compressor that is configured to compress the introduced air and has an air foil bearing to maintain minimum driving revolutions per minute or greater. Additionally, the system includes a flow adjuster that is connected to the fuel cell system. Accordingly, since an amount of air corresponding to a required amount of air of the fuel cell system is supplied by limiting or recirculating an excessive air supply while securing durability and durability of abrasion of the air compressor to which the air foil bearing is applied, a dry phenomenon of the fuel cell system including a stack due to the excessive supply of air is prevented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure of a fuel cell system, comprising:
a flow sensor configured to detect a flow of air introduced into the fuel cell system;
an air compressor configured to compress the introduced air and having an air foil bearing such that a shaft and a foil are lifted-off when the shaft rotates at a lift-up revolutions per minute (rpm) or greater;
a flow adjuster connected to the fuel cell system; and
a controller configured to:
determine whether the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is a required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
drive the air compressor at the lift-up rpm when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is the required rpm of the air compressor or greater; and
adjust the flow adjuster to decrease a supply flow of the air to the fuel cell system when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is greater than the required rpm of the air compressor.

2. The structure of the fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow adjuster is an exhaust pressure adjusting valve connected to the fuel cell system and configured to adjust exhaust pressure and an air supply amount.

3. The structure of the fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust an opening degree of the exhaust pressure adjusting valve when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is greater than the required rpm of the air compressor.

4. A controlling method of a structure of a fuel cell system, the controlling method comprising:
collecting, by a controller, data regarding an air compressor;
determining, by the controller, whether a lift-up revolutions per minute (rpm) of the air compressor is a required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
driving, by the controller, the air compressor at the lift-up rpm when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is the required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
adjusting, by the controller,
a flow adjuster to decrease a supply flow of the air to the fuel cell system when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is greater than the required rpm of the air compressor.

5. The controlling method according to claim 4 , wherein the data regarding the air compressor includes the required rpm of the air compressor, the idle rpm of the air compressor, and a required amount of air and an actual amount of air of the fuel cell system.

6. A controlling method of a structure of a fuel cell system, the controlling method comprising:
collecting, by a controller, data regarding an air compressor of the fuel cell system;
determining, by the controller, whether a lift-up revolutions per minute (rpm) of the air compressor is a required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
driving, by the controller, the air compressor at the lift-up rpm when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is the required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
detecting, by the controller, an open and close state of a bypass valve that adjusts a recirculation flow from an outlet of the air compressor to an inlet of the air compressor; and
increasing, by the controller, the recirculation flow by increasing an open value of the bypass valve while closing of the bypass valve.

7. The controlling method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
increasing, by the controller, the open value of the bypass valve while opening of the bypass valve.

8. The controlling method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
detecting, by the controller, the open and close state of the bypass valve when the idle rpm of the air compressor is less than the required rpm of the air compressor.

9. The controlling method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
increasing, by the controller, a supply flow of the air to the fuel cell system by increasing the rpm of the air compressor when the bypass valve is closed.

10. The controlling method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
increasing, by the controller, the rpm of the air compressor and the supply flow, and closing, by the controller, the bypass valve when the bypass valve is opened.

11. The controlling method according to claim 6 , wherein the data regarding the air compressor includes the required rpm of the air compressor, the idle rpm of the air compressor, and a required amount of air and an actual amount of air of the fuel cell system.

12. A structure of a fuel cell system, comprising:
a flow sensor configured to detect a flow of air introduced into the fuel cell system;
an air compressor configured to compress the introduced air and having an air foil bearing such that a shaft and a foil are lifted-off when the shaft rotates at a lift-up revolutions per minute (rpm) or greater;
a line configured to be supplied with air compressed by the air compressor and recirculate a portion of the compressed air;
a bypass valve disposed at the line and adjusting a recirculation flow through the line; and
a controller configured to:
determine whether the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is a required rpm of the air compressor or greater;
drive the air compressor at the lift-up rpm when it is determined that the lift-up rpm of the air compressor is the required rpm of the air compressor or greater; and
increase the recirculation flow by increasing an open value of the bypass valve.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Hyuck Roul
• Ha Kyoung Ku
• Kim Hyun Yoo
• Lee Chang Ha

Classifications

• H01M8/04753 Primary

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04126

  Humidifying · CPC title

• H01M8/04089 Primary

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04761

  of fuel cell exhausts · CPC title

• H01M8/04097

  with recycling of the reactants (H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence) · CPC title