Fuel cell system and control method of the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10141591-B2
Application number	US-201715444697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A fuel cell system comprises a controller configured to: (i) calculate a torque target value of a compressor and an opening position target value of a pressure regulation valve from a flow rate target value of a cathode gas and a pressure target value of a cathode gas flow path, the flow rate target value of the cathode gas and the pressure target value being determined according to a required power output of a fuel cell stack; (ii) calculate a torque feedback value of the compressor from a difference between a flow rate measurement value and the flow rate target value of the cathode gas, and control the compressor using a torque command value obtained by adding the torque target value and the torque feedback value; and (iii) calculate an opening position feedback value of the pressure regulation valve from a difference between a pressure measurement value and the pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path, and control an opening position of the pressure regulation valve using an opening position command value obtained by adding the opening position target value of the pressure regulation valve and a delayed opening position feedback value that is obtained by delaying the opening position feedback value. This configuration suppresses the hunting of the flow rate and the pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell stack;
a compressor configured to supply a cathode gas to the fuel cell stack through a cathode gas flow path;
a pressure regulation valve configured to regulate a pressure of the cathode gas flow path;
a flowmeter configured to measure a flow rate of the cathode gas that is to be supplied to the fuel cell stack;
a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the cathode gas flow path; and
a controller, wherein
the controller is configured to:
(i) calculate a torque target value of the compressor and an opening position target value of the pressure regulation valve from a flow rate target value of the cathode gas and a pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path, the flow rate target value of the cathode gas and the pressure target value being determined according to a required power output of the fuel cell stack;
(ii) calculate a torque feedback value of the compressor from a difference between a flow rate measurement value and the flow rate target value of the cathode gas, and control the compressor using a torque command value obtained by adding the torque target value and the torque feedback value; and
(iii) calculate an opening position feedback value of the pressure regulation valve from a difference between a pressure measurement value and the pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path, and control an opening position of the pressure regulation valve using an opening position command value obtained by adding the opening position target value of the pressure regulation valve and a delayed opening position feedback value that is obtained by delaying the opening position feedback value.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller comprises, as a delay processor configured to delay the opening position feedback value, at least one of:
a first delay processor configured to perform at least one of a first-order delay or a second-order delay and a dead time delay; and
a second delay processor configured to replace the opening position feedback value with zero for a time period from a change of at least one of the torque target value and the opening position target value until satisfaction of a predetermined judgement condition.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller comprises the second delay processor, and
the judgement condition is that an absolute value of the torque feedback value becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller comprises the second delay processor, and
the judgement condition includes at least one of a condition that an absolute value of the difference between the flow rate measurement value and the flow rate target value of the cathode gas becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value and a condition that an absolute value of an amount of change of the flow rate measurement value of the cathode gas per unit time becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller comprises the second delay processor, and
the judgement condition includes at least one of a condition that an absolute value of the difference between the pressure measurement value of the cathode gas flow path and the pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value and a condition that an absolute value of an amount of change of the pressure measurement value of the cathode gas flow path per unit time becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

6. A control method of a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack; a compressor configured to supply a cathode gas to the fuel cell stack through a cathode gas flow path; a pressure regulation valve configured to regulate a pressure of the cathode gas flow path; a flowmeter configured to measure a flow rate of the cathode gas that is to be supplied to the fuel cell stack; and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the cathode gas flow path,
the control method comprising the steps of:
(i) calculating a torque target value of the compressor and an opening position target value of the pressure regulation valve from a flow rate target value of the cathode gas and a pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path, the flow rate target value of the cathode gas and the pressure target value being determined according to a required power output of the fuel cell stack;
(ii) calculating a torque feedback value of the compressor from a difference between a flow rate measurement value and the flow rate target value of the cathode gas, and controlling the compressor using a torque command value obtained by adding the torque target value and the torque feedback value; and
(iii) calculating an opening position feedback value of the pressure regulation valve from a difference between a pressure measurement value and the pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path, and controlling an opening position of the pressure regulation valve using an opening position command value obtained by adding the opening position target value of the pressure regulation valve and a delayed opening position feedback value that is obtained by delaying the opening position feedback value.

7. The control method of the fuel cell system according to claim 6 ,
the control method comprising the steps of performing a delay process of delaying the opening position feedback value, wherein the delay process comprises at least one of:
a first delay process of performing at least one of a first-order delay, a second-order delay, and a dead time delay, and
a second delay process of replacing the opening position feedback value with zero for a time period from a change of at least one of the torque target value and the opening position target value to satisfaction of a predetermined judgement condition.

8. The control method of the fuel cell system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the delay process of delaying the opening position feedback value is the second delay process, and
the judgement condition is that an absolute value of the torque feedback value becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

9. The control method of the fuel cell system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the delay process of delaying the opening position feedback value is the second delay process, and
the judgement condition includes at least one of a condition that an absolute value of the difference between the flow rate measurement value and the flow rate target value of the cathode gas becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value and a condition that an absolute value of an amount of change of the flow rate measurement value of the cathode gas per unit time becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

10. The control method of the fuel cell system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the delay process of delaying the opening position feedback value is the second delay process, and
the judgement condition includes at least one of a condition that an absolute value of the difference between the pressure measurement value and the pressure target value of the cathode gas flow path becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value and a condition that an absolute value of an amount of change of the pressure measurement value of the cathode gas flow path per unit time becomes equal to or less than a predetermined reference value.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Naoki
• Iio Atsuo
• Oda Kohei
• Yamanaka Tomio

Classifications

• H01M8/04992

  characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence · CPC title

• H01M8/04753 Primary

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04395 Primary

  of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell · CPC title

• H01M8/04089

  of gaseous reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04111

  using a compressor turbine assembly · CPC title