Fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10468694-B2
Application number	US-201815943593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2018
Priority date	Apr 6, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle on which a fuel cell system including a fuel cell is mounted includes a discharge mechanism configured to discharge moisture, generated by the fuel cell, from the fuel cell system to an outside of the vehicle, a camera configured to capture an image outside the vehicle, and an electronic control unit configured to determine whether predetermined control based on an information obtained from the image and executed or stopped in response to a driving status or drive mode of the vehicle in an on-state of an ignition switch is being executed, and, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, execute a low discharge process in which a discharge flow rate of water vapor that is discharged from the discharge mechanism to the outside of the vehicle is reduced as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell vehicle on which a fuel cell system including a fuel cell is mounted, the fuel cell vehicle comprising:
a discharge mechanism configured to discharge moisture, generated by the fuel cell, from the fuel cell system to an outside of the fuel cell vehicle;
a camera configured to capture an image outside the fuel cell vehicle; and
an electronic control unit configured to
determine whether predetermined control is being executed, the predetermined control being control that is based on an information obtained from the image and that is executed or stopped in response to a driving status or drive mode of the fuel cell vehicle in an on-state of an ignition switch, and
when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, execute a low discharge process, the low discharge process being a process in which a discharge flow rate of water vapor that is discharged from the discharge mechanism to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle is reduced as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

2. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic control unit is configured to predict whether the water vapor discharged to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle easily condenses based on at least one of an outside air temperature and an outside air humidity outside the fuel cell vehicle; and
in the low discharge process, when it is predicted that the water vapor easily condenses, the discharge flow rate is reduced as compared to when it is predicted that the water vapor does not condense.

3. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the discharge mechanism includes a reservoir unit and a drain valve, the reservoir unit is configured to store the moisture in a state of liquid water, the drain valve is configured to allow the liquid water stored in the reservoir unit to be drained to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle when the drain valve is open; and
in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a time interval at which the drain valve opens is shortened as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

4. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a reservoir storage threshold by which it is determined whether to drain the liquid water stored in the reservoir unit is reduced as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

5. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the discharge mechanism includes a discharge passage through which the moisture is discharged from a cathode of the fuel cell to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle; and
in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a time interval at which the cathode is scavenged is shortened as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

6. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a voltage threshold by which it is determined whether to scavenge the cathode is increased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

7. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a temperature of exhaust gas that contains the moisture and that is discharged from the fuel cell is decreased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

8. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a target temperature that is set based on an operating status of the fuel cell is decreased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

9. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined control is drive assist control in which driving of the fuel cell vehicle is assisted based on the information obtained from the image.

10. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit configured to display the image, wherein the predetermined control is display control in which the image is displayed on the display unit during backward movement of the fuel cell vehicle.

11. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein:
the discharge mechanism includes a reservoir unit and a drain valve, the reservoir unit is configured to store the moisture in a state of liquid water, the drain valve is configured to allow the liquid water stored in the reservoir unit to be drained to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle when the drain valve is open; and
in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a time interval at which the drain valve opens is shortened as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

12. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a reservoir storage threshold by which it is determined whether to drain the liquid water stored in the reservoir unit is reduced as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

13. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein:
the discharge mechanism includes a discharge passage through which the moisture is discharged from a cathode of the fuel cell to the outside of the fuel cell vehicle; and
in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a time interval at which the cathode is scavenged is shortened as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

14. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a voltage threshold by which it is determined whether to scavenge the cathode is increased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

15. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a temperature of exhaust gas that contains the moisture and that is discharged from the fuel cell is decreased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

16. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein, in the low discharge process, when it is determined that the predetermined control is being executed, a target temperature that is set based on an operating status of the fuel cell is decreased as compared to when it is determined that the predetermined control is stopped.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Masayuki

Classifications

• B60L58/30 Primary

  for monitoring or controlling fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/0662

  Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning · CPC title

• H01M8/04343

  of anode exhausts · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/04716

  of fuel cell exhausts · CPC title