Fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10756367-B2
Application number	US-201816186117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a water-level sensor that senses a water-level of water generated at an anode side of a fuel cell stack and stored in a water trap and a drain valve for the drain control of the generated water. A drain valve position sensor senses a position of the drain valve. A controller detects a failure situation by performing failure diagnosis based on the sensing information generated from the water-level sensor and the drain valve position sensor, and performs a corresponding control depending upon the failure situation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
a water-level sensor configured to sense a water-level of water generated at an anode side of a fuel cell stack and stored in a water trap;
a drain valve for the drain control of the generated water;
a drain valve position sensor configured to sense a closed position or an open position of the drain valve to mitigate an excessive shut-down and enhance drivability; and
a controller configured to detect a failure situation by performing failure diagnosis based on the sensing information generated from the water-level sensor and the drain valve position sensor, and perform a corresponding control depending upon the failure situation.

2. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the failure diagnosis is any one selected from the group consisting of: a water-level non-increased error diagnosis of the generated water, a water-level out-of-normal range diagnosis of the generated water, a drain valve opening error diagnosis, a drain valve closing error diagnosis, or a drain valve position sensor opening error diagnosis.

3. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the water-level non-increased error diagnosis determines a failure of the water-level sensor depending upon the increase of the water-level using a first current integrated value calculated by integrating a water-level sensor value of the water-level sensor, and considers at least one of fuel cell stack temperature and fuel cell stack current when calculating the first current integrated value.

4. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the fuel cell stack temperature is an inlet temperature or an outlet temperature of the fuel cell stack.

5. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the water-level out-of-normal range diagnosis of the generated water determines the water-level out-of-normal range of the generated water depending on whether the water-level sensor value is less than or greater than a particular value and the first current integrated value is maintained longer than a predetermined period of time.

6. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when the first current integrated value is a first setting integrated reference value or greater and the water-level sensor value is maintained at a first particular value or greater for a first predetermined period of time, or the water-level sensor value is a second particular value or less and the first current integrated value is maintained at a second setting integrated reference value or greater for a second predetermined period of time, the controller is configured to perform a drain control by opening the drain valve based on the second current integrated value that the water-level sensor value is integrated from upon operation of the fuel cell.

7. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drain valve opening error diagnosis determines a failure when the water-level of the generated water does not reduce within a predetermined period of time after a valve opening command, and the closed state on the drain valve position sensor is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

8. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when the opening of the drain valve fails, a current restriction control, a drain operation control based on the current integrated value, and an operation temperature upward control of the fuel cell stack are performed to make operation possible while preventing the generated water from being accumulated.

9. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drain valve closing error diagnosis determines a failure when the water-level of the generated water is maintained at a setting reference value or less within a predetermined period of time after a valve closing command, and the opened state on the drain valve position sensor is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

10. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein when the closing of the drain valve fails, a system shut-down control is performed to prevent hydrogen leakage.

11. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drain valve position sensor opening error diagnosis determines a failure when the water-level reduction of the generated water is sensed, and the opened state on the drain valve position sensor is maintained during opening of the drain valve.

12. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein when the opening of the drain valve position sensor fails, the controller is configured to perform a normal operation control.

13. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein when the opening of the drain valve position sensor fails, the controller is configured to output a user alarm.

14. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein when the opening of the drain valve position sensor fails, the controller is configured to generate a failure code for maintenance separately.

15. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hydrogen purge valve for hydrogen concentration maintenance control of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the controller is configured to perform a purge control using the drain valve when the hydrogen purge valve is not always closed or is unable be opened.

16. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to increase operation temperature and perform a normal operation control when the drain valve is not always closed.

17. The fuel cell failure diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform a normal operation control when the drain valve position sensor has any one of the disconnection failure of the sensor power supply, the short-circuit failure of the sensor power supply, the disconnection failure of the sensor, and the short-circuit failure of the sensor.

18. A fuel cell failure diagnostic method, comprising:
sensing, by a water-level sensor, a water-level of water generated at an anode side of a fuel cell stack and stored in a water trap;
performing, by a drain valve, a drain control of the generated water;
sensing, by a drain valve position sensor, a closed position or an open position of the drain valve to mitigate an excessive shut-down and enhance drivability; and
detecting, by a controller, a failure situation by performing a failure diagnosis based on the sensing information generated from the water-level sensor and the drain valve position sensor, and perform a corresponding control depending upon the failure situation.

19. The fuel cell failure diagnostic method of claim 18 , wherein the failure diagnosis is any one selected from the group consisting of: a water-level non-increased error diagnosis of the generated water, a water-level out-of-normal range diagnosis of the generated water, a drain valve opening error diagnosis, a drain valve closing error diagnosis, or a drain valve position sensor opening error diagnosis.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Jeong Seong-Cheol
• Kim Dae-Jong

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

• H01M8/04686 Primary

  of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors · CPC title

• H01M8/04492

  Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content · CPC title

• H01M8/04231

  Purging of the reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04156

  with product water removal · CPC title