Apparatus and method for diagnosing fuel cell and vehicle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10777830-B2
Application number	US-201715815028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 3, 2017
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus for diagnosing a fuel cell and a vehicle system includes a measuring device that measures a stack voltage and a stack current from a fuel cell stack, and at least one processor that extracts a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points corresponding to the reference current points by analyzing the measured stack voltage and the measured stack current, calculates an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a reference signal waveform formed by using voltage differences between the reference voltage points, and determines an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for diagnosing a fuel cell, the apparatus comprising:
a measuring device configured to measure a stack voltage and a stack current from a fuel cell stack; and
at least one processor configured to:
extract a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points corresponding to the reference current points by analyzing the measured stack voltage and the measured stack current;
calculate an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a reference signal waveform formed by using voltage differences between the reference voltage points; and
determine an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack,

wherein the at least one processor extracts at least three reference current points by analyzing a histogram of the stack current.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor:
extracts two current points, which make a current value difference of at least a reference value therebetween, among current points having a frequency of occurrence equal to or greater than a reference number, according to a histogram analysis result of the stack current; and
extracts, as a reference current point, one or more current points having an intermediate current value between values of the extracted two current points.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor calculates at least three reference voltage points corresponding to the at least three reference current points, which are extracted by analyzing the stack voltage and the stack current.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the reference signal waveform is a sinusoidal waveform having amplitudes which are formed by using voltage differences among the at least three reference voltage points.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor calculates the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a ratio of a sum of harmonic amplitudes included in an output signal based on the reference signal waveform to an amplitude of an input signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor determines the fuel cell stack to be in an abnormal state if the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack exceeds a set ratio.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor determines the fuel cell stack to be in an abnormal state if the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack is increased by at least a set ratio from an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack in a normal state.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
filter the stack voltage and the stack current, which are measured, based on a reference value.

9. A method for diagnosing a fuel cell, the method comprising steps of:
measuring a stack voltage and a stack current from a fuel cell stack;
extracting, by at least one processor, a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points corresponding to the reference current points by analyzing the measured stack voltage and the measured stack current;
forming, by the at least one processor, a reference signal waveform by using voltage differences among the reference voltage points;
calculating, by the at least one processor, an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on the reference signal waveform; and
determining, by the at least one processor, an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack based on the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the step of extracting a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points includes extracting at least three reference current points by analyzing a histogram of the stack current.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of extracting a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points includes:
extracting two current points, which make a current value difference of at least a reference value therebetween, among current points having a frequency of occurrence equal to or greater than a reference number, according to a histogram analysis result of the stack current; and
extracting, as reference current points, one or more current points having an intermediate current value between values of the extracted two current points.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of extracting a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points includes:
calculating at least three reference voltage points corresponding to the at least three reference current points, which are extracted by analyzing the stack voltage and the stack current.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reference signal waveform is a sinusoidal waveform having amplitudes which are formed by using voltage differences among the at least three reference voltage points.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of calculating an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack includes:
calculating the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a ratio of a sum of harmonic amplitudes included in an output signal based on the reference signal waveform to an amplitude of an input signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of determining an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack includes:
determining the fuel cell stack to be in an abnormal state if the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack is equal to or more than a set ratio.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of determining an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack includes:
determining the fuel cell stack to be in an abnormal state if the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack is increased by at least a set ratio from an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack in a normal state.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
filtering, by the at least one processor, the stack voltage and the stack current, which are measured in the measuring of the stack voltage and the stack current, based on a reference value.

17. A vehicle system comprising:
a fuel cell stack;
a diagnosis device implemented by at least one processor and configured to:
extract a plurality of reference current points and a plurality of reference voltage points corresponding to the reference current points by analyzing a stack voltage and a stack current measured from the fuel cell stack;
calculate an abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a reference signal waveform formed by using voltage differences between the reference voltage points; and
determine an abnormal state of the fuel cell stack based on the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack; and

an input/output interface communicatively connected through the at least one processor and configured to output the abnormal state of the fuel cell stack,
wherein the diagnosis device extracts at least three reference current points by analyzing a histogram of the stack current.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17 , wherein the diagnosis device calculates the abnormality degree of the fuel cell stack based on a ratio of a sum of harmonic amplitudes included in an output signal based on the reference signal waveform to an amplitude of an input signal.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Won Sang Bok
• Jin Young Pin
• Jeong Kwi Seong
• Nam Gi Young

Classifications

• B60L58/30

  for monitoring or controlling fuel cells · CPC title

• B60L3/0053

  relating to fuel cells · CPC title

• 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

• H01M8/04559

  of fuel cell stacks · CPC title

• H01M8/04589

  of fuel cell stacks · CPC title