Fuel cell voltage response by controlling air flow on cathodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11664514-B2
Application number	US-202117217544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2021
Priority date	Mar 30, 2021
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

An automotive fuel cell stack includes anodes and cathodes, and a controller that, after receiving data indicating that load current demand is within a first pre-determined range, modulates a flow rate of air to the cathodes between zero and a pre-determined value until a cell output voltage achieves a value falling within a second pre-determined range greater than zero.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a fuel cell stack arranged to generate power for propelling the vehicle; and
a controller programmed to, upon activation of the vehicle,
pulse delivery of air to cathodes of the fuel cell stack such that a flow rate of air to the cathodes alternates between zero and a pre-determined value until a cell output voltage achieves a value falling within a pre-determined range, and
after the cell output voltage achieves the value falling within the pre-determined range, continually deliver air to the cathodes at a non-zero rate.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to begin delivering anode gas to anodes of the fuel cell stack before the pulse delivery.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the anode gas is hydrogen.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the pulse delivery of air to the cathodes continues until the controller receives a sensed input indicating an electrical current load demand exceeding the pre-determined range.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a ceiling value of the pre-determined range is 0.85 volts or less per cell.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined value is a maximum value.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a pump or valve, wherein the pulse delivery of air to cathodes includes actuating the pump or valve.

8. An automotive fuel cell stack comprising:
anodes and cathodes; and
a controller programmed to, after receiving data indicating that load current demand is within a first pre-determined range, modulate a flow rate of air to the cathodes between zero and a pre-determined value until a cell output voltage achieves a value falling within a second pre-determined range greater than zero.

9. The automotive fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein the pre-determined value is a maximum value.

10. The automotive fuel cell stack of claim 8 further comprising at least one of a compressor, a blower, or a valve, wherein the modulating includes speeding up or slowing down the compressor or the blower or opening or closing the valve.

11. The automotive fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein the first pre-determined range is indicative of a stop mode or a stop-start mode.

12. The automotive fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein a ceiling value of the second pre-determined range is 0.3 volts or less per cell.

13. The automotive fuel cell stack of claim 8 , wherein the modulating continues until the controller receives a sensed input indicating an electrical current load demand has exceeded the first pre-determined range.

14. A method for a vehicle, having a fuel cell stack for power generation, comprising:
after deactivating the vehicle, modulating between zero and a pre-determined value a flow rate of air to cathodes of the fuel cell stack until cell output voltage of the fuel cell stack achieves a value falling within a pre-determined range.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pre-determined value is a maximum value.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modulating is achieved by speeding up or slowing down a compressor or a blower or opening or closing a valve.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein a ceiling value of the pre-determined range is 0.3 volts per cell.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modulating continues until the fuel cell stack is substantially free of anode gas.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Papasavva Stella
• Mejia Mejia Valentina
• Qiu Zeng

Classifications

• B60L58/31

  for starting of fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• H01M8/04225

  during start-up · 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