Fuel cell vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12155100-B2
Application number	US-202318217789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2023
Priority date	Aug 31, 2022
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle includes a cell stack, a DC level converter, an output unit, a first switching unit disposed between a positive output terminal of the DC level converter and a positive input terminal of the output unit, a second switching unit disposed between a negative output terminal of the DC level converter and a negative input terminal of the output unit, a resistor and a third switching unit connected to each other in series between the positive output terminal of the DC level converter and the negative output terminal of the DC level converter, a fourth switching unit disposed between a contact point between the resistor and the third switching unit and the positive input terminal of the output unit, and a controller for controlling switching operation of the first, second, third and fourth switching units according to an operation mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell vehicle, comprising:
a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked one above another;
a DC level converter connected to the cell stack and configured to convert a level of stack voltage output from the cell stack and to output voltage having the converted level;
an output unit configured to be driven in response to at least one of main power or auxiliary power and to store the auxiliary power;
a first switching unit disposed between a positive output terminal of the DC level converter and a positive input terminal of the output unit to be selectively connected thereto;
a second switching unit disposed between a negative output terminal of the DC level converter and a negative input terminal of the output unit to be selectively connected thereto;
a resistor and a third switching unit connected to each other in series between the positive output terminal of the DC level converter and the negative output terminal of the DC level converter;
a fourth switching unit disposed between a contact point between the resistor and the third switching unit and the positive input terminal of the output unit to be selectively connected thereto; and
a controller configured to control switching operation of the first, second, third, and fourth switching units according to an operation mode.

2. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operation mode includes a plurality of modes operating at different time points.

3. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of modes includes:
a discharge mode discharging energy remaining in each of the cell stack and the DC level converter; and
a precharge mode operating before the main power is supplied to the output unit.

4. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the resistor includes a variable resistor.

5. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 4 , wherein a resistance value of the variable resistor is determined according to at least one of a performance time of the operation mode or a heat generation temperature of the resistor.

6. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the resistor has a resistance value of 100Ω to 200Ω.

7. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the DC level converter includes:
an input capacitor disposed between an output terminal of a positive-electrode side of the cell stack and an output terminal of a negative-electrode side of the cell stack;
an output capacitor disposed between the positive output terminal of the DC level converter and the negative output terminal of the DC level converter;
an inductor including one end connected to the output terminal of the positive-electrode side of the cell stack;
a diode including an anode connected to a remaining end of the inductor and a cathode connected to the positive output terminal of the DC level converter; and
a semiconductor switch disposed between the anode of the diode and the output terminal of the negative-electrode side of the cell stack to be connected thereto, the semiconductor switch being configured to be switched in response to a driving control signal of the controller.

8. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 7 ,
wherein the resistor has one end connected to the cathode of the diode, and
wherein the third switching unit is disposed between a remaining end of the resistor and the negative output terminal of the DC level converter to be selectively connected thereto.

9. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the resistor is disposed in the DC level converter.

10. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the DC level converter includes a first cooling unit configured to cool the resistor in a water-cooling manner.

11. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a junction box disposed between the DC level converter and the output unit to distribute power generated in the cell stack,
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth switching units are disposed in the junction box.

12. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the junction box includes a second cooling unit configured to cool the first, second, third, and fourth switching units in an air-cooling manner.

13. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the resistor is disposed in the junction box.

14. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the resistor is detachably disposed in the junction box.

15. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the output unit includes:
a load terminal configured to be driven in response to at least one of the main power or the auxiliary power supplied through the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal; and
a power storage unit configured to supply the stored auxiliary power to the load terminal through the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal.

16. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the power storage unit includes a high-voltage battery configured to supply the stored auxiliary power to the load terminal through the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal.

17. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the power storage unit includes a supercapacitor configured to supply the stored auxiliary power to the load terminal through the positive input terminal and the negative input terminal.

18. A fuel cell vehicle, comprising:
a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked one above another;
an input capacitor disposed between an output terminal of a positive-electrode side of the cell stack and an output terminal of a negative-electrode side of the cell stack;
an inductor including one end connected to the output terminal of the positive-electrode side of the cell stack;
a diode including an anode connected to a remaining end of the inductor;
an output capacitor disposed between a cathode of the diode and the output terminal of the negative-electrode side of the cell stack to be connected thereto;
a semiconductor switch disposed between the anode of the diode and the output terminal of the negative-electrode side of the cell stack to be connected thereto, the semiconductor switch being configured to be switched in response to a driving control signal;
a power storage unit configured to store auxiliary power;
a load terminal configured to be driven in response to at least one of main power applied across first and second ends of the output capacitor or the auxiliary power stored in the power storage unit;
a first switching unit disposed between a positive input terminal of each of the load terminal and the power storage unit and the cathode of the diode to be selectively connected thereto;
a second switching unit disposed between a negative input terminal of each of the load terminal and the power storage unit and the output terminal of the negative-electrode side of the cell stack to be selectively connected thereto;
a resistor including one end connected to the cathode of the diode;
a third switching unit disposed between a remaining end of the resistor and the output terminal of the negative-electrode side of the cell stack to be selectively connected thereto;
a fourth switching unit disposed between the positive input terminal of each of the load terminal and the power storage unit and the remaining end of the resistor to be selectively connected thereto; and
a controller configured to control switching operation of the first, second, third and fourth switching units according to an operation mode.

19. The fuel cell vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising:
a DC level converter connected to the cell stack and configured to convert a level of

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Ohm Ki Wook
• Lee Woo Young
• Lee Jong Jun
• Kim Myung Jin
• Chang Sae Kwon
• Kim Yoon Tae

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M16/006 Primary

  of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title