Perceiving method and system of stack state for fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016172693-A1
Application number	US-201514696446-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A perceiving method and system of a stack state for a fuel cell system is provided. The method includes determining whether a vehicle provided with the fuel cell system is started and calculating a time until first condensate water is discharged through a condensate water discharging valve provided in the fuel cell system after the vehicle starts. Then, an average time until the first condensate water is discharged after the vehicle starts, at the previous starting of the vehicle is calculated over a predetermined number of times. The two calculated times are compared to determine the state of the stack or cathode of the fuel cell system without requiring additional separate components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A perceiving method of a stack state for a fuel cell system, comprising:
determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle provided with the fuel cell system is started; calculating, by the controller, a time until first condensate water is discharged through a condensate water discharging valve disposed within the fuel cell system after the vehicle starts; calculating, by the controller, an average time until the first condensate water is discharged at the time of previous starting of the vehicle over a predetermined number of times; and determining, by the controller, a state of a stack or a cathode of the fuel cell system.

2 . The perceiving method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the controller, the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system to be in a dry state when the time until first condensate water is discharged is greater than the average time until the first condensate water is discharged; and determining, by the controller, the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system to be in a wet state when the time average time until the first condensate water is discharged is greater than the time until first condensate water is discharged.

3 . The perceiving method according to claim 2 , wherein an air flow or an operating pressure is changed based on the state of the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system.

4 . The perceiving method according to claim 3 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined to be in the dry state, a water amount is increased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

5 . The perceiving method according to claim 3 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined to be in the wet state, a water amount is decreased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

6 . A perceiving method of a stack state for a fuel cell system, comprising:
determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle provided with the fuel cell system is started; calculating, by the controller, a period until condensate water is discharged through a condensate water discharging valve disposed within the fuel cell system while driving after the vehicle starts; calculating, by the controller, an average period until the condensate water is discharged while driving at the time of previous starting of the vehicle over a predetermined number of times; and determining, by the controller, a state of a stack or a cathode of the fuel cell system.

7 . The perceiving method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
determining, by the controller, the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system to be in a dry state when the period until condensate water is discharged is greater than the average period until the condensate water is discharged; and determining, by the controller, the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system as a wet state when the average period until the condensate water is discharged is greater than the period until condensate water is discharged.

8 . The perceiving method according to claim 7 , wherein an air flow or an operating pressure is changed based on the state of the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system.

9 . The perceiving method according to claim 8 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined to be in the dry state, a water amount is increased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

10 . The perceiving method according to claim 8 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined as the wet state, a water amount is decreased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

11 . A perceiving system of a stack state for a fuel cell system, comprising:
a memory configured to store program instructions; and a processor configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to: determine whether a vehicle provided with the fuel cell system is started; calculate a time until first condensate water is discharged through a condensate water discharging valve disposed within the fuel cell system after the vehicle starts; calculate an average time until the first condensate water is discharged at the time of previous starting of the vehicle over a predetermined number of times; and determine a state of a stack or a cathode of the fuel cell system.

12 . The perceiving system according to claim 11 , wherein the program instructions when executed are further configured to:
determine the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system to be in a dry state when the time until first condensate water is discharged is greater than the average time until the first condensate water is discharged; and determine the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system to be in a wet state when the time average time until the first condensate water is discharged is greater than the time until first condensate water is discharged.

13 . The perceiving system according to claim 12 , wherein an air flow or an operating pressure is changed based on the state of the stack or the cathode of the fuel cell system.

14 . The perceiving system according to claim 13 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined to be in the dry state, a water amount is increased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

15 . The perceiving system according to claim 3 , wherein when the stack or the cathode is determined to be in the wet state, a water amount is decreased by operating the stack or adjusting the air flow or the operating pressure of the fuel cell system.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Hyun Jae
• Kim Hyo Seop
• Jeon Yei Sik

Classifications

• H01M8/04746

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• H01M8/04492 Primary

  Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content · CPC title

• H01M8/04522

  of cathode exhausts · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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