Operation control method and system of fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016293983-A1
Application number	US-201514929661-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An operation control method and system of a fuel cell (stack) are provided and extend the operation field of the fuel cell in a fuel cell electric vehicle and ensure power performance in the initial stage of starting of the vehicle. In an operation control method of a fuel cell having improved reverse voltage durability, in which an oxygen evolution catalyst is added to the anode electrode, a cell voltage of the fuel cell during normal operation of the fuel cell is monitored. The monitored cell voltage of the fuel cell is compared with a first setting voltage. When the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in a cell of the fuel cell is performed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An operation control method of a fuel cell having improved reverse voltage durability, in which an oxygen evolution catalyst is added to an anode electrode, the operation control method comprising:
monitoring, by a controller, a cell voltage of the fuel cell during normal operation of the fuel cell; comparing, by the controller, the monitored cell voltage of the fuel cell with a first setting voltage; and when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage drops, performing, by the controller, a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in a cell of the fuel cell.

2 . The operation control method of claim 1 , wherein the first setting voltage is set as a threshold voltage at which the generation of a reverse voltage is possible.

3 . The operation control method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in the cell of the fuel cell is performed as one or both of a fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of air supplied to the fuel cell.

4 . The operation control method of claim 3 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell is performed first, and, in response to determining that the cell voltage is continuously decreased, the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air is performed.

5 . The operation control method of claim 3 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air are performed simultaneously.

6 . The operation control method of claim 3 , further comprising:
comparing, by the controller, the cell voltage of the fuel cell with a second setting voltage set as a threshold voltage for current limitation during the performance of the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in the cell of the fuel cell; and when the cell voltage is less than the second setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, performing, by the controller, current limitation for limiting the output current of the fuel cell.

7 . The operation control method of claim 3 , wherein the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell includes:
increasing, by the controller, the rotational frequency of a coolant pump to increase the flow path of a coolant as compared with that in the normal operation of the fuel cell operated at a cell voltage greater than the first setting voltage or more.

8 . The operation control method of claim 3 , wherein the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air includes:
operating, by the controller, a heater for increasing the temperature of air from an air blower to a humidifier.

9 . An operation control system of a fuel cell having improved reverse voltage durability, in which an oxygen evolution catalyst is added to an anode electrode, the operation control 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:
monitor a cell voltage of the fuel cell during normal operation of the fuel cell;
compare the monitored cell voltage of the fuel cell with a first setting voltage; and
when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage drops perform a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in a cell of the fuel cell.

10 . The operation control system of claim 9 , wherein the first setting voltage is set as a threshold voltage at which the generation of a reverse voltage is possible.

11 . The operation control system of claim 9 , wherein the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in the cell of the fuel cell is performed as one or both of a fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of air supplied to the fuel cell.

12 . The operation control system of claim 11 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell is performed first, and, in response to determining that the cell voltage is continuously decreased, the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air is performed.

13 . The operation control system of claim 11 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air are performed simultaneously.

14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that monitor a cell voltage of the fuel cell during normal operation of the fuel cell; program instructions that compare the monitored cell voltage of the fuel cell with a first setting voltage; and program instructions that perform a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in a cell of the fuel cell when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage drops.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the first setting voltage is set as a threshold voltage at which the generation of a reverse voltage is possible.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the humidity in the cell of the fuel cell is performed as one or both of a fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and a fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of air supplied to the fuel cell.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell is performed first, and, in response to determining that the cell voltage is continuously decreased, the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air is performed.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein when the cell voltage is less than the first setting voltage as the cell voltage decreases, the fuel cell operation control process for decreasing the temperature of the cell and the fuel cell operation control process for increasing the relative humidity of the supplied air are performed simultaneously.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Lee Hoon Hui

Classifications

• H01M8/04544

  Voltage · CPC title

• H01M8/04828 Primary

  Humidity; Water content · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

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

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/04768

  of the coolant · CPC title