Fuel cell system and fuel cell system control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017229721-A1
Application number	US-201515518858-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 5, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack; a coolant circulation path through which coolant for cooling the fuel cell stack flows; a cathode gas supply flow path that is connected to an inlet of the fuel cell stack, and in which a compressor that supplies cathode gas to the fuel cell stack is arranged; an intercooler that is arranged between an outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the fuel cell stack in the cathode gas supply flow path, is connected to the coolant circulation path, and cools cathode gas discharged from the compressor with use of the coolant; and a regulating valve that is arranged in the cathode gas supply flow path, and regulates a pressure between the outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the fuel cell stack when the fuel cell stack is being started at low temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell stack; a coolant circulation path through which coolant for cooling the fuel cell stack flows; a cathode gas supply flow path that is connected to an inlet of the fuel cell stack, and in which a compressor that supplies cathode gas to the fuel cell stack is arranged; an intercooler that is arranged between an outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the fuel cell stack in the cathode gas supply flow path, is connected to the coolant circulation path, and cools cathode gas discharged from the compressor with use of the coolant; and a regulating valve that is arranged between the intercooler and the inlet of the fuel cell stack in the cathode gas supply flow path, wherein the regulating valve increases a pressure in a first part of the cathode gas supply flow path separately from a pressure in a second part of the cathode gas supply flow path when increase in temperature of the fuel cell stack is requested, the first part including the intercooler and being from the outlet of the compressor to the regulating valve, the second part including a cathode flow path formed in the fuel cell stack and being located further downstream than the regulating valve.

2 . The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a circulation path that diverges from the cathode gas supply flow path at a downstream side of the compressor, and is connected to an upstream side of the compressor; and a circulation control valve that is arranged in the circulation path, and that circulates the cathode gas to the cathode gas supply flow path and the circulation path including the compressor when the increase in temperature of the fuel cell stack is requested.

3 . The fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein
the circulation path diverges from the cathode gas supply flow path between the compressor and the intercooler.

4 . The fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein
the circulation path diverges from the cathode gas supply flow path at a downstream side of the intercooler.

5 . A fuel cell system control method in a fuel cell system including: a fuel cell stack; a coolant circulation path through which coolant for cooling the fuel cell stack flows; a cathode gas supply flow path that is connected to an inlet of the fuel cell stack, and in which a compressor that supplies cathode gas to the fuel cell stack is arranged; an intercooler that is arranged between an outlet of the compressor and the inlet of the fuel cell stack in the cathode gas supply flow path, is connected to the coolant circulation path, and cools cathode gas discharged from the compressor with use of the coolant, the fuel cell system control method comprising:
increasing a pressure in a first part of the cathode qas supply flow path separately from a pressure in a second part of the cathode gas supply flow path with use of a regulating valve that is arranged between the intercooler and the inlet of the fuel cell stack in the cathode gas supply flow path when increase in temperature of the fuel cell stack is requested, the first part including the intercooler and being from the outlet of the compressor to the regulating valve, the second part including a cathode flow path formed in the fuel cell stack and being located further downstream than the regulating valve.

6 . The fuel cell system control method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
circulating the cathode gas through the cathode gas supply flow path and a circulation path including the compressor when increase in temperature of the fuel cell stack is requested.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Baika Toyokazu

Classifications

• H01M8/04201

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

• H01M8/04302 Primary

  applied during start-up · CPC title

• H01M8/04029

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• H01M8/04014

  Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants · CPC title

• H01M8/04753

  of fuel cell reactants · CPC title