Apparatus and method for controlling cooling of fuel cell-based generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021336282-A1
Application number	US-202017015835-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 27, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling cooling of a fuel cell-based generator system is provided. The apparatus includes a first valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of a first fuel cell system and a common cooling-water line and a first valve driver that opens and closes the first valve. A second valve is disposed between an individual cooling-water line of a second fuel cell system and the common cooling-water line and a second valve driver opens and closes the second valve. A controller determines whether a cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds a reference value, and opens the first valve and the second valve so that cooling-water for the second fuel cell system flows into the first fuel cell system, when the cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds the reference value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for controlling cooling of a fuel cell-based generator system, comprising:
a first valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of a first fuel cell system and a common cooling-water line; a first valve driver configured to open and close the first valve; a second valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of a second fuel cell system and the common cooling-water line; a second valve driver configured to open and close the second valve; and a controller configured to:
determine whether a cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds a reference value; and
open the first valve and the second valve to allow cooling-water for the second fuel cell system to flow into the first fuel cell system, in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds the reference value.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to normally maintain the first valve and the second valve in a closed state.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds the reference value, the controller is configured to determine whether to open the first valve and the second valve based on a diagnosis result regarding a cooling failure of the first fuel cell system.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein in response to determining that the cooling failure occurs in the first fuel cell system, the controller is configured to open the first valve and the second valve.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein in response to determining that the cooling failure does not occur in the first fuel cell system, the controller is configured to transmit a maximum cooling control signal to the first fuel cell system.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the cooling failure diagnosis result from the first fuel cell system.

7 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to directly diagnose the cooling failure of the first fuel cell system.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a cooling-water temperature of the second fuel cell system exceeds a reference value, wherein in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the second fuel cell system exceeds the reference value, the controller is configured to open the first valve and the second valve to allow cooling-water for the first fuel cell system to flow into the second fuel cell system.

9 . A method for controlling cooling of a fuel cell-based generator system, comprising:
monitoring, by a controller, a cooling-water temperature of each of a first fuel cell system and a second fuel cell system forming the fuel cell-based generator system; maintaining, by the controller, a closed state of a first valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of the first fuel cell system and the common cooling-water line, and a closed state of a second valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of the second fuel cell system and the common cooling-water line, in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system is less than a reference value; and opening, by the controller, the first valve and the second valve to allow cooling-water for the second fuel cell system to flow into the first fuel cell system in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the first fuel cell system exceeds the reference value.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the opening of the first valve and the second valve includes:
determining, by the controller, whether the first fuel cell system has a cooling failure; opening, by the controller, the first valve and the second valve in response to determining that the cooling failure occurs in the first fuel cell system; and transmitting, by the controller, a maximum cooling control signal to the first fuel cell system in response to determining that the cooling failure does not occur in the first fuel cell system.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the opening of the first valve and the second valve includes receiving the cooling failure diagnosis result from the first fuel cell system.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the opening of the first valve and the second valve includes directly diagnosing the cooling failure of the first fuel cell system.

13 . A method for controlling cooling of a fuel cell-based generator system, comprising:
monitoring, by a controller, a cooling-water temperature of each of a first fuel cell system and a second fuel cell system forming the fuel cell-based generator system; maintaining, by the controller, a closed state of a first valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of the first fuel cell system and a common cooling-water line, and a closed state of a second valve disposed between an individual cooling-water line of the second fuel cell system and the common cooling-water line, in response to determining that the cooling-water temperature of the second fuel cell system is less than a reference value; and opening, by the controller, the first valve and the second valve to allow cooling-water for the first fuel cell system to flow into the second fuel cell system when the cooling-water temperature of the second fuel cell system exceeds the reference value.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Ahn Deuk Kuen
• Kang Seon Jong
• Lee Hyun Jae

Classifications

• H01M8/04029 Primary

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• H01M8/04686

  of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors · CPC title

• H01M8/04768 Primary

  of the coolant · CPC title

• H01M8/04664

  Failure or abnormal function · CPC title

• H01M8/04723 Primary

  of the coolant · CPC title