US 11,757,118 B2
Fuel cell system and method of controlling fuel cell
Naoki Tomi, Nagoya (JP); and Shigeki Hasegawa, Toyota (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/243,661.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-094398 (JP), filed on May 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0376360 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H01M 8/04082 (2016.01); H01M 8/04746 (2016.01); H01M 8/0438 (2016.01); H01M 8/04992 (2016.01); H01M 8/04111 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/04992 (2013.01) [H01M 8/04111 (2013.01); H01M 8/04201 (2013.01); H01M 8/04753 (2013.01); H01M 8/04783 (2013.01); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel cell (FC) system comprising:
a fuel cell including an air passage;
an air inflow path connected to an inlet of the air passage;
an air outflow path connected to an outlet of the air passage;
a compressor arranged in the air inflow path;
a pressure regulating valve arranged in the air outflow path;
a bypass passage extending from a diverging point on the air inflow path downstream of the compressor to a merging point on the air outflow path downstream of the pressure regulating valve bypassing the fuel cell;
a bypass valve arranged in the bypass passage;
an FC route running from the diverging point successively through the air inflow path, air passage, and air outflow path including the pressure regulating valve to reach the merging point;
a bypass route running from the diverging point through the bypass air passage including the bypass valve to reach the merging point; and
an electronic control unit configured to respectively perform at least feedback control of an opening degree of the pressure regulating valve and feedback control of an opening degree of the bypass valve so that an FC air flow rate which is a flow rate of air of the FC route, a bypass air flow rate which is a flow rate of air of the bypass route, and an FC inlet pressure which is a pressure at the diverging point, are respectively equal to an FC air flow rate-command value, bypass air flow rate-command value, and FC inlet pressure-command value,
wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
calculate a first threshold value based on an FC inlet pressure-lower limit value which is a lower limit value of the FC inlet pressure when the FC air flow rate and the bypass air flow rate are respectively equal to the FC air flow rate-command value and the bypass air flow rate-command value;
when it is judged that the FC inlet pressure-command value is lower than the first threshold value,
suspend feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve if it is judged that an FC pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than a bypass pressure loss-lower limit value, the FC pressure loss-lower limit value being a lower limit value of t-he a pressure loss of the FC route when the FC air flow rate is equal to the FC air flow rate-command value, and the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value being a lower limit value of a pressure loss of the bypass route when the bypass air flow rate is equal to the bypass air flow rate-command value; and
suspend feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve if it is judged that the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the FC pressure loss-lower limit value;
wherein the feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve includes:
pressure regulating valve-air flow rate feedback control in which the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is feedback controlled so that a pressure regulating valve-air flow rate is equal to a pressure regulating valve-air flow rate-command value, the pressure regulating valve-air flow rate being an air flow rate of the pressure regulating valve; and
pressure regulating valve pressure ratio feedback control in which the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is feedback controlled so that a pressure regulating valve-pressure ratio is equal to a pressure regulating valve-pressure ratio-command value, the pressure regulating valve-pressure ratio being a ratio of an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the pressure regulating valve;
the feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve includes:
bypass valve-air flow rate feedback control in which the opening degree of the bypass valve is feedback controlled so that a bypass valve-air flow rate is equal to a bypass valve-air flow rate-command value, the bypass valve-air flow rate being an air flow rate of the bypass valve; and
bypass valve-pressure ratio feedback control in which the opening degree of the bypass valve is feedback controlled so that a bypass valve-pressure ratio is equal to a bypass valve-pressure ratio-command value, the bypass valve-pressure ratio being a ratio of an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the bypass valve;
wherein the pressure regulating valve-air flow rate-command value, the pressure regulating valve-pressure ratio, the bypass valve-air flow rate-command value, and the bypass valve-pressure ratio respectively are calculated based on at least the FC air flow rate-command value and the bypass air flow rate-command value, and
wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:
when it is judged that the FC inlet pressure-command value is lower than the first threshold value,
execute the bypass valve-air flow rate feedback control while suspending the bypass valve-pressure ratio feedback control if it is judged that the FC pressure loss- lower limit value is larger than the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value; and
execute the pressure regulating valve-air flow rate feedback control while suspending the pressure regulating valve-pressure ratio-feedback control if it is judged that the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the FC pressure loss-lower limit value.