Method and apparatus for controlling output of fuel cell

• US 10,065,524 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Seung Heon, Yoon, Sung Gone, Jung, Jae Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kebede, Tessema
• Application Number:
  US15/138,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 320101
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling output of a fuel cell are provided. The apparatus includes a communicator that is configured to receive state information of a fuel cell and a controller that is configured to terminate charge of a battery by a power converting apparatus when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset second voltage as air supply of the fuel cell is stopped. Additionally, the controller is configured to activate a relay between the fuel cell and the battery to charge the battery when the first voltage is less than the second voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a fuel cell, comprising:

a communicator configured to receive state information of a fuel cell; and

a controller configured to terminate a charge of a high-voltage battery by a power converting apparatus when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset second voltage as air supply of the fuel cell is stopped,

wherein a bidirectional power converting apparatus is positioned at an output node of the high-voltage battery,

wherein an additional bus node including a relay is connected between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery, and

wherein the controller is configured to activate the relay between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery to charge the high-voltage battery via the additional bus node, not the bidirectional power converting apparatus, when an output voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset value of the bidirectional power converting apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the relay when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than the preset second voltage and first current of the fuel cell is less than preset second current.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the relay is connected in series between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second voltage is a voltage of a main bus node for connection of the fuel cell, the high-voltage battery, and the motor.

5. A method for controlling a fuel cell, comprising:

receiving, by a communicator, state information of a fuel cell;

terminating, by a controller, a charge of a high-voltage battery by a power converting apparatus when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset second voltage as air supply of the fuel cell is stopped; and

activating, by the controller, a relay between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery to charge the high-voltage battery via an additional bus node, not a bidirectional power converting apparatus, when an output voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset value of the bidirectional power converting apparatus.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the activation of the relay to charge the high-voltage battery includes:

activating, by the controller, the relay when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than the preset second voltage and first current of the fuel cell is less than preset second current.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the relay is connected in series between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second voltage is a voltage of a main bus node for connection of the fuel cell, the high-voltage battery, and the motor.

9. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that control a communicator to receive state information of a fuel cell;

program instructions that terminate a charge of a high-voltage battery by a power converting apparatus when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset second voltage as air supply of the fuel cell is stopped; and

program instructions that activate a relay between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery to charge the high-voltage battery via an additional bus node, not the bidirectional power converting apparatus, when an output voltage of the fuel cell is less than a preset value of the bidirectional power converting apparatus.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions that activate the relay to charge the high-voltage battery include:

program instructions that activate the relay when a first voltage of the fuel cell is less than the preset second voltage and first current of the fuel cell is less than preset second current.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the relay is connected in series between the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the second voltage is a voltage of a main bus node for connection of the fuel cell, the high-voltage battery, and the motor.