Apparatus and method for diagnosing state of fuel cell stack

• US 10,249,895 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Won, Sang Bok, Kum, Young Bum, Jeong, Kwi Seong
• Primary Examiner(s): Jimenez, Anthony R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baillargeon, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US15/373,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20180108925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04253 Means for solving freezing problems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04291 Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems H01M8/04119 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04492 Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04649 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04731 of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0485 of the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2457 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An apparatus includes a stack voltage monitor that measures a voltage of each channel of a plurality of channels of a fuel cell stack. Each of the channel of the plurality of channels includes a predetermined number of unit cells. The stack voltage monitor calculates impedance of each of the channel from the measured voltage. The apparatus further includes a controller that diagnoses a state of the fuel cell stack based on the impedance of each of the channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a stack voltage monitor (SVM) configured to

measure a voltage of each channel of a plurality of channels of a fuel cell stack, each channel of the plurality of channels including a predetermined number of unit cells, and

calculate impedances of a subset of the plurality of channels having voltages affecting diagnosis of the fuel cell stack; and

a controller configured to diagnose a state of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated impedances, wherein the SVM is configured to estimate a distribution of impedances of all the channels of the fuel cell stack based on a distribution of the calculated impedances of the subset of the plurality of channels.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the SVM is configured to calculate one or more of

an impedance of a minimum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a maximum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of an average voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a maximum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a minimum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels, and

a stack impedance.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose the state of the fuel cell stack based on

an impedance of a minimum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a maximum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of an average voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a maximum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

an impedance of a minimum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

a stack impedance,

a distribution of the impedances of all the channels of the fuel cell stack, and

a driving condition.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a humidity amount is insufficient,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel and the stack impedance are a first threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a humidity amount is excessive,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel, the impedance of the maximum voltage variation channel, and the stack impedance are lower than that in a normal range,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel is in the normal range or is lower than that in the normal range,

when the impedance of the average voltage channel is in the normal range or is lower than that in the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a mixed state,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage variation channel is lower than that in a normal range,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage variation channel is a first threshold value or more,

when the stack impedance is in the normal range,

when an impedance difference between the respective channels is a second threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which foreign materials are introduced,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel is a third threshold value or more,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel and the stack impedance are in a normal range,

when an impedance of a channel of a start position of the fuel cell stack exceeds the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a flow rate of coolant is insufficient,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel is a first threshold value or more,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel is in a normal range,

when the stack impedance and an impedance of a channel of a central position of the fuel cell stack exceed the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to diagnose that the state of the fuel cell stack is a stack frozen state,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel, the impedance of the average voltage channel, the stack impedance, and impedances of channels disposed at both ends of the fuel cell stack are a third threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is low-temperature start-up.

10. A method for diagnosing a state of a fuel cell stack, the method comprising:

measuring a voltage for each channel of a plurality of channels of a fuel cell stack, each channel of the plurality of channels including a predetermined number of unit cells;

calculating impedances of a subset of the plurality of channels having voltages affecting diagnosis of the fuel cell stack; and

at a controller, diagnosing the state of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated impedances, wherein calculating the impedances comprises;

estimating a distribution of impedances of all the channels of the fuel cell stack based on a distribution of the calculated impedances of the subset of the plurality of channels.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein calculating the impedances comprises:

calculating an impedance of a minimum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

calculating an impedance of a maximum voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

calculating an impedance of an average voltage channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

calculating an impedance of a maximum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels,

calculating an impedance of a minimum voltage variation channel from amongst the plurality of channels, and

calculating a stack impedance.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing the state of the fuel cell stack based on the impedance of the minimum voltage channel, the impedance of the maximum voltage channel, the impedance of the average voltage channel, the impedance of the maximum voltage variation channel, the impedance of the minimum voltage variation channel, the stack impedance, the distribution of the impedances of all the channels of the fuel cell stack, and a driving condition.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a humidity amount is insufficient,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel and the stack impedance are a first threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a humidity amount is excessive,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel, the impedance of the maximum voltage variation channel, and the stack impedance are lower than that in a normal range,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel is in the normal range or is lower than that in the normal range,

when the impedance of the average voltage channel is in the normal range or is lower than that in the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a mixed state,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage variation channel is lower than that in a normal range,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage variation channel is a first threshold value or more,

when the stack impedance is in the normal range,

when an impedance difference between the respective channels is a second threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which foreign materials are introduced,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel is a third threshold value or more,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel and the stack impedance are in a normal range,

when an impedance of a channel of a start position of the fuel cell stack exceeds the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a state in which a flow rate of coolant is insufficient,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel is a first threshold value or more,

when the impedance of the maximum voltage channel is in a normal range,

when the stack impedance and an impedance of a channel of a central position of the fuel cell stack exceed the normal range, and

when the driving condition is normal driving.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the diagnosing comprises:

diagnosing that the state of the fuel cell stack is a stack frozen state,

when the impedance of the minimum voltage channel, the impedance of the average voltage channel, the stack impedance, and impedances of channels disposed at both ends of the fuel cell stack are a third threshold value or more, and

when the driving condition is low-temperature start-up.