Fuel cell and battery voltage controlling method and system

• US 20020136939A1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Noetzel, John G., Mukerjee, Subhasish, DeJohn, Charles R., Grieve, M. James, Husted, Harry L.
• Application Number:
  US09/784,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20020136939A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04097 with recycling of the reactants H01M8/04119, H01M8/04104 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04313 characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04865 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• 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 for controlling a fuel cell system is disclosed. One embodiment of the method comprises supplying an amount of fuel and an amount of oxidant to a fuel cell stack. The amount of fuel supplied to the fuel cell stack is controlled to attain a desired voltage output, such that the desired voltage is at least partially based upon an input current and voltage for a battery in electrical communication with the fuel cell stack. A vehicle power system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a fuel cell system, comprising:

supplying an amount of fuel to a fuel cell stack;

supplying an amount of oxidant to said fuel cell stack; and

controlling said amount of said fuel supplied to said fuel cell stack to attain a desired voltage output, wherein said desired voltage is at least partially based upon an input current and voltage for a battery in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

2. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said fuel cell stack is in direct electrical communication with said battery.

3. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising controlling said amount of oxidant supplied to said fuel cell stack based upon a desired voltage output.

4. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein said controlling said amount of oxidant further comprises recycling cathode effluent to said fuel cell stack.

5. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 3, wherein said controlling said amount of oxidant further comprises adjusting a flow rate of said oxidant.

6. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said controlling said amount of fuel further comprises adjusting a flow rate of said fuel.

7. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said controlling said amount of fuel further comprises recycling anode effluent to said fuel cell stack.

8. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said fuel is a reformed fuel, and wherein controlling said amount of fuel further comprises introducing unreformed fuel and a second reactant to a reformer, reforming said unreformed fuel to produce said reformed fuel, and adjusting an unreformed fuel concentration in said reformer.

9. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising producing electricity and modulating said electricity to attain said desired voltage.

10. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 9, wherein said modulating further comprises using a device selected from the group consisting of pulse width modulators, converters, transistors, switches, resistors, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing devices.

11. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising managing electrical loads in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

12. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

13. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said fuel cell stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack.

15. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 14, wherein said modulating is pulse width modulating.

16. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 14, wherein said modulating further comprises using a device selected from the group consisting of converters, transistors, switches, resistors, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing devices.

17. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 14, further comprising managing electrical loads in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

18. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 14, wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

19. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 14, wherein said fuel cell stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack.

14. A method for controlling a fuel cell system, comprising:

supplying an amount of fuel to a fuel cell stack;

supplying an amount of oxidant to said fuel cell stack;

producing electricity; and

modulating said electricity to attain a desired voltage, wherein said desired voltage is at least partially based upon an input current and voltage for a battery in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

20. A method for controlling a fuel cell system, comprising:

supplying an amount of fuel to a fuel cell stack;

supplying an amount of oxidant to said fuel cell stack; and

controlling said amount of said oxidant supplied to said fuel cell stack to attain a desired voltage output, wherein said desired voltage is at least partially based upon an input current and voltage for a battery in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

21. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 20, wherein controlling said amount of oxidant further comprises recycling cathode effluent to said fuel cell stack.

22. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 20, wherein controlling said amount of oxidant further comprises adjusting a flow rate of said oxidant.

23. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 20, further comprising producing electricity and modulating said electricity to attain said desired voltage.

24. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 20, wherein said modulating further comprises using a device selected from the group consisting of pulse width modulators, converters, transistors, switches, resistors, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing devices.

25. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 20, further comprising managing electrical loads in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

26. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 20, wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

27. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 20, wherein said fuel cell stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack.

29. The method for controlling a fuel cell system of claim 28, further comprising charging said battery with at least a portion of said electricity.

30. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 28, wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

31. The method for controlling the fuel cell system of claim 28, wherein said fuel cell stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack.

28. A method for controlling a fuel cell system, comprising:

supplying an amount of fuel to a fuel cell stack;

supplying an amount of oxidant to said fuel cell stack;

producing electricity; and

managing an electrical load drawn on said fuel cell stack to attain a desired voltage, wherein said desired voltage is at least partially based upon an input current and voltage for a battery in electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

32. A vehicle power system, comprising:

a fuel supply and an oxidant supply in fluid communication with a fuel cell stack; and

a battery disposed in direct electrical communication with said fuel cell stack.

33. The vehicle power system of claim 32, further comprising a controller in operable communication with said fuel cell stack.

34. The vehicle power system of claim 32, wherein said battery is a lithium battery.

35. The vehicle power system of claim 32, wherein said fuel cell stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack.