System and method for controlling a fuel cell testing device

• US 20040054483A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gopal, Ravi, Wei, Yuehui, Cazacu, Didina, Schuetz, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0267 having heating or cooling means, e.g. heaters or coolant flow channels
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04298 Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04328 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04335 of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04343 of anode exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0435 of cathode exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04358 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04365 of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04388 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04395 of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04402 of anode exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0441 of cathode exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04417 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/045 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04507 of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04552 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04701 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04708 : of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 : of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 : of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 : characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 : with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2465 : Details of groupings of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2483 : characterised by internal manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

During testing, a controllable condition of the fuel cell is controlled based on a control value, and a measurable condition of the fuel cell is measured to provide a data value. A data processor receives a user-readable input value and provides a user-readable output value. The user-readable input value is converted to the control value and the data value is converted to the user readable output value. A mapped file is generated by and is accessible by the data processor. The mapped file includes a plurality of tag records including a control tag record for storing the control value and a data tag record for storing the data value.

Claims

1. A system for testing a fuel cell, the system comprising:

a) testing means for controlling a controllable condition of the fuel cell during testing based on a control value, and for measuring a measurable condition of the fuel cell during testing to provide a data value;

b) a control system for sending the control value to the testing means and for receiving the data value from the testing means;

c) a system manager for sending the control value to the control system, and for receiving the data value from the control system, the system manager being connected to the control system and comprising

(i) user interface means for receiving a user-readable input value and for providing a user-readable output value,

(ii) conversion means for converting the user-readable input value to the control value and for converting the data value to the user-readable output value, and,

(iii) mapped file generation means for generating a mapped file, wherein the mapped file comprises a plurality of tag records, the plurality of tag records including a control tag record for storing the control value and a data tag record for storing the data value; and

,

d) a storage means for storing the mapped file.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein

the testing means is operable to control a plurality of the controllable conditions of the fuel cell during testing based on a plurality of the control values, and is operable to measure a plurality of the measurable conditions of the fuel cell during testing to provide a plurality of the data values;

the conversion means is operable to convert a plurality of the user-readable input values to the plurality of control values, and to convert the plurality of the data values to a plurality of the user-readable output values,

the plurality of tag records comprises

a plurality of the control tag records including an associated control tag record for each control value in the plurality of control values, and

a plurality of the data tag records including an associated data tag record for each data value in the plurality of data values.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode flow control value and a cathode flow control value;

the testing means comprises a flow control module for controlling flow of an anode gas mixture based on the anode flow control value, and for controlling flow of a cathode gas mixture based on the cathode flow control value, and

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises an anode flow input value for conversion to provide the anode flow control value and a cathode flow input value for conversion to provide the cathode flow control value.

4. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises a load control value;

the testing means comprises a load control module for controlling a current load drawn from the fuel cell; and

,

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises a load input value for conversion to provide the load control value.

5. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein

the testing means comprises

an anode gas mixing manifold for mixing a plurality of anode gases to provide the anode gas mixture,

a plurality of anode gas sources for supplying the plurality of anode gases to the anode gas mixing manifold,

a cathode gas mixing manifold for mixing a plurality of cathode gases to provide the cathode gas mixture, and

a plurality of cathode gas sources for supplying the plurality of cathode gases to the cathode gas mixing manifold;

the plurality of control values comprises

a plurality of the anode flow control values including an associated anode control value for each anode gas in the plurality of anode gases, and

a plurality of the cathode flow control values including an associated cathode control value for each cathode gas in the plurality of cathode gases;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises

a plurality of the anode flow input values for conversion to provide the plurality of anode flow control values, and

a plurality of cathode flow input values for conversion to provide the plurality of cathode flow control values; and

,

the flow control module is operable to control flow of each anode gas based on the associated anode control value, and to control flow of each cathode gas based on the associated cathode control value.

6. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein the control system comprises a tag file, the tag file being readable by the system manager to generate the mapped file.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein

for each control value in the plurality of control values, the associated control tag record comprises a control value field for recording the control value, and

for each data value in the plurality of data values, the associated data tag record comprises a data value field for recording the data value.

8. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode temperature control value and a cathode temperature control value;

the plurality of data values comprises an anode temperature data value and a cathode temperature data value;

the testing means comprises

temperature control means for controlling an anode gas mixture temperature based on the anode temperature control value, and for controlling a cathode gas mixture temperature based on the cathode temperature control value, and

temperature measuring means for measuring the anode gas mixture temperature to provide the anode temperature data variable, and for measuring the cathode gas mixture temperature to provide the cathode temperature data variable;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises an anode temperature input value for conversion to provide the anode temperature control value, and a cathode temperature input value for conversion to provide the cathode temperature control value; and

,

the plurality of user-readable output values comprises an anode temperature output value determined by the conversion means from the anode temperature data value, and a cathode temperature output value determined by the conversion means from the cathode temperature data value.

9. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode humidity control value and a cathode humidity control value;

the testing means comprises humidity control means for controlling an anode gas mixture humidity based on the anode humidity control variable, and for controlling a cathode gas mixture humidity based on the cathode humidity control variable; and

,

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises an anode humidity input value for conversion to provide the anode humidity control value, and a cathode humidity input value for conversion to provide the cathode humidity control value.

10. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein

for each control value in the plurality of control values, the associated control tag record comprises

a control range low field for storing a lowest possible control value,

a control range high field for storing a highest possible control value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable input value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable input value;

for each data value in the plurality of data values, the associated data tag record comprises

a data range low field for storing a lowest possible data value,

a data range high field for storing a highest possible data value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable output value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable output value; and

,

the conversion means is operable

to convert each user-readable input value in the plurality of the user-readable input values to an associated control value in the plurality of control values based on the lowest possible control value, highest possible control value, lowest possible user-readable input value, and highest possible user-readable input value stored in the associated control tag record, and

to convert each data value in the plurality of data values to an associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on the lowest possible data value, highest possible data value, lowest possible user-readable output value, and highest possible user-readable output value stored in the associated data tag record.

11. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein the conversion means is operable

to convert each user-readable input value in the plurality of the user-readable input values to an associated control value in the plurality of control values based on associated control conversion information stored in the associated control tag record, and

to convert each data value in the plurality of data values to an associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on associated data conversion information stored in the associated data tag record.

12. A method, in a data processor, for controlling a plurality of controllable conditions of a fuel cell and for measuring a plurality of measurable conditions of the fuel cell, the method comprising:

a) entering a user-readable input value into the data processor;

b) converting the user-readable input value to an associated control value;

c) controlling an associated controllable condition based on the associated control value for the user-readable input value;

d) measuring a selected measurable condition in the plurality of measurable conditions to obtain an associated data value;

e) converting the associated data value to a user-readable output value; and

,

f) displaying the user-readable output value.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 further comprising generating a mapped file in a storage means accessible to the data processor, wherein the mapped file comprises a plurality of tag records including a control tag record for storing the associated control value and a data tag record for storing the associated data value.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein

step (a) comprises entering a plurality of the user-readable input values into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to an associated control value to generate a plurality of control values;

step (c) comprises, for each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values, controlling the associated controllable condition based on the associated control value for the user-readable input value;

step (d) comprises measuring the plurality of measurable conditions to obtain an associated data value for each measurable condition in the plurality of measurable conditions;

step (e) comprises, for each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values, converting the associated data value to a user-readable output value to generate a plurality of user-readable output values; and

,

step (f) comprises displaying the plurality of user-readable output values;

wherein the plurality of tag records comprises

a plurality of the control tag records including an associated control tag record for each control value in the plurality of control values, and

a plurality of the data tag records including an associated data tag record for each data value in the plurality of data values.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode flow control value and a cathode flow control value;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises an anode flow input value and a cathode flow input value;

step (a) comprises entering the anode flow input value and the cathode flow input value;

step (b) comprises converting the anode flow input value to the anode flow control value and converting the cathode flow input value to the cathode flow control value;

step (c) comprises controlling flow of an anode gas mixture based on the anode flow control value, and controlling flow of a cathode gas mixture based on the cathode flow control value.

16. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises a load control value;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises a load input value;

step (a) comprises entering the load input value;

step (b) comprises converting the load input value to the load control value; and

,

step (c) comprises controlling a load drawn from the fuel cell based on the load control value.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 further comprising

for each control value in the plurality of control values, recording the control value in a control value field of the associated control tag record;

for each data value in the plurality of data values, recording an associated current data value of the data value in a data value field of the associated data tag record.

18. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode temperature control value and a cathode temperature control value;

the plurality of data values comprises an anode temperature data value and a cathode temperature data value;

step (a) comprises entering an anode temperature input value and a cathode temperature input value into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting the anode temperature input value to an anode temperature control value, and converting the cathode temperature input value to a cathode temperature control value

step (c) comprises controlling an anode gas mixture temperature based on the anode temperature control variable, and controlling a cathode gas mixture temperature based on the cathode temperature control variable, and

step (d) comprises measuring the anode gas mixture temperature to provide the anode temperature data variable, and measuring the cathode gas mixture temperature to provide the cathode temperature data variable; and

,

step (e) comprises converting the anode temperature data value to an anode temperature output value, and converting the cathode temperature data value to a cathode temperature output value; and

,

step (f) comprises displaying the anode temperature output value, and the cathode temperature output value.

19. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode humidity control value and a cathode humidity control value;

step (a) comprises entering an anode humidity input value and a cathode humidity input value into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting the anode humidity input value to an anode humidity control value, and converting the cathode humidity input value to a cathode humidity control value; and

,

step (c) comprises controlling an anode gas mixture humidity based on the anode humidity control value, and controlling a cathode gas mixture humidity based on the cathode humidity control value.

20. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein

for each control value in the plurality of control values, the associated control tag record comprises

a control range low field for storing a lowest possible control value,

a control range high field for storing a highest possible control value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable input value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable input value;

for each data value in the plurality of data values, the associated data tag record comprises

a data range low field for storing a lowest possible data value,

a data range high field for storing a highest possible data value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable output value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable output value;

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to the associated control value based on the lowest possible control value, highest possible control value, lowest possible user-readable input value, and highest possible user-readable input value stored in the associated control tag record; and

step (e) comprises converting each data value in the plurality of data values to the associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on the lowest possible data value, highest possible data value, lowest possible user-readable output value, and highest possible user-readable output value stored in the associated data tag record.

21. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to the associated control value based on associated control conversion information stored in the associated control tag record, and

step (e) comprises converting each data value in the plurality of data values to the associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on associated data conversion information stored in the associated data tag record.

22. A computer program product for use on a fuel cell testing system including a data processor to control a plurality of controllable conditions of a fuel cell and to measure a plurality of measurable conditions of the fuel cell, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means recorded on the medium for instructing the data processor to perform the steps of;

(a) converting a user-readable input value to an associated control value;

(b) controlling an associated controllable condition based on the associated control value for the user-readable input value;

(c) measuring a selected measurable condition in the plurality of measurable conditions to obtain an associated data value;

(d) converting the associated data value to a user-readable output value; and

,

e) displaying the user-readable output value.

23. The computer program product as defined in claim 22 wherein the means recorded on the medium is operable to instruct the data processor to generate a mapped file in a storage means accessible to the data processor, wherein the mapped file comprises a plurality of tag records including a control tag record for storing the associated control value and a data tag record for storing the associated data value.

24. The computer program product as defined in claim 23 wherein

step (a) comprises entering a plurality of the user-readable input values into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to an associated control value to generate a plurality of control values;

step (c) comprises, for each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values, controlling the associated controllable condition based on the associated control value for the user-readable input value;

step (d) comprises measuring the plurality of measurable conditions to obtain an associated data value for each measurable condition in the plurality of measurable conditions;

step (e) comprises, for each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values, converting the associated data value to a user-readable output value to generate a plurality of user-readable output values;

step (f) comprises displaying the plurality of user-readable output values; and

,

wherein the plurality of tag records comprises

a plurality of the control tag records including an associated control tag record for each control value in the plurality of control values, and

a plurality of the data tag records including an associated data tag record for each data value in the plurality of data values.

25. A computer program product as defined in claim 24 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode flow control value and a cathode flow control value;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises an anode flow input value and a cathode flow input value;

step (a) comprises entering the anode flow input value and the cathode flow input value;

step (b) comprises converting the anode flow input value to the anode flow control value and converting the cathode flow input value to the cathode flow control value;

step (c) comprises controlling flow of an anode gas mixture based on the anode flow control value, and controlling flow of a cathode gas mixture based on the cathode flow control value.

26. A computer program product as defined in claim 24 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises a load control value;

the plurality of user-readable input values comprises a load input value;

step (a) comprises entering the load input value;

step (b) comprises converting the load input value to the load control value; and

,

step (c) comprises controlling a current load drawn from the fuel cell based on the load control value.

27. The computer program product as defined in claim 25 wherein the means recorded on the medium is operable to instruct the data processor to perform the steps of

for each control value in the plurality of control values, recording the control value in a control value field of the associated control tag record;

and

for each data value in the plurality of data values, recording an associated current data value of the data value in a data value field of the associated data tag record.

28. The computer program product as defined in claim 25 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode temperature control value and a cathode temperature control value;

the plurality of data values comprises an anode temperature data value and a cathode temperature data value;

step (a) comprises entering an anode temperature input value and a cathode temperature input value into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting the anode temperature input value to an anode temperature control value, and converting the cathode temperature input value to a cathode temperature control value;

step (c) comprises controlling an anode gas mixture temperature based on the anode temperature control variable, and controlling a cathode gas mixture temperature based on the cathode temperature control variable, and

step (d) comprises measuring the anode gas mixture temperature to provide the anode temperature data variable, and measuring the cathode gas mixture temperature to provide the cathode temperature data variable; and

,

step (e) comprises converting the anode temperature data value to an anode temperature output value, and converting the cathode temperature data value to a cathode temperature output value; and

,

step (f) comprises displaying the anode temperature output value, and the cathode temperature output value.

29. The computer program product as defined in claim 25 wherein

the plurality of control values comprises an anode humidity control value and a cathode humidity control value;

step (a) comprises entering an anode humidity input value and a cathode humidity input value into the data processor;

step (b) comprises converting the anode humidity input value to an anode humidity control value, and converting the cathode humidity input value to a cathode humidity control value; and

,

step (c) comprises controlling an anode gas mixture humidity based on the anode humidity control value, and controlling a cathode gas mixture humidity based on the cathode humidity control value.

30. The computer program product as defined in claim 24 wherein

for each control value in the plurality of control values, the associated control tag record comprises

a control range low field for storing a lowest possible control value,

a control range high field for storing a highest possible control value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable input value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable input value;

for each data value in the plurality of data values, the associated data tag record comprises

a data range low field for storing a lowest possible data value,

a data range high field for storing a highest possible data value,

a device range low field for storing a lowest possible user-readable output value, and,

a device range high field for storing a highest possible user-readable output value;

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to the associated control value based on the lowest possible control value, highest possible control value, lowest possible user-readable input value, and highest possible user-readable input value stored in the associated control tag record; and

,

step (e) comprises converting each data value in the plurality of data values to the associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on the lowest possible data value, highest possible data value, lowest possible user-readable output value, and highest possible user-readable output value stored in the associated data tag record.

31. The computer program product as defined in claim 24 wherein

step (b) comprises converting each user-readable input value in the plurality of user-readable input values to the associated control value based on associated control conversion information stored in the associated control tag record, and

step (e) comprises converting each data value in the plurality of data values to the associated user-readable output value in the plurality of the user-readable output values based on associated data conversion information stored in the associated data tag record.