Dc power source with fuel cell

• US 20040056633A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tetsuhiro, Sugiura, Hiroshi, Watanabe, Nobuo, Manabe, Kouta
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• 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 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A power source system (1) includes a fuel cell (40) and a battery (20) connected in parallel. A DC-DC converter (30) is connected to the battery (20) side. A maximum output ratio of the fuel cell (40) and the battery (20) is set in a range in which the output of the fuel cell falls within 65 to 80% of the total output. Accordingly, electric power loss due to the DC-DC converter (30) is controlled, whereby a high energy efficiency can be achieved.

Claims

1. A direct current power source comprising:

a pair of terminals that output electric power;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

wherein a ratio of a maximum output of the fuel cell to a maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device is in a range of equal to or greater than 0.4 and equal to or less than 0.8.

2. A direct current power source according to claim 1, wherein a maximum output of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than a target value of an electric power to be output from the terminals continuously for a predetermined period.

3. A direct current power source according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power input to the terminals.

7. A direct current power source according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum required electric power required from the output terminals.

8. A direct current power source according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a DC-DC converter connected between the electric power storage device and the terminals.

9. A direct current power source according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electric power storage device is a secondary battery.

4. A direct current power source comprising:

a pair of terminals that output electric power;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

wherein a maximum output of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than a target value of an electric power to be output from the terminals continuously for a predetermined period.

5. A direct current power source according to claim 4, wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power input to the terminals.

6. A direct current power source comprising:

a pair of terminals that output electric power;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power input to the terminals.

10. A vehicle having a motor as a power source, comprising:

a direct current power source that supplies electric power to the motor; and

a drive circuit that drives the motor by the electric power,

wherein the direct current power source comprises

a pair of terminals that output electric power;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

and wherein a ratio of a maximum output of the fuel cell to a maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device is in a range equal to or greater than 0.4 and equal to or less than 0.8.

11. A direct current power source according to claim 10, wherein a maximum output of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than a required electric power during cruising of the vehicle.

12. A direct current power source according to claim 10 or 11, wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power regenerated by the motor

16. A vehicle according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein a maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum required electric power required from the direct current power source.

17. A vehicle according to any one of claims 10 to 16, wherein the direct current power source further comprises a DC-DC converter connected between the electric power storage device and the terminals.

18. A vehicle according to any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the electric power storage device is a secondary battery.

13. A vehicle having a motor as a power source, comprising:

a direct current power source that supplies electric power to the motor; and

a drive circuit that drives the motor by the electric power,

wherein the direct current power source comprises

a pair of terminals that output electric power;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

and wherein a maximum output of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than a required electric power during cruising of the vehicle.

14. A direct current power source according to claim 13, wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power regenerated by the motor

15. A vehicle having a motor as a power source, comprising:

a drive circuit that regeneratively operates the motor; and

a direct current power source capable of storing electricity regenerated by the motor,

wherein the direct current power source comprises

a pair of terminals to which electric power is input and from which electric power is output;

a fuel cell connected to the terminals; and

an electric power storage device connected to the terminals in parallel with the fuel cell,

and wherein a capacity of the electric power storage device is equal to or greater than a maximum value of an electric power regenerated by the motor.

19. A method for designing a direct current power source in which a fuel cell and an electric power storage device are connected in parallel, wherein outputs of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device are set taking into account at least one of:

a condition under which a maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device becomes equal to or greater than a maximum required electric power required for the direct current power source;

a condition under which a ratio of the maximum output of the fuel cell to the maximum total output of the fuel cell and the electric power storage device becomes equal to or greater than 0.4 and equal to or less than 0.8;

a condition under which the maximum output of the fuel cell becomes equal to or greater than a target value of an electric power to be continuously output for a predetermined period; and

a condition under which a capacity of the electric power storage device becomes equal to or greater than a Maximum electric power input to the direct current power source from an external device.