Fuel cell system method, apparatus and scheduling
First Claim
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell stack;
an oxygen concentration sensor positioned proximate the fuel cell stack;
a hydrogen concentration sensor positioned proximate the fuel cell stack;
a stack temperature sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of the fuel cell stack;
a fuel cell stack current sensor coupled to measure a current through the fuel cell stack;
a fuel cell stack voltage sensor coupled across the fuel cell stack to measure a current across the fuel cell stack; and
a microcontroller coupled to the oxygen concentration sensor, the hydrogen concentration sensor, the stack temperature sensor, the fuel cell stack current sensor and the fuel cell stack voltage sensor to receive signals corresponding to an oxygen concentration reading of the oxygen concentration sensor, a hydrogen concentration reading of the hydrogen concentration sensor, a temperature reading to the stack temperature sensor, a current reading of the current through the fuel cell stack and a voltage reading of the voltage across the fuel cell stack, respectively, the microcontroller configured to compare the oxygen concentration reading to a oxygen concentration threshold value, the hydrogen concentration reading to a hydrogen threshold value, the temperature reading to a temperature threshold value, the stack current reading to a stack current threshold and the stack voltage reading to a stack voltage threshold on a predefined schedule during normal operation of the fuel cell system.
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Abstract
A controller in a fuel cell system performs various operating parameter checks at a predefined schedule, including one or more of a stack current check; a stack voltage check; a cell voltage check; a purge cell check; an oxygen concentration check; a hydrogen concentration check; a stack temperature check; an ambient air temperature check; a fuel pressure check; and an airflow rate check; a hydrogen sensor heater check; a battery voltage check; a microcontroller self-check; and/or toggling a watchdog. The frequency of the checks are set relative to achieve an efficient control of the fuel cell system by selectively distributing the load on the microcontroller.
127 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell stack;
an oxygen concentration sensor positioned proximate the fuel cell stack;
a hydrogen concentration sensor positioned proximate the fuel cell stack;
a stack temperature sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of the fuel cell stack;
a fuel cell stack current sensor coupled to measure a current through the fuel cell stack;
a fuel cell stack voltage sensor coupled across the fuel cell stack to measure a current across the fuel cell stack; and
a microcontroller coupled to the oxygen concentration sensor, the hydrogen concentration sensor, the stack temperature sensor, the fuel cell stack current sensor and the fuel cell stack voltage sensor to receive signals corresponding to an oxygen concentration reading of the oxygen concentration sensor, a hydrogen concentration reading of the hydrogen concentration sensor, a temperature reading to the stack temperature sensor, a current reading of the current through the fuel cell stack and a voltage reading of the voltage across the fuel cell stack, respectively, the microcontroller configured to compare the oxygen concentration reading to a oxygen concentration threshold value, the hydrogen concentration reading to a hydrogen threshold value, the temperature reading to a temperature threshold value, the stack current reading to a stack current threshold and the stack voltage reading to a stack voltage threshold on a predefined schedule during normal operation of the fuel cell system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A microcontroller configured to operate a fuel cell system, by:
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performing a stack current check;
performing a stack voltage check; and
performing a cell voltage check on a predefined schedule during normal operation of the fuel cell system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-readable media having instructions for causing a microcontroller to operate a fuel cell system, by:
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performing a stack current check;
performing a stack voltage check; and
performing a cell voltage check, on a predefined schedule during normal operation of the fuel cell system. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising:
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performing a stack current check at a first frequency; and
performing a stack voltage check at a second frequency, the second frequency equal to half the first frequency. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of distributing load on a microcontroller in a fuel cell system, comprising:
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dividing a time period into twenty slots, during which up to four tasks can be executed by the microcontroller;
scheduling a stack current checking routine to each of the twenty slots;
scheduling a stack voltage checking routine to every other slot of the twenty slots; and
scheduling a cell voltage checking routine to alternate ones of the slots from the stack voltage checking. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification