Fuel cell output characteristic estimation apparatus and output characteristic estimation method, fuel cell system and vehicle having the same, and fuel cell output control method and data storage medium

• US 20040214061A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• 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 7,410,711 B2
• 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: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method of estimating an output characteristic of a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

(a) estimating a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of at least one of a fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and a temperature of the fuel cell; and

(b) estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the estimated basic output characteristic of the fuel cell, a detected output current of the fuel cell, and a detected voltage between terminals of the fuel cell.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the basic output characteristic of the fuel cell is estimated using an output characteristic corresponding to at least one of the fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and the temperature of the fuel cell, and an internal resistance of the fuel cell corresponding to the temperature of the fuel cell.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the output characteristic of the fuel cell is estimated using an internal resistance of the fuel cell estimated on the basis of the detected output current, the detected voltage between the terminals of the fuel cell, and the basic output characteristic.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the output characteristic of the fuel cell is estimated using an internal resistance of the fuel cell estimated on the basis of the detected output current, the detected voltage between the terminals of the fuel cell, and the basic output characteristic.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the output characteristic of the fuel cell is estimated using an output characteristic corresponding to at least one of the fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and the temperature of the fuel cell, and the estimated internal resistance of the fuel cell.

23. A method of controlling an output of a fuel cell comprising the steps of:

(a) estimating a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of at least one of a fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and a temperature of the fuel cell;

(b) estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the estimated basic output characteristic of the fuel cell, a detected output current of the fuel cell, and a detected voltage between terminals of the fuel cell;

(c) setting a target output using the estimated output characteristic of the fuel cell; and

(d) controlling an output of the fuel cell such that the fuel cell generates the set target output.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of estimating the basic output characteristic of the fuel cell includes using an output characteristic corresponding to at least one of the fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and the temperature of the fuel cell, and an internal resistance of the fuel cell corresponding to the temperature of the fuel cell.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell includes using an internal resistance of the fuel cell estimated on the basis of the detected output current, the detected voltage between the terminals of the fuel cell, and the basic output characteristic.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell includes using an output characteristic corresponding to at least one of the fuel supply pressure applied to the fuel cell and the temperature of the fuel cell, and the estimated internal resistance of the fuel cell.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein:

the target output is set on the basis of an output required to be generated by a fuel cell system including a power supply that supplies electric power to and receives the electric power from the fuel cell system; and

when the set target output of the fuel cell is in excess of or short of the required output of the fuel cell system, supply of the electric power to or from the power supply is changed.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein a voltage between the terminals of the power supply connected to output terminals of the fuel cell is transformed such that the voltage between the terminals of the fuel cell becomes a voltage corresponding to the target output.

29-39. -39. (canceled)