DC power source with fuel cell and electric power storage device

• US 20060208691A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• 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 8,018,196 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, 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.

4. A direct current power source according to claim 1, 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 terminals.

5. A direct current power source according to claim 1, further comprising a DC-DC converter connected between the electric power storage device and the terminals.

6. A direct current power source according to claim 1, wherein the electric power storage device is a secondary battery.

7. 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 includes;

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.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein a maximum output of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than a required electric power during cruising of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle according to claim 7, 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.

10. A vehicle according to claim 7, 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.

11. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the direct current power source further comprises a DC-DC converter connected between the electric power storage device and the terminals.

12. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the electric power storage device is a secondary battery.

13. 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 includes;

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.

14. A vehicle according to claim 13, 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.

15. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the direct current power source further comprises a DC-DC converter connected between the electric power storage device and the terminals.

16. A vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the electric power storage device is a secondary battery.

17. A method for designing a direct current power source in which a fuel cell and an electric power storage device are connected in parallel, comprising the steps of:

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

setting 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 to be equal to or greater than 0.4 and equal to or less than 0.8;

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

setting a capacity of the electric power storage device to be equal to or greater than a maximum electric power input to the direct current power source from an external device.