System and method to start a fuel cell stack during a cold-start condition

• US 20070292724A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BDF IP Holdings Ltd. (Superior Plus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BDF IP Holdings Ltd. (Superior Plus Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilchrist, Ian T.
• Application Number:
  US11/454,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20070292724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/9
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04268 Heating of fuel cells during the start-up of the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0432 Temperature; Ambient temperature
• 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 8/04731 of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04738 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformer, compressor, burner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A system and method for operating a fuel cell stack and at least one battery during at least a cold-start condition includes operating a fuel cell stack at a reduced voltage during the cold-start condition, and/or sourcing pulsating current to a battery during the cold-start condition.

Claims

1. A power supply system operable during a cold-start condition, comprising:

a fuel cell stack electrically operable to produce direct current (DC) power;

a power conversion system electrically coupled to the fuel cell stack and operable to receive DC power from the fuel cell stack;

at least one battery electrically coupled to the power conversion system and operable to exchange battery DC power with the power conversion system; and

a controller at least operable to control operation of the power supply system such that at least an amount of pulsating current is supplied to the battery during the cold-start condition.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the power conversion system comprises:

at least one converter operable to at least produce the pulsating current from the DC power received from the fuel cell stack and operable to provide the pulsating current to the battery during the cold-start condition.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the power conversion system further comprises:

a frequency converter operable to adjust a frequency of the pulsating current supplied to the battery during the cold-start condition.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is operable to control operation of the fuel cell stack at a reduced voltage during the cold-start condition, and wherein the power conversion system comprises:

at least one converter operable to control a voltage of the fuel cell stack at the reduced voltage during the cold-start condition.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a battery temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and operable to sense a temperature of the battery so that the controller determines an occurrence of the cold-start condition; and

a fuel cell temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and operable to sense the temperature of the fuel cell stack so that the controller determines the occurrence of the cold-start condition.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and operable to sense an ambient temperature so that the controller determines an occurrence of the cold-start condition.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a DC connection coupled between the fuel cell stack and the power conversion system;

at least one alternating current (AC) connection residing in the power conversion system that is operable to source AC current to the battery during the cold-start condition;

a first switch coupled between the DC connection and the battery; and

a second switch coupled between the AC connection and the battery,

wherein during the cold-start condition the first switch is operated to electrically decouple the battery from the DC connection and the second switch is operated to electrically couple the battery to the AC connection so that AC current is supplied to the battery.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein during a normal operating condition the first switch is operated to electrically couple the battery to the DC connection and the second switch is operated to electrically decouple the battery from the AC connection.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the first switch and the second switch are controllable by the controller such that the controller opens the first switch and closes the second switch in response to the cold-start condition, and such that the controller closes the first switch and opens the second switch in response to a conclusion of the cold-start condition.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the power supply system further comprises:

a DC pulse generator that generates the pulsating current.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a battery charger electrically coupled to the at least one battery and controllably coupled to the controller, wherein the battery charger is operable to supply the pulsating current to the battery during the cold-start condition in response to a signal from the controller.

12. A method for operating a fuel cell stack and at least one battery during at least a cold-start condition, the method comprising:

operating the fuel cell stack at a reduced start-up direct current (DC) voltage during the cold-start condition so that excess heat generated within the fuel cell stack during the cold-start condition increases a temperature of the fuel cell stack, wherein the reduced start-up DC voltage is less than a nominal DC voltage received from the fuel cell stack during a normal operating condition; and

sourcing the at least one battery with pulsating current during the cold-start condition so that excess heat generated within the battery during the cold-start condition increases a temperature of the battery, wherein DC power from the fuel cell stack is converted into at least a portion of the pulsating current sourced to the battery.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing the temperature of the battery;

determining an occurrence of the cold-start condition in response to the temperature of the battery being less than a battery temperature threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing the temperature of the fuel cell stack;

determining an occurrence of the cold-start condition in response to the temperature of the fuel cell stack being less than a fuel cell stack temperature threshold.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

opening a first switch coupled between a positive direct current (+DC) connection of the fuel cell stack and a +DC connection of the battery; and

closing a second switch coupled between an AC connection and the +DC connection of the battery so that the battery is sourced with the pulsating current during the cold-start condition.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

closing the first switch at a conclusion of the cold-start condition; and

opening the second switch at the conclusion of the cold-start condition.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving DC current from the fuel cell stack during the cold-start condition; and

converting the received DC current into the pulsating current.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein sourcing the battery with pulsating current comprises:

sourcing the battery with the pulsating current provided by a DC pulse generator.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein sourcing the battery with pulsating current comprises:

adjusting a frequency of the pulsating current using a frequency converter.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sourcing a second battery with a portion of the pulsating current during the cold-start condition so that excess heat generated within the second battery during the cold-start condition increases a temperature of the second battery, wherein DC power from the fuel cell stack is converted into at least a portion of the pulsating current sourced to the second battery.

21. A method for operating a fuel cell stack and at least one battery during at least a cold-start condition, the method comprising:

receiving direct current from at least one fuel cell of the fuel cell stack during the cold-start condition;

converting at least a portion of the received direct current into pulsating current; and

providing the pulsating current to the battery during at least a portion of the cold-start condition so that excess heat is generated within the battery during the cold-start condition to increase a temperature of the battery.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

reducing a voltage of the at least one fuel cell during the cold-start condition, wherein the reduced voltage is less than a nominal DC voltage of the fuel cell during a normal operating condition; and

where, in response to reducing the voltage of the fuel cell, generating the excess heat within the fuel cell during the cold-start condition to increase the temperature of the fuel cell.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing a portion of the pulsating current to a second battery during the cold-start condition so that excess heat is generated within the second battery during the cold-start condition to increase a temperature of the second battery.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for providing the alternating current to the battery comprises:

means for providing a non-sinusoidal alternating current to the battery.

24. A system for operating a fuel cell stack and at least one battery during at least a cold-start condition, the method comprising:

means for operating the fuel cell stack at a reduced start-up direct current (DC) voltage during the cold-start condition so that excess heat generated within the fuel cell stack during the cold-start condition increases a temperature of the fuel cell stack, wherein the reduced start-up DC voltage is less than a nominal DC voltage received from the fuel cell stack during a normal operating condition;

means for receiving a direct current from the fuel cell stack during the cold-start condition;

means for converting at least a portion of the received DC current into alternating current; and

means for providing the alternating current to the battery during at least a portion of the cold-start condition so that excess heat is generated within the battery during the cold-start condition to increase a temperature of the battery.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for adjusting a frequency of the alternating current.