FUEL CELL VEHICLE SYSTEM

• US 20080257621A1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Saeki, Hibiki, Aoyagi, Satoshi, Hasuka, Yoshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/003 of fuel cells with other electrochemical devices, e.g. capacitors, electrolysers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04373 of auxiliary devices, e.g. reformers, compressors, burners
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04388 of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04567 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04589 of fuel cell stacks
• 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 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A fuel cell vehicle system includes: a propulsion motor capable of driving a vehicle; a fuel cell which generates electric power by supplying a reactant gas to give an electrochemical reaction; an energy storage device which is charged by a generated output of the fuel cell and regenerative electric power of the propulsion motor; an output control device which controls an output current of the fuel cell; and a control device which calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated by a regenerative operation of the propulsion motor as well as a chargeable power which can be charged to the energy storage device, controls the output control device so that the output current of the fuel cell is restricted when the chargeable power is less than the regenerative electric power, and controls the output control device so that restriction on the output current of the fuel cell is canceled when the chargeable power is equal to or greater than the regenerative electric power.

Claims

1. A fuel cell vehicle system comprising:

a propulsion motor capable of driving a vehicle;

a fuel cell which generates electric power by supplying a reactant gas to give an electrochemical reaction;

an energy storage device which is charged by a generated output of the fuel cell and regenerative electric power of the propulsion motor;

an output control device which controls an output current of the fuel cell; and

a control device which calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated by a regenerative operation of the propulsion motor as well as a chargeable power which can be charged to the energy storage device, controls the output control device so that the output current of the fuel cell is restricted when the chargeable power is less than the regenerative electric power, and controls the output control device so that restriction on the output current of the fuel cell is canceled when the chargeable power is equal to or greater than the regenerative electric power.

2. A fuel cell vehicle system comprising:

a propulsion motor capable of driving a vehicle;

a fuel cell which includes fuel cell units, each of which includes a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode, and generates electric power by supplying a reactant gas to give an electrochemical reaction;

an energy storage device which is charged by a generated output of the fuel cell and regenerative electric power of the propulsion motor;

a reactant gas supply device which supplies the reactant gas to the fuel cell;

a pressure detection device which detects a pressure of the reactant gas supplied to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell;

an output control device which controls an output current of the fuel cell; and

a control device which calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated by a regenerative operation of the propulsion motor as well as a chargeable power which can be charged to the energy storage device, controls the reactant gas supply device so that supply of the reactant gas to the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell is stopped and controls the output control device so that the output current of the fuel cell is restricted when the chargeable power is less than the regenerative electric power and the pressure of the reactant gas detected by the pressure detection device is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and controls the output control device so that restriction on the output current of the fuel cell is canceled when the chargeable power is equal to or greater than the regenerative electric power or the chargeable power is less than the regenerative electric power and the pressure of the reactant gas detected by the pressure detection device is greater than the predetermined value.