METHOD TO DETECT GROSS LOSS IN COOLANT BASED ON CURRENT FEEDBACK FROM THE HIGH TEMPERATURE PUMP
First Claim
1. A method for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system of a fuel cell system, said method comprising:
- determining an expected current of a pump that pumps the cooling fluid through the thermal sub-system for system operating conditions;
measuring the current of the pump;
comparing the expected current of the pump to the measured current of the pump; and
determining that there may be a loss of the cooling fluid if the measured current is less than the expected current by a predetermined current value.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system in a fuel cell system. The method includes monitoring current feedback from a high temperature pump that pumps the cooling fluid through a coolant loop. A measured current from the pump is compared to an expected current for the system operating conditions, and if that current is significantly less than what is expected, then it may be as a result of low cooling fluid. If the measured current is less than the expected current for a predetermined period of time, then the system can take mitigating action as a result of a low cooling fluid. Further, if the pump speed is too low to provide an accurate current measurement, then it can be increased if an overflow tank level sensor indicates a low cooling fluid level.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system of a fuel cell system, said method comprising:
-
determining an expected current of a pump that pumps the cooling fluid through the thermal sub-system for system operating conditions; measuring the current of the pump; comparing the expected current of the pump to the measured current of the pump; and determining that there may be a loss of the cooling fluid if the measured current is less than the expected current by a predetermined current value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system of a fuel cell system, said method comprising:
-
determining an expected current of a pump that pumps the cooling fluid through the thermal sub-system for system operating conditions; measuring the current of the pump; determining if a level of the cooling fluid in an overflow tank is below a predetermined level; comparing the expected current of the pump through the measured current of the pump if the level sensor indicates a low cooling fluid level in the tank; determining that there may be a loss of the cooling fluid if the measured current is less than the expected current by a predetermined current value for a predetermined period of time; determining if the speed of the pump is greater than a predetermined pump speed threshold if the measured current is less than the expected current for the predetermined period of time; increasing the pump speed to at least the predetermined pump speed threshold if the pump speed is not greater than the pump speed threshold; again comparing the expected current of the pump to the measured current of the pump; and again determining that there may be a loss of the cooling fluid if the measured current is less than the expected current by the predetermined current value for the predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A detection system for determining a loss of cooling fluid from a thermal sub-system of a fuel cell system, said detection system comprising:
-
means for determining an expected current of a pump that pumps the cooling fluid through the thermal sub-system for system operating conditions; means for measuring the current of the pump; means for comparing the expected current of the pump to the measured current of the pump; and means for determining that there may be a loss of the cooling fluid if the measured current is less than the expected current by a predetermined current value. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification