POWER GENERATION STOPPING METHOD FOR FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM

• US 20170250426A1
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: HAMACHI, Masakazu, OTA, Hiroaki, WATANABE, Shinya, TAMURA, Takuya
• Application Number:
  US15/434,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20170250426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04228 during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04253 Means for solving freezing problems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04303 applied during shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04358 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04723 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04768 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04932 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A power generation stopping method for a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, includes continuing generating electric power by the fuel cell via electrochemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas during a post running period after the fuel cell system is ordered to stop. A coolant is supplied at a first flow rate to the fuel cell during the post running period until temperature of the fuel cell reaches a threshold temperature. A coolant is supplied to the fuel cell at a second flow rate larger than the first flow rate during the post running period after the temperature of the fuel cell has reached the threshold temperature.

Claims

1. A power generation stopping method for a fuel cell system including a fuel cell, comprising:

continuing generating electric power by the fuel cell via electrochemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas during a post running period after the fuel cell system is ordered to stop;

supplying a coolant at a first flow rate to the fuel cell during the post running period until temperature of the fuel cell reaches a threshold temperature; and

supplying a coolant to the fuel cell at a second flow rate larger than the first flow rate during the post running period after the temperature of the fuel cell has reached the threshold temperature.

2. The power generation stopping method according to claim 1, wherein a coolant supply device causes the coolant discharged from a coolant outlet of the fuel cell to flow through equipment that constitutes an oxidant gas supply device and that is freezable.

3. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell to generate electric power via electrochemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas;

a fuel gas supplier to supply the fuel gas into the fuel cell;

an oxidant gas supplier to supply the oxidant gas into the fuel cell;

a coolant supplier to supply a coolant into the fuel cell; and

circuitry configured to

control the fuel cell to continue generating the electric power during a post running period after the fuel cell system is ordered to stop;

control the coolant supplier to supply the coolant at a first flow rate to the fuel cell during the post running period until temperature of the fuel cell reaches a threshold temperature; and

control the coolant supplier to supply the coolant to the fuel cell at a second flow rate larger than the first flow rate during the post running period after the temperature of the fuel cell has reached the threshold temperature.