Control device for fuel cell vehicle

• US 6,684,135 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Shinji, Uenodai, Asao
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIBSON, ERIC M
• Application Number:
  US10/177,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/29, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.8, 429/12, 429/22, 429/23, 320/101
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04179 by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04679 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 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 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed is a control device for a fuel cell vehicle which prevents that a fuel cell vehicle cannot run immediately after an abnormal condition of a fuel cell occurs. A current supply limiting unit 54 permits output current limiting means 30 to interrupt a current supplied from a fuel cell 2 to a capacitor 3 and a motor driver 5 when an upper limit amount of generated electric energy (Ifc_LMT) outputted from a fuel cell control unit 16 and indicative of an upper limit amount of electric energy generated by the fuel cell 2 is equal to a predetermined amount of generated electric energy or lower. When the upper limit amount of generated electric energy (Ifc_LMT) is equal to the predetermined amount of generated electric energy or lower and an output limit electric energy (PLD) is equal to a target output (PD_REQ) or lower, a necessary regenerative torque calculator 62 calculates necessary regenerative torque (REG_TRQ) so that a reactive gas supply device 21 can be operated by a regenerative electric energy generated in an electric motor 10. A torque command selector 63 outputs the necessary regenerative torque (REG_TRQ) as a torque command (TRQ_CMD) to the motor driver 5.

Claims

1. A control device for a fuel cell vehicle, comprising:

a fuel cell which is used as a power supply for a driving electric motor;

an electric double layer capacitor, connected parallel to the fuel cell, for discharging for compensation for an insufficient electric energy when the amount of electric energy generated by the fuel cell is insufficient;

reactive gas supply means, driven by an electric energy that is supplied from the fuel cell or the electric double layer capacitor, for supplying reactive gases to the fuel cell;

motor driving regenerative means, operated using the fuel cell and the electric double layer capacitor as a power supply, for regulating a driving electric energy supplied to the motor depending on a predetermined target torque to control driving torque generated in the electric motor and for regulating a regenerative electric energy recovered from the electric motor to the electric double layer capacitor to control regenerative torque generated in the electric motor;

upper-limit-amount-of-generated-electric-energy recognizing means for recognizing the operating condition of the fuel cell to recognize the upper limit amount of electric energy generated by the fuel cell depending on the operating condition;

current supply limiting means for limiting a current supplied from the fuel cell to the electric double layer capacitor and the motor driving regenerative means;

capacitor-charging-amount-of-electric-energy recognizing means for recognizing the amount of electric energy charged into the electric double layer capacitor; and

fuel cell abnormality countermeasure means for permitting the current supply limiting means to limit the current supplied from the fuel cell to the electric double layer capacitor and the motor driving regenerative means and permitting the reactive gas supply means to be driven by the regenerative electric energy of the electric motor when the upper limit amount of generated electric energy is equal to a predetermined amount of generated electric energy or lower and the amount of electric energy charged into the electric double layer capacitor is equal to a predetermined amount of charged electric energy or lower while the fuel cell vehicle is running.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell abnormality countermeasure means sets necessary regenerative torque as the target torque, the necessary regenerative torque being determined so that when the reactive gas supply means is driven by the regenerative electric energy of the electric motor, the amount of electric energy charged into the electric double layer capacitor is held at a level or higher at which the electric double layer capacitor can supply an electric energy capable of operating the reactive gas supply means to the reactive gas supply means.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising:

speed detecting means for detecting a speed of the fuel cell vehicle,

wherein the fuel cell abnormality countermeasure means determines the necessary regenerative torque depending on the speed detected by the speed detecting means.