System and method for controlling power distribution of fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle

• US 6,847,127 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Young-Kook
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joe
• Assistant Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO C
• Application Number:
  US10/331,229
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40.C, 290/40.B, 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 180/65.5, 429/9, 429/23, 429/13
• US Class Current: 290/40.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling power distribution of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle. The system includes a fuel cell, a battery, a DC/DC converter connected to the battery for the input and output of power, an inverter connected to the DC/DC converter and fuel cell, a motor connected to the inverter, and a controller for estimating the required vehicle power. Further the present invention controls power transmission between the fuel cell, the battery, the DC/DC converter, and the inverter. The controller selectively performs control into one of a fuel cell mode, a battery discharge mode, a battery charge mode, and a regeneration mode.

Claims

1. A system for controlling power distribution of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:

a fuel cell used as a main power source;

a battery used as an auxiliary power source;

a bi-directional DC/DC converter connected to the battery to allow for the input of power to and output from the battery;

an inverter electrically connected to the bi-directional DC/DC converter and the fuel cell;

a motor connected to the inverter and which converts electrical energy into rotational mechanical energy for driving the vehicle; and

a controller for estimating a required vehicle power and controlling power transmission between the fuel cell, the battery, the bi-directional DC/DC converter, and the inverter based on the estimated required vehicle power and states of the fuel cell and of the battery;

wherein the controller, according to a present required vehicle power and a battery charge state, selectively performs control into one of a plurality of modes including;

a fuel cell mode, in which the energy of the fuel cell is transmitted through the inverter to drive the motor;

a battery discharge mode, in which energies of the fuel cell and the battery are simultaneously transmitted through the inverter to drive the motor;

a battery charge mode, in which part of the energy output from the fuel cell is transmitted through the inverter to drive the motor, and another part of the energy output from the fuel cell is transmitted through the bi-directional DC/DC converter to charge the battery; and

a regeneration mode, in which restored braking energy is transmitted through the bi-directional DC/DC converter to charge the battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell mode is implemented when the required vehicle power is less than a predetermined power, and a charge degree of the battery is greater than or equal to an upper limit value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the required vehicle power is estimated based on a power presently used in the motor, a level of depression of an accelerator pedal, and a level of depression of a brake pedal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery discharge mode is implemented when the required vehicle power is greater than a predetermined level of power, and an amount of charge of the battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined lower limit value.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery charge mode is implemented when the required vehicle power is less than or equal to a predetermined level of power, and an amount of charge of the battery is less than an upper limit value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the regeneration mode is selected when the required vehicle power is less than zero.

7. A method for controlling power distribution of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle that uses a power distribution system, the system including a fuel cell used as a main power source, a battery used as an auxiliary power source, a bi-directional DC/DC converter electrically connected to the battery and the fuel cell, and a controller that controls power transmission between the fuel cell, the battery, and the bi-directional DC/DC converter, the method comprising:

estimating a required vehicle power in a present state;

determining if the required vehicle power indicates a regenerative state;

setting a fuel cell required output amount to zero if the required vehicle power indicates a regenerative state;

establishing an output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter such that the battery may be charged based on a charge state of the battery;

determining if the battery is overcharged;

estimating a battery charge required amount if the battery is not overcharged;

establishing a regeneration energy maximum value of a motor as the battery charge required amount; and

establishing an output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter to allow for the charge of the battery by an amount equal to the calculated battery charge required amount.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein charging of the battery further comprises:

controlling to Off a regeneration function of the motor if the battery is overcharged; and

setting the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter to zero.

9. A method for controlling power distribution of a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle that uses a power distribution system, the system including a fuel cell used as a main power source, a battery used as an auxiliary power source, a bi-directional DC/DC converter electrically connected to the battery and the fuel cell, and a controller that controls power transmission between the fuel cell, the battery and the bi-directional DC/DC converter, the method comprising:

estimating a required vehicle power in a present state;

determining if the required vehicle power indicates a regenerative state;

setting a fuel cell required output amount to zero if the required vehicle power indicates a regenerative state;

establishing an output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter such that the battery may be charged based on a charge state of the battery;

determining if the required vehicle power is less than a predetermined power level if the estimated required vehicle power is not in the regenerative state;

determining that the battery requires charging if the required vehicle power is less than the predetermined power level; and

calculating a battery charge required amount and performing control to charge the battery according to the calculated battery charge required amount.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the charging of the battery comprises:

calculating the battery charge required amount based on a present battery charge state;

determining if a difference between the predetermined power level and the required vehicle power is greater than the battery charge required amount; and

establishing the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter such that the battery may be charged by the calculated charge required amount if the difference between the predetermined power level and the required vehicle power is greater than the battery charge required amount.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter is established such that energy corresponding to the difference between the predetermined power and the required vehicle power is stored in the battery in the case where the difference between the predetermined power level and the required vehicle power is not greater than the battery charge required amount.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter is set to zero such that the battery is not charged in the case where charging of the battery is not required.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that discharging of the battery is possible if the required vehicle power is not less than the predetermined power level;

calculating a possible discharge amount of the battery if it is determined that discharging of the battery is possible;

determining if a difference between the required vehicle power and the predetermined power level is greater than the possible discharge amount of the battery; and

setting the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter to allow for release of energy corresponding to the possible discharge amount of the battery if the difference between the required vehicle power and the predetermined power level is greater than the possible discharge amount of the battery.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising setting the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter to allow for the release of energy corresponding to the difference between the required vehicle power and the predetermined power level if the difference between the required vehicle power and the predetermined power level is not greater than the possible discharge amount of the battery.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein in the setting the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter, if the difference between the required vehicle power and the predetermined power level is not greater than the possible discharge amount of the battery, the output current of the bi-directional DC/DC converter is set to zero such that output or input of energy from or to the batter does not occur.