Control apparatus for fuel cell vehicle

• US 7,164,976 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US10/723,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/101, 429/13, 429/17, 429 21- 22, 429/12, 429/23, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/165, 702/63
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• 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: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• 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 8/04544 Voltage
• 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 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

A control apparatus 20 is provided in order to improve the energy efficiency of a vehicle during regeneration by a propulsion motor. At the time of regenerative operation of a propulsion motor 15, calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated based on the speed of the vehicle or the like, and calculates the chargeable power which can be charged to a capacitor 13 based on the detected value of the terminal voltage of the capacitor 13 or the like. Then, the control apparatus 20, in the case where the chargeable power is greater than the regenerative electric power, sets the fuel cell 11 and the capacitor 13 to a directly connected condition, and outputs to an S/C output controller 17 a power generation command corresponding to the detection value of the terminal voltage of the capacitor 13 which has become the same value as the output voltage of the fuel cell 11, to perform supply of reactant gas in accordance with the power generation command, so that the capacitor 13 is charged by the power generation power of the fuel cell 11 and the regenerative electric power of the propulsion motor 15. In the case where the chargeable power is less than the regenerative electric power, the control apparatus 20 electrically disconnects the fuel cell 11 and the capacitor 13, and prohibits charging of the capacitor 13 by the power generation power of the fuel cell 11.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a propulsion motor capable of driving a vehicle;

a fuel cell, composed of a plurality of fuel cell units formed by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane between a fuel electrode and an oxygen electrode, which generates electric power by supplying a reactant gas to give an electrochemical reaction;

a capacitor which is charged by a generated output of said fuel cell and regenerated electric power of said propulsion motor;

a reactant gas supply device which supplies said reactant gases to said fuel cell;

an output control device which receives an output current extracted from said fuel cell and controls said output current of said fuel cell;

a regenerative electric power calculating device which calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated by regenerative operation of said propulsion motor; and

a chargeable power calculating device which calculates the chargeable power which can be charged to said capacitor,

wherein when said chargeable power is less than said regenerative electric power, said output control device restricts the value of the output current from said fuel cell to zero, and

when said chargeable power is greater than said regenerative electric power, said output control device cancels the restriction on the output current of said fuel cell.

2. A control apparatus of a fuel cell vehicle 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;

a capacitor which stores generated energy of said fuel cell and performs transfer of electrical energy with said propulsion motor;

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

an output control device which controls an output current of said fuel cell;

a regenerative electric power calculating device which calculates the regenerative electric power which can be generated by regenerative operation of said propulsion motor;

a chargeable power calculating device which calculates the chargeable power which can be charged to said capacitor; and

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

wherein, when said chargeable power is less than said regenerative electric power and the pressure of said reactant gas at the fuel electrode of said fuel cell is less than a predetermined pressure, said reactant gas supply device stops supply of said reactant gas to the oxygen electrode of said fuel cell, and said output control device restricts the value of the output current of said fuel cell to substantially zero, and

when where said chargeable power is greater than said regenerative electric power and the pressure of said reactant gas at the fuel electrode of said fuel cell is greater than the predetermined pressure, said output control device cancels the restriction on the output current of said fuel cell.

3. A control apparatus of a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said output control device cancels the restriction ante output current of said fuel cell when said chargeable power is less than said regenerative electric power and the pressure of said reactant gas at the fuel electrode of said fuel cell is greater than a predetermined pressure.