Supply of power utilizing fuel cell and rechargeable storage portion

• US 7,583,052 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshii, Kinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah; Akm E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US11/760,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20070231630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 180 651- 653, 429/12, 701/22, 701/54, 320/104
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/28 Accelerator pedal thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/28 including control of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/103 Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 : Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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 8/04626 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 : of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 : characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/34 : Modelling or simulation for control purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/908 : Fuel cell

Abstract

In a vehicle having a motor as the drive power source, a fuel cell and battery are on board as the power source for the motor. A target output value for the fuel cell is set within a range such that fuel cell output can track change in power demand. The battery is charged/discharged so as to compensate for delay in fuel cell output relative to power demand. By setting a higher target output value the lower the remaining charge in the battery, the fuel cell can be utilized efficiently while ensuring good output responsiveness.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a power supply device that supplies power using a fuel cell and rechargeable storage portion as the power source, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing a power demand;

controlling operation of said fuel cell with reference to a predetermined target output value determined with reference to said power demand;

comparing a rate of change of said power demand to a predetermined value;

charging/discharging said rechargeable storage portion to compensate for difference between said power demand and power outputtable by said fuel cell; and

modifying said target output value of said fuel cell with reference to said power demand only when the absolute value of the rate of change of said power demand exceeds the predetermined value.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sensing a remaining charge of said rechargeable storage portion; and

correcting said target output value with reference to said remaining charge.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined value indicates a sudden change in power demand.