Fuel cell system with reformer response time correction
First Claim
1. A control device for controlling a fuel cell system connected to a motor and a rechargeable battery, and provided with a fuel cell and a reformer for producing hydrogen-rich reformate gas supplied to the fuel cell, the fuel cell system and the rechargeable battery supplying the motor with electrical power, the control device comprising:
- a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the rechargeable battery;
a load sensor for detecting a required power for the motor;
means for detecting a state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery;
a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the load sensor, the controller functioning to;
calculate a response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected temperature of the rechargeable battery when detecting a change in the required power for the motor and based on the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery; and
control the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas from the reformer according to the calculated response time,wherein the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas increases as the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery increases; and
wherein the controller further detects a variation in the required power for the motor and decreases the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on an increase in a frequency of the occurrence that the detected variation in the required power for the motor is greater than a first threshold value and the required power for the motor is greater than a second threshold value;
a temperature sensor for detecting an ambient temperature of an external portion of the fuel cell system; and
a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the reformer, whereinthe controller corrects the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected ambient temperature and the detected temperature of the reformer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cell system cooperating with a rechargeable battery (18) mounts a fuel cell (12) as a source of motive power in an electric vehicle with an electric motor. The fuel cell system and the rechargeable battery (18) supplies the electric motor with electrical power. The fuel cell system also includes a reformer (11) as a source of hydrogen hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the fuel cell (12). The fuel cell system comprises a temperature sensor (19) for measuring the temperature (Tb) of the rechargeable battery and a controller (16) for controlling the response characteristics (mainly the response characteristics of the reformer) of the fuel cell system based on the measured temperature (Tb). The controller (16) calculates a response time of the fuel cell system based on the measured temperature, and controls the supply of hydrogen-containing gas to the fuel cell in response to the calculated response time.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A control device for controlling a fuel cell system connected to a motor and a rechargeable battery, and provided with a fuel cell and a reformer for producing hydrogen-rich reformate gas supplied to the fuel cell, the fuel cell system and the rechargeable battery supplying the motor with electrical power, the control device comprising:
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a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the rechargeable battery; a load sensor for detecting a required power for the motor; means for detecting a state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery; a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the load sensor, the controller functioning to; calculate a response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected temperature of the rechargeable battery when detecting a change in the required power for the motor and based on the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery; and control the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas from the reformer according to the calculated response time, wherein the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas increases as the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery increases; and wherein the controller further detects a variation in the required power for the motor and decreases the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on an increase in a frequency of the occurrence that the detected variation in the required power for the motor is greater than a first threshold value and the required power for the motor is greater than a second threshold value; a temperature sensor for detecting an ambient temperature of an external portion of the fuel cell system; and a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the reformer, wherein the controller corrects the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected ambient temperature and the detected temperature of the reformer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6)
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5. A control method for controlling a fuel cell system connected to a motor and a rechargeable battery, and provided with a fuel cell and a reformer for producing hydrogen-rich reformate gas supplied to the fuel cell, the fuel cell system and the rechargeable battery supplying the motor with electrical power, the control method comprising:
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detecting a temperature of the rechargeable battery; detecting a required power for the motor; detecting a state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery; detecting an ambient temperature of an external portion of the fuel cell system; detecting a temperature of the reformer; calculating a response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected temperature of the rechargeable battery when detecting a change in the required power for the motor and based on the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery; detecting a variation in the required power for the motor and decreasing the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on an increase in a frequency of the occurrence that the detected variation in the required power for the motor is greater than a first threshold value and the required power for the motor is greater than a second threshold value; controlling the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas according to the calculated response time; and correcting the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas based on the detected ambient temperature and the detected temperature of the reformer, wherein the response time of the reformer with respect to the production of hydrogen-rich reformate gas increases as the detected SOC of the rechargeable battery increases.
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Specification