Control method for fuel cell vehicle, and fuel cell vehicle

• US 7,946,365 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Abe, Hiroyuki, Saeki, Hibiki, Takanohashi, Hiroaki, Kimura, Kenichiro, Aoyagi, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, BRIDGET D
• Application Number:
  US11/701,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.24, 180/65.285, 180/65.29, 180/65.31, 180/65.8, 318/139, 320/101, 290/40.C, 429/22, 429/23, 363/51, 477/2, 477/3, 477/7, 701/22
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04313 characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
• 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 8/04597 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04753 of fuel cell reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04761 of fuel cell exhausts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04888 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0491 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• 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

This control method for a fuel cell vehicle includes: a target motor output power obtaining step which obtains a target motor output power corresponding to an accelerator opening degree; and a high output power control step which controls operations of a first DC-DC converter and a second DC-DC converter, such that an output voltage of a power source becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined voltage that is required for securing a desired motor output power, when the target motor output power is larger than a predetermined output power threshold value.

Claims

1. A control method for a fuel cell vehicle including a motor being a driving source of the fuel cell vehicle, a motor controller for controlling an operation status of the motor, and a fuel cell system being a power source for the motor,

said fuel cell system including:

a fuel cell which receives reaction gasses and performs electrochemical reactions to generate an electrical power, a power storage device which is charged with the generated electrical power from the fuel cell and a regeneration power from the motor;

a first DC-DC converter provided between the power storage device and the motor controller; and

a second DC-DC converter provided between the fuel cell and the motor controller, the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter both including switching elements, the switching elements performing switching operations to control voltage,

said control method for a fuel cell vehicle comprising;

obtaining a target motor output power corresponding to an accelerator opening degree; and

controlling operation of the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter, such that an output voltage of the fuel cell system becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined voltage that is required for securing a desired motor output power, when the target motor output power is larger than a predetermined output power threshold value.

2. The control method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said controlling step comprises:

determining whether remaining capacity of the power storage device is equal to or less than a predetermined remaining capacity threshold value;

controlling a voltage-increasing operation of the second DC-DC converter when the remaining capacity is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value in the remaining capacity determination step; and

controlling an operation of the first DC-DC converter such that an output electrical power of the power storage device becomes equal to or less than a predetermined electrical power threshold value when the remaining capacity in the remaining capacity determination step is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value.

3. The control method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling operations of the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter such that a supply of an output electrical power from the fuel cell to the motor takes priority over a supply of an output electrical power from the power storage device to the motor, when the target motor output power is equal to or less than the predetermined output power threshold value.

4. The control method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said controlling step comprises:

setting the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state when the remaining capacity in the remaining capacity determination step is determined to be larger than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value; and

controlling a switching operation of the first DC-DC converter when the remaining capacity in the remaining capacity determination step is determined to be larger than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value.

5. The control method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said controlling step further comprises:

setting the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state; and

controlling an operation of the first DC-DC converter such that an output electrical power from the power storage device becomes zero.

6. The control method for a fuel cell vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said controlling step further comprises:

setting the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state; and

controlling a switching operation of the first DC-DC converter when the target motor output power is larger than an output power of the motor that corresponds to an output electrical power of the fuel cell.

7. A fuel cell vehicle including a motor being a driving source of the fuel cell vehicle, a motor controller for controlling an operation status of the motor, and a fuel cell system being a power source for the motor,

said fuel cell system including:

a fuel cell which receives reaction gasses and performs electrochemical reactions to generate an electrical power;

a power storage device which is charged with the generated electrical power from the fuel cell and a regeneration power from the motor;

a first DC-DC converter provided between the power storage device and the motor controller; and

a second DC-DC converter provided between the fuel cell and the motor controller, the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter both including switching elements, the switching elements performing switching operations to control voltage, wherein

said fuel cell vehicle comprises;

a target motor output power obtaining device which obtains a target motor output power corresponding to an accelerator opening degree; and

a high output power controller which controls operations for the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter, such that an output voltage of the fuel cell system becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined voltage that is required for securing a desired motor output power, when the new target motor output power is larger than a predetermined output power threshold value.

8. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

said high output power controller comprises:

a remaining capacity determination device which determines whether remaining capacity of the power storage device is equal to or less than a predetermined remaining capacity threshold value;

a voltage-increasing device which controls a voltage-increasing operation of the second DC-DC converter when the remaining capacity is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value by the remaining capacity determination device; and

a power storage device output power limiting device which controls an operation of the first DC-DC converter such that an output electrical power of the power storage device becomes equal to or less than a predetermined electrical power threshold value when the remaining capacity is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value by the remaining capacity determination device.

9. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising

a low-and-middle output power controller which controls operations of the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter such that a supply of an output electrical power from the fuel cell to the motor takes priority over a supply of an output electrical power from the power storage device to the motor, when the target motor output power is equal to or less than the predetermined output power threshold value.

10. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said high output power controller comprises:

a direct connecting device which sets the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state when the remaining capacity is determined to be larger than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value by the remaining capacity determination device; and

a switching controller which controls a switching operation of the first DC-DC converter when the remaining capacity is determined to be larger than the predetermined remaining capacity threshold value by the remaining capacity determination device.

11. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

said low-and-middle output power controller comprises:

a direct connecting device which sets the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state; and

a power storage device output power terminating device which controls an operation of the first DC-DC converter such that an output electrical power from the power storage device becomes zero.

12. The fuel cell vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

said low-and-middle output power controller comprises:

a direct connecting device which sets the second DC-DC converter to a directly connected state; and

a switching controller which controls a switching operation of the first DC-DC converter when the target motor output power is larger than an output power of the motor that corresponds to an output electrical power of the fuel cell.