Fuel cell system and starting method therefor
First Claim
1. A fuel cell system connected with a load, the fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell;
a secondary battery electrically connected with the fuel cell;
a data gathering unit to obtain data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery;
a determination unit to determine one of a plurality of start-up modes, differing from each other in energy consumption, for the fuel cell system based on the obtained data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; and
a memory programmed to store at least one threshold value used to determine the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system, wherein the determination unit determines the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the at least one threshold value stored in the memory;
whereinthe at least one threshold value includes a first energy start threshold value representing energy necessary to start the fuel cell system, and the determination unit includes a start determination unit to determine whether or not to start the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the first energy start threshold value; and
the at least one threshold value includes a second energy start threshold value representing normal-consumption energy necessary to start the fuel cell system in a normal mode, and the start determination unit determines whether to start the fuel cell system in the normal mode or in a low consumption mode based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the second energy start threshold value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel cell system and a starting method therefor are capable of setting a start-up mode which is appropriate to energy stored in a secondary battery so as to eliminate problems in starting the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery which is electrically connected with the fuel cell, a secondary-battery charge-amount detection unit which detects an amount of charge in the secondary battery, and a memory which stores at least one threshold value for determining the start-up mode of the fuel cell system. Stored electric energy which corresponds to the amount of charge in the secondary battery is calculated, and a start-up mode of the fuel cell system is determined based on the electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the threshold value stored in the memory.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A fuel cell system connected with a load, the fuel cell system comprising:
-
a fuel cell; a secondary battery electrically connected with the fuel cell; a data gathering unit to obtain data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; a determination unit to determine one of a plurality of start-up modes, differing from each other in energy consumption, for the fuel cell system based on the obtained data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; and a memory programmed to store at least one threshold value used to determine the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system, wherein the determination unit determines the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the at least one threshold value stored in the memory;
whereinthe at least one threshold value includes a first energy start threshold value representing energy necessary to start the fuel cell system, and the determination unit includes a start determination unit to determine whether or not to start the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the first energy start threshold value; and the at least one threshold value includes a second energy start threshold value representing normal-consumption energy necessary to start the fuel cell system in a normal mode, and the start determination unit determines whether to start the fuel cell system in the normal mode or in a low consumption mode based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and the second energy start threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of starting a fuel cell system connected with a load, the system including a fuel cell and a secondary battery electrically connected with the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; determining one of a plurality of start-up modes differing from each other in energy consumption for the fuel cell system based on the obtained data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; and operating the fuel cell system in accordance with the determined mode;
whereinthe step of determining one of a plurality of start-up modes includes the steps of; determining the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and at least one threshold value; and determining whether or not to start the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and a first energy start threshold value representing energy necessary to start the fuel cell system, wherein the at least one threshold value includes the first energy start threshold value; and a predetermined voltage for determining whether or not the fuel cell is disconnected from the secondary battery is set to a lower value when starting the fuel cell system in a low consumption mode than when starting in a normal mode, the determination on whether or not the fuel cell is disconnected from the secondary battery being made based on an output voltage of the fuel cell and the predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of starting a fuel cell system connected with a load, the system including a fuel cell and a secondary battery electrically connected with the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; determining one of a plurality of start-up modes differing from each other in energy consumption for the fuel cell system based on the obtained data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; and operating the fuel cell system in accordance with the determined mode;
whereinthe step of determining one of a plurality of start-up modes includes the steps of; determining the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and at least one threshold value; and determining whether or not to start the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and a first energy start threshold value representing energy necessary to start the fuel cell system, wherein the at least one threshold value includes the first energy start threshold value; and the fuel cell system is connected with the load when an output voltage of the fuel cell is not lower than a voltage in the secondary battery when starting the fuel cell system in a low consumption mode.
-
-
15. A method of starting a fuel cell system connected with a load, the system including a fuel cell and a secondary battery electrically connected with the fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; determining one of a plurality of start-up modes differing from each other in energy consumption for the fuel cell system based on the obtained data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery; and operating the fuel cell system in accordance with the determined mode;
whereinthe step of determining one of a plurality of start-up modes includes the steps of; determining the one of the plurality of start-up modes of the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and at least one threshold value; and determining whether or not to start the fuel cell system based on the data concerning electric energy stored in the secondary battery and a first energy start threshold value representing energy necessary to start the fuel cell system, wherein the at least one threshold value includes the first energy start threshold value; and the fuel cell is operated at a lower output voltage when the fuel cell system is started in a low consumption mode than when started in a normal mode at a same temperature of the fuel cell.
-
Specification