Fuel cell system

• US 8,252,470 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tomotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Crepeau, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOUYETTE, KENNETH J
• Application Number:
  US12/600,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20100167149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 429/444, 429/492, 429/434, 429/535, 429/428, 429/429, 429/512, 429/436, 429/437, 429/442
• US Class Current: 429/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/31 for starting of fuel cells
• 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: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04029 Heat exchange using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04037 Electrical heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04358 of the coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04723 of the coolant
• 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 90/16 : 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

Abstract

A temperature sensor detects the temperature of a coolant circulating in a coolant supply system of a fuel cell. A control unit monitors the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. When the temperature of the coolant is higher than a target temperature, the control section switches a rotary valve to a radiator-side flow path so that a radiator cools the coolant, and when the temperature of the coolant is lower than the target temperature, the control section switches the rotary valve to a bypass-side flow path to raise the temperature of the coolant through FC generation so that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to the target temperature. During the process above, in a low temperature environment, the target temperature is raised to a temperature that is higher than a target temperature during a normal operation, while a heater heats the coolant. Through the above processing, the temperature inside the fuel cell can be prevented from decreasing excessively even in the low temperature environment.

Claims

1. A fuel cell system including a fuel cell which produces electrical power upon a supply of a reaction gas, comprising:

a coolant supplier for supplying a coolant to the fuel cell; and

a coolant controller for controlling a heat exchange amount with respect to the coolant so that a temperature of the coolant is equal to a target temperature, wherein

in a low temperature environment at a temperature equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, when an amount of water remaining in the fuel cell is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the coolant controller is programmed to control the temperature of the coolant so that the target temperature is higher than a target temperature during a normal operation so as to control a temperature of the fuel cell, while, the amount of water is more than the predetermined value, the coolant controller is programmed to keep the target temperature at the target temperature during the normal operation.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein:

the coolant supplier comprises;

a cooling path for forming a loop of the coolant for cooling the fuel cell;

a coolant pump which is inserted into the cooling path to circulate the coolant;

a radiator for radiating heat of the coolant to the outside; and

a switching valve for switching a flow path of the coolant flowing into the radiator between a bypass-side flow path which bypasses the radiator and a radiator-side flow path which passes through the radiator;

the coolant controller comprises;

a heating unit for heating the coolant in the cooling path;

a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the coolant in the cooling path; and

a controller for controlling switching of the switching valve so that a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is equal to the target temperature; and

when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor indicates the low temperature environment, while the target temperature is controlled to be a target temperature that is higher than a target temperature during a normal operation, the coolant controller is programmed to drive the heating unit so that the temperature of the coolant is equal to the target temperature that is higher than the target temperature during the normal operation.

3. A method for controlling a temperature of a fuel cell system including a fuel which produces electrical power upon a supply of a reaction gas, comprising the steps of:

supplying a coolant to the fuel cell;

detecting a temperature of the coolant;

controlling a heat exchange amount with respect to the coolant so that the temperature of the coolant is equal to a target temperature; and

in a low temperature environment at a temperature equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, when an amount of water remaining in the fuel cell is equal to or less than a predetermined value, changing the temperature of the coolant so that the target temperature is higher than a target temperature during a normal operation so as to control a temperature of the fuel cell, and the amount of water is more than the predetermined value, keeping the target temperature at the target temperature during the normal operation.