IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,545,686
Granted Patent B2
US 11,545,686 · App. 16/885,459 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Fuel cell system

Inventors: Kazuyori Yamada (Okazaki, JP); Masaaki Matsusue (Mishima, JP)
Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
H01M8/0491H01M8/04552H01M8/04753
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,545,686
App. No.
16/885,459
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells is stacked, a detection unit configured to detect a cell voltage of at least one of the unit cells, a converter configured to regulate an output current of the fuel cell stack, and a control device configured to control the converter. The control device executes current reduction processing for reducing the output current in a stepwise manner when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage.

Claims (18)

1. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells is stacked;

a detection unit configured to detect a cell voltage of at least one of the unit cells;

a converter configured to regulate an output current of the fuel cell stack; and

a control device configured to control the converter,

wherein the control device executes current reduction processing for reducing the output current in a stepwise manner when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage, and

wherein, in the current reduction processing, the control device sets a period during which the output current is maintained at a given value to be longer than a period during which the output current is reduced.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , further comprising a regulation device configured to be controlled by the control device and regulate a flow rate of cathode gas to be supplied to the fuel cell stack,

wherein the control device restricts the flow rate of the cathode gas such that a cathode stoichiometric ratio becomes less than 1 . 0 and executes the current reduction processing when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device reduces the output current to zero in the current reduction processing.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells is stacked;

a detection unit configured to detect a cell voltage of at least one of the unit cells;

a converter configured to regulate an output current of the fuel cell stack;

a control device configured to control the converter; and

a regulation device configured to be controlled by the control device and regulate a flow rate of cathode gas to be supplied to the fuel cell stack,

wherein the control device executes current reduction processing for reducing the output current in a stepwise manner when the cell voltage detected by the detection unit is a negative voltage, and

wherein the control device reduces the output current to zero in the current reduction processing, and after the current reduction processing is completed, controls the flow rate of the cathode gas to control an open-circuit voltage of the fuel cell stack within a target range while maintaining the output current at zero.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2020
From: YAMADA, KAZUYORI; MATSUSUE, MASAAKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 052772/0447 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-109854 · Jun 12, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200395624A1 · Dec 17, 2020