IP Library Granted Patent US 11,764,375
Granted Patent B2
US 11,764,375 · App. 17/651,866 · Granted Sep 19, 2023

Fuel cell system, control device, and mobile body

Inventor: Rei Morinaga (Susono, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H01M8/04753B60L58/30H01M8/04313H01M8/04776B60L2240/12H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,764,375
App. No.
17/651,866
Granted
Sep 19, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fuel cell system for a mobile body includes a fuel cell, an oxidant gas supply system, and a controller. The oxidant gas supply system includes an air compressor. The air compressor includes a rotor, an air bearing, and a housing. The controller includes a movement speed detector configured to measure a movement speed of the mobile body, and an acceleration detector configured to predict an acceleration to be applied to the mobile body. The controller is configured to determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined acceleration threshold, and control a rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than a predetermined first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

Claims (49)

1. A fuel cell system for a mobile body, the fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell;

an oxidant gas supply system configured to supply an oxidant gas to the fuel cell; and

a controller, wherein:

the oxidant gas supply system includes an air compressor;

the air compressor includes a rotor, an air bearing, and a housing;

the controller includes a movement speed detector configured to measure a movement speed of the mobile body, and an acceleration detector configured to predict an acceleration to be applied to the mobile body; and

the controller is configured to

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined acceleration threshold, and

control a rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than a predetermined first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to

determine whether the rotation speed of the air compressor is equal to or higher than a predetermined second rotation speed and lower than the first rotation speed,

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold when determination is made that the rotation speed of the air compressor is equal to or higher than the second rotation speed and lower than the first rotation speed,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be the second rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is lower than the acceleration threshold.

3. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to

determine whether the movement speed of the mobile body that is measured by the movement speed detector is lower than a predetermined first movement speed,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is equal to or higher than the first movement speed,

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold when determination is made that the movement speed is lower than the first movement speed, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

4. The fuel cell system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to

determine whether the movement speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined second movement speed lower than a first movement speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is lower than the acceleration threshold,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be a predetermined third rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is equal to or higher than the second movement speed, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be a predetermined second rotation speed lower than the third rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is lower than the second movement speed.

5. The fuel cell system according to claim 2 , wherein the second rotation speed is a minimum rotation speed of the air compressor that is necessary when the mobile body is stopped.

6. The fuel cell system according to claim 4 , wherein the third rotation speed is a rotation speed of the air compressor that is necessary when the movement speed of the mobile body is equal to or higher than the second movement speed and lower than the first movement speed.

7. A control device for a fuel cell system including a fuel cell and an oxidant gas supply system including an air compressor and configured to supply an oxidant gas to the fuel cell, the fuel cell system being mountable on a mobile body, the control device comprising:

a movement speed detector configured to measure a movement speed of the mobile body; and

an acceleration detector configured to predict an acceleration to be applied to the mobile body, wherein the control device is configured to

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined acceleration threshold, and

control a rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than a predetermined first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

8. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the control device is configured to

determine whether the rotation speed of the air compressor is equal to or higher than a predetermined second rotation speed and lower than the first rotation speed,

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold when determination is made that the rotation speed of the air compressor is equal to or higher than the second rotation speed and lower than the first rotation speed,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be the second rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is lower than the acceleration threshold.

9. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the control device is configured to

determine whether the movement speed of the mobile body that is measured by the movement speed detector is lower than a predetermined first movement speed,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is equal to or higher than the first movement speed,

determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold when determination is made that the movement speed is lower than the first movement speed, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

10. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the control device is configured to

determine whether the movement speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined second movement speed lower than a first movement speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is lower than the acceleration threshold,

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be a predetermined third rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is equal to or higher than the second movement speed, and

control the rotation speed of the air compressor to be a predetermined second rotation speed lower than the third rotation speed when determination is made that the movement speed is lower than the second movement speed.

11. The control device according to claim 8 , wherein the second rotation speed is a minimum rotation speed of the air compressor that is necessary when the mobile body is stopped.

12. The control device according to claim 10 , wherein the third rotation speed is a rotation speed of the air compressor that is necessary when the movement speed of the mobile body is equal to or higher than the second movement speed and lower than the first movement speed.

13. A mobile body comprising the fuel cell system according to claim 1 .

14. A mobile body comprising the control device according to claim 7 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2022
From: MORINAGA, REI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 059130/0633 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-027250 · Feb 24, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220271311A1 · Aug 25, 2022