US 10,328,819 B2 · Fuel cell system and control method thereof

Abstract

A fuel cell system and method of controlling the fuel cell system are provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack that is configured to receive fuel, and generate electric energy and a fuel supply valve that is configured to adjust pressure of fuel that is supplied to the fuel cell stack. A controller is configured to operate the fuel supply valve to supply fuel of predetermined target pressure to the fuel cell stack, using a difference between the predetermined target pressure and actual pressure of the fuel being supplied. When the actual pressure reaches a steady state from a transient state, the controller applies a smaller gain than in the transient state to determine a first controlled variable based on the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure of the fuel being supplied.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A fuel cell system, comprising:

a fuel cell stack that receives fuel and generates electric energy;
a fuel supply valve that adjusts pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel cell stack;
a purge valve that forms a path for discharging the fuel remaining in the fuel cell stack;
and
a controller that operates the fuel supply valve to supply fuel of predetermined target pressure to the fuel cell stack, using a difference between the predetermined target pressure and actual pressure of the fuel being supplied,
wherein when the actual pressure reaches a steady state from a transient state, the controller applies a smaller gain than in the transient state to determine a first controlled variable based on the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure of the fuel being supplied, and
wherein when the purge valve opens, the controller estimates an amount of the fuel that is to be discharged through the path, and adjusts an opening degree of the fuel supply valve based on the estimated amount of the fuel.

4 more elements

A method of controlling a fuel cell system, comprising:

opening, by a controller, a fuel supply valve to supply fuel to a fuel cell stack;
determining, by the controller, a controlled variable of the fuel supply valve using a difference between target pressure and actual pressure of the fuel being supplied;
adjusting, by the controller, an opening degree of the fuel supply valve based on the controlled variable;
opening, by the controller, a purge valve to form a path for discharging the fuel remaining in the fuel cell stack;
and
estimating, by the controller, an amount of the fuel to be discharged through the path for discharging the fuel, and adjusting an opening degree of the fuel supply valve based on the estimated amount of the fuel,
wherein the determination of the controlled variable includes applying a smaller gain than in the transient state when the actual pressure reaches a steady state from a transient state, to determine a first controlled variable based on the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure of the fuel being supplied.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fuel cell system and control method thereof

Life of this patent

Fuel cell system and control method thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18