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US 11,145,879 B2Granted
Method and system for estimating and controlling water content of fuel cell
AssigneesHyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
InventorJung Hwan Ryu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water content estimation method includes: measuring, by a temperature sensor, the temperature of coolant for cooling a fuel cell stack; calculating, by a water content calculator, a current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack based on the measured temperature of coolant; and estimating, by the water content calculator, a water content of the fuel cell stack based on the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack.
Claims12
A water content estimation method for a fuel cell, the method comprising steps of:
- measuring, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of coolant for cooling a fuel cell stack;
- calculating, by a water amount calculator, a current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack based on the measured temperature of coolant;
- and
- determining, by the water amount calculator, a water amount maintained inside the fuel cell stack based on the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack,
- wherein, in the step of calculating, the current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack is calculated using a heat exchange rate between the fuel cell stack and coolant, a heating value of the fuel cell stack, and a variation in temperature of the fuel cell stack,
- wherein, in the step of determining, a mass of water contained in the fuel cell stack is determined when a sum of an initial heat capacity in a state in which moisture is not contained in the fuel cell stack and a heat capacity of water currently contained in the fuel cell stack is the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack.
3 more elements
A water content estimation system for a fuel cell, the system comprising:
- a fuel cell stack;
- a cooler for circulating coolant for cooling the fuel cell stack;
- a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of coolant in the cooler;
- and a water amount calculator configured to calculate a current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack based on the temperature of coolant measured by the temperature sensor, and to determine a water amount maintained inside the fuel cell stack based on the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack, wherein the water amount calculator is configured to calculate the current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack using a heat exchange rate between the fuel cell stack and coolant a flow rate of the coolant supplied to the fuel cell stack from the cooler, and a heating value of the fuel cell stack, wherein the water amount calculator is configured to determine a mass of water contained in the fuel cell stack when a sum of an initial heat capacity in a state in which moisture is not contained in the fuel cell stack and a heat capacity of water currently contained in the fuel cell stack is the calculated current heat capacity of the fuel cell stack.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.