US 11,641,022 B2 · Controlling purge operation for fuel cell assembly

Abstract

A system for controlling purge operation of a fuel cell assembly includes a controller and one or more sensors configured to obtain respective sensor data. The fuel cell stack is configured to receive a stack coolant. The controller is configured to execute a first purge mode when at least one of a first enabling condition and a second enabling condition is met. The first purge mode defines a first group of setpoints, including a relatively low cathode stoichiometric ratio. The controller is configured to switch to a second purge mode when the coolant temperature is above a minimum warm-up temperature and a third mode when a relative humidity value of a stack cathode output falls below a threshold humidity. The second purge mode defines a second group of setpoints, including a relatively high cathode stoichiometric ratio.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A system for controlling a purge operation of a fuel cell assembly, the system comprising:

a fuel cell stack configured to receive a stack coolant;
one or more sensors configured to obtain respective sensor data, including a coolant temperature of the stack coolant and an ambient temperature;
a controller in communication with the one or more sensors and having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded, execution of the instructions by the processor causing the controller to:
execute a first purge mode when the ambient temperature at a shutdown of the fuel cell assembly is less than an ambient threshold temperature and/or when the coolant temperature at a wakeup of the fuel cell assembly is less than a minimum coolant temperature;
execute a second purge mode when the coolant temperature is above a minimum warm-up temperature;
and
wherein a respective cathode stoichiometric ratio during the first purge mode is lower than the respective cathode stoichiometric ratio during the second purge mode.

4 more elements

A method for controlling a purge operation of a fuel cell assembly having a fuel cell stack configured to receive a stack coolant, one or more sensors and a controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory, the method comprising:

obtaining respective sensor data, via the one or more sensors, including a coolant temperature of the stack coolant and an ambient temperature;
executing a first purge mode when the ambient temperature at a shutdown of the fuel cell assembly is less than an ambient threshold temperature and/or when the coolant temperature at a wakeup of the fuel cell assembly is less than a minimum coolant temperature via the controller;
executing a second purge mode when the coolant temperature is above a minimum warm-up temperature, via the controller;
and
setting a respective cathode stoichiometric ratio during the first purge mode to be lower than the respective cathode stoichiometric ratio during the second purge mode.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Controlling purge operation for fuel cell assembly

Life of this patent

Controlling purge operation for fuel cell assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17