Fuel cell system, control apparatus, and control method

A control apparatus configured to control a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system including

• a fuel cell including
• membrane electrode assemblies stacked on each other and including adjacent membrane electrode assemblies, each of the membrane electrode assemblies including an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, and
• a separator provided between the adjacent membrane electrode assemblies and having a gas channel and a coolant channel, the gas channel being configured to allow gas to be supplied to the membrane electrode assemblies to flow therethrough, the coolant channel being configured to allow a coolant to flow therethrough,
• a circuit coupled to the coolant channel and configured to allow the coolant to circulate therethrough,
• a pump provided in the circuit and configured to deliver the coolant toward the coolant channel, and
• a pressure regulating valve provided in the circuit and configured to adjust a pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel,
• the control apparatus comprising
• a controller configured to control operation of each of the pump and the pressure regulating valve, and configured to
• control a flow rate of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a rotational speed of the pump on a basis of a temperature of the fuel cell, and
• control the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a position of the pressure regulating valve on a basis of a pressure of the gas in the gas channel, wherein
• the gas channel of the separator comprises a hydrogen channel and an air channel, the hydrogen channel being configured to allow hydrogen gas to flow therethrough, the air channel being configured to allow air to flow therethrough,
• the air channel is configured to be supplied with air sucked by a supercharger,
• a pressure of the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen channel is controlled to approach a pressure of the air in the air channel, and
• the controller is configured to control the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel, on a basis of a target boost pressure corresponding to a target value of the pressure of the air in the air channel.

A control method that controls a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system including

• a fuel cell including
• membrane electrode assemblies stacked on each other and including adjacent membrane electrode assemblies, each of the membrane electrode assemblies including an electrolyte membrane, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode, and
• a separator provided between the adjacent membrane electrode assemblies and having a gas channel and a coolant channel, the gas channel being configured to allow gas to be supplied to the membrane electrode assemblies to flow therethrough, the coolant channel being configured to allow a coolant to flow therethrough,
• a circuit coupled to the coolant channel and configured to allow the coolant to circulate therethrough,
• a pump provided in the circuit and configured to deliver the coolant toward the coolant channel, and
• a pressure regulating valve provided in the circuit and configured to adjust a pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel,
• the control method comprising:
• controlling a flow rate of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a rotational speed of the pump on a basis of a temperature of the fuel cell;
• and
• controlling the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a position of the pressure regulating valve on a basis of a pressure of the gas in the gas channel, wherein
• the gas channel of the separator comprises a hydrogen channel and an air channel, the hydrogen channel being configured to allow hydrogen gas to flow therethrough, the air channel being configured to allow air to flow therethrough,
• the air channel is configured to be supplied with air sucked by a supercharger,
• a pressure of the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen channel is controlled to approach a pressure of the air in the air channel, and
• the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel is controlled, on a basis of a target boost pressure corresponding to a target value of the pressure of the air in the air channel.