# US 12,603,306 B2 · System and method of draining residual water of a fuel cell for a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,306 B2 - Document ID: US12603306B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/986,054 - Filed: 2022-11-14 - Published: 2023-11-23 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-17 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Seon Hak Kim; Kyu Il Lee; Da Kyung Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603306B2 ## CPC - H01M 8/04253: {Means for solving freezing problems} - H01M 8/04179: {by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants} - H01M 8/04228: during shut-down - H01M 8/04291: Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) - H01M 8/0432: Temperature; Ambient temperature - H01M 8/04492: Humidity; Ambient humidity; Water content - H01M 8/04828: Humidity; Water content - H01M 8/04955: Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells - H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system and a method of draining residual water of a fuel cell for a vehicle are proposed. The system includes a fuel cell; an outdoor temperature sensor measuring an outdoor temperature; a drainer draining residual water in the fuel cell; and a controller previously controlling the drainer to drain the residual water in the fuel cell before parking of the vehicle is completed or an operation of the fuel cell is terminated, when a parking available situation is detected during driving of the vehicle in a state where the outdoor temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system of draining residual water of a fuel cell for a vehicle, the system comprising: a fuel cell; an outdoor temperature sensor configured to measure an outdoor temperature; a drainer configured to drain residual water in the fuel cell; and a controller configured to control the drainer to preemptively drain the residual water in the fuel cell before parking of the vehicle is completed or an operation of the fuel cell is terminated, when a parking available situation is detected during driving of the vehicle in a state where the outdoor temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature, wherein the parking available situation is a case where an automatic parking function of the vehicle is activated, a case where the vehicle enters a parking lot, or a case where a vehicle speed is low and a parking driving line is recognized around the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the drainer comprises an air compressor connected to the fuel cell and configured to supply air to the fuel cell to drain the residual water in the fuel cell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the reference temperature is a temperature at which the residual water in the fuel cell starts to freeze. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the drainer after starting of the fuel cell is stopped in a case where the parking available situation is not detected during the driving of the vehicle, thus draining the residual water in the fuel cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a residual water drain time according to an outdoor temperature measured before the parking available situation of the vehicle is detected, and further configured to count, as parking time, time taken from time when the parking available situation of the vehicle is detected to time when the parking of the vehicle is completed or starting of the fuel cell is terminated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the residual water drain time is a time required to drain the residual water in the fuel cell according to the measured outdoor temperature, and the residual water drain time is increased as the outdoor temperature is decreased. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is provided with a data map in which the outdoor temperature is an input value and the residual water drain time is an output value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to compare the parking time after the parking of the vehicle is completed or the operation of the fuel cell is terminated with the residual water drain time, and the controller is further configured to control driving time of the drainer according to a result obtained by comparing the parking time with the residual water drain time, thus draining the residual water in the fuel cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the drainer is an air compressor for supplying air to the fuel cell, and the controller is further configured to control that the drainer is driven at a reference rpm or the drainer supplies air at a reference air supply flow rate when the residual water in the fuel cell is drained after the parking of the vehicle is completed or the operation of the fuel cell is terminated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to control the drainer for a minimum time to drain the residual water in the fuel cell, in a case where the parking time is greater than the residual water drain time after the parking of the vehicle is completed or the operation of the fuel cell is terminated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the minimum time is a minimum time for which a voltage of the fuel cell is maintained at an Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) and the residual water in the fuel cell is drained so as to suppress current generation after the starting of the fuel cell is terminated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein, when the parking time is smaller than the residual water drain time after the parking of the vehicle is completed or the operation of the fuel cell is terminated, the controller is further configured to control the drainer for an additional time that is equal to a sum of the minimum time and a difference between the residual water drain time and the parking time, thus draining the residual water in the fuel cell. ### Claim 13 A system of draining residual water of a fuel cell for a vehicle, the system comprising: a fuel cell; an outdoor temperature sensor configured to measure an outdoor temperature; a drainer configured to drain residual water in the fuel cell; and a controller configured to control the drainer to preemptively drain the residual water in the fuel cell before parking of the vehicle is completed or an operation of the fuel cell is terminated, when a parking available situation is detected during driving of the vehicle in a state where the outdoor temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature, wherein the controller is configured to limit an operating voltage of the fuel cell to be less than a reference voltage when the parking available situation is detected, and the controller is further configured to control driving of the drainer based on a set minimum air supply supercharge ratio to drain the residual water in the fuel cell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the reference voltage is a maximum voltage at which the fuel cell outputs within an endurance limit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the minimum air supply supercharge ratio is a minimum ratio of an amount of air required for draining the residual water in the fuel cell to an amount of air required for power generation of the fuel cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drainer is an air compressor for supplying air to the fuel cell, and the controller is configured to control the drainer to supply air at the set minimum air supply supercharge ratio or more, or to operate the drainer at a minimum rpm or more, when the driving of the drainer is controlled in a case where the parking available situation of the vehicle is detected. ### Claim 17 A method of draining residual water of a fuel cell for a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, by a controller, whether a parking available situation is detected during driving of the vehicle in a state where an outdoor temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature; and preemptively controlling, by the controller, a drainer before parking of the vehicle is completed or an operation of the fuel cell is terminated in a case where the parking available situation is detected during the driving of the vehicle, thus draining the residual water in the fuel cell, wherein the parking available situation is a case where an automatic parking function of the vehicle is activated, a case where the vehicle enters a parking lot, or a case where a vehicle speed is low and a parking driving line is recognized around the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether the parking available situation is detected during the driving of the vehicle includes determining a residual water drain time according to an outdoor temperature before the parking available situation of the vehicle is detected. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: after draining the residual water in the fuel cell, comparing, by the controller, the residual water drain time with the parking time when the parking of the vehicle is completed or the operation of the fuel cell is terminated; and controlling, by the controller, a driving time of the drainer according to a result of comparison of the residual water drain time with the parking time, thus draining the residual water in the fuel cell.