Cathode humidification unit adapting degredation factor
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsJohn P. Nolan, Daniel T. Folmsbee, Derek R. Lebzelter, Yan Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus to adapt the performance of a cathode humidification unit as a membrane in a fuel cell stack degrades over time. An algorithm compares a sensed humidity profile of the fuel cell stack and model humidity profile of a cathode humidification unit model to calculate a new degradation factor. The cathode humidification unit model uses the degradation factor in the performance of the cathode humidification unit.
Claims20
A method to account for the performance change of a cathode humidification unit in a fuel cell system, comprising:
- checking if at least one enablement criteria is met;
- determining if a sensor is functioning and valid;
- sensing a humidity of a cathode humidification unit (CHU) with the sensor;
- determining a sensed humidity profile of the CHU using the sensed humidity from the sensor;
- calculating a model humidity profile from a cathode humidification unit model;
- recording an error value in a computer readable medium as a difference of the model humidity profile and the sensed humidity profile;
- adjusting a degradation factor if the at least one enablement criteria is met;
- adjusting the degradation factor using the error value;
- and
- repeating the sensing of the humidity, determining the sensed humidity profile, calculating the model humidity profile, recording the error value, and adjusting the degradation factor while the at least one enablement criteria is still met.
An apparatus for maintaining the performance of a cathode humidification unit (CHU) over its life within a fuel cell system, the fuel cell system comprising at least one valves, a fuel cell stack, and the CHU fluidly coupled to each other, the apparatus comprising:
- a sensor coupled to the CHU;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to the sensor and the at least one valves and configured to adjust the at least one valves based on a CHU model and configured to execute a degradation algorithm comprising;
- checking if at least one enablement criteria is met,
- determining if the sensor is function and valid,
- sensing a humidity of the CHU with the sensor,
- determining a sensed humidity profile of the CHU using the sensed humidity from the sensor;
- calculating a model humidity profile from a cathode humidification unit model;
- recording an error value in a computer readable medium as a difference of the model humidity profile and the sensed humidity profile;
- adjusting a degradation factor if the at least one enablement criteria is met,
- adjusting the degradation factor using the error value;
- and
- repeating the sensing of the humidity, determining the sensed humidity profile, calculating the model humidity profile, recording the error value, and adjusting the degradation factor while the at least one enablement criteria is still met.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.