Equation based state estimator for cooling system controller

A system for heating or cooling a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle comprising:

• a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells and configured to receive a fluid and to heat the fluid;
• a pump configured to pump the fluid through the fuel cell circuit at a pump speed;
• a pipe configured to facilitate flow of the fluid through the fuel cell circuit;
• a memory configured to store a model of the fuel cell circuit;
• and
• an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the pump and the memory and configured to:
• calculate a plurality of mass flow values of the fluid each corresponding to a mass flow of the fluid through the fuel cell stack, the pump, or the pipe based on a previously-determined mass flow value and the model of the fuel cell circuit,
• calculate a plurality of pressure values each corresponding to a pressure of the fluid at an inlet or an outlet of the fuel cell stack, the pump, or the pipe based on the plurality of mass flow values and the model of the fuel cell circuit, and
• control the pump to increase or decrease the pump speed based on at least one of the plurality of mass flow values and at least one of the plurality of pressure values.

A method for heating or cooling a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle comprising:

• storing, in a memory, a model of the fuel cell circuit;
• determining, by the ECU, a temperature control signal corresponding to a desired temperature of a fluid within the fuel cell circuit at a fuel cell inlet or a fuel cell outlet of a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell circuit;
• calculating, by an electronic control unit (ECU), a plurality of temperature values each corresponding to a fluid temperature of fluid at an outlet of a component of the fuel cell circuit based on a previously-determined temperature value at the outlet, a previously-determined heat transfer value corresponding to heat transfer of the component, and the model of the fuel cell circuit;
• and
• controlling, by the ECU, an actuator position of an actuator to increase or decrease the desired temperature based on the plurality of temperature values and the temperature control signal.