Low-temperature startup control method for fuel cell

An apparatus for controlling low-temperature startup of a fuel cell, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• obtain a time period τT(t) required for heating the fuel cell from a present temperature T(t) to a freezing point temperature Tfusion in an interior of the fuel cell with a present heating rate at a moment t in a low-temperature startup process of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell;
• obtain a time period τwab(t)+τwice(t) required for continuously freezing the interior of the fuel cell from a present ice volume fraction Sice(t) to an allowed ice volume fraction upper limit sicelimit with a present freezing rate at the moment t, τwab(t) representing a time period of a water absorption process of electrolyte, and τwice(t) representing a time period from the moment t to a moment when a catalyst layer is full of ice;
• obtain a low-temperature startup capability index SF0(t) of the fuel cell based on a ratio of τT(t) to τwab(t)+τwice(t);
• and
• increase the present heating rate by adjusting a control strategy reasonably if SF0(t)>1, to decrease the time period τT(t) to accelerate a heating process and to obtain SF0(t)<1, wherein SF0(t)>1 indicates that a freezing process in the interior of the fuel cell is faster than the heating process at the moment t.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for controlling low-temperature startup of a fuel cell, the method comprising:

• obtaining a time period τT(t) required for heating the fuel cell from a present temperature T(t) to a freezing point temperature Tfusion in an interior of the fuel cell with a present heating rate at a moment t in a low-temperature startup process of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell;
• obtaining a time period τwab(t)+τwice(t) required for continuously freezing the interior of the fuel cell from a present ice volume fraction Sice(t) to an allowed ice volume fraction upper limit sicelimit with a present freezing rate at the moment t, τwab(t) representing a time period of a water absorption process of electrolyte, and τwice(t) representing a time period from the moment t to a moment when a catalyst layer is full of ice;
• obtaining a low-temperature startup capability index SF0(t) of the fuel cell based on a ratio of τT(t) to τwab(t)+τwice(t);
• and
• increasing the present heating rate by adjusting a control strategy reasonably if SF0(t)>1, to decrease the time period τT(t) to accelerate a heating process and to obtain SF0(t)<1, wherein SF0(t)>1 indicates that a freezing process in the interior of the fuel cell is faster than the heating process at the moment t.