Fuel cell control methods, devices and vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a fuel cell control method, apparatus, and vehicle, comprising: acquiring the state of charge (SOC) of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell; and performing attenuation recovery control on the fuel cell based on the SOC of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, wherein the attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter a standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown, wherein the standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery, thereby avoiding irreversible performance degradation of the fuel cell and improving the performance and service life of the fuel cell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of fuel cell vehicle technology, and in particular to a fuel cell control method, device and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the transformation of the global energy structure and the increasing awareness of environmental protection, clean energy vehicles have become an important direction for the development of the automotive industry. Among the many clean energy technologies, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have attracted much attention due to their high energy conversion efficiency and zero emissions.

[0003] Fuel cells inevitably experience reversible performance degradation during operation or after shutdown. For example, in related technologies, to prevent moisture in the proton exchange membrane from freezing at low temperatures or undergoing unexpected chemical reactions that could damage the proton exchange membrane after shutdown, the moisture in the proton exchange membrane is dried. However, excessively low moisture content in the proton exchange membrane may cause sulfonic acid groups in the fuel cell to be adsorbed onto the catalyst surface, thereby reducing the catalyst's active area, weakening the mass transfer capacity of the sulfonic acid groups, and increasing the internal resistance of the fuel cell. This leads to reversible performance degradation of the fuel cell, which, if left untreated, will evolve into irreversible performance degradation, reducing the lifespan and reliability of the fuel cell. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides a fuel cell control method, device, and vehicle.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a fuel cell control method is provided, comprising:

[0006] Obtain the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating status of the fuel cell;

[0007] Based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, the fuel cell is subjected to attenuation recovery control. The attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter a standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown. The standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a fuel cell control device is provided, comprising:

[0009] The determination module is configured to acquire the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell in response to the vehicle being powered on.

[0010] The control module is configured to perform attenuation recovery control on the fuel cell based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell. The attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter a standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown. The standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including a power battery and a fuel cell, as well as an electronic device for performing the method provided in the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0012] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0013] By using the above method, under different operating conditions of the fuel cell, the degradation recovery control of the fuel cell can be achieved by controlling the state of charge of the power battery. This can prevent the reversible degradation of the proton exchange membrane from evolving into irreversible degradation, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the fuel cell.

[0014] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a fuel cell control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a fuel cell control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle energy management strategy according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a fuel cell control device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0022] The embodiments described in the following examples of this disclosure are not representative of all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0023] It should be noted that all actions involving the acquisition of signals, information, or data in this disclosure are carried out in compliance with the relevant data protection laws and policies of the country where the location is situated, and with authorization from the owner of the relevant device.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a fuel cell control method according to an exemplary embodiment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps.

[0025] In step S11, the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell are obtained.

[0026] It is easy to understand that the control of the fuel cell and the acquisition of related data in this disclosure are all carried out when the vehicle is powered on, that is, after the user starts the vehicle.

[0027] In one embodiment, the operating state of the fuel cell includes an on state and an off state. The operating state of the fuel cell can be controlled by the vehicle's power-on state and the fuel cell switch. For example, if the fuel cell switch is on, the fuel cell will start when the vehicle is powered on, and the fuel cell will be shut down when the vehicle is powered off.

[0028] Among them, the fuel cell switch is the hardware control switch of the fuel cell, also known as a rocker switch. When the vehicle is powered on, the fuel cell is controlled by the fuel cell switch in the following way.

[0029] If the fuel cell switch is switched from off to on, the VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) will send a start-up command to the FCU (Fuel Cell Control Unit). The FCU responds to the start-up command sent by the VCU and controls the fuel cell to start. After the fuel cell starts, the VCU sends the target power demand to the FCU according to the SOC (State of Charge) of the power battery. The FCU then performs power control on the fuel cell according to the target power demand sent by the VCU.

[0030] If the fuel cell switch is switched from on to off, the VCU will send a shutdown command to the FCU. In response to the shutdown command sent by the VCU, the FCU will control the fuel cell to start up and perform shutdown purging on the fuel cell.

[0031] In one embodiment, the driver typically does not control the fuel cell switch; that is, the fuel cell switch remains always on. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 As shown, if the driver controls the vehicle to power on, that is, switches the vehicle key to the ON position, the VCU will send a power-on command to the FCU to control the fuel cell to start. If the driver controls the vehicle to power off, that is, switches the vehicle key to the OFF position, the VCU will send a power-off command to the FCU to control the fuel cell to shut down. In addition, if the driver needs to park temporarily without controlling the vehicle to power off, he can manually turn off the fuel cell switch, and the vehicle will operate in pure electric mode.

[0032] In step S12, the fuel cell is subjected to attenuation recovery control based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell.

[0033] The attenuation recovery control includes activating the fuel cell after it is turned on and before it is turned off, or controlling the fuel cell to run at a preset idle power and not output power to the power battery.

[0034] It is worth noting that fuel cell degradation recovery control is used to recover the reversible performance degradation that occurs during fuel cell operation or after shutdown. Controlling the battery to operate at idle power and not output power to the power battery allows the fuel cell to be in a relatively calm environment, which increases the moisture content of the proton exchange membrane and weakens the adsorption force of the catalyst on sulfonic acid groups. Activation control of the fuel cell can remove oxides and other impurities on the catalyst surface, restore the catalyst activity, increase the water content of the proton exchange membrane, improve the proton conductivity, and optimize the electrode structure, among other effects.

[0035] In one embodiment, degradation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to start and perform battery performance recovery, or controlling the fuel cell to shut down and perform battery performance recovery, or performing cyclic start-stop control of the fuel cell based on its temperature after shutdown. The battery performance recovery methods include at least one of controlling the fuel cell to enter standby mode, performing activation control on the fuel cell, electrode reversal control, hydrogen and oxygen supply regulation, and adjusting fuel cell control parameters. For example, when performing degradation recovery control on the fuel cell, one or more of the above methods can be performed to restore battery performance. For instance, after controlling the fuel cell to start, activation control is first performed on the fuel cell, and then the fuel cell is controlled to enter standby mode.

[0036] By using the above method, under different operating conditions of the fuel cell, the degradation recovery control of the fuel cell can be achieved by controlling the state of charge of the power battery. This can prevent the reversible degradation of the proton exchange membrane from evolving into irreversible degradation, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the fuel cell.

[0037] In one implementation, to avoid frequent start-stop of the fuel cell and maintain the SOC of the power battery within a calibrated optimal range, where the charging efficiency of the power battery is highest and the damage to the power battery is minimal, a state of charge (SOC) can be set. When the vehicle is powered on and the fuel cell switch is on, if the SOC of the power battery is greater than the SOC, the fuel cell is not controlled to start, and the vehicle operates in pure electric mode. When the SOC of the power battery is less than the SOC, the fuel cell is controlled to start in response to the target power demand of the power battery.

[0038] Furthermore, in related technologies, a single state of charge (SOC) is typically used to control the start-up and shutdown of the fuel cell. For example, a shutdown SOC is set. When the SOC of the power battery is lower than this shutdown SOC, the fuel cell starts to charge the power battery; when the SOC of the power battery is higher than this shutdown SOC, the fuel cell shuts down. In this implementation, if the vehicle is in a low-energy consumption state, the fuel cell may frequently start and stop. For instance, if the vehicle is parked for an extended period and the air conditioning is on, the fuel cell may have already charged the power battery to a high level. The VCU will then send a shutdown command to the FCU. However, when the air conditioning consumes some of the battery power, the VCU will resend a start-up command to the FCU, causing the fuel cell to be in a frequent on / off state, reducing its lifespan. Therefore, multiple preset SOC settings can be used to control the start-up and shutdown of the fuel cell, keeping the power battery's SOC within an optimal range. Furthermore, when the power battery's SOC is within this range, the fuel cell can charge the power battery with its most efficient charging power.

[0039] Optionally, when the fuel cell is in different operating modes, the degradation recovery control of the fuel cell can be performed according to the relationship between the state of charge of the power battery and the preset state of charge.

[0040] The preset state of charge includes a first state of charge, and step S12 includes the following implementation methods:

[0041] Implementation Method 1: When the fuel cell is in the off state, if the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the first state of charge, the fuel cell is controlled to start and run at a preset idle power, and no power is output to the power battery, until the state of charge of the power battery is lower than the first state of charge, then the fuel cell is controlled to output power to the power battery.

[0042] It is worth noting that when a fuel cell is shut down in a low-temperature environment, it will activate a cold purge mode to try to dry the moisture in the proton exchange membrane to prevent freezing. Alternatively, if the fuel cell is not started for a long time after being shut down, or is in a dry environment for a long time after being shut down, the moisture content of the proton exchange membrane will be low before the fuel cell is turned on, resulting in reversible performance degradation. In related technical solutions, when the fuel cell is in the off state and the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the first state of charge (or other states of charge calibrated to determine pure electric mode operation), the fuel cell is usually not controlled to start, and the vehicle operates in pure electric mode until the fuel cell charge is lower than the first state of charge, at which point the fuel cell is controlled to start. At this time, because the moisture content of the proton exchange membrane is very low, it will damage the fuel cell, and the start-up speed is very slow, affecting the driving experience.

[0043] In view of this, the method described in Embodiment 1 above can be used to pre-start the fuel cell in standby mode before the fuel cell outputs power to the power battery in order to control the degradation recovery of the fuel cell. Furthermore, since there is a stack heating process during the fuel cell startup, pre-starting the fuel cell can also improve the response speed when the fuel cell needs to output power to the power battery.

[0044] For example, when the ambient temperature is below a preset ambient temperature threshold, such as below 10 degrees Celsius, the fuel cell is in a shut-off state. If the driver starts the vehicle, the SOC of the power battery is greater than the starting state of charge. The fuel cell is controlled to start at a preset idle power but does not output power to the power battery in order to preheat the fuel cell and increase the water content of the proton exchange membrane of the fuel cell.

[0045] In one embodiment, the vehicle is equipped with a degradation recovery mode. If the degradation recovery mode is activated, the fuel cell will enter the degradation recovery mode according to the method in Embodiment 1 above, when the fuel cell is turned on and the power battery has sufficient charge. For example, if the vehicle is in a low-temperature environment, the user can activate the degradation recovery mode. If the user deactivates the degradation recovery mode, the fuel cell will not be controlled to start when the power battery has sufficient charge, and the vehicle will operate in pure electric mode.

[0046] In one embodiment, the preset state of charge includes a first state of charge, and if the fuel cell is in a shutdown state, the following control method is included.

[0047] First, when the state of charge of the power battery is lower than the first state of charge, the fuel cell is controlled to start, and the fuel cell responds to the power battery's power demand.

[0048] It is worth noting that if the fuel cell is started when the SOC of the power battery is lower than the first state of charge, it means that the power battery has low charge and needs to be charged. Therefore, the fuel cell directly responds to the power battery's power demand after it is started.

[0049] Second, when the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the first state of charge, the degradation recovery control of the fuel cell is implemented.

[0050] It is worth noting that if the SOC of the power battery is lower than the first state of charge, it means that the power battery has sufficient power or the power battery is within the preset optimal power range. Therefore, the fuel cell can be turned on and the battery performance can be restored to recover the reversible performance loss of the fuel cell after a long period of shutdown or use. It can also respond quickly when the fuel cell needs to charge the power battery.

[0051] Optionally, the preset state of charge further includes a second state of charge and a third state of charge, wherein the second state of charge is greater than the first state of charge and the third state of charge is greater than the second state of charge. The above step S12 further includes the following implementation:

[0052] Implementation Method 2: When the fuel cell is in the powered-on state, if the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the second state of charge and is lower than the third state of charge, the fuel cell is activated and controlled until the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the third state of charge, then the fuel cell is shut down. The second state of charge is lower than the third state of charge.

[0053] It is worth noting that reversible performance loss is inevitable after fuel cells are in operation. The third state of charge is a pre-set shutdown power threshold, which means that the power battery has sufficient power and can stop charging when the SOC of the power battery is in the third state of charge. If the fuel cell is directly shut down after the third state of charge is reached, the reversible performance degradation of the fuel cell may gradually evolve into irreversible performance degradation after shutdown. For example, oxides and other impurities on the catalyst surface gradually corrode the catalyst, resulting in a decrease in the chemical reaction of the catalyst.

[0054] Therefore, a second state of charge, slightly smaller than the third state of charge, can be set to activate the fuel cell before it is charged to shutdown, thereby restoring the performance loss of the fuel cell.

[0055] In one embodiment, the fuel cell can be activated by a preset activation mode, which includes at least one of gradient power activation, constant current activation, constant voltage activation, dynamic loading activation, and constant humidity activation.

[0056] In one embodiment, when the state of charge of the power battery is greater than the second state of charge, the fuel cell is activated. During the activation process, the fuel cell continuously charges the power battery until the state of charge of the power battery is greater than the third state of charge. Then, the activation of the fuel cell is stopped and the fuel cell is shut down.

[0057] In another embodiment, when the state of charge of the power battery is between the second state of charge and the third state of charge, the battery management system controls the fuel cell to be activated according to the target activation power P0, and obtains the actual output power P1 during the activation process of the fuel cell. The performance degradation degree K of the fuel cell is determined according to the target activation power P0 and the actual output power P1. If the performance degradation degree of the fuel cell is less than the preset degradation degree threshold, the activation of the fuel cell is stopped, where K = P0 - P1 / P0.

[0058] During the activation process of the fuel cell, the maximum activation power of the fuel cell is less than the maximum charging power of the power battery. In addition, during the activation process of the fuel cell, the VCU will monitor the rechargeable capacity of the power battery and the activation power generation in real time to prevent the power battery from being overcharged.

[0059] In one embodiment, the first state of charge is 70%, the second state of charge is 85%, and the third state of charge is 90%. When the fuel cell is in the on-state, the following four control methods are included.

[0060] First, when the state of charge of the power battery is lower than the first state of charge, the fuel cell is controlled to operate at a preset rated power corresponding to the state of charge of the power battery.

[0061] Second, when the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the first state of charge and lower than the second state of charge, the fuel cell is controlled to operate with economic output power, which is the output power with the highest fuel conversion efficiency of the fuel cell.

[0062] Third, when the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the second state of charge and is lower than the third state of charge, the power command to be sent to the fuel cell is stopped and the degradation recovery control of the fuel cell is executed.

[0063] Fourth, when the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the third state of charge, the fuel cell is shut down according to the key status of the vehicle.

[0064] In one embodiment, Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle energy management strategy according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein the vehicle management strategy is executed when the vehicle is powered on and the fuel cell switch is in the on state. See also... Figure 3 As shown, it includes the following steps.

[0065] S301 determines whether the fuel cell is in a shutdown state.

[0066] If the fuel cell is currently in the off state, execute S302; if the fuel cell is currently in the on state, execute S305.

[0067] S302, determine whether the state of charge of the power battery is less than the first state of charge (70%).

[0068] If SOC < 70%, execute S304; if SOC ≥ 70%, execute S303.

[0069] For example, if the vehicle key is in the energized state and the fuel cell is off, and the SOC of the power battery is greater than or equal to 70%, it means that the power battery has sufficient charge. The fuel cell should not be started to charge the power battery, and the vehicle will operate in pure electric mode. If the SOC of the power battery is less than 70%, the fuel cell will be started and it will begin to respond to the target power demand sent by the VCU.

[0070] S303 controls the fuel cell to start in standby mode.

[0071] After the fuel cell degradation recovery control is completed, return to execute S302.

[0072] It is worth noting that the standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery.

[0073] In one embodiment, after the fuel cell is started, parameters and temperature can be adjusted. The fuel cell control parameter adjustment includes adjusting the fuel cell pressure, gas flow rate, reactant supply, and target temperature of each stack component. Temperature control involves maintaining the fuel cell at a preset idle power, increasing the fuel cell temperature, and increasing the water content of the fuel cell proton exchange membrane. This reduces the adsorption of sulfuric acid groups by the catalyst, thereby restoring the catalyst's activity.

[0074] Preferably, in winter or low-temperature environments, if the power battery has sufficient charge, the fuel cell is controlled to start and degradation recovery control is implemented. For example, when the ambient temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius, the proton exchange membrane has low water content after the fuel cell is shut down and purged, which may cause reversible performance degradation of the fuel cell. Therefore, the fuel cell can be controlled to run at idle power after startup and not output power to the power battery, that is, the fuel cell is controlled to enter standby mode. This can complete the stack heating process during the fuel cell startup process in advance, so that the fuel cell can respond quickly when it needs to output power to the power battery. In addition, degradation recovery control of the fuel cell can also be implemented, and the water content of the proton exchange membrane can be increased to achieve reversible degradation recovery of the fuel cell and increase the service life of the fuel cell.

[0075] S304 controls the start-up of the fuel cell and / or the initiation of a response to the target power demand of the power battery.

[0076] After the fuel cell is powered on, S305 is executed.

[0077] It is worth noting that if the fuel cell is already powered on, the system controls the fuel cell to respond to the target power demand of the power battery; if the fuel cell is not powered on, the system controls the fuel cell to be powered on and begin responding to the target power demand of the power battery.

[0078] S305, determine whether the state of charge of the power battery is less than the fourth state of charge (40%).

[0079] If SOC < 40%, execute S306; if SOC ≥ 40%, execute S307.

[0080] The fourth state of charge is less than the first state of charge.

[0081] S306 controls the operation of the fuel cell at its rated maximum output power.

[0082] The rated maximum output power is the target power requirement corresponding to the maximum rechargeable power of the power battery, and the rated maximum output power is less than the maximum rechargeable power of the power battery.

[0083] In one embodiment, if the SOC is below 40%, the VCU can send a target power demand to the FCU based on the current maximum rechargeable power of the power battery, so that the fuel cell can charge the power battery with the rated maximum output power, prevent the power battery from being below 20% for a long time, extend the power battery life, and further execute S308.

[0084] S307 controls the operation of the fuel cell by using the preset rated power corresponding to the SOC of the power battery.

[0085] It is worth noting that the preset rated power is the output power pre-calibrated based on the polarization curve of the fuel cell. Each power battery's SOC corresponds to a preset rated power; the smaller the power battery's SOC, the larger the corresponding preset rated power. The fuel cell is controlled to charge the power battery at the preset rated power corresponding to the power battery's SOC, and the state of charge of the power battery is continuously monitored to determine whether the power battery's SOC has been charged to exceed the first state of charge, i.e., S308 is executed.

[0086] S308 determines whether the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the first state of charge.

[0087] If SOC < 70%, then return to execute S305; if SOC ≥ 70%, then execute S309.

[0088] S309, the fuel cell is controlled to operate at a preset economic power with the highest fuel conversion efficiency.

[0089] When the fuel cell is operating at its highest output power with the highest fuel conversion efficiency, the state of charge of the power battery is continuously monitored, and S310 is executed.

[0090] S310 determines whether the state of charge of the power battery is greater than the second state of charge (85%).

[0091] If SOC < 85%, then return to execute S308; if SOC ≥ 85%, then execute S311.

[0092] S311, stop sending power control commands to the fuel cell and perform degradation recovery control on the fuel cell.

[0093] In one embodiment, fuel cell degradation recovery control can be achieved by activating the fuel cell.

[0094] S312, determine whether the state of charge of the power battery is not lower than the third state of charge (90%).

[0095] If SOC < 90%, then return to execute S310; if SOC ≥ 90%, then execute S313.

[0096] S313 sends a shutdown command to the fuel cell.

[0097] After the fuel cell is shut down, return to execute S301.

[0098] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0099] Determine the key status of the vehicle;

[0100] When the vehicle's key is in the power-off state, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a deep shutdown.

[0101] When the vehicle's key is in the power-on state, the current fault level of the vehicle is determined, and the fuel cell is controlled to perform the corresponding shutdown operation based on the relationship between the current fault level and the preset fault level.

[0102] In one implementation, there are three scenarios that trigger the fuel cell shutdown: First, when the driver switches the vehicle key to the OFF position, effectively powering down the vehicle, the VCU sends a deep shutdown command to the FCU, which then controls the fuel cell to shut down completely. Second, when the vehicle needs to be parked temporarily or the driver needs to leave the vehicle temporarily, the driver does not power down the vehicle but instead turns off the fuel cell switch. In this case, the VCU sends a mild shutdown command to the FCU, which then controls the fuel cell to shut down slightly. Third, when the fuel cell continuously charges the battery until the battery's SOC exceeds a third charge threshold, the VCU sends a mild shutdown command to the FCU, which then controls the fuel cell to shut down slightly.

[0103] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 As shown, when the fuel cell switch is off or the VCU sends a shutdown command to the FCU, the VCU will perform a deep or light shutdown of the fuel cell depending on the vehicle key status. If the vehicle key status is OFF, it indicates that the vehicle may be parked for a long time, and the VCU will send a deep shutdown command to the FCU to control the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown. If the vehicle key status is ON, it indicates that the vehicle may only be parked for a short time. To ensure that the fuel cell can be restarted quickly afterward, the VCU will send a light shutdown command to the FCU to control the fuel cell to perform a light shutdown.

[0104] It is worth noting that, compared to a deep shutdown, a mild shutdown of a fuel cell requires a shorter purging time. Furthermore, during a mild shutdown, the high-pressure system of the fuel system remains open to enable rapid startup of the fuel cell.

[0105] In addition, to ensure the safety of the vehicle and the fuel cell, before performing a minor shutdown of the fuel cell, it is necessary to determine the current fault level of the vehicle and then perform a shutdown operation corresponding to the current fault level to ensure the safety of the vehicle and the fuel cell.

[0106] In one embodiment, the VCU monitors the fault status of each vehicle system in real time and determines the current fault level of the vehicle based on the current fault status. The current fault level of the vehicle is the fault level of all vehicle systems, including the fuel cell system, power battery system, electrical system, mechanical system, safety system, and auxiliary system.

[0107] The vehicle fault levels are categorized into four levels: Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4. Level 1 faults include situations where the vehicle is not malfunctioning but there are potential problems, such as vehicle maintenance schedule reminders and tire pressure monitoring system alerts. Level 2 faults include minor faults that do not affect the normal operation of the vehicle, such as damaged interior bulbs or sensor errors. Level 3 faults include moderate faults that may reduce the vehicle's systems or comfort but will not immediately pose a safety hazard, such as malfunctions in the vehicle's air conditioning system, infotainment system, or some sensors. Level 4 faults include serious faults that may pose a safety hazard, such as malfunctions in the vehicle's steering system, braking system, or powertrain.

[0108] Optionally, based on the relationship between the current fault level and the preset fault level, the fuel cell may be controlled to perform a corresponding shutdown operation, including the following two cases.

[0109] Scenario 1: If the current fault level is not lower than the preset fault level, control the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown.

[0110] Scenario 2: If the current fault level is lower than the preset fault level, control the fuel cell to perform a slight shutdown.

[0111] In one embodiment, the preset fault level is level two. That is, when the current fault level of the vehicle is greater than or equal to level two, the VCU will send a deep shutdown command to the FCU, and the FCU will respond to the deep shutdown command to control the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown.

[0112] By using the methods described above, the fuel cell can be shut down to different degrees based on the vehicle's current fault level, thereby increasing vehicle safety.

[0113] Optionally, controlling the fuel cell to perform a slight shutdown includes:

[0114] First, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced according to the first unloading rate.

[0115] In one embodiment, the deload rate of a fuel cell characterizes the amount of power reduction or the amount of current reduction per unit time.

[0116] For example, in response to a mild shutdown command sent by the VCU, the FCU reduces the supply of reactants (hydrogen and air) to the fuel cell to reduce the output current of the fuel cell at a first descent rate, and adjusts the operating voltage of the fuel cell to match the reduced output current, thereby reducing the output power of the fuel cell.

[0117] Then, if the output current corresponding to the output power is less than the first current threshold, the reduction of the output power is stopped and the fuel cell is purged for a preset first purging time.

[0118] The first current threshold is a pre-calibrated safe current threshold for the fuel cell. When the output current corresponding to the output power of the fuel cell is less than the first energy threshold, the output current of the fuel cell can be considered safe. This allows for the purging of the fuel cell to remove residual hydrogen and oxygen from the fuel cell stack and to drain some of the water from the stack.

[0119] Finally, after the preset first purging time has been reached, the auxiliary system and low-pressure system of the fuel cell are shut down in sequence to complete the mild shutdown of the fuel cell.

[0120] The preset first purging time is a pre-calibrated purging time for the fuel cell. Since the fuel cell may restart shortly after a slight shutdown, if the proton exchange membrane has low water content when the fuel cell restarts, the catalyst will adsorb sulfuric acid groups on the catalyst surface, resulting in a reduction in the catalytic active area. At the same time, the mass transfer capacity of sulfuric acid groups is reduced, and the internal resistance is reduced, leading to a decrease in the overall performance of the fuel cell and ultimately irreversible performance degradation. Therefore, the purging time of the fuel cell under slight shutdown conditions should not be too long to avoid insufficient water content inside the fuel cell stack. For example, the first purging time can be calibrated to 30 seconds.

[0121] It is worth noting that after a mild shutdown, the fuel cell will still maintain some basic monitoring and safety functions. By using the above method to mildly shut down the fuel cell, it can be started up quickly, reducing the number of start-stop cycles and extending the lifespan of the fuel cell.

[0122] Optionally, controlling the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown includes:

[0123] First, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced according to the first unloading rate.

[0124] Then, when the output current corresponding to the output power is less than the second current threshold, the reduction of the output power of the fuel cell is stopped and the fuel cell is purged for a preset second purging time, wherein the second purging time is longer than the first purging time, and the second current threshold is less than or equal to the first current threshold.

[0125] It is worth noting that mild shutdown of fuel cells is usually used for long-term vehicle parking or maintenance. The fuel cell may not be restarted for a long time. After the fuel cell is shut down, it is necessary to ensure that the inside of the stack is dry and free of residual reactants. Especially in low-temperature environments, water remaining inside the fuel cell after shutdown may freeze, causing reversible degradation of the proton exchange membrane and reducing the life of the fuel cell system. Therefore, the second purging time for deep shutdown of fuel cells is longer than the first purging time for mild shutdown.

[0126] In addition, when the fuel cell is lightly shut down, in order to ensure a rapid response when the fuel cell restarts, the output current of the fuel cell after unloading is higher than that when it is deeply shut down. When the fuel cell is deeply shut down, it is necessary to ensure that the fuel cell is completely shut down to avoid danger during parking. Therefore, the second current threshold is less than or equal to the first current threshold.

[0127] Finally, after the preset second purging time has been reached, the auxiliary system, high-pressure system and low-pressure system of the fuel cell are shut down in sequence to complete the deep shutdown of the fuel cell.

[0128] In one embodiment, the high-pressure system of the fuel cell includes a high-pressure hydrogen storage system, a high-pressure hydrogen supply system, and a high-pressure electrical system; the low-pressure system includes an electrical control system, a battery management system, and a power control system; and the auxiliary systems include a hydrogen supply system, an air supply system, a water and heat management system, an exhaust system, a power adjustment system, and a ventilation system.

[0129] In one implementation, the driver switches the vehicle key to the OFF position, indicating the driver's intention to turn off the vehicle. The VCU detects that the vehicle key is in a power-off state and begins to execute the vehicle shutdown control. First, the VCU will activate the delayed power-off function to ensure that all vehicle systems can be safely shut down sequentially. After the delay, the VCU will send a deep shutdown command to each system of the vehicle, including the FCU. In response to the deep shutdown command, the FCU first controls the fuel cell to reduce the load according to a first deload rate until the output current corresponding to the output power of the fuel cell is less than a second charge threshold. Then, the fuel cell is shut down and purged to remove residual reactants in the fuel cell, reduce the fuel cell temperature, and ensure that the proton exchange membrane is dry. After the purging reaches a second preset time, the auxiliary systems of the fuel cell need to be shut down first.

[0130] For example, the auxiliary systems of a fuel cell can be shut down as follows: First, the air compressor in the air supply system is turned off to stop supplying air to the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell continues to operate until the gas flow rate of the reactants drops to zero, ensuring that no more gas enters the stack. Then, the fuel cell enters the oxygen consumption phase to avoid the formation of a hydrogen-air interface. When the voltage of a single cell in the stack drops to zero, the exhaust system is shut down to stop hydrogen emission. After shutting down the exhaust system, the hydrogen supply system is pressurized. Then, the water pump in the hydrothermal management system is turned off to stop the circulation of coolant. Finally, the valve of the hydrogen cylinder in the hydrogen supply system is closed to ensure that no hydrogen leaks.

[0131] It is worth noting that during the shutdown process of the fuel cell, the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack needs to be controlled to the specified maximum temperature to ensure the safe shutdown of the fuel cell and avoid damage to the fuel cell caused by excessively low internal temperature.

[0132] After the auxiliary systems of the fuel cell are shut down, all components in the high-pressure system and low-pressure system of the fuel cell are shut down in sequence to complete the deep shutdown of the fuel cell.

[0133] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0134] With the fuel cell having completed a slight shutdown, the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is obtained.

[0135] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is lower than a preset low temperature threshold, the fuel cell is controlled to start and enter standby mode. In standby mode, the fuel cell operates at a preset idle power and does not output power to the power battery.

[0136] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is not lower than the preset low temperature threshold, the on / off state of the vehicle's fuel cell switch is determined, and if the fuel cell switch is in the on state, the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the working state of the fuel cell, and subsequent steps are executed again.

[0137] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 As shown, after the fuel cell's mild shutdown is complete, the FCU monitors the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack in real time. If the internal temperature of the stack falls below a preset low-temperature threshold, the FCU enters a low-temperature protection mode. In this mode, the FCU does not control the fuel cell to start but waits for a start-up command from the VCU. The VCU sends a start-up command to the FCU based on the vehicle's key status and system status. If the vehicle's system status is normal and the key is off, the VCU sends a start-up command to the FCU and controls the fuel cell to enter standby mode. In standby mode, the fuel cell operates at a preset idle speed and does not output power to the battery, allowing the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack to rise. If the internal temperature of the stack falls below the preset low-temperature threshold, the status of the fuel cell switch is continuously monitored. When the fuel cell switch is off, the fuel cell remains off, the vehicle operates in pure electric mode, and the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack continues to be monitored. When the fuel cell switch is on, the following steps are executed: Figure 3 The vehicle energy management strategy shown.

[0138] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0139] After the fuel cell completes a slight shutdown, the number of times the temperature at the cell inside the stack is lower than the preset low-temperature threshold is determined.

[0140] If the number of low-temperature cycles is less than a preset number, the state of the fuel cell switch is determined. If the fuel cell switch is in the off state, the fuel cell is shut down according to the key status of the vehicle. If the fuel cell switch is in the on state, the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the working state of the fuel cell, and subsequent steps are executed again.

[0141] If the number of low-temperature cycles is greater than or equal to the preset number, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a deep shutdown.

[0142] In one embodiment, the preset number of times is 3, and the preset temperature threshold is 5 degrees Celsius. Figure 2 As shown, if the current fault level of the vehicle is less than level 2 during the operation of the fuel cell, the following situations will be used to control the fuel cell to shut down.

[0143] In the first scenario, when the driver needs to park temporarily or does not need to charge the fuel cell, and manually turns off the fuel cell switch, but keeps the vehicle key in the ON position and the vehicle is not powered off, the fuel cell will perform a slight shutdown.

[0144] The second scenario is that the fuel cell continuously charges the power battery. When the power battery's SOC is greater than 90%, the VCU sends a shutdown command to the FCU. The FCU responds to the shutdown command by controlling the fuel cell to shut down, and the fuel cell will then perform a slight shutdown.

[0145] The third scenario is when the driver switches the vehicle key to the OFF position, turning off the vehicle's power. In this case, the VCU sends a shutdown command to the FCU, and the FCU responds to the shutdown command by controlling the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown.

[0146] In the first and second scenarios described above, if the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack is below 5 degrees Celsius after a mild shutdown, there is a risk of icing inside the fuel cell, which may affect the response speed of the fuel cell restart. Therefore, the fuel cell is controlled to start up and run in standby mode to increase the internal temperature of the stack, prevent the proton exchange membrane of the fuel cell from icing, and quickly respond to the target power demand sent by the VCU. After the fuel cell is restarted, it is determined whether the number of times the fuel cell has been at low temperature after the mild shutdown is less than 3, where the number of times the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack is below 5 degrees Celsius is determined.

[0147] If so, further determine whether the fuel cell switch is off, or whether the VCU has sent a shutdown command. If the fuel cell switch is not off and no shutdown command has been received from the VCU, it means the fuel cell needs to respond to the target power demand sent by the VCU. Then, according to... Figure 3 The vehicle energy management strategy shown controls the power of the fuel cell. If the fuel cell switch remains closed or a shutdown command is received from the VCU, the fuel cell will be slightly shut down again.

[0148] If not, control the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown to ensure the safety and health of the fuel cell.

[0149] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0150] The temperature of the fuel cell at multiple different stack components is obtained.

[0151] Based on the temperature at multiple different stack components and the control conditions corresponding to the combinations of stack component temperatures, the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control or shutdown control corresponding to the control conditions.

[0152] Optionally, the fuel cell stack assembly includes internal cells, a stack outlet, and a stack inlet. The step of performing load reduction control or shutdown control on the fuel cell according to control conditions corresponding to multiple different temperatures at various locations within the fuel cell stack assembly and combinations thereof includes:

[0153] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than a preset first temperature threshold, or if the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than the target fuel cell stack temperature by a preset first difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced to the economic output power according to the first deload rate.

[0154] If the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet exceeds a preset second temperature threshold, or if the difference between the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet and the temperature at the fuel cell stack inlet exceeds a preset second difference and reaches a preset over-temperature duration, the fuel cell will be controlled to perform a slight shutdown.

[0155] If the temperature at the stack inlet exceeds the target inlet temperature by a preset third difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced according to the second deload rate until the difference between the temperature at the stack inlet and the target inlet temperature is within the preset second difference.

[0156] The target stack temperature and the target inlet temperature correspond to the target power requirement of the power battery, and the first load reduction rate is greater than the second load reduction rate.

[0157] It is worth noting that for each target power requirement of the power battery, the target stack temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack, the target inlet temperature at the stack inlet, and the target outlet temperature at the stack outlet are all pre-calibrated.

[0158] For example, the VCU monitors the temperature of the cells, stack outlet, and stack inlet inside the fuel cell stack in real time using temperature sensors. The preset first temperature threshold is 90 degrees Celsius, the preset second temperature threshold is 95 degrees Celsius, the preset first difference is 2 degrees Celsius, the preset second difference is 16 degrees Celsius, the preset over-temperature duration is 600 seconds, and the preset third difference is 2 degrees Celsius.

[0159] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack exceeds 90 degrees Celsius, or if the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack exceeds the target stack temperature corresponding to the target power demand sent by the VCU by more than 2 degrees Celsius, then the fuel cell will be rapidly deloaded, that is, the output power of the fuel cell will be reduced to the output power with the highest fuel cell conversion efficiency according to the first deload rate.

[0160] If the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet exceeds 95 degrees Celsius, or if the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet exceeds the temperature at the fuel cell stack inlet by 16 degrees Celsius for 600 seconds, a level 3 fault is triggered and the fuel cell is controlled to perform a mild shutdown.

[0161] If the temperature at the fuel cell stack inlet exceeds the target inlet temperature corresponding to the target power demand of the VCU by more than 2 degrees Celsius, the fuel cell will slowly reduce its load. That is, the output power of the fuel cell will be reduced according to the second reduction rate. For example, the output current corresponding to the output power of the fuel cell will be reduced by 50A each time. After the reduction, it will be judged whether the difference between the temperature at the stack inlet and the target inlet temperature is less than 2 degrees Celsius. If not, the output current corresponding to the output power of the fuel cell will be reduced by another 50A, and the difference between the temperature at the stack inlet and the target inlet temperature will be judged again until the difference is less than 2 degrees Celsius. If so, the reduction of the fuel cell output power will be stopped so that the fuel cell can enter the power stabilization stage.

[0162] By using the above method, the output power of the fuel cell is controlled according to the temperature of multiple different stack components of the fuel cell, which avoids the fuel cell's lifespan being reduced due to excessive temperature, and also increases the safety of the fuel cell.

[0163] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0164] After the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control and its output power enters a stable power phase, the cooling fan corresponding to the fuel cell is checked at preset intervals to see if it has reached its maximum fan speed.

[0165] The preset duration can be 10 minutes.

[0166] If the cooling fan does not reach the maximum fan speed, determine whether the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery.

[0167] If the output power of the fuel cell does not meet the target power requirement of the power battery, the output power of the fuel cell is increased according to the preset load current until the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery or the cooling fan reaches the maximum fan speed.

[0168] It is worth noting that after the fuel cell is turned on and begins to respond to the target power demand sent by the VCU, the fuel cell will enter the load-increasing phase, that is, the output power of the fuel cell will gradually increase until the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power demand, and then the fuel cell will enter the power stabilization phase. Similarly, if the fuel cell is controlled to unload, that is, the output power of the fuel cell is gradually reduced, the fuel cell will also enter the power stabilization phase after the unloading is completed.

[0169] Furthermore, the cooling fan of a fuel cell is positively correlated with the temperature of the cells inside the fuel cell stack.

[0170] The preset load current is the output current corresponding to the increase in output power for each load increase, which is pre-calibrated for the fuel cell.

[0171] In one implementation, the preset load current is 50A (Ampere). When the fuel cell is in a stable power phase, the FCU checks every 10 minutes whether the cooling fan corresponding to the fuel cell has reached its maximum speed. If the cooling fan has reached its maximum speed, it means the fuel cell has reached its maximum output power, and the fuel cell output power is not adjusted. If the maximum fan speed has not been reached, the output current corresponding to the fuel cell output power is increased by 50A, causing the internal temperature of the fuel cell stack to rise, and the speed of the cooling fan will increase accordingly. If the cooling fan speed has not reached its maximum speed, the output current corresponding to the fuel cell output power is increased by 50A every 10 minutes until the cooling fan speed reaches its maximum speed.

[0172] The above methods can effectively prevent frequent overheating of fuel cells and fluctuating system power, thereby avoiding membrane dryness caused by overheating, which would lead to permanent performance degradation of the fuel cell.

[0173] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a fuel cell control device according to an exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The device includes an acquisition module 520 and a control module 530.

[0174] The acquisition module 520 is configured to acquire the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell in response to the vehicle being powered on.

[0175] The control module 530 is configured to perform attenuation recovery control on the fuel cell based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell. The attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter a standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown. The standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery.

[0176] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0177] When the fuel cell is in the off state, if the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the first state of charge, the fuel cell is controlled to start and run at a preset idle power, and no power is output to the power battery, until the state of charge of the power battery is less than the first state of charge, then the fuel cell is controlled to output power to the power battery.

[0178] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0179] When the fuel cell is in the powered-on state, if the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the second state of charge and less than the third state of charge, the fuel cell is activated and controlled until the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the third state of charge, at which point the fuel cell is shut down.

[0180] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0181] Determine the current fault status of the vehicle.

[0182] If the current fault level is greater than or equal to the preset fault level, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a deep shutdown.

[0183] If the current fault level is less than the preset fault level, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a mild shutdown, wherein the high-pressure system of the fuel cell remains on after the mild shutdown, and the high-pressure system of the fuel cell is shut down after a deep shutdown.

[0184] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0185] With the fuel cell having completed a slight shutdown, the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is obtained.

[0186] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is lower than a preset low temperature threshold, the fuel cell is controlled to start in the standby mode, and the fuel cell is shut down according to the number of times the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is lower than the preset low temperature threshold after the fuel cell is slightly shut down.

[0187] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than or equal to the preset low temperature threshold, then the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, and subsequent steps, are executed.

[0188] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0189] If the number of low-temperature cycles is less than a preset number, the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, as well as subsequent steps, are performed.

[0190] If the number of low-temperature cycles is greater than or equal to the preset number, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a deep shutdown.

[0191] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0192] The temperature of the fuel cell at multiple different stack components is obtained.

[0193] Based on the temperature at multiple different stack components and the control conditions corresponding to the combinations of stack component temperatures, the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control or shutdown control corresponding to the control conditions.

[0194] Optionally, the fuel cell stack assembly includes internal fuel cells, a fuel cell outlet, and a fuel cell inlet, and the control module 530 is configured to:

[0195] If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than a preset first temperature threshold, or if the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than the target fuel cell stack temperature by a preset first difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced to the economic output power according to the first deload rate.

[0196] If the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet exceeds a preset second temperature threshold, or if the difference between the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet and the temperature at the fuel cell stack inlet exceeds a preset second difference and reaches a preset over-temperature duration, the fuel cell will be controlled to perform a slight shutdown.

[0197] If the temperature at the stack inlet exceeds the target inlet temperature by a preset third difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced according to the second deload rate until the difference between the temperature at the stack inlet and the target inlet temperature is within the preset second difference.

[0198] The target stack temperature and the target inlet temperature correspond to the target power requirement of the power battery, and the first load reduction rate is greater than the second load reduction rate.

[0199] Optionally, the control module 530 is configured to:

[0200] After the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control and its output power enters a stable phase, the cooling fan corresponding to the fuel cell is checked at preset intervals to see if it has reached its maximum fan speed.

[0201] If the cooling fan does not reach the maximum fan speed, determine whether the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery.

[0202] If the output power of the fuel cell does not meet the target power requirement of the power battery, the output power of the fuel cell is increased according to the preset load current until the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery or the cooling fan reaches the maximum fan speed.

[0203] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0204] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the fuel cell control method provided in this disclosure.

[0205] This disclosure also provides a vehicle including a power battery, a fuel cell, and electronic equipment for performing the fuel cell control method provided in this disclosure.

[0206] Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle 600 according to an exemplary embodiment. The vehicle 600 may be an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a non-autonomous vehicle.

[0207] Reference Figure 5 The vehicle 600 may include various subsystems, such as an infotainment system 610, a perception system 620, a decision control system 630, a drive system 640, and a computing platform 650. The vehicle 600 may also include more or fewer subsystems, and each subsystem may include multiple components. Furthermore, each subsystem and each component of the vehicle 600 can be interconnected via wired or wireless means.

[0208] In some embodiments, the infotainment system 610 may include a communication system, an entertainment system, and a navigation system, etc.

[0209] The perception system 620 may include several sensors for sensing information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 600. For example, the perception system 620 may include a global positioning system (which may be GPS, BeiDou, or other positioning systems), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), lidar, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, and a camera device.

[0210] The decision control system 630 may include a computing system, a vehicle controller, a steering system, a throttle, and a braking system.

[0211] The drive system 640 may include components that provide powered motion to the vehicle 600. In one embodiment, the drive system 640 may include an engine, an energy source, a transmission system, and wheels. The engine may be one or a combination of internal combustion engines, electric motors, and compressed air engines. The engine is capable of converting energy provided by the energy source into mechanical energy.

[0212] Some or all of the functions of vehicle 600 are controlled by computing platform 650. Computing platform 650 may include at least one processor 651 and memory 652, processor 651 can execute instructions 653 stored in memory 652.

[0213] Processor 651 can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU. Processors may also include graphics processing units (GPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), systems-on-chips (SoCs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or combinations thereof.

[0214] The memory 652 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0215] In addition to instruction 653, memory 652 can also store data, such as road maps, route information, vehicle position, direction, speed, and other data. The data stored in memory 652 can be used by computing platform 650.

[0216] In this embodiment of the disclosure, processor 651 may execute instructions 653 to complete all or part of the steps of the above-described fuel cell control method.

[0217] In another exemplary embodiment, a computer program product is also provided, which includes a computer program executable by a programmable device, the computer program having a code portion for performing the above-described fuel cell control method when executed by the programmable device.

[0218] Furthermore, the term “exemplary” is used herein to indicate that it serves as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous compared to other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the term “exemplary” is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner. As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clearly indicated from the context, “X applies A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive arrangements. Additionally, unless otherwise specified or clearly indicated from the context, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims are generally understood to mean “one or more.”

[0219] Similarly, although this disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. This disclosure includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the components described above (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), unless otherwise indicated, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (functionally equivalent) that performs the specific function of the described component, even if structurally not equivalent to the disclosed structure. Furthermore, although specific features of this disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, as may be desired and advantageous to any given or particular application. Moreover, with regard to the terms “comprising,” “owning,” “having,” “having,” or variations thereof as used in the detailed description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “including.”

[0220] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

[0221] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fuel cell control method, characterized in that, include: Obtain the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating status of the fuel cell; Based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, the fuel cell is subjected to attenuation recovery control. The attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown. The standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery. The step of controlling the degradation recovery of the fuel cell based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell includes: When the fuel cell is in the off state, if the state of charge (SOC) of the power battery is greater than or equal to a first SOC, the fuel cell is controlled to start and operate at a preset idle power, without outputting power to the power battery, until the SOC of the power battery is less than the first SOC, at which point the fuel cell is controlled to output power to the power battery; and When the fuel cell is in the powered-on state, if the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the second state of charge and less than the third state of charge, the fuel cell is activated and controlled until the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the third state of charge, at which point the fuel cell is shut down.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of shutting down the fuel cell includes: Determine the current fault status of the vehicle; If the current fault level is greater than or equal to the preset fault level, control the fuel cell to perform a deep shutdown; If the current fault level is less than the preset fault level, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a mild shutdown, wherein the high-pressure system of the fuel cell remains on after the mild shutdown, and the high-pressure system of the fuel cell is shut down after a deep shutdown.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: With the fuel cell having completed a slight shutdown, the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is obtained; If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is lower than a preset low temperature threshold, the fuel cell is controlled to start in the standby mode, and the fuel cell is shut down according to the number of times the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is lower than the preset low temperature threshold. If the temperature at the cell inside the fuel cell stack is greater than or equal to the preset low temperature threshold, then the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, and subsequent steps, are executed.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of controlling the fuel cell based on the number of low-temperature cycles following a mild shutdown includes: If the number of low-temperature cycles is less than a preset number, the steps of obtaining the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell, and subsequent steps, are performed. If the number of low-temperature cycles is greater than or equal to the preset number, the fuel cell is controlled to perform a deep shutdown.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The temperature of the fuel cell at multiple different stack components was obtained; Based on the temperature at multiple different stack components and the control conditions corresponding to the combinations of stack component temperatures, the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control or shutdown control corresponding to the control conditions.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fuel cell stack assembly includes internal cells, a stack outlet, and a stack inlet. The step of controlling the fuel cell to perform load reduction or shutdown control corresponding to the control conditions based on multiple different temperatures at various locations within the fuel cell stack assembly and combinations thereof includes: If the temperature at the cell inside the stack is greater than a preset first temperature threshold, or if the temperature at the cell inside the stack is greater than the target stack temperature by a preset first difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced to the economic output power according to the first deload rate. If the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet exceeds a preset second temperature threshold, or if the difference between the temperature at the fuel cell stack outlet and the temperature at the fuel cell stack inlet exceeds a preset second difference and reaches a preset over-temperature duration, the fuel cell will be controlled to perform a slight shutdown. If the temperature at the stack inlet exceeds the target inlet temperature by a preset third difference, the output power of the fuel cell is reduced according to the second unloading rate until the difference between the temperature at the stack inlet and the target inlet temperature is within the preset second difference. The target stack temperature and the target inlet temperature correspond to the target power requirement of the power battery, and the first load reduction rate is greater than the second load reduction rate.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: After the fuel cell is subjected to load reduction control and the output power of the fuel cell enters a stable phase, it is determined at preset intervals whether the cooling fan corresponding to the fuel cell has reached the maximum fan speed. If the cooling fan does not reach the maximum fan speed, determine whether the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery. If the output power of the fuel cell does not meet the target power requirement of the power battery, the output power of the fuel cell is increased according to the preset load current until the output power of the fuel cell meets the target power requirement of the power battery or the cooling fan reaches the maximum fan speed.

8. A fuel cell control device, characterized in that, include: The acquisition module is configured to acquire the state of charge of the vehicle's power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell in response to the vehicle being powered on. The control module is configured to perform attenuation recovery control on the fuel cell based on the state of charge of the power battery and the operating state of the fuel cell. The attenuation recovery control includes controlling the fuel cell to enter a standby mode after startup or controlling the fuel cell to activate before shutdown. The standby mode includes the fuel cell operating at a preset idle power and not outputting power to the power battery. The control module is configured as follows: When the fuel cell is in the off state, if the state of charge (SOC) of the power battery is greater than or equal to a first SOC, the fuel cell is controlled to start and operate at a preset idle power, without outputting power to the power battery, until the SOC of the power battery is less than the first SOC, at which point the fuel cell is controlled to output power to the power battery; and When the fuel cell is in the powered-on state, if the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the second state of charge and less than the third state of charge, the fuel cell is activated and controlled until the state of charge of the power battery is greater than or equal to the third state of charge, at which point the fuel cell is shut down.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, This includes power batteries, fuel cells, and electronic devices for performing any one of the methods of claims 1-7.

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