Method of resisting degradation of fuel cell system of vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method of resisting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle. The method is performed using a processor device. The processor device estimates a stationary average power demand of the vehicle by estimating an average power that the vehicle will consume during a predetermined period of time during which the vehicle will be stationary. Idle power that may be extracted from the fuel cell system is determined. The idle power is compared to the estimated stationary average power demand. Based on the comparison, a duration during which the fuel cell system should remain on to meet the estimated stationary average power demand is determined. The fuel cell system is controlled to remain on for the predetermined duration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method of counteracting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle. The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle comprising a processor device for executing the method. The present disclosure also relates to a computer program, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and a control unit configured to execute the method.

[0002] The teachings of the present disclosure may be applied to heavy vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment. Although the focus of the present disclosure will be on heavy vehicles, such as trucks, the overall teachings herein are not limited to such specific vehicles, but may also be implemented in other vehicles, such as automobiles. Background Art

[0003] For a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), in some cases there may be idle requests from the vehicle even when the vehicle is parked. These requests may typically be for heating or cooling the cabin while the driver is in the vehicle, or for operating a power take-off device, such as a refrigerator. Other long-term stationary scenarios may be when the vehicle is used to perform work operations, such as at a construction site, etc. For example, an idle request when the vehicle is stationary may be used to operate a power take-off device such as a crane, concrete mixer, etc.

[0004] FCEV batteries are typically small. Non-optimal management of long-term stationary scenarios may result in multiple starts of the fuel cell system, which can reduce the health of the fuel cell system (if the battery is depleted while meeting power demand, the fuel cell system needs to be started). It is expected that the risk of fuel cell system degradation can be reduced. Summary of the invention

[0005] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method that at least partially alleviates the above-mentioned degradation problems. This object, as well as other objects that will become apparent in the following discussion, is achieved by a method according to claim 1. Some non-limiting exemplary embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of counteracting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle, the method comprising: - estimating, by processor means of a computing system, a stationary average power requirement of the vehicle by estimating an average power that the vehicle will consume during a predetermined period of time during which the vehicle will be stationary; - determining, by said processor means, an idle power extractable from said fuel cell system; - comparing, by said processor means, said idle power with said estimated stationary average power requirement; - based on said comparison, determining by said processor means a duration for which said fuel cell system should remain switched on to meet said estimated stationary average power demand; and - controlling the fuel cell system by means of said processor device to remain switched on for said determined duration.

[0007] By comparing the idle power to the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle, it is possible to determine how long the fuel cell system should remain on, thereby avoiding premature shutdown and subsequent startup. As a result, over time, the number of startups can be reduced, and therefore the risk of degradation of the fuel cell system can also be reduced.

[0008] Similar to an internal combustion engine that is configured to provide idle power when the engine is turned on, the fuel cell system of the FCEV also has idle power, so the idle power can be regarded as the minimum power in the turned-on state of the fuel cell system.

[0009] As will be discussed in more detail below, in some exemplary embodiments, the FCEV may be provided with a battery that can be charged by the power provided by the fuel cell system. However, in other exemplary embodiments, the FCEV does not have a battery that can be charged by the fuel cell system. In the latter case, the estimated static average power demand should be higher than the idle power provided by the fuel cell system. In other words, the estimated average power that the vehicle will consume during the predetermined time period in which the vehicle will be stationary should be greater than the idle power. Otherwise, when the fuel cell system is running at idle power, overproduction and waste of electricity will occur. However, in the first case, that is, when the battery can be charged by the fuel cell system, even if the power request from the vehicle is lower than the idle power, if possible, the idle power can be used to charge the battery. Therefore, even if the power request from other vehicle components is lower, the static average power demand (i.e., including the charging of the battery) can be higher than the idle power.

[0010] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the above-mentioned predetermined time period can be the entire time period before the vehicle starts to move along the ground again. For example, in a hotel accommodation scenario, such as an overnight stay, the driver parks the vehicle, sleeps in the vehicle, and starts the vehicle in the morning to continue driving, and the predetermined time period can be the entire stay period. However, in some exemplary embodiments, it can be advantageous to divide the static time period into two or more predetermined time periods. For example, if a large temperature difference is expected in different time periods during the stay, such as a large external temperature drop is expected at night, thereby affecting the heating power request, then it is appropriate to perform a power consumption estimate for the first time period and another power consumption estimate for the second time period after the first time period. Similar considerations may also be present at the work site. Although the vehicle will be stationary for a long time, during the first predetermined time period, a power output device (such as a crane, etc.) may be expected to perform a certain operation that may require a certain power, and subsequent operations or non-operations during the static period may require another power level. Since the vehicle may be provided with various power take-off devices and auxiliary devices which may require electrical power at different points in time and / or at different power levels, the processor device used in the method may appropriately estimate / calculate the average power requirement based on different requests during a predetermined time period, i.e. the processing device may estimate / calculate the stationary average power requirement.

[0011] The predetermined time period may be suitably defined in different conceivable ways. According to at least some exemplary embodiments, the predetermined time period may be defined by manual input of the driver. For example, the driver may input the number of hours that the vehicle is expected to be stationary, such as parked overnight. However, the predetermined time period may also be based on historical events, such as machine learning, etc. For example, if a vehicle at a construction site is performing an operation, such as mixing concrete, then based on previous corresponding events, the vehicle's processor device may define the predetermined time period.

[0012] As already indicated above, it may be advantageous to take environmental conditions into account when estimating the static average power requirement. As mentioned above, different devices are expected to consume different amounts of power and may be appropriately considered to estimate the static average power requirement. Taking these factors into account, at least in part, in at least one exemplary embodiment, the estimation of the static average power requirement is based on one or more of the following: - expected environmental conditions during said predetermined period of time, such as external temperature values, - the expected power consumption of switched-on auxiliary devices (such as air conditioning systems and refrigerators) during said predetermined period of time, - historical data on power consumption of auxiliary devices, - the expected power consumption of the one or more power take-off devices during said predetermined period of time, - Historical data on power consumption of one or more power take-offs.

[0013] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, the vehicle includes a battery pack having one or more batteries, the battery pack being chargeable by the fuel cell system, the method further comprising: - determining, by the processor means, a state of charge of the battery pack, wherein said determining the duration for which the fuel cell system should remain on to meet the estimated stationary average power demand is also based on the determined state of charge of the battery pack.

[0014] By having the processor device determine the state of charge of the battery pack, it can calculate how the fuel system should be used. For example, if the fuel cell system is able to maintain an idle power (or higher power) to meet the stationary average power demand while charging the battery pack for the entire predetermined period of time, the fuel cell system can advantageously remain on for the entire predetermined period of time, thereby avoiding restarting the fuel cell system. However, if the processor device's calculations indicate that the fuel cell system is providing too much power, and the battery pack is insufficient to store all of the power, the processor device can limit the duration that the fuel cell system remains on.

[0015] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, if based on the comparison it is determined that: - the idle power is lower than the estimated stationary average power demand, the method further comprises controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to operate at a power level greater than the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power demand; - the idle power is higher than the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle, the method further comprises controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to remain turned on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power demand.

[0016] Therefore, if the processor device finds that the idle power is insufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand, it can control the fuel system to operate at a higher power level so that the stationary average power demand is met. On the other hand, if the idle power is higher than the stationary average power demand, any excess power may be suitable for charging the battery pack, as will be illustrated below. The battery pack can be regarded as a buffer, which is why the average power demand is a suitable metric. For example, if the power demand for the next 5 minutes is 5 kW and the idle power is 10 kW, then the remaining 5 kW can flow to the battery pack. Thereafter, over the next 5 minutes, the power demand may rise to 15 kW, but the idle power will remain at 10 kW because the average power demand over 10 minutes is 10 kW. The additional 5 kW of power demand for the last 5 minutes will be met by the battery pack, so that the battery pack acts as a buffer.

[0017] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, if it is determined based on the comparison that the idle power is higher than the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle, the method further comprises: - calculating, by said processor means, an average excess power being the difference between said idle power and said estimated stationary average power requirement; - determining, by the processor means, based on the state of charge and capacity of the battery pack, whether the battery pack can be charged using the calculated average excess power for the entire duration of the predetermined time period.

[0018] This is advantageous because if the state of charge and capacity of the battery pack is such that the battery pack can store the excess power, this can keep the fuel cell system turned on and avoid unnecessary restarts.

[0019] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, if the calculated average excess power is determined: - can be used to charge the battery pack for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method comprises controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to remain on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power requirement of the vehicle while charging the battery pack with the excess average power, - cannot be used to charge the battery pack for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method includes determining, by the processor device, whether the current state of charge of the battery pack is sufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle for the entire duration of the predetermined time period.

[0020] Again, if the battery pack can store such excess power, the processor device can advantageously determine to utilize the excess power by charging the battery pack. However, if the power provided by the fuel cell system exceeds the power that the battery pack can store, it is necessary to shut down the fuel cell system to avoid wasting energy. Nevertheless, the processor device can take into account the current state of charge before simply shutting down the fuel cell system and calculate whether the state of charge is sufficient to meet the estimated average power demand, or whether the fuel cell system should operate for at least a portion of the duration of the predetermined time period. Therefore, on the one hand, the capacity and current state of charge may be such that the battery pack cannot store all of the excess power, but on the other hand, the state of charge may be too low to meet the static average power demand alone.

[0021] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, if the current state of charge of the battery pack is determined: - is sufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle over the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method comprises controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to shut down, and controlling, by the processor device, the battery pack to provide the estimated stationary average power demand, - is insufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle over the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method includes determining, by a processor device, whether the battery pack can meet the estimated stationary average power demand when fully charged.

[0022] This is advantageous because the processor device can calculate whether the battery pack itself can meet the power demand or whether it should be supported by the fuel cell system. For example, if the processor device calculates that a certain higher state of charge will be sufficient to meet the power demand, the fuel cell system can be appropriately operated to charge the battery pack to the certain higher state of charge. Specifically, the fuel cell system can be appropriately controlled to operate to fully charge the battery pack and then shut down.

[0023] According to at least one exemplary embodiment, if it is determined that: - the battery pack will be able to meet the estimated static average power demand when fully charged, the method comprises controlling the fuel cell system by the processor device to fully charge the battery pack, and then controlling the fuel cell system by the processor device to shut down, - the battery pack will not be able to meet the estimated static average power demand when fully charged, the method includes calculating, by the processor device, the duration for which the fuel cell system needs to operate and the level to which the battery pack should be charged in order to meet the estimated static average power demand, then controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to operate for the calculated duration to charge the battery pack to the calculated level, and then controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to shut down.

[0024] Therefore, in some cases, the processor device can calculate that even if the battery pack can be charged to full, it is still insufficient to meet the power demand. In this case, the processor device can control the fuel cell system to keep charging the battery pack for a long enough time so that the battery pack can meet the power demand.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle comprising a processor device for executing the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof). The advantages of the vehicle of the second aspect are largely similar to the advantages of the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof).

[0026] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided, the computer program comprising program code, the program code being used to perform the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof) when executed by a processor device. The advantages of the computer program of the third aspect are largely similar to the advantages of the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof).

[0027] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, the instructions causing the processor device to perform the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof) when executed by a processor device. The advantages of the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of the fourth aspect are largely similar to the advantages of the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof).

[0028] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control unit for resisting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle, the control unit being configured to perform the method according to the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof). The advantages of the control unit of the fifth aspect are largely similar to the advantages of the method of the first aspect (including any exemplary embodiments thereof).

[0029] The control unit and / or processor device described herein may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable digital signal processor or another programmable device. The control unit and / or processor device may also include or alternatively include an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array or programmable array logic, a programmable logic device or a digital signal processor. In the case where it includes a programmable device such as the above-mentioned microprocessor, microcontroller or programmable digital signal processor, the processor may also include a computer executable code that controls the operation of the programmable device.

[0030] Generally, unless otherwise clearly defined herein, all terms used in the claims should be interpreted according to their ordinary meanings in the technical field. Unless otherwise clearly stated, all references to "parts, elements, devices, assemblies, arrangements, devices, components, steps, etc." should be publicly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of parts, elements, devices, assemblies, arrangements, devices, components, steps, etc. Unless explicitly stated, it is not necessary to perform the steps of any method disclosed herein in the exact order disclosed. When studying the attached claims and the following description, the additional features and advantages of the inventive concept will become apparent. Those skilled in the art recognize that, without departing from the scope of the inventive concept, the different features of the inventive concept can be combined to create embodiments different from those described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Embodiments of the invention cited as examples will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] In the attached picture:

[0033] Figure 1 A vehicle is shown for which the method of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0034] Figure 2 A method according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated.

[0035] Figure 3 are flow charts illustrating implementations of various exemplary embodiments of the methods of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 4 A control unit according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated.

[0037] Figure 5 A computer program product according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is schematically illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The overall inventive concept will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain aspects of the inventive concept are shown. However, the inventive concept can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments and aspects set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided by way of example so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete and the scope of the invention will be fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the overall inventive concept is not limited to the embodiments described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings; rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements.

[0039] Figure 1 A vehicle 1 is shown for which the method of the present disclosure can be implemented. In this example, the vehicle 1 is a heavy vehicle in the form of a tractor unit. The tractor can be powered by a fuel cell system. Although a tractor unit has been shown, it should be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure can also be implemented in other types of vehicles (such as buses, construction equipment and passenger cars). The vehicle 1 shown includes a cab 2 in which the driver can operate the vehicle 1. In addition, the cab 2 can also provide living, resting and sleeping facilities when the vehicle 1 is not traveling. For example, the cab 2 can be provided with a bed, allowing the driver to sleep in the cab 2. In addition, the cab 2 can be provided with electrical appliances such as a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a television, a heating / cooling system, etc. In other exemplary vehicles, other power output devices, such as external equipment such as a crane, a mixer, etc., can be provided. Even if the vehicle 1 is not traveling along the road, for example, when the driver needs to rest or sleep, or when the vehicle 1 is stationary, the above-mentioned exemplified devices, appliances, etc. can also request power. The present disclosure provides a method that reduces the number of repeated restarts of the fuel cell system that are traditionally performed during such long-term quiescent conditions.

[0040] Figure 2 Schematically illustrates a method 10 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, Figure 2 A resistance vehicle such as Figure 1 A method 10 for deteriorating a fuel cell system of a vehicle 1), the method 10 comprising: - in step S1 , estimating, by means of a processor means of a computing system, a stationary average power requirement of the vehicle by estimating an average power that the vehicle will consume during a predetermined period of time during which the vehicle will be stationary; - in step S2, determining, by means of the processor device, the idle power that can be extracted from the fuel cell system; - in step S3, comparing, by said processor means, said idle power with said estimated stationary average power requirement; - in step S4, based on said comparison, determining by said processor means a duration for which said fuel cell system should remain switched on to meet said estimated stationary average power demand; and - In step S5, the fuel cell system is controlled by the processor device to remain switched on for the determined duration.

[0041] It should be understood that the above steps need not be performed in the order listed. For example, the idle power determined in step S2 may be provided as a stored value in an electronic memory. Thus, the idle power may be determined (step S2) before, after, or simultaneously with estimating the stationary average power demand (step S1).

[0042] Figure 3 2 is a flow chart showing implementation of various exemplary embodiments of the method of the present disclosure. Starting from block 20, it can represent input data based on which the estimation of the static average power is performed in block 22. The input data can be, for example, one or more of the following: - expected environmental conditions during said predetermined period of time, such as external temperature values, - the expected power consumption of switched-on auxiliary devices (such as air conditioning systems and refrigerators) during said predetermined period of time, - historical data on power consumption of auxiliary devices, - the expected power consumption of the one or more power take-off devices during said predetermined period of time, - Historical data on power consumption of one or more power take-offs.

[0043] In box 22, the processor device of the computing system can estimate the stationary average power demand of the vehicle by estimating the average power that the vehicle will consume during a predetermined time period that the vehicle will be stationary. As explained above, the predetermined time period can be, for example, a time period that the vehicle will be parked, or a time period when the vehicle's devices are used at a work site while the vehicle is stationary, etc.

[0044] The idle power that can be extracted from the fuel cell system is typically predefined and known. For example, it can be stored by the processor device and retrieved from an electronic memory. In box 24, the processor device compares the idle power with the static average power requirement that has been estimated in box 22. Specifically, the processor device determines whether the idle power of the fuel cell system is greater than the static average power requirement. If the answer is no, the processor device decides to continue executing box 26. In box 26, the processor device controls the fuel cell system to turn on and provide a level of power (greater than the idle power) that meets the estimated static average power requirement of the vehicle. However, if the answer is yes, the processor device proceeds to box 28. Before discussing box 28 in more detail, it is sufficient to explain that it involves a battery pack that can be set on the vehicle.

[0045] Thus, as indicated above, the vehicle may include a battery pack having one or more batteries that may be charged by the fuel cell system. In box 30, the processor device may determine the state of charge of the battery pack and may also appropriately determine the capacity of the battery pack. The processor device may then use this battery data as input when determining the duration that the fuel cell system should remain on to meet the estimated stationary average power demand.

[0046] Continuing to frame 28, if the idle power is higher than the estimated stationary average power requirement of the vehicle, frame 28 is reached, at which time the processor device can control the fuel cell system to remain turned on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power requirement. In addition, in frame 28, the processor device can calculate the average excess power, which is the difference between the idle power and the estimated stationary average power requirement. Based on this calculation and the battery data (state of charge and capacity) input from frame 30, the processor device can determine whether the average excess power over the entire duration of the predetermined time period can be used to charge the battery pack. If the answer is affirmative, the processor device continues to frame 32. If the answer is negative, the processor device continues to frame 34.

[0047] In box 32, when the processor device has determined that the battery pack can be charged using the calculated average excess power for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the processor device may control the fuel cell system to remain on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle while charging the battery pack using the excess average power.

[0048] In box 34, when the processor device has determined that the calculated average excess power cannot be used to charge the battery pack for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the processor device may determine whether the current state of charge of the battery pack is sufficient to meet the estimated static average power demand of the vehicle for the entire duration of the predetermined time period. The battery data (state of charge and capacity) is input from box 30. In this regard, it should be noted that the start-up of the fuel cell system may require a minimum state of charge and power availability of the battery pack, and this should be appropriately ensured and accounted for in the calculations performed in box 34. If the processor device determines that the current state of charge of the battery pack is sufficient to meet the estimated static average power demand of the vehicle for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the processor device proceeds to box 36. In box 36, the processor device shuts down the fuel cell system and controls the battery pack to provide the estimated static average power demand. However, if the processor device determines that the current state of charge of the battery pack is insufficient to meet the estimated static average power demand of the vehicle for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the processor device continues to box 38.

[0049] In box 38, the processor device determines whether the battery pack can meet the estimated static average power demand when fully charged. If the answer is yes, the program continues to box 40. If the answer is no, the program continues to box 42.

[0050] In box 40 , the processor device controls the fuel cell system to fully charge the battery pack and then controls the fuel cell system to shut down.

[0051] In box 42, the processor device calculates the duration that the fuel cell system needs to operate and the level to which the battery pack should be charged to meet the estimated static average power demand, and then proceeds to box 44. In box 44, the processor device can control the fuel cell system to operate for the calculated duration to charge the battery pack to the calculated level, and then control the fuel cell system to shut down.

[0052] Figure 4 Schematically illustrates a processor device 100 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In other exemplary embodiments, Figure 4 It may alternatively represent a control unit according to the fifth aspect discussed above.

[0053] therefore, Figure 4 Components of the processor device 100 according to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein are shown in terms of multiple functional units. The processor device 100 may be included in any of the systems and vehicles disclosed herein, such as Figure 1The processing circuit 110 may be provided using any combination of one or more of a suitable central processing unit CPU, a multiprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor DSP, etc. capable of executing software instructions stored in, for example, a computer program product in the form of a storage medium 130. The processing circuit 110 may also be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit ASIC or a field programmable gate array FPGA.

[0054] Specifically, the processing circuit 110 is configured to cause the processor device 100 to perform a set of operations or steps, such as combining Figure 2 The methods discussed and exemplary embodiments thereof discussed throughout this disclosure, and / or such as by Figure 3 For example, the storage medium 130 may store the set of operations, and the processing circuit 110 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 130 so that the processor device 100 performs the set of operations. The set of operations may be provided as a set of executable instructions. Therefore, the processing circuit 110 is thereby arranged to perform the exemplary method as disclosed herein.

[0055] The storage medium 130 may also include a persistent storage device, which may be, for example, any one or combination of magnetic storage, optical storage, solid-state storage, or even remotely mounted storage.

[0056] The processor device 100 may also include an interface 120 for communicating with at least one external device, such as communicating with a battery pack for obtaining battery data (such as state of charge and / or capacity) and / or for controlling the power supply from the battery pack, communicating with a fuel cell system for controlling the power supplied from the fuel cell system, communicating with one or more power output devices for estimating the power demand of the power output device, communicating with a thermometer for obtaining an external temperature value, etc., as can be understood from the previous discussion herein. Therefore, the interface 120 may include one or more transmitters and receivers, including analog and digital components and a suitable number of ports for wired or wireless communication.

[0057] Processing circuit 110 controls the general operation of processor device 100, for example, by sending data and control signals to interface 120 and storage medium 130, by receiving data and reports from interface 120, and by retrieving data and instructions from storage medium 130. Other components of processor device 100 and related functionality are omitted so as not to obscure the concepts presented herein.

[0058] Figure 5 Schematically illustrates a computer program product 200 according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, Figure 5A computer-readable storage medium 210 is shown including instructions (eg, as program code 220) that, when executed by a processor device, cause the processor device to perform Figure 2 The computer readable storage medium 210 and program code 220 may together form a computer program product 200 .

Claims

1. A method (10) for counteracting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle (1), the method comprising: - estimating (S1) by a processor device (100) of a computing system a stationary average power requirement of the vehicle by estimating an average power that the vehicle will consume during a predetermined period of time during which the vehicle will be stationary; - determining (S2) by the processor means an idle power that can be extracted from the fuel cell system; - comparing, by said processor means, said idle power with said estimated stationary average power requirement (S3); - based on said comparison, determining (S4) by said processor means a duration for which said fuel cell system should remain switched on to meet said estimated stationary average power demand; as well as - controlling ( S5 ) by the processor device that the fuel cell system remains switched on for the determined duration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimate of the stationary average power demand is based on one or more of: - expected environmental conditions during said predetermined period of time, such as external temperature values, - the expected power consumption of switched-on auxiliary devices during said predetermined period, such as the expected power consumption of an air conditioning system and a refrigerator, - historical data on power consumption of auxiliary devices, - the expected power consumption of the one or more power take-off devices during said predetermined period of time, - Historical data on power consumption of one or more power take-offs.

3. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the vehicle (1) comprises a battery pack having one or more batteries, the battery pack being chargeable by the fuel cell system, the method further comprising: - determining (30) by the processor device a state of charge of the battery pack, wherein the determining the duration for which the fuel cell system should remain on to meet the estimated stationary average power demand is also based on the determined state of charge of the battery pack.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein if it is determined based on the comparison: - the idle power is lower than the estimated stationary average power demand, the method further comprises controlling (26) the fuel cell system, by the processor device, to operate at a power level greater than the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power demand; - the idle power is higher than the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle, the method further comprises controlling, by the processor device, the fuel cell system to remain turned on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power demand.

5. A method according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 3, wherein if it is determined based on said comparison that said idle power is higher than said estimated stationary average power requirement of said vehicle, said method further comprising: - calculating (28) by said processor means an average excess power, said average excess power being the difference between said idle power and said estimated stationary average power requirement; - determining, by the processor device, based on the state of charge and capacity of the battery pack, whether the battery pack can be charged using the calculated average excess power for the entire duration of the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein if the calculated average excess power is determined: - can be used to charge the battery pack for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method comprises controlling (32) by the processor device the fuel cell system to remain on at the idle power to meet the estimated stationary average power requirement of the vehicle while charging the battery pack with the excess average power, - cannot be used to charge the battery pack for the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method includes determining (34) by the processor device whether the current state of charge of the battery pack is sufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle for the entire duration of the predetermined time period.

7. A method according to claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 6 when dependent on claim 3, wherein if the current state of charge of the battery pack is determined: - is sufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle over the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method comprises controlling (36) the fuel cell system by the processor device to shut down, and controlling the battery pack by the processor device to provide the estimated stationary average power demand, - is insufficient to meet the estimated stationary average power demand of the vehicle over the entire duration of the predetermined time period, the method includes determining (38) by a processor device whether the battery pack can meet the estimated stationary average power demand when fully charged.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if it is determined that: - the battery pack will be able to meet the estimated static average power demand when fully charged, the method comprises controlling (40) the fuel cell system by the processor device to fully charge the battery pack, and then controlling the fuel cell system by the processor device to shut down, - the battery pack will not be able to meet the estimated static average power demand when fully charged, the method includes calculating (42) by the processor device the duration for which the fuel cell system needs to operate and the level to which the battery pack should be charged in order to meet the estimated static average power demand, then controlling (44) by the processor device the fuel cell system to operate for the calculated duration to charge the battery pack to the calculated level, and then controlling the fuel cell system to shut down by the processor device.

9. A vehicle (1) comprising a processor device (100) for executing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A computer program comprising program code for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 when the program code is executed by the processor device.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor device, cause the processor device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 12 . A control unit for counteracting degradation of a fuel cell system of a vehicle, the control unit being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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