Apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling operation of a fuel cell stack may include a cell, a fuel cell stack, a processor, and a memory storing at least instructions. When executed by a processor in communication with a memory, the instructions may cause the apparatus to detect a coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery, determine a temperature difference between the coolant temperature and a target coolant temperature, and determine an SOC difference between the SOC and a target SOC, determine based on the temperature difference and the SOC difference, and determine a temperature of the fuel cell stack based on the SOC difference. A method of operating a fuel cell stack includes determining a control voltage of the fuel cell stack, determining a deterioration index associated with the fuel cell stack based on a ratio of an actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current, adjusting the control voltage based on the deterioration index, and performing an operation of the fuel cell stack based on the adjusted control voltage.

Description

[0001] Cross-citation of related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0142399, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on October 17, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to techniques for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack to enable smooth execution of a cold shutdown (CSD) function. Background Technology

[0004] The descriptions in this Background section are intended only to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure and should not be construed as an admission that they correspond to prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0005] A fuel cell system is a power generation system that directly converts the chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy through electrochemical means inside the fuel cell stack, rather than through combustion to convert the chemical energy of fuel into heat.

[0006] A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack for generating electricity; a hydrogen supply device for supplying hydrogen as fuel to the fuel cell stack; an air supply device for supplying air (oxygen) as an oxidant required for the electrochemical reaction to the fuel cell stack; a thermal management system (TMS) for dissipating the reaction heat of the fuel cell stack to the outside of the system, controlling the operating temperature of the fuel cell stack, and performing water management functions; and a fuel cell system controller for controlling the overall operation of the fuel cell system. Thus, in the fuel cell system, hydrogen as fuel reacts with oxygen in the air to generate electricity, while heat and water are discharged as reaction byproducts.

[0007] One type of fuel cell used in vehicles is the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, or polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), which has a relatively high power density among fuel cells and a relatively fast start-up time and a relatively fast power conversion response time due to its relatively low operating temperature.

[0008] A fuel cell stack mounted on a proton exchange membrane fuel cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with electrodes (i.e., catalyst layers) attached to both sides of a polymer electrolyte membrane through which hydrogen ions move; a gas diffusion layer (GDL) for uniformly distributing reactant gases and transmitting the generated electricity; a liner and fastening members for maintaining the airtightness and appropriate fastening pressure of the reactant gases and cooling water; and bipolar plates for guiding the reactant gases and cooling water and generating an electric current by inducing a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.

[0009] In addition, the fuel cell system may be equipped with a humidifier that humidifies the air supplied to the fuel cell stack. The humidifier transfers moisture between the air exhausted from the fuel cell stack and the air supplied to the fuel cell stack via a compressor. A membrane humidifier can transfer moisture from the air exhausted from the fuel cell stack to the newly supplied air by using a membrane inside the humidifier. In this case, the performance of the membrane humidifier is determined by the humidification performance (i.e., moisture transfer / exchange performance) of the internal membrane constituting the humidifier (hereinafter referred to as the "humidification membrane").

[0010] The superior humidification performance of a humidifying membrane can mean that it retains and transfers a relatively large amount of moisture. Therefore, when humidification performance is improved by replacing the humidifying membrane with a higher-performance variant, the membrane humidifier not only transfers moisture in a vapor state to the air supplied to the fuel cell stack for humidification, but also transfers liquid condensate (condensate) discharged from the fuel cell stack along with the air, so that the condensate is supplied to the fuel cell stack along with the air.

[0011] Condensate flowing into the fuel cell stack in this manner leads to uneven performance among the cells (i.e., the fuel cells) that make up the stack, and also causes voltage drops (or cell voltage drop phenomena) in some cells. When cell detachment occurs, the output of the fuel cell stack may be limited, which has a negative impact on the performance efficiency of the fuel cell system.

[0012] Water retained in a fuel cell stack not only interferes with the supply of hydrogen and oxygen but also reduces the effective reaction zone, posing operational challenges. For example, when terminating fuel cell stack operation in a cryogenic environment, residual water inside the stack may freeze, hindering not only the smooth supply of oxygen and hydrogen but also the normal chemical reactions between them, potentially affecting the performance of the fuel cell stack. In particular, even restarting the fuel cell system after a certain period of time since system shutdown may not guarantee a smooth start-up.

[0013] Therefore, when the operation of the fuel cell stack terminates in a low-temperature environment, the fuel cell system can perform a cold shutdown (CSD) function to prevent the remaining water inside the fuel cell stack from being drained and removed for a specific period of time under no-load conditions, which could damage the fuel cell stack.

[0014] The CSD (Coolant Safe) function is used to prevent damage to the fuel cell stack from the freezing of residual water inside the stack in low-temperature environments (e.g., winter). To ensure proper CSD operation, the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack can be pre-increased. Because battery power is used to raise the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, the batteries can be fully charged in advance.

[0015] However, to date, no method has been discussed for controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack to ensure smooth execution of the CSD function. Specifically, no method has been proposed for determining the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, nor has a scheme for compensating for the determined control voltage been proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0016] This disclosure has been made to address the aforementioned issues.

[0017] According to this disclosure, an apparatus may include: a rechargeable battery; a fuel cell stack; a processor; and a storage device storing at least one instruction, which, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, is configured to: cause the apparatus to detect the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery; determine a temperature difference between the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and determine a SOC difference between the SOC of the rechargeable battery and the target SOC of the rechargeable battery; determine a control voltage for the fuel cell stack based on the temperature difference and the SOC difference; determine the control voltage for the fuel cell stack based on the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current of the fuel cell stack; a degradation index associated with the fuel cell stack; adjust the control voltage based on the degradation index; and perform at least one operation for controlling the fuel cell stack based on the adjusted control voltage.

[0018] The device, wherein the storage device is further configured to store a lookup table indicating at least one control voltage, at least one temperature difference, and at least one SOC difference, each temperature difference being the difference between a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and the SOC difference being the difference between a target SOC of the rechargeable battery and a current SOC of the rechargeable battery.

[0019] The device, wherein at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to determine the control voltage based on the at least one temperature difference and the at least one SOC difference of the lookup table, wherein the determined control voltage corresponds to the determined temperature difference and the determined SOC difference.

[0020] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to: periodically determine the temperature difference and the SOC difference at preset intervals, and periodically update the control voltage based on the temperature difference and the SOC difference.

[0021] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to determine the degradation index by measuring the actual current of the fuel cell stack and determining the reference current of the fuel cell stack based on the control voltage.

[0022] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, to cause the device to determine, upon deterioration of the fuel cell stack, a first heat of the fuel cell stack that is reduced relative to the expected heat of the fuel cell stack in its undeteriorated state, and a first charge of the rechargeable battery that is reduced relative to the expected charge of the fuel cell stack in its undeteriorated state, to determine, upon adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, a second heat of the fuel cell stack that is increased due to adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, and a second charge of the rechargeable battery that is increased due to adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, and to adjust the control voltage based on a voltage value that reduces the sum of the first difference and the second difference, wherein the first difference is the difference between the first heat of the fuel cell stack and the second heat of the fuel cell stack, and wherein the second difference is the difference between the first charge of the rechargeable battery and the second charge of the rechargeable battery.

[0023] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to terminate the operation of the fuel cell stack based on the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaching the target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the SOC of the rechargeable battery reaching the target SOC of the rechargeable battery.

[0024] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to activate a cold shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack based on the termination of operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0025] According to this disclosure, a method performed by a vehicle device may include: detecting a coolant temperature of a fuel cell stack and a state of charge (SOC) of a rechargeable battery via at least one sensor of the vehicle; determining a temperature difference between the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and determining a SOC difference between the SOC of the rechargeable battery and the target SOC of the rechargeable battery; determining a control voltage for the fuel cell stack based on the temperature difference and the SOC difference; determining a degradation index associated with the fuel cell stack based on a ratio of an actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current of the fuel cell stack; adjusting the control voltage based on the degradation index; and performing at least one operation for controlling the fuel cell stack based on the adjusted control voltage.

[0026] The method may further include storing a lookup table indicating at least one control voltage, at least one temperature difference, and at least one SOC difference, each temperature difference being the difference between a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and the SOC difference being the difference between a target SOC of the rechargeable battery and a current SOC of the rechargeable battery.

[0027] The method, wherein determining the control voltage may include: determining the at least one control voltage based on the at least one temperature difference in the lookup table and the SOC difference in the lookup table, and wherein the determined control voltage corresponds to the determined temperature difference and the determined SOC difference.

[0028] The method, wherein determining the temperature difference and the SOC difference may include periodically determining the temperature difference and the SOC difference at preset intervals.

[0029] The method, wherein determining the degradation index may include measuring the actual current of the fuel cell stack and determining a reference current of the fuel cell stack based on the control voltage.

[0030] The method, wherein adjusting the control voltage may include determining a first heat of the fuel cell stack that is reduced due to degradation of the fuel cell stack relative to the expected heat of the fuel cell in its undegraded state, and a first charge of the rechargeable battery that is reduced due to degradation of the fuel cell stack relative to the expected charge of the fuel cell in its undegraded state; determining a second heat of the fuel cell stack that is increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, and a second charge of the rechargeable battery that is increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack; and adjusting the control voltage based on a voltage value that reduces the sum of the first difference and the second difference, wherein the first difference is the difference between the first heat of the fuel cell stack and the second heat of the fuel cell stack, and wherein the second difference is the difference between the first charge of the rechargeable battery and the second charge of the rechargeable battery.

[0031] The method may further include terminating the operation of the fuel cell stack based on the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaching a target coolant temperature and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery reaching a target SOC of the rechargeable battery.

[0032] The method may also include activating a cold shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack based on the termination of operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0033] According to this disclosure, a device for a vehicle may include a processor and a storage device, the storage device storing at least one instruction that, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, causes the device to detect the current temperature of the coolant in the fuel cell stack of the vehicle and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery of the vehicle, determine a target condition based on at least one of a desired temperature adjustment of the current temperature of the fuel cell stack coolant or a desired charge level adjustment of the SOC of the rechargeable battery, determine a control voltage for the fuel cell stack based on the target condition, adjust the control voltage based on parameters indicating a degradation condition of the fuel cell stack, and perform operation of the fuel cell stack based on the adjusted control voltage until the target condition is reached.

[0034] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to update the parameter based on the difference between the actual current of the fuel cell stack and the expected current of the fuel cell stack.

[0035] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to periodically adjust the control voltage based on changes in the degradation condition of the fuel cell stack.

[0036] The device, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to activate a shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack based on the termination of operation. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 An example of an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack is shown according to an example of this disclosure;

[0039] Figure 2 An example is shown of compensating for the operation of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack by means of a controller disposed in an apparatus for controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 3 An example of a process is shown in which a controller disposed in an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to an example of the present disclosure determines the amount of heat energy of the fuel cell stack and the first amount of charging power of the rechargeable battery that has decreased or become insufficient or lacking (e.g., less than a threshold amount) due to the deterioration of the fuel cell stack.

[0041] Figure 4 An example of the heat generation of a fuel cell stack and the charge level of a rechargeable battery according to this disclosure is shown, which are increased by adjusting the control voltage of the fuel cell stack through a controller disposed in a device for controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0042] Figure 5 An example of a first performance analysis of a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to an example of this disclosure is shown;

[0043] Figure 6 An example of a second performance analysis of a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, according to an example of this disclosure, is shown;

[0044] Figure 7 An example of a method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Figure 8 An example of a method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0046] Figure 9 Examples of computational systems for performing methods of controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to each example of this disclosure are shown; and

[0047] Figure 10 An example of a lookup table for the control voltages corresponding to ΔT and ΔSOC is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0048] In the following, some examples of this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary accompanying drawings. Furthermore, when reference numerals are used to denote components in the various drawings, the same reference numerals will also be used to indicate the same or equivalent components shown in other drawings. Additionally, in describing examples of this disclosure, detailed descriptions of relevant known configurations or functions will be omitted when it is determined that such configurations or functions interfere with the understanding of the examples of this disclosure.

[0049] Furthermore, when describing the components of this disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used herein. These terms are used only to distinguish elements from other elements, and the nature, order, sequence, and number of elements are not limited by these terms. Moreover, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the context of the relevant art and shall not be interpreted as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless clearly defined in the description of this disclosure.

[0050] For the purposes of this application and claims, the exemplary phrases “at least one: “A”; “B”; “or C” or “at least one: “A”; “B”; “C” are used, which means “at least one A, or at least one B, or at least one C, or any combination of at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C.” Furthermore, exemplary phrases such as “A, B, and C,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” etc., as used herein, may refer to each listed item or all possible combinations of listed items. For example, “at least one of A or B” may refer to (1) at least one A; (2) at least one B; or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0051] According to this disclosure, in fuel cell vehicles, especially during cold winter conditions, the hydrogen-powered fuel cell stack may freeze or perform poorly when cold water is retained inside. To address these issues, a method for simultaneously managing temperature and rechargeable battery charging before shutting down the vehicle is considered. Specifically, the method includes heating the cooling water inside the fuel cell stack to prevent freezing and charging the vehicle's rechargeable battery to ensure sufficient power for the heating process. If fuel cell stack performance degrades over time, a fixed control voltage based on predicted fuel cell usage may not be flexible enough. This method can improve this by continuously adjusting the control voltage according to the real-time performance of the fuel cell stack. This can be done by periodically reassessing and updating the control voltage to compensate for any performance degradation in the fuel cell stack. This ensures that the vehicle reliably meets target temperatures and rechargeable battery charging levels, ensures desired pre-shutdown conditions to prevent freeze-related damage, and facilitates appropriate restart conditions for the fuel cell.

[0052] Figure 1 An example of an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, according to an example of this disclosure, is shown.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, an apparatus 100 for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to an example of this disclosure may include a storage device 10 (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, or SSD, etc.), a temperature sensor 20 (e.g., a thermistor, thermocouple, RTD, or infrared sensor, etc.), a current sensor 30 (e.g., a Hall effect sensor, shunt resistor, or Rogowski coil, etc.), a voltage sensor 40 (e.g., a voltmeter, voltage divider, or differential amplifier, etc.), and a controller 50 (e.g., a circuit, microcontroller, processor, microprocessor, FPGA, or CPU, etc.). In this case, depending on the implementation scheme of the apparatus 100 for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to an example of this disclosure, the components may be combined with each other to be implemented as one, or some components may be omitted. The apparatus may be equipped in a vehicle having one or more rechargeable batteries and a fuel cell stack.

[0054] The controllers described herein may include communication devices that communicate with other controllers or sensors to control or operate one or more responsible functions, memory that stores operating systems, logic commands, and input / output information, and / or one or more processors that perform the determinations, calculations, and decisions necessary to control the responsible functions. Controllers may include, for example, processors, central processing units (CPUs), microchips, logic, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), memory, etc. Controllers may manipulate and / or control other components in the system (e.g., a vehicle).

[0055] One or more sensors can be installed in a vehicle. These sensors may include, for example, temperature sensors, charger connection sensors, voltage sensors, current sensors, power sensors, cameras, LiDAR, radar, infrared sensors, infrared cameras, thermal imaging cameras, blind spot monitoring sensors, lane departure warning sensors, parking sensors, light sensors, rain sensors, traction control sensors, anti-lock braking system sensors, tire pressure monitoring sensors, seatbelt sensors, airbag sensors, fuel sensors, emission sensors, throttle position sensors, gyroscopes, speedometers, magnetometers, etc. Sensors can be used for applications such as fuel cell operation control and autonomous driving control.

[0056] Regarding each component, firstly, the storage device 10 may store various logics, algorithms, and programs required in the following processes: determining the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 when the shutdown function (e.g., the CSD function of the fuel cell stack) is activated; determining the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC; determining the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference; controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using the control voltage; determining the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack 200 to the reference current as a degradation index; and compensating the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0057] Storage device 10 may store a dataset (e.g., a lookup table) in which control voltages (V) corresponding to the temperature difference (ΔT) between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of fuel cell stack 200 and the SOC difference (ΔSOC) between the target SOC and the current SOC of rechargeable battery 300 are recorded. For example, the lookup table may include at least one or more control voltage values, each indexed by two differences (e.g., the corresponding temperature difference and the corresponding SOC difference). For example, the lookup table may include an N×M matrix (e.g., a 4×5 matrix). The matrix may include a first row listing multiple temperature differences (e.g., ΔT1, ΔT2, ..., ΔT4) and a first column listing multiple SOC differences (e.g., ΔSOC1, ΔSOC2, ..., ΔSOC5). For example, one of the multiple temperature differences in the first row and one of the multiple SOC differences in the first column may indicate the control voltage value corresponding to them (e.g., one of the 4×5 different control voltage values ​​corresponding to ΔT2 and ΔSOC3). Figure 10 The lookup table is shown in the image.

[0058] The storage device 10 may further store a lookup table that records reference currents corresponding to control voltages (V). For example, the lookup table may include at least one or more reference currents, each indexed by a corresponding control voltage value.

[0059] The storage device 10 can store various logics, algorithms, and programs required in the following processes: detecting the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery 300 when a shutdown function (e.g., the CSD function of the fuel cell stack) is activated; determining the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC; determining the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and SOC difference based on a lookup table; controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using the control voltage; determining the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack 200 to the reference current as a degradation index; and compensating the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0060] To determine the ratio of the actual current to the reference current of the fuel cell stack 200 as a degradation index and to compensate the control voltage based on this degradation index, the storage device 10 may store various logics, algorithms, and programs required in the following processes: determining the first heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the first charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 that are reduced or become insufficient or lacking (e.g., less than a threshold amount) due to degradation of the fuel cell stack; determining the second heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 that are increased due to adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200; and determining the voltage that minimizes the sum of the difference between the first heating power and the second heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the difference between the first charging power and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 (i.e., the summation result) as the value for compensating the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200.

[0061] Temperature sensor 20 measures the coolant temperature of fuel cell stack 200.

[0062] The current sensor 30 may include a first current sensor that measures the output current of the fuel cell stack 200 and a second current sensor that measures the output current of the rechargeable battery 300.

[0063] The voltage sensor 40 may include a first voltage sensor that measures the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 and a second voltage sensor that measures the output voltage of the rechargeable battery 300.

[0064] The controller 50 can be electrically connected to each component and can perform overall control, causing each component to perform its function. The controller 50 can be implemented in hardware (e.g., a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.) or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Preferably, the controller 50 can be implemented as a microprocessor, but is not limited thereto.

[0065] When a shutdown function (e.g., the CSD function of the fuel cell stack) is activated, the controller 50 obtains the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 via the temperature sensor 20 and determines the SOC of the rechargeable battery 300 based on the output current of the rechargeable battery 300 obtained via the current sensor 30 and the output voltage of the rechargeable battery 300 obtained via the voltage sensor 40. Any feasible method for determining the SOC of the rechargeable battery 300 (e.g., coulomb counting, voltage-based estimation, impedance spectroscopy, etc.) can be used.

[0066] The controller 50 can determine the difference (ΔT) between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200, and the difference (ΔSOC) between the target SOC and the current SOC of the rechargeable battery 300. For example, the target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 (e.g., 65°C) and the target SOC of the rechargeable battery 300 (e.g., 65%) can be fixed values ​​stored in the storage device 10.

[0067] The controller 50 can determine, or periodically at preset intervals (e.g., every 5 seconds), the difference (ΔT) between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200, and the difference (ΔSOC) between the target SOC and the current SOC of the rechargeable battery 300.

[0068] The controller 50 can determine the control voltage (V) of the fuel cell stack 200 based on the difference (ΔT) between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 and the difference (ΔSOC) between the target SOC and the current SOC of the rechargeable battery 300. In this case, the control voltage (V) can be the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 200.

[0069] The controller 50 can determine the control voltage (V) of the fuel cell stack 200 based on pre-stored data (e.g., a lookup table) recording control voltages (V) corresponding to the difference (ΔT) between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200, and the difference (ΔSOC) between the target SOC and the current SOC of the fuel cell stack 200. For example, the lookup table can include multiple control voltage values, each indexed by two differences (e.g., the corresponding temperature difference (ΔT) and the corresponding SOC difference (ΔSOC)). For example, the lookup table can include an N×N matrix (e.g., a 4×4 matrix). The matrix can include multiple temperature differences (e.g., ΔT1, ΔT2, ..., ΔT4) and multiple SOC differences (e.g., ΔSOC1, ΔSOC2, ..., ΔSOC4). For example, the temperature difference (e.g., ΔT2) and the SOC difference (e.g., ΔSOC3) can indicate the corresponding control voltage value (e.g., one of sixteen different control voltage values).

[0070] The controller 50 can control the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 by using a control voltage (V) and measure the output current of the fuel cell stack 200 by the current sensor 30. In this case, the controller 50 can control the fuel cell stack 200 to output a control voltage (V).

[0071] The controller 50 can determine a reference current corresponding to the control voltage (V) based on a lookup table stored in the storage device 10, and determine the ratio of the output current to the reference current as a degradation index. For example, the lookup table may include multiple reference currents, each indexed by a corresponding control voltage value.

[0072] In order to compensate the control voltage (V) of the fuel cell stack 200 based on the degradation index, the controller 50 may determine the degradation of the first heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the first charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 due to the degradation of the fuel cell stack 200, which is reduced or becomes insufficient or lacking (e.g., less than a threshold amount), determine the second heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200, and determine the voltage that minimizes or reduces the sum of the first difference between the first heating power and the second heating power of the fuel cell stack 200 and the second difference between the first charging power and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 (i.e., the sum of the first difference and the second difference) as the value for adjusting or compensating the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200.

[0073] The controller 50 may terminate the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 when the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 reaches the target temperature and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery 300 reaches the target SOC. Afterward, the controller 50 may activate a shutdown function (e.g., CSD function).

[0074] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 2 to 4 Describe the operation of controller 50.

[0075] Figure 2 An example of operation of compensating the control voltage of a fuel cell stack is shown, performed by a controller disposed in an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to an example of this disclosure.

[0076] exist Figure 2In the figures, the horizontal axis represents current and the vertical axis represents voltage. Reference numeral 210 shows a graph illustrating the relationship between voltage and current in a fuel cell stack 200 that has not undergone degradation (e.g., aging, contamination, or physical damage), and reference numeral 220 shows a graph illustrating the relationship between voltage and current in a fuel cell stack 200 that has undergone performance degradation (e.g., aging, contamination, catalyst degradation, or electrolyte degradation).

[0077] like Figure 2 As shown, the controller 50 can determine the control voltage (V) of the fuel cell stack 200 based on a lookup table stored in the storage device 10. R However, as shown in graph 220, when degradation occurs in the fuel cell stack 200, the actual output current at a given voltage decreases compared to the non-degraded condition (e.g., the current is reduced compared to the current at the same voltage). That is, at the original control voltage (V... R It may be impossible to obtain the desired or reference current (I) under these conditions. R ).

[0078] Therefore, the controller 50 can adjust the control voltage (V) of the fuel cell stack 200. R To achieve the reference current (I) of the fuel cell stack 200 R Specifically, for example, controller 50 can compensate for the initial control voltage (V) via a voltage difference (ΔV). R To obtain the adjusted control voltage (V) T (=V R -ΔV)). In this case, refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 Describe in detail the method for obtaining ΔV.

[0079] Figure 3 An example of a process for setting up a controller in a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack is shown. The method may include determining the heat generation power amount (e.g., heat energy, heat loss, or waste heat, etc.) of the fuel cell stack and the charging power amount (e.g., stored electrical energy or charging capacity, etc.) of the rechargeable battery, which has decreased or become insufficient or lacking (e.g., less than a threshold amount) due to performance degradation of the fuel cell stack (e.g., aging, catalyst degradation, electrolyte degradation, or contamination, etc.).

[0080] exist Figure 3 middle, This indicates the amount of heat generated (e.g., the amount of heat loss or heat dissipation) of the fuel cell stack 200 that is missing due to performance degradation (e.g., aging, contamination, catalyst degradation, or electrolyte degradation). This indicates the amount of charging power (e.g., available rechargeable battery charge, electrical energy, or storage capacity) missing from the rechargeable battery 300 due to performance degradation of the fuel cell stack 200. In this case, the heat generation of the fuel cell stack 200 refers to the power consumed due to the thermal energy (e.g., heat) generated by the fuel cell stack 200.

[0081] in this case, It can be expressed as Equation 1 below, and It can be represented as the following formula 2.

[0082] [Formula 1]

[0083]

[0084] Among them, V R I represents the control voltage obtained by looking up a table. R V represents R The corresponding reference current, I1 represents V R The corresponding actual current, α is I1 / I R As a degradation index, OCV represents open-circuit voltage.

[0085] [Formula 2]

[0086]

[0087] Figure 4 An example of the heat generation of a fuel cell stack and the charge level of a rechargeable battery according to this disclosure is shown, which are increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack by a controller disposed in a device for controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0088] exist Figure 4 middle, This indicates an increase due to adjustments in the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 (e.g., from V). R To V T The heat generation of the fuel cell stack 200 (e.g., the amount of additional heat energy, increased heat dissipation, or increased heat output, etc.), and This indicates an increase due to adjustments in the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 (e.g., from V). R To V T The charging power of the rechargeable battery 300 (e.g., the amount of additional rechargeable battery charge, increased electrical energy, or increased storage capacity, etc.).

[0089] in this case, It can be expressed as equation 3 below, and It can be represented by the following formula 4.

[0090] [Formula 3]

[0091]

[0092] Among them, V R This represents the control voltage obtained through a lookup table, where ΔV is the voltage that replaces V. R -V T The value of ΔI is the replacement of I. T The value of -I², α refers to I² / I T And I R This indicates that it corresponds to V R The reference current, I T I1 represents the target current after the control voltage is adjusted, and I2 represents the target current before the control voltage is adjusted.

[0093] [Formula 4]

[0094]

[0095] Here, 'R' is the resistance that affects the amount of power generated by the cathode oxygen consumption (COD) heat and is constant. In this case, the power consumption of the balance of plant (BOP) is so small that it can be ignored. For example, the BOP may include systems such as mechanical balance of plant (M-BOP), which include fuel handling systems (FPS), air supply systems (APS), or thermal management systems (TMS) associated with the fuel cell stack 200.

[0096] Finally, the controller 50 can determine the ΔV that minimizes the result of the following formula 5 as the control voltage (V). R The compensation value.

[0097] [Formula 5]

[0098]

[0099] Here, abs represents the absolute value.

[0100] Figure 5 An example of a first performance analysis of a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, according to an example of this disclosure, is shown. Figure 5 A performance comparison is shown between a method using a fixed control voltage (e.g., without considering performance degradation) and a method disclosed herein, the latter aimed at addressing performance degradation in a fuel cell stack 200 with a variable control voltage.

[0101] exist Figure 5In the figures, reference numeral 510 denotes the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 according to the method using a fixed control voltage, and reference numeral 520 denotes the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 according to an example of the present disclosure. In this case, method 510 controls the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using a fixed control voltage, while method 520 of the present disclosure controls the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using a periodically adjusted control voltage or a dynamically variable control voltage.

[0102] Therefore, as shown in performance diagram 511 of the method using a fixed control voltage, a performance difference 530 may occur compared to performance diagram 521 of the method according to this disclosure. The method using a fixed control voltage may result in an error or deviation (ΔSOC) indicated by performance difference 530.

[0103] Figure 6 An example of a second performance analysis of a device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, according to an example of this disclosure, is shown. Figure 6 A performance comparison is shown between a method using a fixed control voltage and a method of this disclosure that targets a fuel cell stack 200 with a variable control voltage to address performance degradation.

[0104] exist Figure 6 In the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 610 denotes the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 according to a method using a fixed control voltage, and reference numeral 620 denotes the control voltage of the fuel cell stack 200 according to an example of the present disclosure. In this case, method 610 controls the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using a fixed control voltage, while method 620 of the present disclosure controls the operation of the fuel cell stack 200 using a periodically adjusted control voltage or a dynamically variable control voltage.

[0105] Therefore, a significant performance difference 630 (e.g., deviation ΔSOC) appears in the performance curve 611 of the method using a fixed control voltage compared to the performance curve 621 of the method according to this disclosure. That is, the method using a fixed control voltage results in a significant deviation or significant error (ΔSOC) indicated by the performance difference 630.

[0106] Figure 7 An example of a method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0107] When a shutdown function (e.g., the CSD function of a fuel cell) is activated, in 701, the controller 50 detects the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery.

[0108] Then, in 702, the controller 50 determines the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC.

[0109] Then, in 703, controller 50 determines the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and SOC difference.

[0110] Then, in 704, controller 50 uses control voltage to control the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0111] Then, in 705, controller 50 determines the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to the reference current as a degradation index.

[0112] Then, in 706, controller 50 compensates for the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0113] Figure 8 An example of a method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0114] First, in 801, the controller 50 determines the difference (ΔT) between the current coolant temperature and the target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack 200 and the difference (ΔSOC) between the current SOC and the target SOC of the fuel cell stack 200.

[0115] Then, in 802, controller 50 determines the control voltage (V) corresponding to the temperature difference (ΔT) and the SOC difference (ΔSOC).

[0116] Then, in 803, controller 50 uses control voltage to control the operation of fuel cell stack 200.

[0117] Then, in 804, the controller 50 determines the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack 200 to the reference current as a degradation index.

[0118] Then, in 805, controller 50 determines whether the current update cycle (e.g., approximately every 5 seconds) has elapsed.

[0119] As determined in 805, when the update cycle is reached, controller 50 updates the temperature difference (ΔT) and SOC difference (ΔSOC) in 806.

[0120] Then, in 807, controller 50 updates the control voltage.

[0121] Then, in 808, controller 50 compensates for the control voltage.

[0122] As determined in step 805, if the update cycle has not been reached, in step 809, controller 50 determines whether the coolant temperature has increased and whether the charging of rechargeable battery 300 has been completed. That is, controller 50 determines whether the coolant temperature of fuel cell stack 200 has reached the target temperature and whether the SOC of rechargeable battery 300 has reached the target SOC.

[0123] As determined in 809, if the target temperature and the SOC of the rechargeable battery have not been reached (e.g., the coolant temperature has increased and the charging of the rechargeable battery 300 has not been completed), the process returns to operation 803.

[0124] As determined in 809, if the target temperature and the SOC of the rechargeable battery have been successfully reached (e.g., the increase in coolant temperature and the completion of charging of the rechargeable battery 300), then in 810, the controller 50 activates the shutdown function of the fuel cell (e.g., CSD function).

[0125] Figure 9 An example of a computing system is shown for performing methods of controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to each example of this disclosure.

[0126] refer to Figure 9 As described above, the method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack according to the examples of this disclosure can be implemented by a computing system 1000. The computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100 (e.g., CPU, GPU, microcontroller, etc.), memory 1300 (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, etc.), user interface input device 1400 (e.g., touch screen, keyboard, mouse, etc.), user interface output device 1500 (e.g., display, speaker, etc.), storage device 1600 (e.g., SSD, HDD, cloud storage, etc.), and network interface 1700 (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi, cellular, etc.) connected via a system bus 1200.

[0127] Processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device that processes instructions stored in memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600. Memory 1300 and storage device 1600 may include various volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, memory 1300 may include read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and random access memory (RAM) 1320.

[0128] Therefore, the processes of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the examples of this disclosure can be directly implemented by hardware, software modules, or a combination thereof executed by processor 1100. The software modules may reside in storage media (i.e., memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600), such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, or CD-ROM. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to processor 1100, and processor 1100 can read information from and write information to the storage medium. In another approach, the storage medium may be integrated with processor 1100. Processor 1100 and storage medium may reside in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In yet another approach, processor 1100 and storage medium may reside as separate components in a user terminal.

[0129] One aspect of this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, which enables the fuel cell stack to generate the optimal energy required for smooth performance of a cold shutdown (CSD) function by detecting the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery when the CSD function is activated; determining a temperature difference compared to a target temperature and a SOC difference compared to a target SOC; determining a control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference; controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack using the control voltage; determining a degradation index as the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current; and compensating the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0130] In this case, according to the examples of this disclosure, the operation of the fuel cell stack can be controlled using a control voltage, the output current of the fuel cell stack can be measured, a reference current corresponding to the control voltage can be determined, and the ratio of the output current to the reference current can be determined as a degradation index.

[0131] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack. This apparatus and method provide a lookup table to enable the fuel cell stack to generate the optimal energy required for smooth performance of a cold shutdown (CSD) function. The lookup table records a control voltage corresponding to the difference between the current and target temperatures of the coolant and the difference between the current state of charge (SOC) and the target SOC of the fuel cell stack. When the CSD function is activated, the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the SOC of the rechargeable battery are detected. A temperature difference compared to the target temperature and a SOC difference compared to the target SOC are determined. A control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference is determined based on the lookup table. The operation of the fuel cell stack is controlled using the control voltage. The ratio of the actual current to a reference current of the fuel cell stack is determined as a degradation index, and the control voltage is compensated based on the degradation index.

[0132] In this case, according to another example of the present disclosure, the operation of the fuel cell stack can be controlled using a control voltage, the output current of the fuel cell stack can be measured, a reference current corresponding to the control voltage can be determined, and the ratio of the output current to the reference current can be determined as a degradation index.

[0133] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack. This apparatus and method determine the optimal energy required for the fuel cell stack to produce smooth performance during a cold shutdown (CSD) function by determining a first thermal charge of the fuel cell stack and a first charge amount of the rechargeable battery, and achieving a target temperature and target state of charge (SOC) during a specified operating time when CSD is performed after shutdown; determine a second thermal charge of the fuel cell stack and a second charge amount of the rechargeable battery that are insufficient due to fuel cell stack degradation; and determine a voltage (i.e., the voltage that minimizes the sum of a first difference between the first thermal charge and the second thermal charge and a second difference between the first charge amount and the second charge amount of the rechargeable battery) as a value for compensating the control voltage of the fuel cell stack when the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current is determined as a degradation index and the control voltage of the fuel cell stack is compensated based on the degradation index (i.e., the optimal compensation voltage).

[0134] The technical problems to be solved by this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. Furthermore, it will be readily understood that the objectives and advantages of this disclosure can be achieved by the elements recited in the claims and combinations thereof.

[0135] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack includes a rechargeable battery, a fuel cell stack, and a controller electrically connected to the rechargeable battery and the fuel cell stack, wherein the controller can detect the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery when a cold shutdown (CSD) function is activated, determine a temperature difference compared to a target temperature and a SOC difference compared to a target SOC, determine a control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference, control the operation of the fuel cell stack using the control voltage, determine a ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current as a degradation index, and compensate the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0136] According to the example, the device may further include a memory storing a lookup table that records a control voltage corresponding to the difference between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the difference between the target SOC and the current SOC of the rechargeable battery.

[0137] According to the example, the controller can determine the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference based on a lookup table.

[0138] According to the example, the controller can determine the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC at preset time intervals, and determine the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference.

[0139] According to the example, the controller can measure the output current of the fuel cell stack, determine a reference current corresponding to the control voltage, and determine the ratio of the output current to the reference current as the degradation index.

[0140] According to the example, the controller can determine the first heating power of the fuel cell stack and the first charging power of the rechargeable battery that are insufficient due to the deterioration of the fuel cell stack, determine the second heating power of the fuel cell stack and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery that are increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, and compensate the control voltage based on the voltage that minimizes the sum of the difference between the first heating power and the second heating power of the fuel cell stack and the difference between the first charging power and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery.

[0141] According to the example, when the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the target temperature and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery reaches the target SOC, the controller can terminate the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0142] According to the example, the controller can activate the CSD function when the fuel cell stack operation terminates.

[0143] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack includes: when a cold shutdown (CSD) function is activated, detecting the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery via a controller; determining a temperature difference compared to a target temperature and a SOC difference compared to a target SOC by the controller; determining a control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference by the controller; controlling the operation of the fuel cell stack by the controller using the control voltage; determining a ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current as a degradation index by the controller; and compensating the control voltage based on the degradation index by the controller.

[0144] According to an example, the method may further include storing a lookup table in a memory, in which a control voltage corresponding to the difference between the target coolant temperature and the current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the difference between the target SOC and the current SOC of the rechargeable battery is recorded.

[0145] According to the example, determining the control voltage may include the controller determining the control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference based on a lookup table.

[0146] According to the example, determining the temperature difference and the SOC difference may include the controller determining the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC at preset intervals.

[0147] As an example, determining the ratio of the actual current to the reference current as a degradation index may include measuring the output current of the fuel cell stack via a controller and determining a reference current corresponding to the control voltage via the controller.

[0148] According to an example, compensating for degradation indices may include: determining a first heating power of the fuel cell stack and a first charging power of the rechargeable battery by a controller; determining a second heating power of the fuel cell stack and a second charging power of the rechargeable battery that increase due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack by the controller; and compensating the control voltage by the controller based on a voltage that minimizes the sum of the difference between the first heating power and the second heating power of the fuel cell stack and the difference between the first charging power and the second charging power of the rechargeable battery.

[0149] According to the example, the method may further include: when the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches a target temperature and the SOC of the rechargeable battery reaches a target SOC, the controller terminates the operation of the fuel cell stack.

[0150] According to the example, the method may also include activating the CSD function via the controller when the operation of the fuel cell stack terminates.

[0151] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack includes: a processor; and a non-transitory storage medium containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to detect the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge (SOC) of the rechargeable battery when a cold shutdown (CSD) function is activated; determine a temperature difference compared to a target temperature and a SOC difference compared to a target SOC; determine a control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference; control the operation of the fuel cell stack using the control voltage; determine a degradation index by the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to a reference current; and compensate the control voltage based on the degradation index.

[0152] According to examples of this disclosure, by detecting the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the SOC of the rechargeable battery when the CSD function is activated, the optimal energy required for the fuel cell stack to produce the smooth performance of the CSD function can be determined; the temperature difference compared to the target temperature and the SOC difference compared to the target SOC can be determined; a control voltage corresponding to the temperature difference and the SOC difference can be determined; the operation of the fuel cell stack can be controlled using the control voltage; the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to the reference current can be determined as a degradation index; and the control voltage can be compensated based on the degradation index.

[0153] The above description is a simple example of the technical spirit of this disclosure, and this disclosure can be modified and altered in various ways by those skilled in the art without departing from its essential characteristics. Therefore, the examples in this disclosure are illustrative rather than limiting of the technical spirit of this disclosure, and the scope of the technical spirit of this disclosure is not limited to the examples. The scope of this disclosure should be interpreted by the claims, and it will be understood that all technical spirit within the equivalent scope falls within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, comprising: Rechargeable batteries; Fuel cell stack; as well as processor; as well as A storage device storing at least one instruction configured to cause the device to: when executed by a processor communicating with the storage device. The coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge of the rechargeable battery are detected. The temperature difference between the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack is determined, and the state of charge difference between the state of charge of the rechargeable battery and the target state of charge of the rechargeable battery is determined. Based on the temperature difference and the state of charge difference, the control voltage of the fuel cell stack is determined. The degradation index associated with the fuel cell stack is determined based on the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to the reference current of the fuel cell stack, and The control voltage is adjusted based on the degradation index, and At least one operation for controlling the fuel cell stack is performed based on the adjusted control voltage.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The storage device is further configured to store a lookup table, the lookup table indicating: At least one control voltage, At least one temperature difference, each of which is the difference between a current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and At least one state of charge difference, each of the state of charge differences being the difference between a current state of charge of the rechargeable battery and the target state of charge of the rechargeable battery.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to determine the control voltage based on the at least one temperature difference of the lookup table and the at least one state-of-charge difference of the lookup table, wherein the determined control voltage corresponds to the determined temperature difference and the determined state-of-charge difference.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to periodically determine the temperature difference and the state of charge difference at preset intervals, and periodically update the control voltage based on the temperature difference and the state of charge difference.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to determine the degradation index in such a way as follows: Measure the actual current of the fuel cell stack, and The reference current of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the control voltage.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to: Determine the first heat of the fuel cell stack as a expected decrease in heat relative to the undegraded state due to the degradation of the fuel cell stack, and the first charge of the rechargeable battery as a expected decrease in charge relative to the undegraded state due to the degradation of the fuel cell stack. The increase in the second heat of the fuel cell stack due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack and the increase in the second charge of the rechargeable battery due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack are determined, and The control voltage is adjusted based on a voltage value that minimizes the sum of a first difference and a second difference, wherein the first difference is the difference between the first heat of the fuel cell stack and the second heat of the fuel cell stack, and wherein the second difference is the difference between the first charge of the rechargeable battery and the second charge of the rechargeable battery.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to: The operation of the fuel cell stack is terminated when the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the target coolant temperature and the state of charge of the rechargeable battery reaches the target state of charge.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to activate a cold shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack based on the termination of the operation of the fuel cell stack.

9. A method for controlling the operation of a fuel cell stack, performed by equipment of a vehicle, the method comprising: The coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the state of charge of the rechargeable battery are detected by at least one sensor in the vehicle. Determine the temperature difference between the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and the target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and determine the state of charge difference between the state of charge of the rechargeable battery and the target state of charge of the rechargeable battery. The control voltage of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the temperature difference and the state of charge difference. The degradation index associated with the fuel cell stack is determined based on the ratio of the actual current of the fuel cell stack to the reference current of the fuel cell stack. The control voltage is adjusted based on the degradation index; and At least one operation for controlling the fuel cell stack is performed based on the adjusted control voltage.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: Store a lookup table, which indicates: At least one control voltage, At least one temperature difference, each of which is the difference between a current coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack and a target coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack, and At least one state of charge difference, each of the state of charge differences being the difference between a current state of charge of the rechargeable battery and the target state of charge of the rechargeable battery.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, Determining the control voltage includes: determining the at least one control voltage based on the at least one temperature difference in the lookup table and the state of charge difference in the lookup table, wherein the determined control voltage corresponds to the determined temperature difference and the determined state of charge difference.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining the temperature difference and the charging state difference includes: periodically determining the temperature difference and the charging state difference at preset time intervals.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Determining the degradation index includes: Measure the actual current of the fuel cell stack; and The reference current of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the control voltage.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein, Adjusting the control voltage includes: Determine the first heat of the fuel cell stack as a decrease in expected heat relative to the undegraded state due to the degradation of the fuel cell stack, and the first charge of the rechargeable battery as a decrease in expected charge relative to the undegraded state due to the degradation of the fuel cell stack. Determine the second heat of the fuel cell stack increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack, and the second charge amount of the rechargeable battery increased due to the adjustment of the control voltage of the fuel cell stack; and The control voltage is adjusted based on a voltage value that minimizes the sum of a first difference and a second difference, wherein the first difference is the difference between the first heat of the fuel cell stack and the second heat of the fuel cell stack, and wherein the second difference is the difference between the first charge of the rechargeable battery and the second charge of the rechargeable battery.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising: The operation of the fuel cell stack is terminated when the coolant temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches the target coolant temperature and the state of charge of the rechargeable battery reaches the target state of charge.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: The cold shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack is activated when the operation of the fuel cell stack is terminated.

17. A vehicle device, the device comprising: processor; as well as A storage device storing at least one instruction configured to cause the device to: when executed by a processor communicating with the storage device. The current temperature of the coolant in the vehicle's fuel cell stack and the current state of charge of the vehicle's rechargeable battery are detected. The target condition is determined based on at least one of the following: The desired temperature adjustment for the current temperature of the coolant in the fuel cell stack, and Desired state of charge adjustment for the current state of charge of the rechargeable battery; The control voltage of the fuel cell stack is determined based on the target conditions; The control voltage is adjusted based on parameters indicating the degradation status of the fuel cell stack; and At least one operation for controlling the fuel cell stack is performed based on the adjusted control voltage until the target state is achieved.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein, The at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, cause the device to update the parameters based on the difference between the actual current of the fuel cell stack and the expected current of the fuel cell stack.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to periodically adjust the control voltage based on changes in the degradation condition of the fuel cell stack.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the device to activate a shutdown function associated with the fuel cell stack when executed by the processor communicating with the storage device, based on the termination of operation.

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