Drive control system for a fuel cell vehicle and method performed by a device provided in the vehicle

Abstract

A drive control system for a fuel cell vehicle and a method executed by a device disposed in the vehicle are provided. The drive control system may include: a gas detector configured to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell stack after the vehicle equipped with the fuel cell stack is started; and a controller circuit. The controller circuit may be configured to: diagnose corrosion status of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack based on the measured carbon dioxide concentration; selectively perform voltage regulation on the fuel cell stack based on the diagnosed corrosion status to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage; and control the operation of the fuel cell stack based on the output voltage of the fuel cell stack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to fuel cell vehicles, and more specifically, to drive control systems and methods for fuel cell vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Fuel cell vehicles can be equipped with fuel cell stacks as their power source. A fuel cell stack is a collection of multiple electrically connected fuel cells that generate electricity from supplied fuel and air.

[0003] The fuel electrode (e.g., the anode) of the fuel cell stack can be supplied with fuel, and the air electrode (e.g., the cathode) of the fuel cell stack can be supplied with air. Hydrogen ions can be generated through a catalytic reaction at the anode and transferred to the cathode through an electrolyte membrane. At the cathode, electrical energy can be generated through the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen ions and oxygen.

[0004] Byproducts of the power generation process of the fuel cell stack (such as water vapor), as well as residual hydrogen and residual air, can be discharged from the fuel cell stack through the exhaust pipe.

[0005] Each of the electrodes in a fuel cell stack (e.g., fuel cell electrodes), such as the anode and cathode, may include a catalyst supported on a catalyst support. The catalyst may be physically and chemically attached and supported on the catalyst support. The catalyst support for the cathode is typically made of carbon material, and the catalyst is typically made of platinum (Pt).

[0006] When a fuel cell vehicle is started and driven after being unattended or idle for an extended period, excessive corrosion may occur on the fuel cell electrodes. Excessive corrosion of the fuel cell electrodes can lead to performance degradation of the fuel cell stack.

[0007] 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. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure addresses problems arising in at least some embodiments, and aims to provide a drive control system and method for fuel cell vehicles that selectively performs control based on the concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas of the fuel cell stack to reduce corrosion of the fuel cell electrodes, thereby preventing performance degradation of the fuel cell stack.

[0009] The purpose of this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing description, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the description provided below that other purposes are not expressly disclosed herein.

[0010] According to one or more exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the drive control system may include: a gas detector configured to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack after the vehicle equipped with the fuel cell stack is started; and a controller circuit configured to: diagnose corrosion status of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack based on the measured carbon dioxide concentration; determine, based on the diagnosed corrosion status, whether to perform voltage regulation on the fuel cell stack to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage (e.g., a predetermined voltage or voltage range); and control the operation of the fuel cell stack based on the output voltage of the fuel cell stack.

[0011] The controller circuit can also be configured to: determine the amount of increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured after the vehicle is started; and based on the amount of increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured, determine whether to perform voltage regulation.

[0012] The controller circuit can be configured to determine the increase in the measured carbon dioxide concentration by determining the difference between a first carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a first time after vehicle startup and a second carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a second time after vehicle startup. The second time can be later than the first time. The output voltage of the fuel cell stack can reach a predetermined second voltage at the second time.

[0013] The controller circuit can be configured to selectively perform voltage regulation by: not performing voltage regulation based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being less than or equal to a first threshold.

[0014] The controller circuit can be configured to selectively perform voltage regulation based on an input signal from the vehicle's driver and based on a measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration that is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold. The second threshold may be greater than the first threshold.

[0015] The controller circuit can be configured to perform voltage regulation based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0016] Input signals can be transmitted to the controller circuitry via a mobile device associated with the driver.

[0017] The controller circuit can be configured to perform voltage regulation within a predetermined time period.

[0018] The controller circuit can also be configured to limit the output current of the fuel cell stack for a predetermined time period after voltage regulation is performed, so that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained above a predetermined first voltage.

[0019] The controller circuit can also be configured to control the airflow control valve (ACV) to maintain the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack above a predetermined flow rate while limiting the output current of the fuel cell stack.

[0020] According to one or more exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, a method performed by a vehicle device may include: after a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell stack is started, a controller circuit measures the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack via a gas detector; the controller circuit diagnoses the corrosion condition of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack based on the measured carbon dioxide concentration; based on the diagnosed corrosion condition, determines whether to perform voltage regulation on the fuel cell stack to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage (e.g., a predetermined voltage or voltage range); and controls the operation of the fuel cell stack based on the performance of the voltage regulation.

[0021] The method may further include: determining the amount of increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured after the vehicle is started; and determining whether to perform voltage regulation based on the amount of increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured.

[0022] Determining the increase in the measured carbon dioxide concentration may include: determining the difference between a first carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a first time after vehicle startup and a second carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a second time after vehicle startup. The second time may be later than the first time. The output voltage of the fuel cell stack may reach a predetermined second voltage at the second time.

[0023] The method may further include: determining a second increase in carbon dioxide emissions from the fuel cell stack after the second start-up of the vehicle; and determining, based on the second increase being less than or equal to a first threshold, that voltage regulation is not performed on the fuel cell stack after the second start-up of the vehicle.

[0024] Performing voltage regulation may include: determining to perform voltage regulation based on an input signal from the vehicle's driver and based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold. The second threshold may be greater than the first threshold.

[0025] Driver input signals can be transmitted to the controller circuitry via a mobile device associated with the driver.

[0026] Performing voltage regulation may include: further performing voltage regulation based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than or equal to a second threshold, which is greater than a first threshold.

[0027] Performing voltage regulation may include performing voltage regulation within a predetermined time period.

[0028] The method may further include: after performing voltage regulation, limiting the output current of the fuel cell stack for a predetermined time period, so that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained above a predetermined first voltage.

[0029] The method may also include controlling an airflow control valve (ACV) to maintain the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack above a predetermined flow rate while limiting the output current of the fuel cell stack. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The above and other objectives, features and other advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the drive control system of a fuel cell vehicle;

[0032] Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating a drive control method for a fuel cell vehicle; and

[0033] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the effect of voltage regulation control.

[0034] Figure 5 An example computing system is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0035] In the following description, one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The illustrations in the drawings are provided to aid in understanding the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and may differ from actual implementations.

[0036] It should be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element. Similarly, the second element may also be referred to as the first element.

[0037] For the purposes of this application and claims, the exemplary phrases “at least one: A; B; or C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” are used, which means “at least one A, or at least one B, or at least one C, or at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C.” Furthermore, as used herein, exemplary phrases such as “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” etc., may represent 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.

[0038] The term “about” and / or the phrase “maintain…at a predetermined voltage” or similar phrases associated with a reference value, and their grammatical equivalents as used herein, may include the reference value itself and a range of values ​​plus or minus 10% of that reference value. For example, the term “predetermined voltage 10V” includes 10V and any quantity from 9V to 11V (inclusive). As a non-limiting example, the terms “at a predetermined voltage” or “at about a predetermined voltage” associated with a reference value may also include a range of values ​​plus or minus 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1% of that reference value, since the voltage maintained at the predetermined voltage may fluctuate over time. Furthermore, it should be understood that, for example, even if the voltage value temporarily fluctuates to a higher value and returns to about 10V, the voltage is still maintained at the target voltage of 10V. In some examples, “at…” combined with a number or range measured by a particular method indicates that the given value includes the value determined by the variability of that method.

[0039] As is known in the art, when a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell stack is started after being left unattended for an extended period or after idling, excessive electrode corrosion of the vehicle's fuel cell stack may occur.

[0040] Corrosion of fuel cell electrodes (hereinafter referred to as "electrodes") is likely closely related to the formation of carbon oxides (COH) on the electrode surface when the voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained at a low level (e.g., below a threshold level, such as below 0.6 V). Furthermore, the longer the fuel cell stack is maintained at this low voltage, the more COH may be generated, and the more electrode corrosion may occur when the vehicle is subsequently started and driven.

[0041] If the voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained at a low voltage (e.g., below the threshold voltage), the COH generated on the electrode surface will mix with the platinum oxide (PtOH) generated when the voltage of the fuel cell stack is increased to above 0.6V, and carbon dioxide (CO2) will be generated within the operating voltage range of the fuel cell stack through the reaction of COH and PtOH.

[0042] In other words, as the downtime and idling time of fuel cell vehicles increase, the amount of COH generated on the surface of the carbon particles constituting the electrodes also increases. As the voltage of the fuel cell stack increases, the COH generated on the surface of the carbon particles transforms into carbon dioxide, causing electrode degradation.

[0043] The amount of COH produced increases as the fuel cell stack remains at low voltage for extended periods. Significant amounts of carbon dioxide are generated proportionally to the amount of COH produced during vehicle startup and operation, after the vehicle has stopped and idled.

[0044] Table 1 shows the increase in CO2 and its rate of increase based on the duration the fuel cell stack's voltage is maintained at a low voltage (e.g., a lower limit voltage). Table 1 shows the increase in CO2 (e.g., the amount and rate of increase) for an example fuel cell stack with 5 minutes of low voltage (e.g., below a threshold level) compared to 20 minutes. As can be seen in Table 1, the amount of CO2 produced increases as the fuel cell stack is maintained at a low voltage for a longer period.

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046]

[0047] Therefore, the drive control system of this disclosure can be based on... Figure 1 The electrode corrosion predictor 20 is used to predict and estimate the amount of electrode corrosion in the fuel cell stack 10 and to diagnose the electrode corrosion condition.

[0048] Electrode corrosion predictor 20 can be configured to measure the concentration (or amount) of carbon dioxide (CO2) contained in the exhaust gas emitted from fuel cell stack 10 when the fuel cell vehicle is started, and transmit a signal indicating the measured CO2 concentration to controller (also referred to as controller circuit) 30. Controller 30 can be configured to predict and estimate the amount of electrode corrosion and electrode surface condition based on the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas. Therefore, electrode corrosion predictor 20 can also be referred to as carbon dioxide concentration meter, carbon dioxide analyzer, carbon dioxide detector, gas concentration meter, gas analyzer, gas detector, etc.

[0049] A fuel cell vehicle can be a vehicle powered by a fuel cell stack 10. Exhaust gas may include residual (e.g., excess) air and byproducts after treatment in the cathode (e.g., air electrode) of the fuel cell stack 10. Furthermore, exhaust gas may include carbon dioxide generated by the reaction of carbon oxides (COH) and platinum oxides (PtOH) on the electrode surfaces of the fuel cell stack 10. Exhaust gas may be discharged to the outside of the fuel cell stack 10 through the cathode exhaust pipe 12.

[0050] The electrode may include a carbon catalyst support and a platinum catalyst, and the amount of electrode corrosion may refer to the amount of corrosion of the carbon catalyst support. In other words, the amount of electrode corrosion may refer to the amount of carbon corrosion of the electrode.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the electrode corrosion predictor 20 may include an infrared radiator 22 and a concentration meter 24. The electrode corrosion predictor 20 may be connected to the cathode exhaust pipe 12 of the fuel cell stack 10 and is supplied with exhaust gas from the cathode exhaust pipe 12.

[0052] Infrared radiator 22 can be configured to radiate infrared light into concentration measuring device 24 in a rotating manner, and concentration measuring device 24 measures the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas passing through concentration measuring device 24 by utilizing the infrared light radiated from infrared radiator 22. Concentration measuring device 24 is capable of detecting carbon dioxide concentrations in exhaust gas down to parts per million and measures the carbon dioxide concentration using non-dispersive infrared spectroscopy.

[0053] The carbon dioxide concentration measured by the concentration measuring device 24 can be transmitted to the controller 30. The controller 30 can be one of the controllers installed in the vehicle. After passing through the concentration measuring device 24, the exhaust gas is discharged into the atmosphere.

[0054] The controller 30 predicts and determines the amount of carbon oxides (COH) generated and the amount of carbon corrosion that has occurred on the electrode surface based on the carbon dioxide concentration included in the signal transmitted from the concentration measuring device 24 of the electrode corrosion predictor 20.

[0055] In other words, the controller 30 diagnoses the surface condition and corrosion status of the electrode based on the signal received from the concentration measuring device 24. As a result of the diagnosis, if the controller 30 determines that the electrode surface is excessively corroded, the controller 30 can perform predetermined voltage regulation control to suppress and minimize corrosion on the electrode surface during subsequent vehicle operation.

[0056] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 2 and Figure 3 A method is described for suppressing and minimizing corrosion on electrode surfaces during vehicle operation.

[0057] Figure 2 The process of determining whether to perform voltage regulation control during vehicle startup is shown, and Figure 3 The control process for suppressing and minimizing electrode corrosion after voltage regulation control is demonstrated.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, in S100, the controller 30 activates the electrode corrosion predictor 20 when the vehicle is started, which can be done directly by the driver in the vehicle or remotely using a telematics service.

[0059] If the electrode corrosion predictor 20 is supplied with exhaust gas from the cathode exhaust pipe 12 of the fuel cell stack 10, the electrode corrosion predictor 20 can measure the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas. In this case, the electrode corrosion predictor 20 can measure the carbon dioxide concentration before and after the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 reaches a predetermined first voltage after the vehicle is started.

[0060] The output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 will reach a first voltage after the vehicle is started. In other words, the first voltage can be the voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 that is typically reached when the vehicle is started (e.g., afterward), and for example, the first voltage can be set to 1.0 V.

[0061] The electrode corrosion predictor 20 can measure the carbon dioxide concentration in response to receiving a measurement request signal from the controller 30. The controller 30 can request the electrode corrosion predictor 20 to measure the carbon dioxide concentration before and after the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 reaches a first voltage after vehicle startup.

[0062] The controller 30 can receive the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 from a voltage sensor (not shown) used to measure the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10. The controller 30 can send a measurement request signal to the electrode corrosion predictor 20 based on the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10. Even when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 reaches a first voltage, the controller 30 can still request the electrode corrosion predictor 20 to measure the carbon dioxide concentration.

[0063] In S110, the controller 30 can calculate and determine the difference between the carbon dioxide concentration measured before the output voltage of the stack 10 reaches the first voltage (e.g., the first carbon dioxide concentration) and the carbon dioxide concentration measured after the output voltage of the stack 10 reaches the first voltage (e.g., the second carbon dioxide concentration), as the increase in carbon dioxide concentration. As the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas increases, the controller 30 can determine the value of the first carbon dioxide concentration minus the second carbon dioxide concentration value. The second carbon dioxide concentration can be measured when the output voltage of the stack 10 reaches the first voltage.

[0064] The controller 30 compares the increase in carbon dioxide concentration with a predetermined first increase A (S120). If the increase in carbon dioxide concentration is less than or equal to the first increase A, the controller 30 may not perform voltage regulation control in S130 and put the vehicle into normal driving mode, and in S140, turn off the electrode corrosion predictor 20. Normal driving mode can be a mode in which the vehicle is driven according to the driver's needs and operations. For example, if the vehicle enters normal driving mode, the vehicle speed may be proportional to the amount of time the accelerator pedal is depressed.

[0065] Furthermore, in S150, if the increase in carbon dioxide concentration exceeds a first increase A, the controller 30 compares the increase in carbon dioxide concentration with a predetermined second increase B. The first increase A can be set to a value indicating no excessive corrosion on the electrode surface, and the second increase B can be set to a value indicating excessive corrosion on the electrode surface. For example, the first increase could be 500 ppm, and the second increase could be 900 ppm.

[0066] If, as a result of the comparison in S150, the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is greater than a first increase A and less than a second increase B, then the controller 30 can selectively perform voltage regulation control (S170). In this case, the controller 30 can perform voltage regulation control based on a driver input signal. The driver input signal may include information about whether the driver requests the execution of voltage regulation control.

[0067] If the driver input signal includes information requesting voltage regulation control, the controller 30 may perform voltage regulation control. If the driver input signal does not include information requesting voltage regulation control, the controller 30 may not perform voltage regulation control.

[0068] The driver input signal can be input to the controller 30 via a user interface (not shown) located in the vehicle, or it can be remotely transmitted to the controller 30 via a portable mobile device 40 capable of telematics. The mobile device 40 can be a device carried and used by the driver.

[0069] In S160, the controller 30 can determine whether the driver is requesting voltage regulation control. The controller 30 can determine the driver's request for voltage regulation control via a driver input signal transmitted from the user interface or mobile device 40.

[0070] If the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is greater than a first increase A but less than a second increase B, the controller 30 can request a driver input signal from the driver to determine whether to perform voltage regulation control. In this case, the controller 30 can request a driver input signal from the driver via a display device (not shown) installed in the vehicle or via a mobile device 40.

[0071] Furthermore, in S170, if the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is greater than or equal to the second increase B, the controller 30 can perform (e.g., force) voltage regulation control regardless of the driver input signal. By performing voltage regulation control, excessive electrode corrosion during vehicle operation can be suppressed.

[0072] Voltage regulation control can be used to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 at a predetermined second voltage for a predetermined first time period. The second voltage can be set to a voltage used to generate an oxide film on platinum (Pt) catalyst particles included in the electrodes. For example, the second voltage can be 0.75 V.

[0073] By forming a platinum oxide (PtO) film on the platinum catalyst particles of the electrode, the indiscriminate reaction between carbon oxides (COH) generated on the surface of the carbon particles of the electrode and bare platinum (Pt) can be suppressed. Furthermore, excessive electrode corrosion during vehicle operation and the power generation process of the fuel cell stack 10 can be suppressed by transforming the carbon oxides (COH) into stable C=O oxides composed of carbon (C) and oxygen (O). Bare platinum refers to platinum particles without a platinum oxide (PtO) film coating.

[0074] In other words, by maintaining the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 at the second voltage, the generation of platinum oxide (PtOH), which is a source of electrode corrosion, is prevented, and carbon oxide (COH) is converted into stable C=O oxide, which in turn inhibits excessive electrode corrosion.

[0075] In addition, in order to properly passivate the PtO film on the surface of the platinum catalyst particles, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 needs to be maintained at a predetermined constant voltage (e.g., a second voltage) for at least a first time period.

[0076] When voltage regulation control is executed, it is impossible to operate the vehicle according to the driver's manipulation and needs. Therefore, the longer the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 10 is maintained at the second voltage, the less convenient it may be for the driver to use the vehicle.

[0077] Therefore, to minimize inconvenience to the driver, the minimum time for a platinum oxide (PtO) film to be stably formed on the surface of the catalyst particles is set as a first time period, and the output voltage of the stack 10 is maintained at a second voltage only during the first time period. For example, the first time period can be set to 1 minute.

[0078] If the output voltage of stack 10 is maintained at 0.75V for 1 minute, a platinum oxide (PtO) film of 0.57 coulombs (C) can be formed on the surface of the catalyst particles of the electrode.

[0079] like Figure 3 As shown, after voltage regulation control is performed in S170, in S180, the controller 30 can limit the output current of the fuel cell stack 10 to below a predetermined first current value. This limits the output current of the stack 10 below the first current to suppress further electrode corrosion during vehicle operation.

[0080] In other words, after performing the voltage regulation control described above, the output current of stack 10 can be limited below the first current to minimize further electrode corrosion that may occur during vehicle operation.

[0081] By limiting the output current of stack 10 below a first current, the output voltage of stack 10 can be maintained above a second voltage, thus limiting the lower limit of the output voltage of stack 10 to below the second voltage. In this case, the output current of stack 10 can be limited below the first current for a predetermined second time period. The first current can be determined as a current used to prevent the output voltage of stack 10 from dropping below the second voltage, that is, a current used to maintain the output voltage of stack 10 above the second voltage. Furthermore, the second time period can be determined to be 5 minutes.

[0082] The controller 30 can prevent the output voltage of the stack 10 from dropping below the second voltage during the initial driving phase after vehicle startup when the electrodes are susceptible to corrosion, thereby suppressing the further formation of carbon oxides (COH) on the surface of the carbon particles of the electrodes.

[0083] If the output current of stack 10 is limited below a first current, driver use of the vehicle may be partially restricted, and the vehicle may enter an idle stop mode. In idle stop mode, power generation by fuel cell stack 10 may temporarily cease after the vehicle is started. Idle stop mode may differ from a complete shutdown of power generation by stack 10.

[0084] Therefore, if the output current of the stack 10 is limited to below a first current, in S190, the controller 30 can maintain the opening of the airflow control valve (ACV) 14 above a predetermined value (e.g., an angle value). The ACV 14 can be used to control the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack 10, which is determined proportionally to the opening of the ACV 14. In other words, the controller 30 can control the ACT to maintain the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack 10 above a predetermined flow rate. In S190, the opening of the ACV 14 can be maintained and limited to 5° or more.

[0085] By maintaining the opening of ACV 14 above a predetermined value and limiting the output current of stack 10 below a first current, the output voltage of stack 10 can be prevented from dropping below a second voltage even when the vehicle enters an idle stop mode.

[0086] In S200, controller 30 can determine whether the second time period has passed based on the start time of the output current limit of stack 10. If controller 30 determines that the second time period has passed since the start of limiting the output current of stack 10, controller 30 can release the opening limit of ACV 14 in S210 and release the output current limit of fuel cell stack 10 in S220.

[0087] In other words, after limiting the output current of the stack 10 to below the first current and limiting the opening degree of ACV 14 to above the predetermined value during the second time period, the controller 30 can release the opening degree limit of ACV 14 (S210) and release the output current limit of the fuel cell stack 10 (S220).

[0088] The controller 30 can put the vehicle into normal driving mode in S230 and turn off the electrode corrosion predictor 20 in S240.

[0089] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the effect of voltage regulation control.

[0090] exist Figure 4 In the diagram, G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5 represent the carbon dioxide concentration values ​​measured after limiting the output voltage of the fuel cell stack to lower values ​​at 0.1 V, 0.4 V, 0.6 V, 0.7 V, and 0.75 V, respectively. When the vehicle is started (e.g., afterward), the concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell stack can be measured. In this case, the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is measured after the fuel cell stack has been operated under conditions where all other conditions except the fuel cell stack's output voltage are set to the same state.

[0091] refer to Figure 4 As can be seen, according to this disclosure, when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained and limited to a voltage below 0.75 V (G1 to G4), the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is significantly reduced when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained and limited to 0.75 V (G5).

[0092] Because the measured carbon dioxide concentration in G5 is significantly lower than that in G1 to G4, it can be confirmed that the corrosion of the fuel cell electrode is significantly reduced by the voltage regulation control according to this disclosure.

[0093] Figure 5 An example computing system (e.g., a vehicle's computing device or any other device) is illustrated. One or more controllers, processors, etc., described herein (such as electrode corrosion predictor 20, controller 30, mobile device 40, and any other components and devices disclosed herein) can be... Figure 5 The computing system shown is implemented or in Figure 5 The computing system shown is implemented therein.

[0094] The computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100, a memory 1300, a user interface input device 1400, a user interface output device 1500, a storage device 1600, and a network interface 1700 connected to each other via a bus 1200.

[0095] 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. Each of memory 1300 and storage device 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, memory 1300 may include read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and random access memory (RAM) 1320.

[0096] A communication interface (also known as a communication device, communicator, communication module, communication unit, etc.), such as a network interface 1700, allows software and / or data to be transmitted between the device and one or more external devices, and / or between one or more components of the device. A communication interface may include a receiver, transmitter, transceiver, modem, network interface and / or adapter (such as an Ethernet adapter), radio transceiver, antenna, communication port, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slot and card, etc. Software and data transmitted via the communication interface may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, infrared, or other signals that can be received by the communication interface. These signals may be provided to the communication interface via a communication path of the device, which may be implemented using, for example, wires or cables, optical fibers, cellular links, radio frequency (RF) links, and / or other communication channels. The communication interface can communicate using one or more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (NFC), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G New Radio (NR), Vehicle to Everything (V2X), Controller Area Network (CAN), or Local Interconnect Network (LIN), etc.

[0097] Therefore, the operation of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the specification can be directly implemented using hardware modules, software modules, or a combination of hardware and software modules executed by processor 1100. The software modules may reside on storage media (e.g., memory 1300 and / or storage device 1600), such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically EPROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk drives, removable disks, or optical disc ROMs (CD-ROMs).

[0098] The storage medium can be coupled to the processor 1100. The processor 1100 can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and storage medium can be implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC can be located in the user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can be implemented using separate components in the user terminal.

[0099] To achieve at least one of the above objectives, this disclosure provides a drive control system for a fuel cell vehicle, the system comprising: an electrode corrosion predictor configured to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack when the vehicle equipped with the fuel cell stack is started; and a controller configured to diagnose the corrosion condition of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack based on the concentration of carbon dioxide measured by the electrode corrosion predictor, and selectively perform voltage regulation control based on the diagnosis result to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage.

[0100] The controller can be configured to calculate the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas when the vehicle starts, and based on the increase in carbon dioxide concentration, determine whether to perform voltage regulation control.

[0101] The controller can be configured to determine a value calculated by subtracting a second carbon dioxide concentration value from a first carbon dioxide concentration value as the carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas increases. In this case, the first carbon dioxide concentration value can be measured during vehicle startup before the output voltage of the fuel cell stack reaches a predetermined second voltage, and the second carbon dioxide concentration value can be measured during vehicle startup when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack reaches the second voltage.

[0102] If the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is less than or equal to a predetermined first increase, the controller can be configured not to perform voltage regulation control. If the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas exceeds the first increase but is less than a predetermined second increase, the controller can be configured to perform voltage regulation control based on a driver input signal, wherein the second increase is greater than the first increase. Furthermore, if the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is greater than or equal to the second increase, the controller can be configured to perform voltage regulation control. The controller can be configured to perform voltage regulation control within a predetermined first time period. Additionally, the driver input signal can be transmitted to the controller via a mobile terminal carried by the driver.

[0103] After performing voltage regulation control, the controller can be configured to limit the output current of the fuel cell stack during a predetermined second time period, so that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained above the first voltage.

[0104] The controller can be configured to maintain the opening of the airflow control valve (ACV) used to control the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack above a predetermined value while limiting the output current of the fuel cell stack.

[0105] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a drive control method for a fuel cell vehicle is provided, the method comprising: when a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell stack is started, measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell stack by means of an electrode corrosion predictor; and diagnosing the corrosion condition of the fuel cell stack electrodes by means of a controller based on the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the electrode corrosion predictor, and selectively performing voltage regulation control based on the diagnosis result to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage.

[0106] Based on the above construction, this disclosure provides the following effects.

[0107] First, when excessive electrode corrosion of the fuel cell is predicted and determined at vehicle startup, voltage regulation control is performed to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined voltage, thereby suppressing and minimizing excessive electrode corrosion of the fuel cell that occurs during vehicle operation.

[0108] Secondly, it can prevent the performance degradation of the fuel cell stack due to excessive electrode corrosion of the fuel cell.

[0109] The effects that can be obtained from this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the description provided below other effects not explicitly disclosed herein.

[0110] While one or more exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail herein, the terms or words used in this specification and the appended claims should not be construed as limited to their public or dictionary meanings. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements based on the principles of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drive control system, comprising: A gas detector is configured to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell stack after the vehicle equipped with the fuel cell stack is started. as well as The controller circuit is configured as follows: Based on the measured carbon dioxide concentration, the corrosion condition of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack is diagnosed; Based on the diagnosed corrosion condition, it is determined whether voltage regulation should be performed on the fuel cell stack to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage; and The operation of the fuel cell stack is controlled based on the output voltage of the fuel cell stack.

2. The drive control system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller circuit is also configured to: Determine the increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured after the vehicle is started; and Based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration, it is determined whether to perform the voltage regulation.

3. The drive control system according to claim 2, wherein, The controller circuit is configured to determine the amount of increase in the measured carbon dioxide concentration by: Determine the difference between a first carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a first time after the vehicle starts and a second carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a second time after the vehicle starts, wherein the second time is later than the first time. The output voltage of the fuel cell stack reaches a predetermined second voltage at the second time.

4. The drive control system according to claim 2, wherein, The controller circuit is configured to selectively perform the voltage regulation by: The voltage regulation is not performed if the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration is less than or equal to a first threshold.

5. The drive control system according to claim 4, wherein, The controller circuit is configured to selectively perform the voltage regulation by: The voltage regulation is performed based on an input signal from the driver of the vehicle and based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

6. The drive control system according to claim 5, wherein, The controller circuit is configured to perform the voltage regulation based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than or equal to the second threshold.

7. The drive control system according to claim 5, wherein, The input signal is transmitted to the controller circuit via a mobile device associated with the driver.

8. The drive control system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller circuit is configured to perform the voltage regulation within a predetermined time period.

9. The drive control system according to claim 1, wherein, The controller circuit is further configured to: after performing the voltage regulation, limit the output current of the fuel cell stack for a predetermined time period, so that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained above the predetermined first voltage.

10. The drive control system according to claim 9, wherein, The controller circuit is also configured to limit the output current of the fuel cell stack while controlling the airflow control valve to maintain the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack above a predetermined flow rate.

11. A method performed by a device disposed in a vehicle, the method comprising: After the vehicle equipped with the fuel cell stack is started, the concentration of carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas emitted from the fuel cell stack is measured by the controller circuit via a gas detector. The controller circuit diagnoses the corrosion condition of the electrodes of the fuel cell stack based on the measured carbon dioxide concentration. Based on the diagnosed corrosion condition, determine whether to perform voltage regulation on the fuel cell stack to maintain the output voltage of the fuel cell stack at a predetermined first voltage; as well as The operation of the fuel cell stack is controlled based on the voltage regulation performed on the fuel cell stack.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Determine the increase in carbon dioxide concentration measured after the vehicle is started; as well as Based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration, it is determined whether to perform the voltage regulation.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Determining the increase in the measured carbon dioxide concentration includes: Determine the difference between a first carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a first time after the vehicle starts and a second carbon dioxide concentration value measured at a second time after the vehicle starts, wherein the second time is later than the first time. The output voltage of the fuel cell stack reaches a predetermined second voltage at the second time.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: The voltage regulation is not performed if the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration is less than or equal to a first threshold.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, Performing the voltage regulation includes: Based on the input signal from the driver of the vehicle and based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold, it is determined to perform the voltage regulation, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The input signal is transmitted to the controller circuit via a mobile device associated with the driver.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein, Performing the voltage regulation includes: The voltage regulation is also performed based on the measured increase in carbon dioxide concentration being greater than or equal to the second threshold.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Performing the voltage regulation includes performing the voltage regulation within a predetermined time period.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising: After the voltage regulation is performed, the output current of the fuel cell stack is limited for a predetermined time period, so that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is maintained above the predetermined first voltage.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising: While limiting the output current of the fuel cell stack, the airflow control valve is controlled to maintain the amount of air supplied to the fuel cell stack above a predetermined flow rate.

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