Fuel cell vehicle with cooling system and control procedure for it

Abstract

Tax procedure for a fuel cell vehicle (20) equipped with a fuel cell (31) as at least one propulsion energy source, wherein the fuel cell vehicle (20) has a cooling system (40) configured to cool the fuel cell (31) and a cooling system control device (52) configured to control a cooling output of the cooling system (40), wherein The cooling system control device (52) has a normal control mode as a control mode for controlling the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40), wherein the normal control mode, when it is determined that the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is outside the specified reference temperature range, changes the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) using the temperature of the fuel cell (31) and / or a measure of power generation by the fuel cell (31) and / or a load requirement in the fuel cell vehicle (20) in order to cause the temperature of the fuel cell (31) to fall within a specified reference temperature range. the tax procedure includes: Predicting (S110) a load applied to the own vehicle (20), which is the fuel cell vehicle (20) and is expected to travel on a pre-calculated route, using current traffic flow information indicating a current traffic flow on the pre-calculated route, and / or past traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route, and / or a journey history of the own vehicle (20), and / or a first parameter showing a previous driving habit of the own vehicle (20) and indicating a driving tendency of the own vehicle (20) that differs from driving tendencies of other vehicles (21), in addition to the pre-calculated route where the own vehicle (20) is expected to travel; Determine (S120) whether an overload region, that is, a region where the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is higher than a suitable temperature range, exists on the pre-calculated route, using the pre-calculated load; and Performing (S130) an escalation process in which the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) is increased before the own vehicle (20) reaches the overload range, when it is determined that the overload range is present on the pre-calculated road, wherein The ramp-up process increases the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) so that it becomes higher than a cooling capacity that is set in normal control mode at a time when the ramp-up process is carried out. wherein the cooling system (40) comprises a coolant configured to cool the fuel cell (31) and a cooler (41) configured to cool the coolant, the tax procedure includes: Deriving a first temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell (31), a second temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to a factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31), and a heat release capacity of the cooler (41), wherein the factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31) is a temperature increase of a passed-through wind that is passed through an air conditioning condenser (43) of the fuel cell vehicle (20), and / or a temperature of the coolant for cooling an air conditioning system that flows into the air conditioning condenser (43); Deriving a maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell (31) when the vehicle (20) is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, using the first temperature rise range, the second temperature rise range, and the heat release capacity; and Comparing the maximum temperature with a fuel cell temperature limit that is preset as the temperature limit for the fuel cell (31), and not carrying out the ramp-up process if the maximum temperature is at most as high as the fuel cell temperature limit, regardless of a determination that the overload range is present on the pre-calculated route.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle and a tax procedure for it. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] A fuel cell vehicle exhibits sufficient power generation capacity within a specific temperature range, determined by the properties of an electrolyte layer or similar components, and generates heat during power generation. Therefore, a cooling device is generally provided within the fuel cell to circulate a coolant and thereby control or regulate the fuel cell temperature during power generation so that it remains within the specified temperature range.

[0003] In a vehicle equipped with such a fuel cell as a propulsion energy source, a sustained high-load condition particularly increases the level of power generation in the fuel cell. If the temperature of the fuel cell rises excessively due to the sustained high-load condition, the vehicle generally implements a control mechanism to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling device. In a proposed configuration for this purpose, it is determined whether a fuel cell is being maintained in a high-temperature / high-load condition, and if determined that the fuel cell is being maintained in a high-temperature / high-load condition, the degree to which a cooling device (a radiator fan or a coolant pump) is driven is increased to enhance the cooling capacity of the cooling device (as described, for example, in JP 2012-209109A).

[0004] The fuel cell vehicle described in JP 2012-209109A monitors the fuel cell temperature and a load measurement to determine whether the fuel cell is being maintained in a high-temperature / high-load condition. If the vehicle determines that the fuel cell is in a high-temperature / high-load condition, it increases the cooling capacity to cool the fuel cell by increasing the speed of the blower fan or the coolant pump. However, the cooling system installed in the vehicle has limited capacity. Prolonged high-temperature / high-load operation will likely result in insufficient cooling by the cooling system, causing the fuel cell temperature to rise excessively.Therefore, there is a need for a technology that suppresses an excessive increase in the temperature of the fuel cell, even in the event of a prolonged high-load condition.

[0005] A method for the predictive operation of a motor vehicle with a fuel cell system, disclosed in DE 10 2014 224 380 A1, comprises the steps of: providing coolant which is divided between at least two parallel partial cooling circuits, wherein a first coolant partial flow passes through a first partial cooling circuit, the first partial cooling circuit supplying at least one first component of the fuel cell system with coolant, and wherein a second coolant partial flow passes through a second partial cooling circuit, the second partial cooling circuit supplying at least one second component of the fuel cell system with coolant; and adjusting the first and / or second coolant partial flow based on a future coolant requirement of the first component and / or the second component.

[0006] Finally, DE 10 2008 054 699 A1 discloses a method for reducing the drive power of a vehicle drive, comprising: detecting a temperature difference between the temperature of at least one component of the vehicle drive and a temperature threshold; detecting the current driving state of the vehicle drive; determining whether the current driving state permits a reduction in drive power or not; and reducing the drive power of the vehicle drive to lower the temperature of the at least one component in order to increase the temperature difference if the current driving state permits the reduced drive power. SUMMARY

[0007] In order to solve at least some of the problems described above, the revelation can be realized in the aspects described below.

[0008] (1) According to one aspect of the disclosure, a control method for a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell as one of possibly several propulsion energy sources is disclosed. The fuel cell vehicle has a cooling system configured to cool the fuel cell and a cooling system control device configured to control the cooling capacity of the cooling system. The cooling system control device has a normal control mode for controlling the cooling capacity of the cooling system, wherein the normal control mode modifies the cooling capacity of the cooling system to cause the temperature of the fuel cell to fall within a predetermined reference temperature range, as determined using the temperature of the fuel cell and / or a measure of power generation by the fuel cell and / or a load requirement in the fuel cell vehicle.that the temperature of the fuel cell is outside the specified reference temperature range. The control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle comprises: Pre-calculating a load applied to the vehicle itself, which is the fuel cell vehicle and is expected to travel on a pre-calculated route, using current traffic flow information indicating the current traffic flow on the pre-calculated route, and / or historical traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route, and / or a trip history of the vehicle itself, and / or an initial parameter indicating the vehicle's past driving habits and a driving tendency that differs from that of other vehicles, in addition to the pre-calculated route on which the vehicle itself is expected to travel; Determining whether an overload zone,This means identifying a range where the fuel cell temperature is higher than a suitable temperature range along the pre-calculated route, using the pre-calculated load; and, if the overload range is determined to exist along the pre-calculated route, performing a ramp-up process in which the cooling system's cooling capacity is increased before the vehicle reaches the overload range. When the ramp-up process is performed, it increases the cooling system's cooling capacity to a level higher than that set in normal control mode. The cooling system includes a coolant configured to cool the fuel cell and a radiator configured to cool the coolant. The control procedure further includes: deriving an initial temperature ramp-up range,in which a temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell, a second temperature increase range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to a factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell, and a heat release capacity of the cooler, wherein the factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell is a temperature increase of a passed wind passing through an air conditioning condenser and / or a temperature of the coolant for cooling an air conditioner flowing into the air conditioning condenser; deriving a maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell in normal control mode when the vehicle is traveling on the pre-calculated route, using the first temperature increase range.of the second temperature rise range and the heat release capacity; and comparing the maximum temperature with a fuel cell temperature limit preset as the temperature limit for the fuel cell, and not carrying out the rise process if the maximum temperature is at most as high as the fuel cell temperature limit, regardless of whether the overload range exists on the pre-calculated route.

[0009] If the overload zone is present on the pre-calculated route, the fuel cell vehicle's control procedure, in accordance with this aspect, executes the ramp-up process to increase the cooling system's cooling capacity so that it exceeds the cooling capacity set in normal control mode before the vehicle reaches the overload zone. This configuration suppresses an excessive increase in fuel cell temperature. Furthermore, this configuration ensures that the fuel cell temperature remains at or below the fuel cell's maximum temperature limit with high accuracy.

[0010] (2) In the control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle described above, the pre-calculation of the load applied to the vehicle may include: correcting the pre-calculated load using the first parameter, which indicates the vehicle's driving tendency. The control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle described above improves the accuracy of the pre-calculation of the load applied to the fuel cell vehicle and allows the acceleration process to be carried out in a more appropriate manner.

[0011] (3) In the fuel cell vehicle control procedure described above, the pre-calculated route can be determined using traffic flow information that specifies a current and / or previous traffic flow in order to identify a promising branch route at a junction point on the vehicle's route. This branch route has the highest potential to be selected as the winning route for the vehicle. Even if no destination is specified for the vehicle, the fuel cell vehicle control procedure described above will still perform the acceleration process before the vehicle reaches the overload range. This configuration improves the possibility of appropriate control to suppress excessive fuel cell temperature rise.

[0012] (4) In the control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle of the aspect above, carrying out the increase process in normal control mode may include maximizing the cooling capacity of the cooling system before the cooling capacity of the cooling system reaches a maximum. The control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle according to this aspect enhances the effect of suppressing an excessive temperature increase of the fuel cell.

[0013] The disclosure can be implemented through various aspects different from those described above, such as a fuel cell vehicle, an external server, a computer program implementing the control procedure for the fuel cell vehicle, or a non-volatile recording medium on which the computer program is recorded. The disclosure can also be implemented as a control system that includes a fuel cell, other vehicles besides the fuel cell vehicle, and an external server. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a sketch showing the schematic configuration of a control system; Fig. Figure 2 is a sketch showing the schematic configuration of a custom vehicle; Fig. 3 is a sketch showing an overview of a pre-cooling control process; Fig. Figure 4 is a sketch showing the functional blocks of the control system; Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a self-driving vehicle control process routine; Fig. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a foreign vehicle control process routine; Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an overload drive determination process routine; Fig. Figure 8 is a scheme outlining processing by an overload drive determination device; Fig. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a driving conditions calculation process routine; Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an overload drive water temperature calculation process routine; Fig. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a pre-cooling time calculation process routine; Fig. 12 is a scheme that shows a relationship between the start time of maximum cooling and the maximum value of a temperature increase; and Fig. Figure 13 is a sketch illustrating the effect of pre-cooling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A. First embodiment (A-1) General configuration of the control system

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 is a drawing depicting the schematic configuration of a control system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The control system 10 of this embodiment is provided as a control system that is part of a cooling system for a fuel cell in a vehicle equipped with the fuel cell as a drive energy source.The control system 10 of the embodiment is designed as a system configured to automatically communicate with individual vehicles in order to collect information relating to the driving conditions of the individual vehicles (for example, information including the positions, speeds, and accelerations of the individual vehicles, and navigation information). Using this collected information, the system derives a load that is applied to a specific vehicle traveling on a pre-calculated route and to modify the control of the fuel cell cooling system in that specific vehicle. The control system 10 automatically collects information relating to the driving conditions of vehicles throughout the entire society or at least within a specific district.

[0015] The control system 10 includes a vehicle 20, vehicles 21, and a network 25 that communicates with these vehicles 20 and 21. The network 25 includes a wireless communication network configured to communicate with vehicle 20 and vehicles 21. According to this embodiment, the network 25 is configured as a cloud computing system that includes an external server 26. The external server 26 can be a different external server with a configuration other than cloud computing, as long as the external server 26 can communicate over a network.

[0016] Vehicle 20 is a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell as its primary energy source. In the following description, Vehicle 20 is also referred to as the "own vehicle." Vehicles 21 are vehicles other than the "own vehicle 20" that operate in a district where communication with Network 25 is possible. In the following description, Vehicles 21 are also referred to as "other vehicles 21." Besides fuel cell vehicles, the "other vehicles 21" can be, for example, any of the following: electric vehicles equipped with only a battery as their primary energy source, hybrid vehicles equipped with both a battery and an internal combustion engine, or vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine as their primary energy source.The other vehicles 21 can be any vehicles capable of communicating with network 25 to automatically transmit information regarding the driving conditions of the other vehicles 21 to network 25. Not all vehicles other than the own vehicle 20 traveling in the area where communication with network 25 is possible need to be other vehicles 21. The higher the proportion of other vehicles 21 capable of communicating with network 25 among all moving vehicles, the better the accuracy of deriving a pre-calculated route for the own vehicle 20 (which is yet to be described) and the accuracy of deriving a load applied to the own vehicle 20 when it travels on the pre-calculated route. Each of the other vehicles 21 has a similar configuration to the own vehicle 20 and can function as its own vehicle 20, exhibiting the functions described above.The own vehicle 20 and the other vehicles 21 can be, in addition to cars, for example any large vehicles, such as buses, and two-wheeled vehicles. (A-2) Schematic configuration of your own vehicle

[0017] Fig. Figure 2 is a sketch illustrating the schematic configuration of the vehicle 20. The vehicle 20 is equipped with a fuel cell system 30, which includes a fuel cell 31. The vehicle 20 travels while a drive motor (not shown) is powered by the fuel cell 31 and by electrical power (electrical energy) supplied by a secondary battery (not shown) as drive energy sources.

[0018] The fuel cell 31 has a stacked structure formed by a plurality of unit cells as power generation elements. The fuel cell 31 according to the embodiment is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, but can also be another type of fuel cell. Each unit cell has an electrolyte membrane and an anode and a cathode as electrodes, each formed on surfaces of the electrolyte membrane. In each unit cell, a fuel gas flow path, which is a flow path of a hydrogen-containing fuel gas within the cell, is formed at the anode, and an oxidizing gas flow path, which is a flow path of an oxygen-containing oxidizing gas within the cell, is formed at the cathode. A coolant flow path between cells, through which cooling water flows as a coolant, is formed between adjacent unit cells.

[0019] The fuel cell system 30 includes a fuel gas supply section that incorporates a hydrogen tank and is configured to supply the fuel gas to the fuel cell 31. A diagram and detailed description of the fuel gas supply section are omitted.

[0020] The fuel cell system 30 includes an air compressor 32 configured to supply the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell 31. The air compressor 32 is connected to the fuel cell 31 via an oxidizing gas flow path 34. The oxidizing gas, connected to the fuel cell 31 via the oxidizing gas flow path 34, is distributed to the oxidizing gas flow paths within the respective unit cells for use in power generation and is then exhausted from the fuel cell 31. The oxidizing gas flow path 34 is equipped with a heat exchanger 33. The heat exchanger 33 performs a heat exchange between the oxidizing gas (the air), which is compressed by the air compressor 32 and therefore has a temperature increase, and the coolant, thereby cooling the oxidizing gas before it is supplied to the fuel cell 31.The heat exchanger 33 is also referred to as an intercooler or charge air cooler (I / C).

[0021] The fuel cell system 30 includes a cooling system 40 configured to cool the fuel cell 31. The cooling system 40 comprises a fuel cell cooler 41, a coolant flow path 44, a coolant flowing through the coolant flow path 44, a radiator fan 45, a fan control device 46, and a valve 47. The cooling system 40 circulates the coolant through the coolant flow path 44 between the fuel cell 31 and the fuel cell cooler 41 to cool the fuel cell 31. The fuel cell cooler 41 utilizes the airflow from outside the vehicle while the vehicle 20 is in motion, and the radiator fan 45 cools the coolant. The fan control device 46 drives and controls the radiator fan 45. In the cooling system 40, a branch flow path 48 diverges from the coolant flow path 44 and runs through the heat exchanger 33 described above.The cooling system 40 therefore cools the fuel cell 31 and also cools the oxidizing gas that is to be supplied to the fuel cell 31. The valve 47, which is a solenoid valve, is provided in the coolant flow path 44. The valve 47 serves to regulate the amount of coolant that passes through the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33, and the amount of coolant that bypasses both the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33, from the coolant that is cooled by the fuel cell cooler 41.

[0022] While the vehicle 20 is in motion, the respective components of the cooling system 40 are driven and controlled based on the temperature of the fuel cell 31, such that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 remains within a reference temperature range, which is a preset temperature range for the fuel cell 31. According to the embodiment, a temperature sensor 35 is provided at a location in the coolant flow path 44 near the connection to the fuel cell 31 and the point where the coolant exits the fuel cell 31. In the vehicle 20, the respective components of the cooling system 40 are driven and controlled using the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 35 as the temperature of the fuel cell 31. If the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 35 is higher than the reference temperature range specified above, the drive control unit increases the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40.More precisely, the drive control unit increases the degree to which the cooling fan 45 is driven and / or increases the flow rate of the coolant passing through the fuel cell 31 by adjusting the valve 47. Conversely, the drive control unit reduces the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 35 is lower than the reference temperature range specified above. More precisely, the drive control unit reduces the degree to which the cooling fan 45 is driven and / or decreases the flow rate of the coolant passing through the fuel cell 31 by adjusting the valve 47.

[0023] The cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 can be changed based on information other than the temperature of the fuel cell 31. More precisely, the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 can be changed as described above if the temperature of the fuel cell 31 is expected to be outside the reference temperature range, if the temperature of the fuel cell 31 and / or the amount of power generated by the fuel cell 31 and / or a load requirement in the vehicle 20 is used for this purpose.

[0024] A control mode in which the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is changed so that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 remains within the reference temperature range, using the currently input load requirement and / or the amount of current generated by the fuel cell 31 and / or the temperature of the fuel cell 31, is hereinafter referred to as the normal control mode. In the normal control mode, the cooling capacity can be changed incrementally. According to the embodiment, a plurality of high-temperature reference values, which are lower than an upper limit of the reference temperature range (hereinafter also referred to as the upper control limit), are set as the decision temperature for increasing the cooling capacity. The degree to which the cooling fan 45 is driven and the opening position of the valve 47 are changed to enhance the effect of increasing the cooling capacity at the higher high-temperature reference value.A plurality of high-temperature reference values, which are higher than a lower limit of the reference temperature range, are set as the decision temperature for reducing the cooling capacity. The degree to which the radiator fan 45 is driven and the opening position of the valve 47 are changed to amplify the effect of reducing the cooling capacity at the lower high-temperature reference value. In the normal control mode, which is used in the vehicle 20, the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is changed to the maximum cooling capacity when a high load is continuously applied and the temperature of the fuel cell 31 reaches the upper control limit.

[0025] According to the embodiment, the vehicle 20 also has an EV cooler 42 and an air conditioning condenser 43 located near the fuel cell cooler 41. While the vehicle 20 is in motion, the airflow entering the vehicle 20 passes sequentially through the air conditioning condenser 43, the EV cooler 42, and the fuel cell cooler 41. Thus, the airflow, which passes through the air conditioning condenser 43 and the EV cooler 42, resulting in a temperature increase, is used by the fuel cell cooler 41 in the process of cooling the coolant flowing through the coolant flow path 44. The fuel cell cooler 41, the EV cooler 42, and the air conditioning condenser 43 are collectively referred to as the heat exchanger section 49. The heat exchanger section 49 is cooled by a passed-through wind generated by the driving wind in the heat exchanger section 49, and by the function of the radiator fan 45.

[0026] The air conditioning condenser 43 is a device configured to cool the refrigerant used for air conditioning the vehicle 20. The EV cooler 42 is a device configured to cool the refrigerant used to cool heat-generating elements included in the fuel cell system 30 of the vehicle 20. The heat-generating elements included in the fuel cell system 30 may include at least one of several devices, such as a DC-DC converter configured to amplify an output voltage of the fuel cell 31, an inverter used to drive the air compressor 32, and an inverter used to drive a hydrogen pump that supplies hydrogen as a fuel gas to the fuel cell 31.The heat-generating elements contained in the fuel cell system 30, which are cooled by the EV cooler 42, are hereinafter referred to as the EV unit. The amount of heat generated by the EV unit, which is cooled by the EV cooler 42, increases with an increase in the amount of heat generated by the fuel cell 31.

[0027] The vehicle 20 also includes a control unit 50. The control unit 50 comprises a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and input / output ports. This control unit 50 controls the power generation by the fuel cell system 30, the entire power supply equipment including the fuel cell system 30 and a secondary battery, and the respective components of the vehicle 20. The control unit 50 retrieves output signals from sensors located in corresponding parts of the vehicle 20 and also retrieves information related to driving the vehicle, such as the accelerator pedal position and vehicle speed. The control unit 50 outputs control signals to corresponding parts involved in power generation and driving the vehicle 20.More precisely, the control unit 50, for example, outputs control signals to the air compressor 32, the valve 47 and the fan control unit 46, as shown in . Fig. 2 is shown. The control unit 50, which performs the above functions, does not necessarily have to be configured as a single control unit. The control unit 50 can consist of a plurality of control units, for example, a control unit involved in the operating processes of the fuel cell system 30, a control unit involved in driving the vehicle 20, and a control unit involved in controlling auxiliary vehicle machinery that is not directly related to driving the vehicle 20. The plurality of control units can be arranged so that they send each other necessary information. The control unit 50 also serves as a cooling system control unit 52 (in Fig. 4 shown, described below), which performs the controls to enable the above-mentioned normal control mode as the control mode in which the cooling performance of the cooling system 40 is controlled.

[0028] The vehicle 20 also has a transmitter-receiver 51. The transmitter-receiver 51 is connected to the control unit 50 to send various information to and from the control unit 50 and can communicate with the network 25. The transmitter-receiver 51 also serves as a detection device to retrieve signals, including a signal indicating the driving conditions of the vehicle 20 (described later), from the external server 26. (A-3) Basic features of the pre-cooling control process

[0029] Fig. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the basic features of a pre-cooling control process carried out in control system 10 according to the embodiment. Some of the corresponding steps are shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, one part is carried out by the control unit 50 of the vehicle 20, while another part is carried out by a processor 60 (described later) located in the external server 26 (cloud server) on network 25. The control unit 50 of the vehicle 20 and the processor 60 of the external server 26 transmit the results of the processes carried out by the control unit 50 and the processor 60 to each other via network 25 and the transmitter-receiver 51. The following section first outlines the basic principles of the entire pre-cooling control process carried out by the control unit 50 and the processor 60, with reference to Figure 3. Fig. 3 described. In the following description, with reference to Fig. 3. The control unit 50 of the vehicle 20 and the processor 60 of the external server 26 are jointly referred to as the system processor. The description does not differentiate between the vehicle 20 and the external server 26 as the processing unit of the individual processes.

[0030] In the pre-cooling control process, the system processor first derives a pre-calculated route where the own vehicle 20 is expected to travel (step S100). The system processor then uses the pre-calculated route and the traffic flow, which indicates the current traffic flow on the pre-calculated route, to predict a load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 when it travels on the pre-calculated route (step S110). The traffic flow information includes an average vehicle speed and a vehicle speed distribution of the other vehicles 21 that travel on the pre-calculated route and that can communicate with the external server 26.In step S110, the system processor uses the traffic flow information to predict driving conditions for the own vehicle 20, which include at least the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the predicted route. It also uses the predicted driving conditions to predict a load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 traveling on the predicted route. The system processor then uses the predicted load applied to the own vehicle 20 to determine whether there is an overload zone on the predicted route where the temperature of the fuel cell 31 is likely to exceed a suitable temperature range (hereinafter referred to simply as the overload zone) (step S120) (hereinafter also referred to simply as the overload drive determination).

[0031] More precisely, according to the embodiment, the overload range is a region on the pre-calculated route where a load applied to the fuel cell 31 increases, causing the temperature of the fuel cell 31 to exceed a predetermined upper limit (hereinafter also referred to as the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim) when the normal control mode is applied. The fuel cell temperature limit Tlim is a preset temperature that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 must not exceed, for example, with regard to the durability of the fuel cell 31. According to the embodiment, the upper limit (the upper control limit) of the reference temperature range used to control the cooling system 40 in the normal control mode is set lower than this fuel cell temperature limit Tlim.In the self-operated vehicle 20, the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized, as described above, if a high-load condition persists during the control of the cooling system 40 in normal control mode and causes the temperature of the fuel cell 31 to reach the upper limit of the reference temperature range (the upper control limit). If the high-load condition continues, the temperature of the fuel cell 31 rises above the upper control limit and likely reaches the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim. In step S120, the system processor uses the pre-calculated load applied to the self-operated vehicle 20 to determine if there is an overload range where the temperature of the fuel cell 31 exceeds the fuel cell temperature limit Tim, as described above.

[0032] If, in step S120, the determination of whether an overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route, the system processor performs a boost process to increase the cooling capacity of cooling system 40 before the vehicle 20 reaches the overload zone (step S130) and then terminates the pre-cooling control process. More precisely, a boost process is defined as a process in which the cooling capacity of the cooling system is increased to a level greater than that set in normal control mode when the boost process is performed. Performing the boost process to increase the cooling capacity of cooling system 40 to a level greater than that set in normal control mode before the vehicle 20 reaches the overload zone is called pre-cooling.The increase process in the cooling system 40 involves increasing the driving force of the cooling fan 45 by increasing the drive voltage of the cooling fan 45 and / or increasing the flow rate of the coolant flowing in the fuel cell 31 by changing the position of the valve 47.

[0033] If step S120 determines that there is no overload area on the pre-calculated route, the system processor terminates the pre-cooling control process without performing any pre-cooling. After executing the ramp-up process in step S130, or after determining in step S120 that there is no overload area on the pre-calculated route, the system processor returns to step S100 to execute another cycle of the pre-cooling control process. (A-4) Specific operational procedures of the pre-cooling control process

[0034] Fig. Figure 4 is a sketch illustrating the functional blocks of the control system 10. Fig. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a self-operated vehicle control process routine performed by the control unit 50 of the self-operated vehicle 20. Fig. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an external server control process routine executed by processor 60 of external server 26. The above description, which refers to Fig. Reference 3 does not distinguish between the control unit 50 on the side of the vehicle 20 and the processor 60 on the side of the external server 26 as the processing unit of the pre-cooling control process, which is carried out in the control system 10. An example of the pre-cooling control process of Fig. 3 described in detail and with a distinction between the process carried out by the control unit 50 and the process carried out by the processor 60.

[0035] First, the functional configuration of the control system 10 is initially described with reference to Fig. 4 described. As in Fig. 4 and Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the control system 10 includes the own vehicle 20, the other vehicles 21, and the external server 26. The own vehicle 20 includes the control unit 50, the transmitter-receiver 51, and the cooling system 40, as described above. The control unit 50 of the own vehicle 20 includes a own vehicle information derivation unit 57 and a cooling system control unit 52. The own vehicle information derivation unit 57 derives information relating to the conditions of the own vehicle 20 (own vehicle information).Own vehicle information may include: navigation information of the own vehicle 20 (including destination information entered via a navigation device and a guidance route set in the navigation device), the current location of the own vehicle 20, the current speed of the own vehicle 20, the current acceleration of the own vehicle 20, and the ambient temperature at the current location of the own vehicle 20. The cooling system control unit 52 comprises a water temperature calculation unit 53, a pre-cooling requirement determination unit 54, a pre-cooling time span calculation unit 55, and a cooling system drive unit 56.The vehicle-specific information derivation device 57 and corresponding components of the cooling system control device 52 are implemented by the CPU of the control device 50, which reads a program from the ROM and loads the program into the RAM and executes it.

[0036] Each of the other vehicles 21 has a control unit similar to the control unit 50 of the own vehicle 20, which includes a foreign vehicle information derivation device 71. The foreign vehicle information derivation device 71 derives information relating to the conditions of each of the other vehicles 21 (foreign vehicle information). The foreign vehicle information can include the current location of each of the other vehicles 21, the current vehicle speed of each of the other vehicles 21, the current acceleration of each of the other vehicles 21, and the ambient temperature at the current location of each of the other vehicles 21. Each of the other vehicles 21 also has a transmitter-receiver 70 that can communicate with the external server 26.Both the user's own vehicle 20 and each of the other vehicles 21 continuously retrieve information regarding their current location as a result of a position determination via GPS (a global positioning system). Both the user's own vehicle 20 and each of the other vehicles 21 also have an ambient temperature sensor to continuously monitor the ambient temperature.

[0037] The external server 26 (cloud server) is configured as a hardware server comprising a processor, memory, and network communication capabilities. The memory of the external server 26 includes a memory / learning device 64. The processor of the external server 26 includes an information gathering device 65 and a processor 60. The processor 60 includes a route prediction device 61, an overload determination device 62, and a driving condition calculation device 63.

[0038] According to the embodiment, the in Fig. The self-driving vehicle control process routine shown in Figure 5 is triggered and executed by the control unit 50 when a start switch of the self-driving vehicle 20 is turned on. When the self-driving vehicle control process routine is triggered, the control unit 50 causes the transmitter-receiver 51 to send an overload driving determination request signal to the external server 26 (step S200), as indicated by an arrow (A) in Figure 5. Fig. 5 is shown. This overload drive determination request signal is output to the external server 26 to perform a series of processing operations for the one described in step 120 of Fig. 3. To perform the overload test shown.

[0039] The in Fig. The external server control process routine shown in Figure 6 is triggered by external server 26 when external sensor 26 receives the overload driving determination request signal via network 25 (step S300). When external server 26 receives the overload driving condition request signal, it performs an overload driving condition determination process (step S310).

[0040] Fig. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing a routine of the overload driving condition determination process in step S310. In this routine, the information retrieval unit 65 of the external server 26 retrieves information that includes vehicle information and traffic flow information (step S400).

[0041] The vehicle information retrieved in step S400 is derived from the vehicle information derivation device 57 of the vehicle 20, as described above, and sent to the external server 26 via the transmitter-receiver 51. The vehicle information can be sent in step S200 together with the overload driving determination request signal or separately from the overload driving determination request signal.

[0042] The traffic flow information retrieved in step S400 includes current and historical traffic flow information. This traffic flow information includes the average vehicle speed and speed distribution of the other vehicles 21 that can communicate with the external server 26, as described above. The traffic flow information is derived from the other vehicle information obtained by the other vehicle information derivation device 71 from each of the other vehicles 21 that can communicate with the external server 26, as described above. The other vehicle information from each of the other vehicles 21 is continuously transmitted by the transmitter-receiver 70 of each of the other vehicles 21 to the external server 26 while these other vehicles 21 are in motion.The external sensor 26 uses the retrieved foreign vehicle information and continuously derives the current traffic flow information. The external server 26 also collects the previously derived traffic flow information and stores it as historical traffic flow information in the memory of the storage / learning device 64 for a specific period of time, while continuously updating the storage device.

[0043] The information retrieved in step S400 can also include a previous trip history of the vehicle 20. While driving, the vehicle 20 continuously transmits its own vehicle information, including its current location and speed, to the external server 26. The external server 26 collects the retrieved vehicle information and stores it as historical traffic flow information over a specific period in the memory of the storage / learning device 64, continuously updating the storage device. The storage / learning device 64 also uses the collected vehicle information to learn and store the trip history of the vehicle 20.The trip history of the vehicle 20 can, for example, include information relating the time of day of each previous trip made by the vehicle 20 to its destination. More precisely, the storage / learning unit 64 can extract a relationship between the time of day of the vehicle 20's trips and the destination, relate the time of day of the trips to the frequently visited destination, and store this relationship as a trip history. The trip history of the vehicle 20 can also include changes in the average vehicle speed on the way to a specific destination for previous trips made by the vehicle 20 to that specific destination. In step S400, the trip history of the vehicle 20 can be queried from the storage / learning unit 64.

[0044] The information retrieved in step S400 may also include information relating to current road conditions. For example, this information may include details of a district blocked due to roadworks.

[0045] After processing step S400, the route predictor unit 61 belonging to the external server 26 determines whether navigation information for the vehicle 20 is included in the information retrieved in step S400 (step S410). If it is determined that the navigation information is included in the retrieved information, the route predictor unit 61 derives a route to an entered destination, set by the vehicle 20's navigation device, as the vehicle 20's predicted route (step S470).

[0046] If, in step S410, it is determined that the navigation information is not included in the retrieved information, the route predictor 61, on the other hand, derives a predicted route for the own vehicle 20 based on information other than the navigation information (step S420). More precisely, the route predictor 61 can, for example, use the current traffic flow information and / or the historical traffic flow information retrieved in step S400 to determine selection potentials at junctions on a route for the own vehicle 20, to specify a destination branch that has the highest potential to be selected as the destination branch on which the own vehicle 20 is expected to travel, and to derive a predicted route for the own vehicle 20.For example, a route most frequently selected by other vehicles 21 can be predefined as the route with the highest potential to be selected by the vehicle 20 itself. In another example, if the storage / learning unit 64 has learned a specific frequently visited destination with respect to the current time or similar, and a route to that destination, the learned route can be derived as the pre-calculated route for the vehicle 20 itself. The route pre-calculation unit 61 can appropriately set priorities for the respective junction points that have selection potential and for the respective destinations with respect to the time of day, and select a route with the highest priority as the pre-calculated route.If a derived route is currently closed, the derived route is excluded from the choice decision regarding a pre-calculated route based on the information relating to the current road conditions retrieved in step S400.

[0047] The route prediction unit 61 can wait for the determination in step S410 until the navigation information is entered before the vehicle 20 starts driving. If a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the vehicle 20 started driving without the navigation information being entered, or if the vehicle 20 has traveled a predetermined distance since the start of driving without navigation information being entered, the route prediction unit 61 can determine that the navigation information is not included in the retrieved information and proceed to step S420.

[0048] When a route is pre-calculated based on the selection potentials at the respective junction points, derived using traffic flow information, it is difficult to identify a destination, unlike when a route is pre-calculated using navigation information. In this case, the route pre-calculation device 61 derives a route from the current location of the vehicle 20 over a predetermined distance (hereinafter also referred to as the pre-calculated distance) as a pre-calculated route. The pre-calculated distance can be determined, for example, according to the current vehicle speed. The control system of the embodiment performs pre-cooling before the vehicle 20 reaches an overload range, as described above.A higher current vehicle speed causes the temperature of the fuel cell 31 to rise more rapidly and, if such a zone exists on the route, causes the vehicle 20 to reach an overload zone earlier. Accordingly, the embodiment adjusts the longer pre-calculated distance along the pre-calculated route in relation to the higher vehicle speed of the vehicle 20.

[0049] The pre-calculated route derived in step S470 can also be a route to the pre-calculated distance described above if a destination is entered into the navigation device or if a learned destination is used, and also if traffic flow information is used to derive the pre-calculated route.

[0050] The processing of step S420 and the processing of step S470 correspond to step S100 of Fig. 3.

[0051] After deriving the pre-calculated route, the congestion condition determination device 62 belonging to the external server 26 calculates a vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 on the derived pre-calculated route in advance (step S430). According to the embodiment, the current average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 on the pre-calculated route is specified as the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20. The current average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 on the pre-calculated route is contained in the current traffic flow information, which is retrieved in step S400 as described above.

[0052] After processing step S430, the congestion condition determination device 62, belonging to external server 26, retrieves geographic information about the pre-calculated route (step S440). According to the embodiment, information including road gradients in different districts is stored as geographic information in the memory of external server 26. In step S440, the congestion condition determination device 62 retrieves geographic information, including information relating to road gradients, from this memory. The road gradient information can be stored on a server different from external server 26 and can be retrieved via network 25.

[0053] After processing step S440, the overload driving condition determination device 26, belonging to the external server 62, calculates in advance a load that will be applied to the vehicle 20 (hereinafter also referred to as the running load) while the vehicle 20 travels along the pre-calculated route (step S450). It can be assumed that the running load is approximately proportional to the vehicle speed and the road gradient. Accordingly, in step S450, the overload driving condition determination device 62 calculates the running load in advance by multiplying the vehicle speed pre-calculated in step S430 by the road gradient retrieved in step S440. Information other than the vehicle speed and the road gradient that relates to the load can also be used to pre-calculate the load in step S450.For example, if the geographic information retrieved in step S440 includes information about a road surface (for instance, whether or not it is a rough track, which would likely increase the load), the predicted load value can be corrected based on the road surface information. The processing of step S450 corresponds to step S110 of [previous step / process]. Fig. 3.

[0054] After processing step S450, the overload driving condition determination device 62 belonging to the external server 26 determines whether the pre-calculated route includes any overload areas and identifies the location where an overload area might be (step S460), and then terminates this routine. According to the embodiment, the determination regarding the overload area is performed based on an integrated running load obtained by integrating the running load pre-calculated in step S450. The processing of step S460 corresponds to the overload driving determination of step S120. Fig. 3.

[0055] Fig. Figure 8 is a diagram outlining the processing by the overload driving condition determination device 62 in steps S430 to S460. The upper graph of Fig. Figure 8 shows the vehicle speed predicted in step S430 and the road gradient retrieved in step S440. The middle graph of Fig. Figure 8 shows the running load pre-calculated in step S450. The lower graph of Fig. Figure 8 shows the integrated running load, which is obtained by integrating the running load pre-calculated in step S450. The distance from the current location of the vehicle 20 is shown jointly as the abscissa in the upper, middle, and lower graphs of the graph. Fig. 8 used.

[0056] In the example shown from Fig. 8. The road gradient becomes abruptly steeper at a position at a distance Dh from the current location while the vehicle 20 travels along the pre-calculated route. According to the embodiment, at the position at distance Dh, the temperature of the fuel cell 31 increases as the load increases and reaches the upper control limit. This maximizes the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40. The temperature of the fuel cell 31 continues to rise while the vehicle 20 continues to travel in the area of ​​steep gradient. According to the embodiment, the device 62 for determining whether driving under overload occurs determines in step S460 whether the pre-calculated route includes any overload area and identifies the location of any such overload area based on the integrated running load shown in the lower graph of Fig. Figure 8 shows that a value for the integrated load is preset as a decision value for the integrated load in the event that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 is more likely to reach the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim. If the integrated load is expected to reach this decision value while the vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route, it is determined that the pre-calculated route includes an overload zone. A distance Do at which the integrated load reaches the decision value is specified as the position of the overload zone.

[0057] Once the overload driving condition determination process of step S310 is completed, the external sensor 26 sends an overload driving determination result obtained in step S310 to the own vehicle 20 (step S320), as indicated by an arrow (B) in Fig. 6 is shown.

[0058] When the transmitter-receiver 51 of the own vehicle 20 receives the aforementioned overload driving determination result (step S210), the control unit 50 of the own vehicle 20 determines, as in Fig. Figure 5 shows whether any overload area exists on the pre-calculated route, based on the received overload route determination result (step S220). If it is determined that no overload area exists on the pre-calculated route, the control unit 50 terminates the vehicle control process routine.

[0059] If it is determined that an overload area exists on the pre-calculated route, the control unit 50 of the vehicle 20 causes a driving condition calculation request signal to be sent from the transmitter-receiver 51 to the external server 26 (step S230), as indicated by an arrow (C) in Fig. 5 is shown.

[0060] When the external sensor 26 receives the driving condition calculation request signal (step S330), as in Fig. Figure 6 shows that the driving condition calculation unit 63, belonging to the external server 26, performs a driving condition calculation process (step S340), as shown in Fig. 6 is shown.

[0061] Fig. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a driving condition calculation process routine in step S340. In this routine, the driving condition calculation unit 63, belonging to the external server 26, first retrieves a previous driving tendency (driving habit) of its own vehicle 20 in relation to the other vehicles 21 (step S500) from the storage / learning unit 64.

[0062] The current driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 is a parameter that shows a tendency different from that of other vehicles 21 while the own vehicle 20 is driving. The external server 26 continuously receives the own vehicle information sent by the own vehicle 20 and the other vehicle information sent by the other vehicles 21, as described above. The received information is stored for a specific period of time in the storage / learning unit 64 of the external server 26, while the memory is continuously updated. The driving tendency of the own vehicle 20, derived from the own vehicle information and the other vehicle information, is continuously extracted and stored as a learning result in the storage / learning unit 64.The driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 can, for example, include an average ratio of the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 to the average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 traveling in the same district, and an average ratio of the acceleration of the own vehicle 20 to the average acceleration of the other vehicles 21 traveling in the same district. The driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 can also include the maximum speed of the own vehicle 20 traveling in a particular district (for example, on a general road or highway).

[0063] The driving condition calculation unit 63, belonging to the external server 26, also derives current traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route (step S510). This current traffic flow information is derived using information from other vehicles 21 traveling on the pre-calculated route. The driving condition calculation unit 63 then derives the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route using the derived traffic flow information (step S520). The driving conditions of the own vehicle 20, derived in step S520, include at least one change in a pre-calculated load of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (a variation pattern of the pre-calculated load as the own vehicle 20 travels on the pre-calculated route).According to the embodiment, the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20 also include a change in a pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (a variation pattern of the pre-calculated vehicle speed when the own vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route), and the ambient temperature on the pre-calculated route.

[0064] The predicted vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, derived in step S520, is the current average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 traveling on the predicted route (contained in the current traffic flow information) and is derived assuming that the own vehicle 20 is traveling at the average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 traveling near the own vehicle 20. The predicted running load of the own vehicle 20, derived in step S520, is derived by multiplying the aforementioned predicted vehicle speed by the road gradient on the predicted route, which is contained in the geographic information stored in the memory of the external server 26.The ambient temperature on the pre-calculated route, derived in step S520, is extracted from the foreign vehicle information that the external server 26 retrieves from the other vehicles 21 traveling on the pre-calculated route.

[0065] The driving condition calculation unit 63 then corrects the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20, which were derived in step S520, using the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20, which is retrieved in step S500 (step S530), and then terminates the driving condition calculation process routine. More precisely, for example, the driving condition calculation unit 63 can correct the predicted vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is derived in step S520, by multiplying the predicted vehicle speed by the average ratio of the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 to the average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 traveling in the same area.In another example, the driving condition calculation device 63 can correct the pre-calculated vehicle speed of its own vehicle 20, which is derived in step S520, by setting the maximum speed of its own vehicle 20, which is driving in the specified district, as described above, as an upper limit.

[0066] The driving conditions of the own vehicle 20, which are determined by the driving condition calculation process routine of Fig. 9 derived from this information can include, for example, information relating to a number of different factors that affect the load applied to the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (hereinafter also referred to as load variation information). For example, information regarding the usage state of the own vehicle 20's air conditioning system in relation to the ambient temperature (what level of air conditioning at what ambient temperature) (hereinafter also referred to as own vehicle air conditioning information) can be included in the own vehicle information collected in the storage / learning facility 64 of the external server 26.The driving condition calculation device 63 can predict the usage state of the air conditioning of the own vehicle 20, which is driving on the pre-calculated route, using the above-mentioned own vehicle air conditioning information and the ambient temperature on the pre-calculated route, and can include a result of this prediction in the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20, which are derived in step S520.

[0067] Once the driving condition calculation process of step S340 is completed, the external server 26 sends a driving condition calculation result obtained in step S340 (also referred to as a signal indicating the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20) to the own vehicle 20 (step S350), as indicated by an arrow (D) in Fig. 6 is shown, and then terminates the external server control process routine.

[0068] When the transmitter-receiver 51 of the own vehicle 20 receives the aforementioned driving condition calculation result (step S240), the control unit 50 of the own vehicle 20 executes, as described in Fig. Figure 5 shows how to perform an overload driving water temperature calculation process using the received driving condition calculation result (step S250).

[0069] Fig. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing a routine of the overload driving water temperature calculation process in step S250. This routine is performed by the water temperature calculation device 53 belonging to the control unit 50 of the vehicle 20 (in Fig. (4 shown). In the overload driving water temperature calculation process routine, the water temperature calculation device 53 first retrieves the driving condition calculation result received in step S240 (step S600). The water temperature calculation device 53 then uses the retrieved driving condition calculation result to extract a change in the output power of the fuel cell 31 (step S610), a change in the rotational speed of the air compressor 32 of the own vehicle 20 (step S620), a change in the ambient temperature on the pre-calculated route (step S650), a change in the air conditioning load of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S660), and a change in the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S690).to extract (step S700) a change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45 when the own vehicle 20 travels on the pre-calculated route and to extract (step S720) a change in the opening position of the valve 47 when the own vehicle 20 travels on the pre-calculated route.

[0070] In the user's own vehicle 20, a relationship between a load requirement and the output power of the fuel cell 31 and a relationship between the output power of the fuel cell 31 and the rotational speed of the air compressor 32 are predetermined. The change in the output power of the fuel cell 31, extracted in step S610, and the change in the rotational speed of the air compressor 32, extracted in step S620, are determined as expected variation patterns when the user's own vehicle 20 travels on the pre-calculated route, using the pre-calculated running load of the user's own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route, which is included in the driving condition calculation result.The change in ambient temperature extracted in step S650 and the change in the predicted vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 extracted in step S690 are included in the driving condition calculation result received in step S240. The change in air conditioning load extracted in step S660 is derived using the result of the predicted usage state of the own vehicle 20's air conditioning system while traveling on the predicted route, which is included in the driving condition calculation result. In the own vehicle 20, the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45 and the opening position of the valve 47 in the cooling system 40 are adjusted according to the power output of the fuel cell 31, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, and the ambient temperature.Accordingly, the change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45, extracted in step S700, and the change in the opening position of the valve 47, extracted in step S720, are derived using the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 and the ambient temperature, which are included in the driving condition calculation result.

[0071] The water temperature calculation device 53 then uses the change in the output power of the fuel cell 31, extracted in step S610, to derive a change in the amount of heat generated in the fuel cell 31, and uses the change in the speed of the air compressor 32, derived in step S620, to derive a change in the amount of heat generated in the heat exchanger 33 (step S630). The amount of heat generated in the fuel cell 31 and the amount of heat generated in the heat exchanger 33 are included in a first temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell 31.

[0072] The water temperature calculation device 53 also uses the change in the output power of the fuel cell 31, extracted in step S610, and the change in the speed of the air compressor 32, derived in step S620, to derive a change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit (step S640). The EV unit is a heat-generating element contained within the fuel cell system 30 and cooled by the EV cooler 42, as described above. The amount of heat generated by the EV unit increases with an increase in the amount of heat generated in the fuel cell 31. According to the embodiment, the EV unit includes an inverter for controlling the air compressor 32. The change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit can thus be derived as described above.The amount of heat generated in the EV unit is included in the first temperature increase range, in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell 31.

[0073] The water temperature calculation device 53 uses the change in vehicle speed, extracted in step S690, and the change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45, extracted in step S700, to calculate a change in the wind speed of the conveyed wind passing through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S710). The strength of the driving wind flowing towards the heat exchanger section 49 can be calculated from the vehicle speed 20. The strength of the airflow in the heat exchanger section 49 due to the radiator fan 45 can be calculated from the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45. The wind speed of the conveyed wind can thus be derived by adding the strength of the driving wind and the strength of the airflow described above.

[0074] The water temperature calculation device 53 uses the change in ambient temperature (step S650), the change in air conditioning load (step S660), and the change in the wind speed of the wind passing through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S710) to calculate a change in the temperature rise of the wind passing through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S670). A change in the temperature of the refrigerant used to cool the air conditioning system, which is fed into the air conditioning condenser 43, can be derived from the change in the air conditioning load (step S660). The heat exchange efficiency (heat release capacity) of the air conditioning condenser 43 varies with the wind speed of the wind passing through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S710) and the ambient temperature (step S650).According to the embodiment, the control unit 50 prestores a characteristic map that uses the ambient temperature, the air conditioning load, and the wind speed of the air passing through the heat exchanger section 49 as parameters to derive the degree of temperature increase of the air passing through the air conditioning condenser 43. In step S670, the water temperature calculation unit 53 refers to this characteristic map to derive a change in the temperature increase of the air passing through the air conditioning condenser 43.

[0075] The calculation of step S670 assumes a fixed flow rate of the coolant used to cool the air conditioning system as it passes through the air conditioning condenser 43. The temperature increase of the air passing through the air conditioning condenser 43 is included in a second temperature rise range, where the coolant temperature is increased by a factor that differs from the power output of the fuel cell 31.

[0076] The water temperature calculation device 53 then uses the change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit (step S640), the change in the temperature rise of the air passed through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S670), and the change in the wind speed of the air passed through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S710) to calculate a change in the temperature rise of the air passed through the EV cooler 42, which is located downstream of the air conditioning condenser 43 in the direction of airflow (step S680). A change in the temperature of the coolant used to cool the EV unit, which is fed into the EV cooler 42, can be derived from the change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit (step S640).The heat exchange efficiency (heat release capacity) of the EV cooler 42 varies with the wind speed of the wind passing through the EV cooler 42 (the wind speed of the wind passing through the heat exchanger section 49) and the temperature of the wind passing through the EV cooler 42. The temperature of the wind passing through the EV cooler 42 can be calculated using the ambient temperature and the temperature rise of the wind passing through the air conditioning condenser 43, calculated in step S670.According to the embodiment, the control unit 50 prestores a characteristic map that uses the temperature of the air passing through the EV cooler 42, the amount of heat generated in the EV unit, and the air speed of the air passing through the EV cooler 42 as parameters to derive the degree of temperature increase of the air passing through the EV cooler 42. In step S680, the water temperature calculation unit 53 refers to this characteristic map to derive a change in the temperature increase of the air passing through the EV cooler 42. The calculation in step S680 assumes that the flow rate of the coolant used to cool the EV unit, which passes through the EV cooler 42, is fixed.

[0077] The water temperature calculation device 53 uses the change in the wind speed of the wind passed through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S710) and the change in the opening position of the valve 47 (step S720) to calculate a change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41, which is located downstream of the electric vehicle cooler 42 in the direction of flow of the wind passed through (step S730). The flow rate of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 is determined by the opening position of the valve 47. The heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 varies with the wind speed of the wind passed through the fuel cell cooler 41 and the flow rate of the coolant flowing into the fuel cell cooler 41.According to the embodiment, the control unit 50 pre-stores a characteristic map that uses the wind speed of the wind passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 and the opening position of the valve 47 as parameters to derive the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41. In step S730, the water temperature calculation unit 53 refers to this characteristic map to derive a change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41.

[0078] The water temperature calculation device 53 then derives a change in the temperature rise of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S750). More precisely, the water temperature calculation device 53 uses the changes in the amounts of heat generated in the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33 (step S630), the change in the temperature rise of the air passed through the EV cooler 42 (step S680), the change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S730), and the cooling system capacity to derive a change in the temperature rise in step S750. The cooling system capacity refers to the total amount of coolant flowing in the cooling system 40 and is stored in the memory of the control unit 50. The water temperature calculation device 53 retrieves the cooling system capacity from the memory in step S740.

[0079] A change in the temperature rise of the coolant fed into the fuel cell cooler 41 can be derived from the changes in the amounts of heat generated in the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33 (step S630). The heat exchange capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 can be determined using the temperature difference between the temperature of the coolant to be cooled and the temperature of the airflow used for cooling, and the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41, which is derived from the wind speed of the airflow and the flow rate of the coolant.According to the embodiment, the control unit 50 prestores a characteristic map that uses the heat quantities generated in the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33 (step S630), the temperature rise of the air passed through the EV cooler 42 (step S680), and the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S730) as parameters to derive the degree of temperature rise of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41. In step S750, the water temperature calculation unit 53 refers to this characteristic map to derive a change in the temperature rise of the coolant passing through the EV cooler 41. The change in the coolant temperature rise derived in step S750 can be considered a change in the temperature rise of the fuel cell 31.

[0080] Together with the processing of step S750, the water temperature calculation unit 53 retrieves a current coolant temperature T0 in the cooling system 40 (step S760). The current coolant temperature T0 can be obtained from a detection signal of the temperature sensor 35 provided in the cooling system 40 (in Fig. 2 shown).

[0081] After processing step S750, the water temperature calculation device 53 uses the change in the temperature rise of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S750) and the current coolant temperature T0 (step S760) to calculate a change in the coolant temperature in the cooling system 40 and a maximum coolant temperature Tmax (step S770), and then terminates the overload run water temperature calculation process routine. In step S770, the water temperature calculation device 53 can determine a change in the coolant temperature in the cooling system 40 from the current time by multiplying the change in the temperature rise of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S750) by the coolant temperature T0 in the cooling system 40.A maximum temperature reached by the coolant (a maximum temperature Tmax) can be determined from the change in coolant temperature in cooling system 40. The coolant temperature in cooling system 40, determined as described above, corresponds to the temperature of the fuel cell 31. The maximum temperature Tmax can thus be considered the maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell 31 when the vehicle 20 is operating under normal control on the pre-calculated route. In step S770, the water temperature calculation device 53, together with the maximum temperature Tmax, derives a temperature maximum entry time tmax, which denotes the time at which the coolant temperature reaches the maximum temperature Tmax when the vehicle 20 is operating under normal control on the pre-calculated route.

[0082] It will again be based on Fig. 5 Reference is made where it is shown that upon completion of the overload water temperature calculation process (step S250), the pre-cooling requirement determination device 54 belonging to the control unit 50 (in Fig. (shown in step 4) determines whether or not pre-cooling is required (step S260). If the maximum temperature Tmax, which is determined in step S770, Fig. If the calculated temperature Tmax is higher than the upper limit Tlim for the fuel cell temperature described above, the pre-cooling requirement determination device 54 determines that pre-cooling is required. Conversely, if the maximum temperature Tmax is at most as high as the upper limit Tlim for the fuel cell temperature, the pre-cooling requirement determination device 54 determines that no pre-cooling is required.

[0083] If step S260 determines that no pre-cooling is required, the control unit 50 terminates the vehicle's own control process routine. However, if step S260 determines that pre-cooling is required, the control unit 50 performs a process to calculate a pre-cooling time period (step S270).

[0084] Fig. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a routine of the pre-cooling time calculation process in step S270. This routine is performed by the pre-cooling time calculation unit 55 belonging to the control unit 50 of the vehicle 20 (in Fig. 4 shown). In the pre-cooling time span calculation process routine of Fig. 11. The steps are those that correspond to those in the overload drive water temperature calculation process routine of Fig. 10 are the same, expressed with the same step numbers, and their detailed description is omitted.

[0085] In the pre-cooling time span calculation process routine, the pre-cooling time span calculation unit 55 first retrieves the driving condition calculation result that was received in step S240 (step S605). Step S605 is similar to step S600 of Fig. Step 10 differs from step S600, however, in that it retrieves the driving condition calculation result up to the time tmax at which the maximum temperature is reached. This refers to the time at which the coolant temperature reaches its maximum temperature Tmax when the vehicle is driving under normal control on the pre-calculated route. The temperature maximum occurrence time tmax is derived in step S770 as described above. In each of the following steps of Fig. 11, which are described below, will be the processing that is the processing of Fig. 10 is similar, carried out over a period of time until the temperature maximum occurs time tmax.

[0086] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 then uses the driving condition calculation result retrieved in step S605 to extract a change in the output power of the fuel cell 31 (step S610), a change in the speed of the air compressor 32 of the own vehicle 20 (step S620), a change in the ambient temperature on the pre-calculated route (step S650), a change in the air conditioning load of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S660), and a change in the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S690), similar to in Fig. 10. The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 then derives a change in the amount of heat generated in the fuel cell 31 and a change in the amount of heat generated in the heat exchanger 33 (step S630) and derives a change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit cooled down by the EV cooler 42 (step S640), as in the overload drive water temperature calculation process routine of Fig. 10.

[0087] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 also uses the driving condition calculation result retrieved in step S605 to extract a change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45 (step S705) and to extract a change in the opening position of the valve 47 (step S725). In step S705, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 uses the driving condition calculation result obtained in step S605 to extract a change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45 when the own vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, as in step S700 of Fig. 10, and also retrieves a voltage from the radiator fan 45 when the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 reaches its maximum (the maximum value of the voltage of the radiator fan 45). In step S725, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 uses the driving condition calculation result obtained in step S605 to extract a change in the opening position of the valve 47 when the own vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, as in step S720 of Fig. 10, and also calls up an opening position of the valve 47 when the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 reaches the maximum (the maximum value of the opening position of the valve 47).

[0088] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 then uses the change in vehicle speed extracted in step S690 and the change in the drive voltage of the radiator fan 45 extracted in step S705 to calculate a change in the wind speed of the passed-through wind that passes through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S715), as in step S710 of Fig. 10. In step S705, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 retrieves the maximum value of the radiator fan voltage 45, along with the extraction of the change in the radiator fan drive voltage 45 when the own vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, as described above. When the own vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode, the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 reaches its maximum at a time earlier than the temperature maximum entry time tmax (at a time when the distance Dh has been covered, as described in Fig. (8 shown). A region where the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 reaches its maximum while the vehicle 20 is operating in normal control mode is hereinafter referred to as the region of maximum cooling. A start time of maximum cooling (a time interval required to reach the region of maximum cooling from the current time) while the vehicle 20 is operating in normal control mode is hereinafter referred to as the time interval th. In step S715, the pre-cooling time interval calculator 55 calculates a change in the wind speed of the air passed through the heat exchanger section 49 when the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized (when the voltage of the radiator fan 45 and the opening position of the valve 47 are maximized) in order to perform pre-cooling before the time interval th has elapsed.

[0089] More precisely, the embodiment uses a set smallest time unit Ti when the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized in order to effectively lower the temperature of the coolant passing through the fuel cell cooler 41 (the temperature of the fuel cell 31). In step S715, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 calculates the change in the wind speed of the wind passing through the heat exchanger section 49 with respect to several patterns that advance the time at which the cooling capacity is maximized, for example, by maximizing the cooling capacity at a time t1 before the elapsed time span th, by maximizing the cooling capacity at a time 2ti ahead, and by maximizing the cooling capacity at a time 3ti ahead.The number of patterns that advance the point at which cooling capacity is maximized can be a specific value preset to determine the control of the precooling time, or it can be arbitrarily set according to the current vehicle speed and the like. The majority of patterns that advance the point at which the cooling capacity of cooling system 40 is maximized (to start precooling) by shortening the time interval th by a time ti are collectively referred to herein as the reversal pattern group.

[0090] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 uses the change in ambient temperature (step S650), the change in air conditioning load (step S660), and the change in wind speed of the passed-through wind passing through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S715) to calculate a change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind passing through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S675), as in step S670 of Fig. 10. The change in wind speed of the wind passed through the heat exchanger section 49 is calculated with respect to the reversal pattern group in step S715, so that in step S675 the change in temperature increase of the wind passed through the air conditioning condenser 43 is also calculated with reference to the reversal pattern group.

[0091] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 then uses the change in the amount of heat generated in the EV unit (step S640), the change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind that passes through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S675), and the change in the wind speed of the passed-through wind that passes through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S715) to calculate a change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind that passes through the EV cooler 42, which is downstream of the air conditioning condenser 43 in the direction of flow of the passed-through wind (step S685), as in step S680 of Fig. 10. The change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind, which is passed through the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S675) and the change in the wind speed of the passed-through wind, which is passed through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S715), are both calculated with respect to the reversal pattern group, so that in step S685 the change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind, which is passed through the EV cooler 42, is calculated with reference to the reversal pattern group.

[0092] The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 also uses the change in the wind speed of the passed-through wind, which is directed through the heat exchanger section 49 (step S715), and the change in the opening position of the valve 47 (step S725) to calculate a change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41, which is downstream of the electric vehicle cooler 42 in the flow direction of the passed-through wind (step S735), similar to step S730 of Fig. 10. The change in wind speed of the wind passed through the heat exchanger section 49 is calculated with reference to the reversal pattern group (step S715). In step S725, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 retrieves the maximum value of the opening position of valve 47, along with the extraction of the change in the opening position of valve 47, while the vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route. Accordingly, in step S735, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 calculates the change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 with reference to the reversal pattern group.

[0093] The pre-cooling time calculation device 55 then derives a change in the temperature rise of the coolant passed through the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S755). More precisely, the pre-cooling time calculation device 55 uses the changes in the amounts of heat generated in the fuel cell 31 and the heat exchanger 33 (step S630), the change in the temperature rise of the wind passed through the EV cooler 42 (step S680), the change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S735), and the capacity of the cooling system (step S740) to derive the temperature rise of the coolant in step S755, as in step S750.The change in the temperature rise of the passed-through wind, which is passed through the EV cooler 42 (step S685) and the change in the heat release capacity of the BZ cooler 41 (step S735) are both calculated with respect to the reversal pattern group, so that the change in the temperature rise of the coolant, which is passed through the BZ cooler 41, is derived with respect to the reversal pattern group in step S755.

[0094] In step S755, the precooling time span calculation device 55 derives the change in the temperature increase of the coolant that is passed through the fuel cell cooler 41 with respect to the reversing pattern group and also derives a maximum value of the temperature increase of the coolant with respect to the respective time at which the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized (to start precooling).

[0095] Fig. Figure 12 is a diagram showing a relationship between the time interval elapsed from the current time until the time at which the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized (hereinafter referred to as the start time of maximum cooling) and the maximum value of the temperature increase of the coolant. Fig. Figure 12 shows the start time of maximum cooling as the abscissa and the maximum value of the coolant temperature increase as the ordinate. The start time of maximum cooling is equal to the time interval th only if the control is performed in normal control mode, without pre-cooling, as described above. By starting maximum cooling earlier, i.e., by starting pre-cooling earlier, the smaller maximum value of the coolant temperature increase is achieved. In the example of Fig. 12 is the maximum value of the temperature increase of the coolant without pre-cooling, a temperature increase Th.

[0096] Together with the processing of step S755, the precooling time span calculation unit 55 retrieves the preset BZ temperature limit Tlim described above (step S765) and also retrieves the maximum temperature Tmax of the coolant in normal control mode, which is specified in step S770. Fig. 10 is calculated, starting from (step S775).

[0097] After processing step S755, the pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 uses the relationship between the start time of maximum cooling and the maximum value of the coolant temperature rise, which is in Fig. 12 is shown (step S755), the BZ temperature limit Tlim (step S765) and the maximum temperature Tmax of the coolant in normal control mode (step S775) to set a pre-cooling start time (step S780), and then ends this routine.

[0098] More precisely, the precooling time calculation device 55 performs the following processing sequence in step 780. By calculating the difference between the maximum temperature Tmax and the maximum fuel cell temperature limit Tlim, the degree of reduction of the maximum temperature rise of the coolant due to precooling is determined. The difference between the maximum temperature Tmax and the maximum fuel cell temperature limit Tlim is referred to below as the temperature reduction Δt (as in Fig. 12 is shown). The pre-cooling time span calculation device 55 refers to the relationship between the start time of maximum cooling and the maximum value of the temperature rise of the coolant, which is shown in Fig. Figure 12 shows the start time of maximum cooling (the time interval tst) when the maximum temperature rise of the coolant reaches a temperature Tst that is lower by the temperature drop Δt than the temperature Th, which is the maximum temperature rise without precooling. This time interval tst specifies the start time of precooling to be set in step S780.

[0099] Again in Fig. Figure 5 shows that upon completion of the pre-cooling time calculation process routine (step S270), the cooling system drive device 56 of the control unit 50 outputs control signals to the cooling system 40 (step S280) and then terminates the vehicle's own control process routine. In step S280, the cooling system driver 56 outputs control signals to the corresponding components of the cooling system 40 to start pre-cooling at the pre-cooling start time set in step S270. The processing of step S280 corresponds to step S130 of Fig. 3.

[0100] If the processing sequence for pre-cooling, which is in Fig. 5 to 7 and Fig. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, in the control system 10, the control unit 50 of the own vehicle 20 compares the current location of the own vehicle 20 with the pre-calculated route, separately from the processing sequence for pre-cooling, after the pre-calculated route in step S420 of Fig. 7 has been derived. If the current location of the own vehicle 20 is derived from the pre-calculated route, the pre-cooling control is deactivated. More precisely, an interruption process is carried out to interrupt the aforementioned processing sequence for pre-cooling if a distance between the current location of the own vehicle 20 and the pre-calculated route is at least as large as a predefined reference distance, or if a time interval since a deviation of the current location of the own vehicle 20 from the pre-calculated route is at least as long as a predefined reference time.If, during pre-cooling processing, the processing on the side of the local vehicle 20 is interrupted after it has been determined that the local vehicle 20 has deviated from the pre-calculated route, the local vehicle 20 sends a cancellation signal to the external server 26 to interrupt the processing on the external server 26's side. If the pre-cooling processing is canceled mid-process, the pre-cooling processing is restarted to derive a new pre-calculated route.

[0101] If it is determined that an overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route of the vehicle 20, the control system 10 of the embodiment, which has the configuration described above, performs the ramp-up process to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 so that it becomes higher than the cooling capacity set in normal control mode before the vehicle 20 reaches the overload zone. This configuration suppresses an excessive increase in the temperature of the fuel cell 31. More precisely, this configuration prevents the temperature of the fuel cell 31 from reaching the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim.

[0102] According to the embodiment, the upper limit of the reference temperature range (the upper control limit), i.e., the control target for the temperature of the fuel cell 31, is set such that it is less likely that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 will reach the upper control limit under the usual expected driving conditions. The maximum cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is set by maximizing the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 such that the temperature of the fuel cell 31 is less likely to reach the upper fuel cell temperature limit, even if the temperature of the fuel cell 31 does reach the upper control limit.However, if the vehicle 20 operates in normal control mode during continuous driving under high load, such as on a long uphill stretch of road, the temperature of the fuel cell 31 is likely to continue rising even after it reaches the upper control limit and the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 has reached its maximum. In this case, the temperature of the fuel cell 31 may become excessively high, exceeding a suitable temperature range and causing the control system to fail to reduce the temperature. This excessive temperature increase, exceeding the suitable temperature range, can lead to a reduction in the fuel cell 31's output power. The cooling capacity of the cooling system 40, having reached its maximum, cannot increase beyond its maximum capacity.For example, it may be necessary to limit the amount of power generated by the fuel cell 31 (the output power of the vehicle 20) in order to suppress a reduction in the durability of the fuel cell 31 due to an excessive temperature increase.

[0103] According to the embodiment, the control system 10 determines in advance whether an overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route and performs pre-cooling before the vehicle 20 reaches the overload zone and the region of maximum cooling. This configuration suppresses an excessive temperature rise of the fuel cell 31 due to insufficient cooling capacity of the cooling system 40. This configuration also reduces the need to limit the output power of the fuel cell 31 due to an excessive temperature rise, thereby improving the driving performance of the vehicle 20. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for the vehicle 20's cooling system 40 to provide excessive cooling capacity in response to a maximum overload to ensure good driving performance, thus simplifying the configuration of the cooling system 40.

[0104] More precisely, according to the embodiment, the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 is maximized during pre-cooling, thereby improving its cooling capacity to a higher level than in normal control mode. Maximizing the cooling capacity during pre-cooling responds to higher or sustained high loads, thus improving the reliability of the control system for reducing the temperature of the fuel cell 31. Pre-cooling must increase the cooling capacity to a level higher than that in normal control mode before the cooling system 40 reaches its maximum capacity in normal control mode. Therefore, pre-cooling can increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 to a level that is lower than its maximum cooling capacity.

[0105] According to the embodiment, under the control described above, the control system 10 derives the difference Δt between the maximum temperature Tmax (the maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell 31 while driving on the pre-calculated route under normal control) and the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim to improve the cooling performance of the cooling system 40. The control system 10 determines the start time tst of maximum cooling (the time required from the current time to reach the region of maximum cooling), that is, the time to start pre-cooling, in order to obtain the difference Δt between the maximum value of the coolant temperature increase without pre-cooling (the temperature increase Th) and the maximum value of the coolant temperature increase with pre-cooling (as in Fig. 12 shown). This configuration ensures that the control to lower the coolant temperature (the temperature of the fuel cell 31) to or below the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim is also ensured when the vehicle 20 is operating in the overload range.

[0106] Fig. Figure 13 is a diagram that schematically illustrates the effect of precooling to lower the temperature of the fuel cell 31 to or below the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim. Fig. Figure 13 shows a change in the driving force of the vehicle 20 (corresponding to the amount of power generated in the fuel cell 31) and a change in the coolant temperature in the cooling system 40 (a temperature of the fuel cell 31) over time from the current time as the abscissa. Fig. 13 are changes (of a pre-calculated driving force and a pre-calculated coolant temperature) when the own vehicle 20 is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, shown by the dashed line, and changes (of a driving force after pre-cooling and a coolant temperature after pre-cooling) when pre-cooling is carried out while driving on the pre-calculated route are shown by the solid line.

[0107] In the example of Fig. 13. The motive power of the vehicle 20 increases abruptly after the time interval th has elapsed, due to the commencement of driving on an uphill road or similar situation. The cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 reaches its maximum after the time interval th when driving in normal control mode. In normal control mode, the coolant temperature rises after the time interval th and reaches its maximum temperature Tmax at the time tmax. The range after reaching the maximum temperature Tmax corresponds to the overload range described above.

[0108] If pre-cooling is started at the pre-cooling start time tst, which has been set in the pre-cooling time span calculation process routine, this, in turn, reduces the rate of increase of the coolant temperature after time tst. Accordingly, the maximum temperature of the coolant at time tmax is reduced to the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim.

[0109] According to the embodiment, the control system 10 determines the pre-cooling period such that the maximum value of the coolant temperature increase is lower by the value Δt than the temperature increase Th without pre-cooling (as in Fig. (as shown in Figure 12). Thus, the coolant temperature after pre-cooling is the maximum fuel cell temperature limit, Tlim. According to a modification, a longer pre-cooling period can be set to further reduce the coolant temperature after pre-cooling (to start pre-cooling earlier), taking into account the response of a control system and the like.

[0110] According to the embodiment, the control system 10 uses the information, including current traffic flow information and / or historical traffic flow information, to specify the most promising branch route at a junction on the route of the vehicle 20 as the branch route on which the vehicle 20 will travel. The control system 10 also derives the predicted route using the learning data from the vehicle 20's trip history. Even if no destination is entered in the vehicle 20's navigation system, this configuration enables the predicted route of the vehicle 20 to be derived with high accuracy.

[0111] According to the embodiment, when controlling pre-cooling, the control system 10 uses the driving conditions, including the predicted vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, to predict the output power of the fuel cell 31 (step S610). The vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 is predicted using the current traffic flow information about the predicted route (step S510). The vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 is corrected using the learning result regarding the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 (step S530) in relation to the other vehicles 21 in the vicinity of the own vehicle 20 (step S500).This configuration improves the accuracy of the predictive power output of fuel cell 31, thereby enhancing the reliability of the control system for suppressing excessive temperature rises in fuel cell 31 through precooling. One modification could be to omit the correction using the learning outcome regarding the driving tendency of the vehicle 20 in relation to other vehicles 21 in the vicinity of the vehicle 20.

[0112] According to the embodiment, the control system 10 calculates in advance the load applied to its own vehicle 20, which travels on the pre-calculated route (step S450), and determines, using the pre-calculated load, whether an overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route (step S460). If it is determined that an overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route, the control system 10 derives the maximum temperature Tmax, i.e., the maximum temperature reached by the coolant temperature in normal control mode, using the first temperature rise range (steps S630 and S640), the second temperature rise range (step S670), and the heat dissipation capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S730) (step S770). The control system 10 also compares the maximum temperature Tmax with the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim.If the maximum temperature Tmax is higher than the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim, the control system 10 determines that an increase process (pre-cooling) is necessary to raise the cooling capacity so that it exceeds the cooling capacity set in normal control mode (step S260). The control system 10 then calculates the pre-cooling time (step S270) using the detailed driving condition calculation result (step S605). In this configuration, the result of the relatively simple process, namely the pre-calculation of the load applied to the vehicle 20, is first used to refine the calculation and determine the presence or absence of overload ranges.If an overload zone is determined to exist on the pre-calculated route, a more complex process than load pre-calculation is performed to calculate the pre-cooling time. Therefore, there is no need to perform the more complex process using the driving condition calculation result if no overload zone exists on the pre-calculated route. This configuration thus reduces the overall processing volume for pre-cooling.

[0113] The processing sequence for calculating the pre-cooling time period can differ from that of Fig. 11 different. According to the embodiment, the air conditioning condenser 43 and the EV cooler 42 are located upstream of the fuel cell cooler 41 in the direction of airflow, which is directed through the heat exchanger section 49 of the vehicle 20. Accordingly, in the process of dissipating the maximum temperature Tmax of the coolant in the cooling system 40, the amount of heat generated in the fuel cell 31, the amount of heat generated in the heat exchanger 33, and the amount of heat generated in the EV unit (steps S630 and S640) are used as the first temperature rise, in which the coolant temperature is increased due to the power generation by the fuel cell 31.The temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the air conditioning condenser 43 (step S670) is used as the second temperature rise range, in which the refrigerant temperature is increased by a factor different from the power output of the fuel cell 31. However, in a configuration where at least one of the air conditioning condenser 43 and EV cooler 42 is not located upstream of the fuel cell cooler 41, the maximum temperature Tmax of the refrigerant can be derived without using the corresponding first or second temperature rise range. If a heat exchanger is used upstream of the fuel cell cooler 41 to cool another device, the maximum temperature Tmax of the refrigerant can be calculated by additionally using the amount of heat generated in that other device. B. Second embodiment

[0114] In the configuration of the first embodiment, in step S110 of Fig. 3. The current traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route is used in addition to the pre-calculated route to pre-calculate the load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 while the own vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route. However, another configuration can also be used. A configuration in which historical traffic flow information is used instead of the current traffic flow information used in the first embodiment is described below as the second embodiment. The configuration of the second embodiment is similar to the configuration of the first embodiment, except for a process of pre-calculating the load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 while the own vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S110). The description of the configuration that is identical to the first embodiment is omitted.

[0115] According to the second embodiment, in step S430 of the overload test determination process, Fig. 7. The vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 is calculated using the previous average vehicle speed of the other vehicles 21 on the pre-calculated route, which is contained in the historical traffic flow information retrieved in step S400, to predict the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route. In step S450, a load applied to the own vehicle 20, which is traveling on the pre-calculated route, is predicted using the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is predicted in step S430, and the road gradient retrieved in step S440. This configuration has similar advantageous effects to the first embodiment. C. Third embodiment

[0116] Below is a configuration in which the trip history of the vehicle itself is used instead of the current traffic flow information used in the first embodiment in step S 110 of Fig. The configuration of the third embodiment is described as the third embodiment. The configuration of the third embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, except for a process of pre-calculating the load that will be applied to the vehicle 20 while the vehicle 20 is traveling along the pre-calculated route (step S 110). The description of the configuration that is identical to that of the first embodiment is omitted.

[0117] According to the third embodiment, in step S430 of the overload test determination process, Fig. 7. A change in the average vehicle speed during previous trips of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route is extracted from the trip history of the own vehicle 20, instead of pre-calculating the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 using the current traffic flow information. In step S450, a load applied to the own vehicle 20, which travels on the pre-calculated route, is pre-calculated using the change in the average vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is determined in step S430, and the road gradient retrieved in step S440.In this configuration, information, including changes in the average vehicle speed of the vehicle 20 during previous journeys on the predicted route, can be stored and learned in the memory of the vehicle's control unit 50 or in the storage / learning unit 64 of the external server 26. This information can be used for processing step S430 described above. This configuration has similar advantageous effects to the first embodiment.

[0118] In a configuration where information indicating the load applied to the own vehicle 20 during previous journeys of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route is stored as the journey history of the own vehicle 20, the load applied to the own vehicle 20 traveling on the pre-calculated route can be directly pre-calculated from the journey history without processing steps S430 and S440. D. Fourth embodiment

[0119] A configuration in which, instead of the current traffic flow information used in the first embodiment, in step S110 of Fig. 3. A parameter is used that specifies a previous travel tendency of the own vehicle 20, i.e., a travel tendency of the own vehicle 20 that differs from that of the other vehicles 21. This is described below as the fourth embodiment. The configuration of the fourth embodiment is similar to the configuration of the first embodiment, except for a process of pre-calculating the load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 while the own vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route (step S 110). The description of the configuration that is identical to the first embodiment is omitted.

[0120] According to the fourth embodiment, in step S430 of the overload test determination process, Fig. 7. The vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is traveling on the pre-calculated route, is pre-calculated using a parameter that indicates a driving tendency of the own vehicle 20, instead of pre-calculating the vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20 using the current traffic flow information. The parameter that indicates the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 is a parameter that shows a previous driving pattern of the own vehicle 20 and is a parameter that indicates a driving tendency that differs from that of the other vehicles 21. The parameter that indicates the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as driving tendency) can be stored in the storage / learning device 64 of the external server 26 as described above.

[0121] For example, the vehicle speed of the user's vehicle 20 can be predicted using the vehicle's driving tendency in step S430, as described below. With respect to roads, each shown on a map in the memory of the external server 26, several different levels of driving conditions (conditions including vehicle speed) can be set. For example, the different levels of driving conditions can range from level 1 (lowest vehicle speed) to level 10 (highest vehicle speed), with the default driving conditions being set to level 5. While the user's vehicle 20 is driving, the processor 60 of the external server 26 learns the vehicle's driving tendency.For example, the speed level of the own vehicle 20 relative to the speeds of the other vehicles 21 can be classified from level 1 (lowest speed) to level 10 (highest speed) based on the average ratio of the speed of the own vehicle 20 to the average speed of the other vehicles 21 traveling in the same area, and can be stored as the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20. In step S430, the speed of the own vehicle 20, traveling on the pre-calculated route, can be pre-calculated based on the driving conditions of the level learned as the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20, under several different levels of driving conditions that have been pre-set with regard to the pre-calculated route.In step S450, a load applied to the vehicle 20, which is traveling on the pre-calculated route, is pre-calculated using the vehicle speed of the vehicle 20, which was pre-calculated in step S430, and the road gradient retrieved in step S440. This configuration has similar advantageous effects to the first embodiment. E. Modifications* Modification 1:

[0122] In the embodiments described above, in step S110 of Fig. 3. In addition to the pre-calculated route, either the current traffic flow information for the pre-calculated route, the historical traffic flow information for the pre-calculated route, the trip history of the own vehicle 20, or the trip tendency of the own vehicle 20 is used to pre-calculate the load that will be applied to the own vehicle 20 while the own vehicle 20 is traveling on the pre-calculated route. An alternative configuration can be used in which the current traffic flow information for the pre-calculated route and / or the historical traffic flow information for the pre-calculated route and / or the trip history of the own vehicle 20 are used in addition to the pre-calculated route.

[0123] For example, in the process of predicting the speed of the own vehicle 20 while driving on the predicted route in step S430, in each of the first to fourth embodiments, the predicted vehicle speed retrieved as described in each of the first to fourth embodiments can be corrected using the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20. More precisely, for example, the average ratio of the speed of the own vehicle 20 to the average speed of the other vehicles 21 driving in the same area can be used as the driving tendency of the own vehicle 20, and the predicted speed of the own vehicle 20 can be corrected by multiplying the predicted speed by this average ratio.In another example, the correction of the predicted vehicle speed can be made using the maximum speed of the vehicle 20 traveling in the specific district, as described above, as an upper limit. This configuration improves the accuracy of the predicted load applied to the fuel cell 31 and ensures a more adapted acceleration process.

[0124] In another example, the pre-calculated value for the vehicle speed of the own vehicle can be 20, which is calculated in step S430 of Fig. 7 is retrieved, an average value from several pre-calculated vehicle speeds is used, which are selected from the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is derived from the current traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route (first embodiment), the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is derived from the traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route from the past (second embodiment), the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is derived from the trip history of the own vehicle 20 (third embodiment) and the pre-calculated vehicle speed of the own vehicle 20, which is derived from the trip tendency of the own vehicle 20 (fourth embodiment). * Modification 2:

[0125] In the embodiment described above, the pre-cooling start time, i.e., a time span that elapses from the current time until the time at which the pre-cooling is to start, is taken into account in the process for calculating the pre-cooling time span. Fig. 11 is set (step S780). Another configuration can also be used. For example, instead of the pre-cooling start time, a pre-cooling start distance can be set, that is, a distance traveled from the current location to the location where pre-cooling is to start. In the modified configuration, instead of changes corresponding to the time elapsed from the current time, the change in the first temperature rise range (steps S630 and S640), the change in the second temperature rise range (step S675), and the change in the heat release capacity of the fuel cell cooler 41 (step S735) can be derived as changes corresponding to the distance traveled by the vehicle 20 from the current location. * Modification 3:

[0126] In the embodiments described above, the pre-cooling start time is set using the driving conditions determined during the process of calculating driving conditions. Fig. 9 are calculated so that the temperature reached by the coolant temperature in the cooling system 40, while the vehicle is driving 20 in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, is at most as high as the fuel cell temperature limit Tlim (as in Fig. (as shown in Figure 11). According to a modification, the pre-cooling start time can be set without pre-calculating the temperature increase of the coolant in cooling system 40. For example, by using a change in a pre-calculated mileage load of the own vehicle 20, which is traveling on the pre-calculated route, it can be determined whether or not pre-cooling is necessary. If it is determined that pre-cooling is necessary, the pre-cooling start time can be set using the change in the pre-calculated mileage load. In this modified configuration, a signal can be generated with respect to the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20, which is located in step S240 of Fig. 5, is received, at least including a change in a pre-calculated load of the own vehicle 20, which is traveling on the pre-calculated route. For example, the larger the integrated value of the load obtained from the change in the pre-calculated load, the earlier the time for starting pre-cooling can be set. If it is determined that an overload area exists on the pre-calculated route, the ramp-up process can be carried out in this modified configuration to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system 40 so that it becomes higher than the cooling capacity set in normal control mode before the own vehicle 20 reaches the overload area. This provides a similar effect of suppressing an excessive rise in fuel cell temperature. * Modification 4

[0127] In the embodiments described above, the cooling system 40 of the vehicle 20 contains the coolant that flows in the coolant flow path 44. A different configuration can also be used. For example, a cooling system designed to cool the fuel cell need not contain a coolant but can be configured to cool the fuel cell solely by air cooling using a radiator fan. If an overload range is determined to exist on the predicted route, the ramp-up process can be performed in this modified configuration to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system so that it becomes higher than the cooling capacity set in a normal mode before the vehicle reaches the overload range. This provides a similar effect of suppressing an excessive rise in fuel cell temperature. * Modification 5

[0128] In the embodiments described above, step S420 of Fig. 7. A single pre-calculated route is derived in each case. A different configuration can also be used. For example, in the process of deriving a pre-calculated route using traffic flow information, several pre-calculated routes with higher selection potentials than the destination branch can be derived by selecting a destination branch with the highest selection potential at a junction point. With this modified configuration, the process described above for calculating a pre-cooling time interval can be performed with respect to each of the multiple derived pre-calculated routes. The pre-cooling processing can be interrupted with respect to one of the multiple pre-calculated routes that deviates from the actual position of the own vehicle 20 while the own vehicle 20 is en route.If any of the multiple derived pre-calculated routes deviates from the actual position of the vehicle 20, the pre-cooling processing can be restarted to derive new pre-calculated routes.

[0129] This modified configuration reduces the probability of the actual position of the vehicle 20 deviating from the pre-calculated route for which the pre-cooling time is calculated. Consequently, a delay in the start of pre-cooling compared to the required time due to a deviation of the actual position of the vehicle 20 from the pre-calculated route, and a restart of the pre-cooling processing, are suppressed. * Modification 6

[0130] In the embodiments described above, the overload test determination process (step S310 in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7), which is involved in deriving a pre-calculated route and detecting an overload area, and the driving condition calculation process (step S340 in Fig. 6 and Fig. 9), which is involved in calculating the driving conditions of the own vehicle 20 on the pre-calculated route, is carried out by processor 60 on the side of the external server 26. The overload driving water temperature calculation process (step S250 of Fig. 10), which is involved in deriving the maximum temperature Tmax of the coolant while the vehicle is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, and the pre-cooling time span calculation process (step S270 of Fig. 11), which is involved in setting the pre-cooling start time, are carried out by the control unit 50 on the side of the vehicle 20. These processes can each be carried out either by the processor 60 on the side of the external server 26 or by the control unit 50 on the side of the vehicle 20. For example, the entire pre-cooling control process, which is in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the processing is carried out by processor 60 on the external server 26, and the control unit 50 on the vehicle 20 can simply receive the processing results from the external server 26. In another example, the external server 26 can send information required for processing to the vehicle 20, and the control unit 50 on the vehicle 20 can carry out the entire processing sequence.

[0131] The external server 26 serves to determine the information of other vehicles 21, to derive a large volume of traffic flow information from this information, and to store this large volume of traffic flow information. In the configuration where the congestion determination process and the driving condition calculation process are performed on the external server 26, the large volume of traffic flow information required for processing does not need to be sent from the external server 26 to the vehicle 20. This advantageously reduces the communication load. The driving condition calculation result, which is sent from the external server 26 to the vehicle 20 during the congestion water temperature calculation process, is information relating to the vehicle 20 traveling on a specific, pre-calculated route.Transmitting this result allows for a significantly lower communication load compared to transmitting a large volume of traffic flow information regarding the periphery of the current location of the vehicle.

Claims

[1] Tax procedure for a fuel cell vehicle (20) equipped with a fuel cell (31) as at least one propulsion energy source, wherein the fuel cell vehicle (20) has a cooling system (40) configured to cool the fuel cell (31) and a cooling system control device (52) configured to control a cooling performance of the cooling system (40), wherein The cooling system control device (52) has a normal control mode as a control mode for controlling the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40), wherein the normal control mode, when it is determined that the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is outside the specified reference temperature range, changes the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) using the temperature of the fuel cell (31) and / or a measure of power generation by the fuel cell (31) and / or a load requirement in the fuel cell vehicle (20) in order to cause the temperature of the fuel cell (31) to fall within a specified reference temperature range. the tax procedure includes: Predicting (S110) a load applied to the own vehicle (20), which is the fuel cell vehicle (20) and is expected to travel on a pre-calculated route, using current traffic flow information indicating a current traffic flow on the pre-calculated route, and / or past traffic flow information about the pre-calculated route, and / or a journey history of the own vehicle (20), and / or a first parameter showing a previous driving habit of the own vehicle (20) and indicating a driving tendency of the own vehicle (20) that differs from driving tendencies of other vehicles (21), in addition to the pre-calculated route where the own vehicle (20) is expected to travel; Determine (S120) whether an overload region, that is, a region where the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is higher than a suitable temperature range, exists on the pre-calculated route, using the pre-calculated load; and Performing (S130) an escalation process in which the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) is increased before the own vehicle (20) reaches the overload range, when it is determined that the overload range is present on the pre-calculated road, wherein The ramp-up process increases the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) so that it becomes higher than a cooling capacity that is set in normal control mode at a time when the ramp-up process is carried out. wherein the cooling system (40) comprises a coolant configured to cool the fuel cell (31) and a cooler (41) configured to cool the coolant, the tax procedure includes: Deriving a first temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell (31), a second temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to a factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31), and a heat release capacity of the cooler (41), wherein the factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31) is a temperature increase of a passed-through wind that is passed through an air conditioning condenser (43) of the fuel cell vehicle (20), and / or a temperature of the coolant for cooling an air conditioning system that flows into the air conditioning condenser (43); Deriving a maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell (31) when the vehicle (20) is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, using the first temperature rise range, the second temperature rise range, and the heat release capacity; and Comparing the maximum temperature with a fuel cell temperature limit that is preset as the temperature limit for the fuel cell (31), and not carrying out the ramp-up process if the maximum temperature is at most as high as the fuel cell temperature limit, regardless of a determination that the overload range is present on the pre-calculated route. [2] Control method for a fuel cell vehicle (20) according to claim 1, wherein the pre-calculation of the load applied to the vehicle (20) comprises: Correcting the pre-calculated load with the first parameter, which specifies the driving tendency of the own vehicle (20). [3] Control method for a fuel cell vehicle (20) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pre-calculated route is pre-calculated using traffic flow information that indicates a current traffic flow and / or a previous traffic flow in order to specify at a junction point on a route of the own vehicle (20) a destination branch with a highest selection potential as the destination branch for the own vehicle (20). [4] Control method for the fuel cell vehicle (20) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein carrying out the increase process includes maximizing the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) before the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) reaches a maximum in normal control mode. [5] Fuel cell vehicle (20) equipped with a fuel cell (31) as at least one propulsion energy source, wherein the fuel cell vehicle (20) comprises: a cooling system (40) configured to cool down the fuel cell 31; a cooling system control device (52) designed to control the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40), wherein the cooling system control device (52) has a normal control mode as a control mode for controlling the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40), wherein the normal control mode changes the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) to cause the temperature of the fuel cell (31) to fall within a predetermined reference temperature range when, using the temperature of the fuel cell (31) and / or a power quantity generated by the fuel cell (31) and / or a load requirement in the fuel cell vehicle (20), it is determined that the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is outside the predetermined reference temperature range; and a detection device (51) configured to retrieve a signal indicating a driving condition of an own vehicle (20) that includes a change in a pre-calculated running load of the own vehicle (20) when the own vehicle (20), which is the fuel cell vehicle (20), is expected to travel on a pre-calculated route, wherein If it is determined that an overload range, i.e., a range where the temperature of the fuel cell (31) is higher than a suitable temperature range, exists on the pre-calculated route, the cooling system control unit (52) uses the retrieved signal and performs an increase process in which the cooling power of the cooling system (40) is increased before the vehicle (20) reaches the overload range, wherein The ramp-up process increases the cooling capacity of the cooling system (40) so that it becomes higher than a cooling capacity that is set in normal control mode at a time when the ramp-up process is carried out. wherein the cooling system (40) comprises a coolant configured to cool the fuel cell (31) and a cooler (41) configured to cool the coolant, and the cooling system control unit (52) is configured to: Deriving a first temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to power generation by the fuel cell (31), a second temperature rise range in which the temperature of the coolant is increased due to a factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31), and a heat release capacity of the cooler (41), wherein the factor different from the power generation by the fuel cell (31) is a temperature increase of a passed wind that is passed through an air conditioning condenser (43) of the fuel cell vehicle (20), and / or a temperature of the coolant for cooling an air conditioning system that flows into the air conditioning condenser (43); Deriving a maximum temperature reached by the fuel cell (31) when the vehicle (20) is driving in normal control mode on the pre-calculated route, using the first temperature rise range, the second temperature rise range, and the heat release capacity; and Comparing the maximum temperature with a fuel cell temperature limit that is preset as the temperature limit for the fuel cell (31), and not carrying out the ramp-up process if the maximum temperature is at most as high as the fuel cell temperature limit, regardless of a determination that the overload range is present on the pre-calculated route. [6] Fuel cell vehicle (20) according to claim 5, wherein, when it is determined that the overload area is present on the pre-calculated route, the cooling system control device (52) maximizes the cooling power of the cooling system (40) before the cooling power of the cooling system (40) reaches a maximum in normal control mode.

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