Fuel cell system

By controlling fuel cell current and voltage to stabilize battery power during low-efficiency operations, the system addresses battery overcharging/over-discharging issues, ensuring reliable and efficient battery temperature increase.

DE102021113151B4Undetermined Publication Date: 2026-06-25TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
Filing Date
2021-05-20
Publication Date
2026-06-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In low-efficiency power generation, especially in low-temperature environments, fuel cell systems face issues with battery overcharging or over-discharging due to significant deviations in electrical power output, leading to potential battery deterioration.

Method used

The system regulates fuel cell current and voltage to maintain the battery within permissible charging and discharging limits by adjusting oxidation gas supply, using a control device to manage power generation and recover excess power through a motor-generator, preventing regenerative control during rapid warm-up processes.

Benefits of technology

This approach stabilizes battery power output, preventing overcharging or over-discharging, thereby protecting the battery and allowing rapid temperature increase, thus enhancing system reliability and longevity.

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Abstract

Fuel cell system (100), comprising: a fuel cell (10) configured to generate electrical power by electrochemical reactions between a fuel gas and an oxidizer gas; a rechargeable battery (53) configured to be charged with excess electrical power and discharge any missing amount of electrical power at the time electrical power is generated by the fuel cell (10); a motor-generator (55); and a control device (200), wherein the control device (200) comprises a low-efficiency power generation section configured to perform low-efficiency power generation in which power generation losses are greater than in normal power generation, and wherein the low-efficiency power generation section comprises: an operating point setting section configured to set a target current and a target voltage,defining an operating point of the fuel cell (10) at the time of low-efficiency power generation; and a control section for the generated electrical power, configured to regulate the current of the fuel cell (10) at the time of low-efficiency power generation to the target current and to increase and decrease the generated electrical power by changing the supply flow rate of oxidation gas supplied to the fuel cell (10) such that the voltage of the fuel cell (10) rises and falls above and below the target voltage within a range in which the charged and discharged electrical powers of the rechargeable battery (53) do not exceed the permissible charged and discharged electrical powers of the rechargeable battery (53), characterized in that the control device (200) further comprises a regenerative control prevention section configured tothat it prevents regenerative control at the time of low-efficiency power generation, which recovers excess power using the motor-generator (55) and feeds it back into the rechargeable battery (53).
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