Fuel Cell Cold Startup Using Battery Heater Power Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold-startup procedures for fuel cells, particularly hydrogen-powered ones, take additional time due to the inability to charge high-voltage batteries at low temperatures, which is undesirable for users.
Innovation Solution
A system that detects when the fuel cell and high-voltage battery are below a threshold temperature, activates a battery heater using power from the high-voltage battery, and consumes fuel cell-generated power in the battery heater during startup to avoid charging the battery, thereby jump-starting the fuel cell.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cold-startup procedures are used, then the fuel cell can be started up at low temperatures, but the startup time is significantly extended due to battery heating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the high-voltage battery using a battery heater before attempting to charge the battery during cold startup. This preliminary action ensures the battery reaches a temperature where charging is permitted, thereby enabling faster overall startup without compromising battery safety or performance
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the startup procedure based on real-time temperature monitoring. When the battery temperature is below the threshold, the system activates the battery heater and delays charging until the temperature condition is met. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize startup time while maintaining reliability across varying temperature conditions
2Reliability
If the high-voltage battery is heated during cold startup, then the battery can accept charge, but additional time is required for the heating process
Solution Approach 1:
The battery heater is powered by the high-voltage battery itself during the heating phase. This self-service approach allows the battery to prepare itself for charging without requiring external power sources, thereby reducing overall startup time while ensuring the battery reaches the necessary temperature for safe charging operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces the time required to start the fuel cell under low-temperature conditions by bypassing the need to wait for battery heating, ensuring faster startup.
Implementation Method 1
activate a battery heater and power the battery heater using the high-voltage battery
Implementation Method 2
start up the fuel cell by drawing additional power from the high-voltage battery
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods described herein relate to controlling cold startup of a fuel cell. In one embodiment, a system for controlling cold startup of a fuel cell detects that a fuel cell and a high-voltage battery are at a temperature below a predetermined threshold temperature below which discharging power from the high-voltage battery is permitted and charging the high-voltage battery is not permitted. The system activates a battery heater and powers the battery heater using the high-voltage battery. The system starts up the fuel cell by drawing additional power from the high-voltage battery. The system consumes, in the battery heater, power generated by the fuel cell during startup until the fuel cell is fully started up to avoid charging the high-voltage battery while charging the high-voltage battery is not permitted.