Fuel Cell Compressor Highland Control Strategy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel cell systems on highlands face compressor malfunction due to surging and inability to charge secondary batteries effectively due to lower outside air pressure, which causes the compressor to operate within a surging region, leading to noise and vibration issues.
Innovation Solution
A fuel cell system with a control unit that adjusts the compressor's rotational speed and power generation to keep the operating point outside the surging region when outside air pressure is lower than a threshold, ensuring reliable battery charging by increasing power output and compressor speed during highland conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the compressor rotational speed is increased to supply the same amount of cathode gas on highland, then the cathode gas supply amount is maintained, but the compressor enters the surging region causing malfunction and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the compressor rotational speed based on real-time detection of cathode gas supply amount and compares it with the target value. This dynamic control ensures the compressor operates at optimal speed to maintain cathode gas supply without entering the surging region, thus preventing malfunction and noise while adapting to varying operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where the control unit continuously detects the actual cathode gas supply amount, compares it with the target value, and adjusts the compressor rotational speed accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures the compressor maintains reliable operation by preventing it from entering the surging region while still meeting the cathode gas supply requirements on highland.
2Quantity of substance
If the compressor rotational speed is increased to maintain cathode gas supply on highland, then the gas supply is sufficient, but noise and vibration increase due to high-speed rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the compressor rotational speed based on real-time detection of cathode gas supply amount. By continuously optimizing the rotational speed to match the minimum required for sufficient cathode gas supply, the system avoids excessive high-speed rotation that would generate noise and vibration, while still meeting the gas supply requirements on highland.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the compressor by adjusting its rotational speed based on detected cathode gas supply conditions. This parameter adjustment ensures the compressor operates at the lowest necessary speed to maintain sufficient cathode gas supply, thereby reducing noise and vibration while still meeting performance requirements on highland.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the upper limit of compressor rotational speed is restricted to prevent noise and vibration, then noise and vibration are reduced, but the compressor cannot supply sufficient cathode gas on highland
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the compressor rotational speed based on real-time detection of cathode gas supply amount, allowing the system to operate above the fixed upper limit when necessary on highland. This dynamic approach ensures sufficient cathode gas supply is maintained while avoiding unnecessary high-speed operation that would generate excessive noise and vibration, thus resolving the contradiction between gas supply requirement and noise reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the compressor by adjusting rotational speed based on actual cathode gas supply conditions rather than adhering to a fixed upper limit. This allows the compressor to operate at higher speeds when needed on highland to maintain sufficient gas supply, while still reducing noise and vibration by avoiding unnecessary high-speed rotation when conditions permit.
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 solution prevents compressor surging, allowing normal operation and reliable secondary battery charging on highlands by adjusting the compressor's operating point, while also reducing noise and vibration.
Implementation Method 1
a fuel cell that is configured to generate electric power through an electrochemical reaction between anode gas and cathode gas
Implementation Method 2
a compressor that is provided in the cathode gas supply flow passage and that is configured to deliver outside air to the fuel cell
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel cell system includes a control unit that is configured to perform highland control for increasing an amount of electric power generated per unit time by a fuel cell and increasing a rotational speed of a compressor such that an operating point of the compressor falls outside a surging region, in comparison with a case where a highland condition that an outside air pressure determined from an outside air pressure-associated information is lower than an outside air pressure threshold determined in advance is not fulfilled, when the highland condition is fulfilled in starting electric power generation by the fuel cell.