Fuel Cell Hydrogen Supply Control via Dual-Pressure Cycle
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems, long calculation cycles for hydrogen supply timing and volume can lead to membrane electrode assembly degradation due to delayed detection of internal pressure changes, while shortening these cycles increases CPU load.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dual-cycle system where the calculation cycle for judging hydrogen supply necessity is shorter and independent from the cycle for calculating the necessary hydrogen supply volume, allowing for timely hydrogen delivery while managing CPU load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the calculation cycle for hydrogen supply timing and volume is made shorter, then the response speed to internal pressure changes is improved, but the CPU load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control calculation into two separate cycles: a first calculation cycle for determining hydrogen supply timing based on pressure threshold comparison, and a second calculation cycle for calculating the hydrogen supply volume. This segmentation allows the timing decision to be made frequently (every first cycle) to quickly respond to pressure changes, while the computationally intensive volume calculation is performed less frequently (every second cycle), thereby reducing overall CPU load while maintaining fast response capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the calculation cycle for hydrogen supply timing is made longer, then the CPU load is reduced, but the membrane electrode assembly degradation occurs due to delayed hydrogen supply
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring the internal pressure and comparing it against a threshold value at each first calculation cycle. When the pressure drops below the threshold, the system immediately determines that hydrogen supply timing is required, ensuring that hydrogen is supplied before the membrane electrode assembly suffers from prolonged hydrogen deficiency. This preliminary detection and immediate timing determination prevents degradation while managing computational resources.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to provide a fuel cell system that inhibits the occurrence of degradation of an MEA while also inhibiting an increase in the CPU load. A fuel cell system is equipped with a hydrogen supply unit that supplies hydrogen to a fuel cell, a pressure detection unit that detects the internal pressure of hydrogen supply piping, a current detection unit that detects the current value of the fuel cell, and a control unit that calculates the necessary hydrogen supply volume for the fuel cell based on the detected current value and pressure value, and controls the hydrogen supply unit to supply hydrogen corresponding to the calculated hydrogen supply unit to the fuel cell, wherein the control unit calculates the hydrogen supply volume based on the pressure value and the current value for each of a first cycle, and acquires the pressure value and supplies hydrogen corresponding to the immediately prior calculated hydrogen supply volume to the fuel cell when the control unit is determined that supply of hydrogen is necessary based on the acquired pressure value, for each of a second cycle which shorter than the first cycle.