JP-2026074679-A - Fuel cell system

JP2026074679AJP 2026074679 AJP2026074679 AJP 2026074679AJP-2026074679-A

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a fuel cell system that improves the lifespan of the fuel gas injector. [Solution] The fuel cell system 1 includes an injector 26a that injects fuel gas into a fuel cell 4 and a linear solenoid valve 26b that has a larger injection flow rate than the injector 26a. The control device 3 consists of a switching unit that operates the injector 26a when the required power generation is less than a switching value and operates the linear solenoid valve 26b when it is equal to or greater than the switching value; an operation control unit that operates the injector 26a when the fuel gas supply pressure falls below a lower limit and stops the operation of the injector 26a when the pressure rises above an upper limit; an accumulation unit that accumulates the number of times the injector 26a operates; and a reduction control unit that performs reduction control to reduce the number of times the injector 26a operates compared to when the number of times the injector 26a operates when the number of times the injector 26a operates is greater than or equal to a threshold. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

菅沼寛之

Assignees

トヨタ自動車株式会社

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241021

Claims (5)

Fuel cells and An injector for injecting fuel gas into the fuel cell, A linear solenoid valve that injects fuel gas into the fuel cell and has a fuel gas injection flow rate greater than that of the injector, The system includes a control device for controlling the injector and the linear solenoid valve, The control device is A switching unit that activates the injector when the required power generation of the fuel cell is less than a switching value, and activates the linear solenoid valve when the required power generation is equal to or greater than the switching value. An operation control unit that, when the requested power generation is less than the switching value, activates the injector when the supply pressure of the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell falls below a lower limit, and stops the operation of the injector when the pressure rises above an upper limit. The system includes an accumulation unit that accumulates the number of times the injector operates, and a reduction control unit that, when the number of operations exceeds a threshold, performs reduction control to reduce the number of operations of the injector to a level lower than when the number of operations is below the threshold. Fuel cell system.
The reduction control, when the number of operations exceeds the threshold, changes the upper limit to a higher value while maintaining the lower limit, compared to when the number of operations is below the threshold, according to claim 1.
The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein the reduction control changes the switching value to a lower value when the number of operations exceeds the threshold, compared to when the number of operations is below the threshold.
The reduction control, when the number of operations exceeds the threshold, changes the upper limit to a higher value while maintaining the lower limit, and changes the switching value to a lower value, compared to when the number of operations is below the threshold. This is the fuel cell system according to claim 1.
The fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device includes a notification control unit that notifies when the number of operations exceeds the threshold.

Description

This invention relates to a fuel cell system. There is a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell, an injector for injecting fuel gas into the fuel cell, and a linear solenoid valve that injects fuel gas into the fuel cell and has a larger fuel gas injection flow rate than the injector (see Patent Document 1). Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-087520 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a fuel cell system.This flowchart illustrates the reduction control performed by the ECU.This is a timing chart illustrating the process of changing the upper limit.This is a timing chart illustrating the process of changing the switching value. [Fuel cell system configuration] Figure 1 is a diagram of the fuel cell system 1. The fuel cell system 1 is mounted on a vehicle and includes an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 3, a fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as FC) 4, an oxidizer gas supply system 10, and a fuel gas supply system 20. The fuel cell system 1 is mounted on a vehicle. The electricity generated by the FC 4 is supplied to the motor, which is the driving source for the vehicle. FC4 consists of multiple stacked solid polymer electrolyte single cells that generate electricity by receiving oxidizer gas and fuel gas. Within FC4, a cathode channel 4c through which the oxidizer gas flows and an anode channel 4a through which the fuel gas flows are formed. Each single cell consists of a membrane electrode assembly and a cathode-side separator and an anode-side separator that sandwich it. The cathode channel 4c is mainly defined between the membrane electrode assembly and the cathode-side separator, and is a space through which the oxidizer gas can flow. The anode channel 4a is defined between the membrane electrode assembly and the anode-side separator, and is a space through which the fuel gas can flow. The membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane and catalyst layers formed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane. The oxidizer gas supply system 10 supplies oxygen-containing air as the oxidizer gas to the FC4 and includes a supply pipe 11, a discharge pipe 12, a bypass pipe 13, an air compressor 14, a bypass valve 15, an intercooler 16, and a back pressure valve 17. The supply pipe 11 is connected to the inlet of the cathode flow path 4c of the FC4. The discharge pipe 12 is connected to the outlet of the cathode flow path 4c of the FC4. The bypass pipe 13 connects the supply pipe 11 and the discharge pipe 12. The bypass valve 15 is provided at the connection point between the supply pipe 11 and the bypass pipe 13. The bypass valve 15 switches the connection state between the supply pipe 11 and the bypass pipe 13. The air compressor 14, the bypass valve 15, and the intercooler 16 are arranged on the supply pipe 11 in order from upstream. The back pressure valve 17 is located on the discharge pipe 12, upstream of the connection point between the discharge pipe 12 and the bypass pipe 13. The air compressor 14 supplies oxygen-containing air as an oxidizing gas to the FC4 via the supply pipe 11. The oxidizing gas supplied to the FC4 is discharged via the discharge pipe 12. The intercooler 16 cools the oxidizing gas supplied to the FC4. The back pressure valve 17 adjusts the back pressure on the cathode side of the FC4. The air compressor 14, bypass valve 15, and back pressure valve 17 are controlled by the ECU 3. The flow rate of the oxidizing gas supplied from the air compressor 14 to the FC4 is adjusted by the ECU 3 adjusting the opening of the bypass valve 15 and the back pressure valve 17. The fuel gas supply system 20 supplies hydrogen gas as fuel gas to the FC4 and includes a tank 20T, a supply pipe 21, a circulation pipe 22, a discharge pipe 23, a tank valve 24, a pressure regulating valve 25, an injector (hereinafter referred to as INJ) 26a, a linear solenoid valve (hereinafter referred to as LSV) 26b, a pressure sensor S, a gas-liquid separator 27, a discharge valve 28, and a multi-nozzle ejector (hereinafter referred to as MEJ) 29. The tank 20T and the inlet of the anode flow path 4a of the FC4 are connected by the supply pipe 21. Hydrogen gas, which is the fuel gas, is stored in the tank 20T. The tank valve 24, pressure regulating valve 25, INJ 26a and LSV 26b, and MEJ 29 are arranged in order from the upstream side of the supply pipe 21. INJ 26a and LSV 26b are provided at the partially branched sections of the supply pipe 21, respectively. The pressure sensor S detects the supply pressure P of the fuel gas supplied to the FC4 from at least one of the INJ 26a and LSV 26b. The supply pressure P is the pressure in the supply pipe 21 downstream of the INJ 26a and LSV 26b. The supply pressure P corresponds to the pressure at the inlet of the FC4. With the tank valve 24 open, the opening of the pressure regulating valve 25 is adjusted. At least one of the INJ 26a and LSV 26b is driven to inject fuel gas. The injected fuel gas passes through the MEJ 29 and is supplied to the FC4. INJ2