JP-2026075719-A - Fuel cell system
Abstract
[Problem] To enable proper warm-up operation in a low-temperature environment in a fuel cell system having multiple fuel cells. [Solution] The fuel cell system 100 comprises a plurality of fuel cells 101 and a control unit 102 that controls the plurality of fuel cells 101. Each of the plurality of fuel cells 101 has a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of each of the plurality of fuel cells 101, and the control unit 102 controls the plurality of fuel cells 101 so that all of the plurality of fuel cells 101 perform a predetermined warm-up operation when the temperature detected by at least one of the temperature detection units of the plurality of fuel cells 101 is below a predetermined value after the plurality of fuel cells 101 have been started up. [Selection Diagram] Figure 2
Inventors
- 堀 雅司
Assignees
- 本田技研工業株式会社
Dates
- Publication Date
- 20260511
- Application Date
- 20241023
Claims (5)
- Multiple fuel cells, A fuel cell system comprising a control unit for controlling the plurality of fuel cells, Each of the plurality of fuel cells has a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of each of the plurality of fuel cells, A fuel cell system characterized in that, after the multiple fuel cells are started up, the control unit controls the multiple fuel cells so that all of the multiple fuel cells perform a predetermined warm-up operation when the temperature detected by at least one of the multiple fuel cells by the temperature detection unit is below a predetermined value.
- In the fuel cell system according to claim 1, The fuel cell system is characterized in that, when the control unit defines a fuel cell among the plurality of fuel cells whose temperature detected by the temperature detection unit after a predetermined warm-up operation is equal to or greater than the target temperature as a post-warm-up fuel cell, if any of the plurality of fuel cells becomes a post-warm-up fuel cell after the start of the predetermined warm-up operation, the control unit controls each post-warm-up fuel cell to stop the predetermined warm-up operation for the post-warm-up fuel cell and perform a predetermined scavenging operation.
- In the fuel cell system according to claim 2, The fuel cell system is characterized in that the control unit controls each post-warm fuel cell to stop operating when the post-warm fuel cell completes the predetermined scavenging operation.
- In the fuel cell system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The control unit comprises a central control unit that determines the required power generation amount for each of the plurality of fuel cells, and a plurality of individual control units that individually control each of the plurality of fuel cells to generate power according to the required power generation amount determined by the central control unit. The plurality of individual control units determine, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, whether or not a warm-up is necessary after the start-up of the fuel cell controlled by each of the plurality of individual control units. A fuel cell system characterized in that, when the central control unit determines that warming up is necessary based on at least one of the plurality of individual control units, it outputs a warming-up command to all of the plurality of individual control units so that the plurality of fuel cells perform the predetermined warming-up operation.
- In the fuel cell system according to claim 4, The plurality of individual control units include a single master individual control unit that starts up at a predetermined timing after the plurality of fuel cells are shut down, and slave individual control units other than the master individual control unit. A fuel cell system characterized in that, when the central control unit receives a signal from the master individual control unit after the master individual control unit has been started, it outputs a start command to the slave individual control unit to start the slave individual control unit.
Description
This invention relates to a fuel cell system having multiple fuel cells. In recent years, technological developments related to fuel cells have been underway to contribute to energy efficiency, aiming to ensure that more people have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy. One such fuel cell technology is one that warms up the fuel cell when its temperature falls below a predetermined level. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a fuel cell control method in which, when the cooling water temperature detected a predetermined time after the completion of purging the fuel cell is below a first predetermined temperature, the fuel cell is started to heat the cooling water, and then, when the cooling water temperature reaches a second predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature, the fuel cell operation is stopped. Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 118263477 Specification A diagram showing the schematic configuration of a single unit system constituting a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention.A block diagram schematically showing the control configuration of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention.This figure schematically shows an example of the process from the start-up of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention until the start of warm-up.A flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the central controller in Figure 2.A time chart showing an example of the operation of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention.A diagram schematically showing the changes in the operating modes of multiple unit systems included in a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The fuel cell system according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises multiple fuel cells. This fuel cell system can be mounted on a large fuel cell vehicle, such as a fuel cell bus. Hereinafter, each of the multiple fuel cells may be referred to as a unit system. By comprising multiple unit systems, the overall power generation can be increased, and sufficient power can be supplied to the drive motor of a large fuel cell vehicle. The configurations of multiple unit systems are identical to each other. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of a single unit system (fuel cell) 101. As shown in Figure 1, the unit system 101 includes a fuel cell stack 1, a fuel gas supply unit 2 that supplies fuel gas to the fuel cell stack, an oxidant gas supply unit 3 that supplies oxidant gas to the fuel cell stack 1, and a cooling medium supply unit 4 that supplies a cooling medium to the fuel cell stack 1. The fuel gas is, for example, hydrogen. The oxidant gas is, for example, air containing oxygen. The cooling medium is, for example, water or a coolant liquid containing ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. The fuel cell stack 1 is constructed by stacking multiple power generation cells. Each power generation cell comprises an electrolyte membrane, an anode separator positioned opposite one side of the electrolyte membrane, and a cathode separator positioned opposite the other side of the electrolyte membrane. The electrolyte membrane is, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. An anode electrode is formed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, and fuel gas is supplied to the anode electrode via the anode separator. A cathode electrode is formed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, and oxidant gas is supplied to the cathode electrode via the cathode separator. Between adjacent pairs of power generation cells, an anode separator and a cathode separator are arranged integrally, and a cooling medium flows between these anode and cathode separators. At the anode electrode, fuel gas (hydrogen), supplied via the anode separator, is ionized by the catalyst and moves through the electrolyte membrane to the cathode electrode. The electrons generated at this time pass through an external circuit and are extracted as electrical energy. At the cathode electrode, oxidizing gas (oxygen), supplied via the cathode separator, reacts with hydrogen ions introduced from the anode electrode and electrons moved from the anode electrode to produce water. The generated water provides appropriate humidity to the electrolyte membrane, and any excess water is discharged to the outside. The fuel gas supply unit 2 includes a fuel gas tank 21 in which fuel gas is stored, and a fuel gas flow path PA1 that guides the fuel gas in the fuel gas tank to the fuel cell stack 1. The fuel gas flow path PA1 includes a fuel gas supply flow path PA11 extending from the fuel gas tank 21 to the fuel gas inlet 21a of the fuel cell stack 1, and a fuel gas circulation flow path PA12 extending from the fuel gas outlet 21b of the fuel cell stack 1 to a point along