JP5354461B2 - Fuel cell system and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To optimize operation and suppress dry-up in a fuel cell especially in a high-temperature environment. <P>SOLUTION: The control method is for the fuel cell system including a fuel cell which generates power by electrochemical reaction of reaction gas, and a gas piping system for supplying the reaction gas to the fuel cell. When water balance in the fuel cell is below a predetermined value, a supply condition of the reaction gas is changed, processes of reduction of an air stoichiometric ratio, reduction of an anode pressure, and increase of an anode circulation volume are carried out sequentially in this order, and after an output of the fuel cell is restricted, the water balance is recovered. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell system and a control method thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to optimizing operation control of a fuel cell system.

  In a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, when the membrane water content decreases, the proton conductivity in the electrolyte membrane decreases, the membrane resistance increases, the output voltage decreases, and the performance decreases. Such a phenomenon occurs particularly when the fuel cell system is operated at a high output in an environment where the outside air temperature is high. As a result, the cooling capacity of the radiator is insufficient, and the fuel cell cannot sufficiently dissipate heat. This is caused by dry-up in the battery (insufficient water content in the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell). In particular, since the probability that dry-up will occur increases as the temperature of the cooling water of the fuel cell system reaches a critical water temperature, for example, it is necessary to suppress such a situation.

  Conventionally, various techniques for avoiding such dry-up of a fuel cell have been proposed. For example, when the water balance in the fuel cell (water flow in or out of the fuel cell or the balance of the amount) is below a predetermined value, the output of the fuel cell is limited and notified to the user (for example, Patent Document 1) (Refer to Patent Document 2), when the water balance is less than a predetermined value (see Patent Document 2, for example), or to estimate that dry-up has occurred at a high temperature of the fuel cell and increase the cathode pressure (for example, Patent Document 3), and those that restrict the air conditioning of a vehicle (fuel cell vehicle) on which the fuel cell is mounted at a high temperature of the fuel cell to suppress dry-up (for example, see Patent Document 4).

JP 2008-146971 A JP 2008-103137 A JP 2008-130471 A JP 2007-234452 A

  However, even in a fuel cell system in which measures for dry-up are taken as described above, dry-up may still occur particularly in a high temperature environment.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell system and a control method therefor that can suppress a situation in which dry-up occurs particularly in a fuel cell under a high temperature environment.

  In order to solve this problem, the present inventor has made various studies. For example, in the case of Patent Document 1 described above, when the minimum required output can be ensured, the cathode pressure is increased to recover the membrane water content (see FIG. 5D). However, if the cathode pressure is increased, the auxiliary power loss of the air compressor will increase (it will be necessary to secure the power consumption of the auxiliary power loss), so the minimum required output will be reduced. It is a problem.

  In the case of Patent Document 2, when the water content of the fuel cell decreases, the membrane water content is recovered without increasing the auxiliary power loss by reducing only the anode pressure (see FIG. 5). However, since the required increase in water content cannot be ensured only by reducing the anode pressure, and there is no other means for recovering the membrane water content when the water content does not sufficiently recover, the fuel There may be a problem that a vehicle equipped with a battery system cannot run.

  In the case of Patent Document 3, since the cathode water pressure is increased in accordance with the water temperature to recover the membrane water content (see FIG. 5), the auxiliary power loss increases when the cathode pressure is increased in this way. Unavoidable.

  Furthermore, even when a fuel cell vehicle with air conditioning restrictions is operating in a room temperature environment, dry-up may occur due to the effects of increased water temperature, excessive operation, heater power loss when using an air conditioner, and the like.

  In order to avoid dry-up of the fuel cell, there is also a technique of using current control means for increasing the current value so that the amount of water produced by the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen increases. However, the means for increasing the current value is effective when the cooling performance is ensured, but when the cooling capacity is limited, the increase in the current value leads to an increase in the water temperature, which may be difficult to implement. In particular, in vehicles, the mountable area is limited due to the influence of design, running resistance, etc., and it is not possible to mount a radiator of sufficient size, and the water temperature at the maximum load is below the limit water temperature of the fuel cell. Difficult to set. For this reason, it may be difficult in practice to effectively use the current value increasing means.

  As described above, if the water temperature rises in a high temperature environment, the fuel cell may dry up. Therefore, it is necessary to provide some restrictions on the operating conditions in order to avoid such a situation. Under such circumstances, the present inventor has repeatedly studied on optimizing the operation method while providing necessary restrictions on the operation conditions of the fuel cell, and has obtained new knowledge that leads to the solution of the problem. The present invention is based on such knowledge, and in a fuel cell system having a fuel cell that generates power by an electrochemical reaction of a reaction gas, and a gas piping system for supplying the reaction gas to the fuel cell. A control unit that changes the supply state of the reaction gas in response to a power generation request, and when the water balance in the fuel cell is below a predetermined value, the priority order of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation rate increase And a control unit for recovering the water balance after performing these processes and limiting the output of the fuel cell.

  In the conventional configuration, the water content of the electrolyte membrane (fuel cell water balance) is recovered by increasing the cathode pressure or decreasing the anode pressure, but the water content increases, for example, when the cathode pressure is increased. However, when the anode pressure is reduced, the increase in power loss is small but the rate of increase in water content is small. It is difficult to recover. In this regard, in the present invention, an optimum method is selected at each time point in order of decreasing output restriction ratio, and the water content (water balance) is recovered in a shorter time. In other words, in the fuel cell system according to the present invention, the control unit in the system limits the output of the fuel cell in ascending order of the output restriction ratio such as air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation amount increase. This effectively suppresses the occurrence of dry-up in a high temperature environment and restores the water content.

  That is, when the water content of the fuel cell is reduced, the air stoichiometric ratio is reduced, and in some cases, the anode pressure is further reduced, thereby reducing the power consumption by the power consuming device such as an auxiliary machine. If there is, the electric power required for the vehicle can be reduced. If the water content of the electrolyte membrane does not recover even in this case, the anode circulation amount is subsequently increased.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the cathode pressure increasing process is further performed when it is determined that the water balance is not in a recovery trend by the processes of the air stoichiometric ratio reduction, the anode pressure reduction, and the anode circulation amount increase.

  Further, the fuel cell system according to the present invention includes an air conditioning system, and reduces the power of the air conditioning system when the water balance becomes a predetermined value or less. Such a fuel cell system is suitable for a fuel cell vehicle, for example, as one that can limit the air conditioning output.

  When the output is limited when the water balance is less than or equal to a predetermined value, it is preferable to notify the user that the output is limited. According to this, it is possible to eliminate a sense of discomfort and anxiety that a user such as a driver of a fuel cell vehicle can hold.

  Furthermore, a control method according to the present invention is a control method for a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell that generates electric power through an electrochemical reaction of a reaction gas, and a gas piping system for supplying the reaction gas to the fuel cell. When the water balance in the fuel cell falls below a predetermined value, the supply state of the reaction gas is changed, and these processes are performed in the order of priority of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation amount increase. The water balance is restored after limiting the output of.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the situation where dry up arises in a fuel cell in a high temperature environment can be suppressed, aiming at the optimization of the driving | operation of the said fuel cell.

It is a block diagram of the fuel cell system which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph showing the relationship between the water content increase per minute (min) on the horizontal axis and the output limit value of the fuel cell (threshold value indicating a value that can be output at that time) on the vertical axis. It is a graph showing the relationship between the water content increase per minute (min) on the horizontal axis and the battery supplementary power amount on the vertical axis. It is a graph which shows an example of the time passage of a water balance. (A) The relationship between the cathode stoichiometric ratio and the water balance, (B) the relationship between the anode pressure and the water balance, (C) the relationship between the anode circulation amount and the water balance, and (D) the graph showing the relationship between the cathode pressure and the water balance. . It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process in the case of recovering a water balance by restrict | limiting the output of a fuel cell. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the power limiting method of an air conditioner (air conditioning system). It is a flowchart which shows the example of control of the water balance in the case of raising water temperature by the request | requirement from an air conditioner (air conditioning system). It is a figure which shows the water temperature meter which points a red zone when a water balance is negative. It is a figure which shows the water temperature meter which points the area | region beyond the maximum value of a red zone when a water balance is negative.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail based on an example of an embodiment shown in the drawings.

  The fuel cell system of this embodiment is not particularly shown, but includes a fuel cell body (FC), current detection means (such as an ammeter) for measuring the current of the fuel cell, a high voltage battery, a battery boost converter, and a drive motor. , Relay (connecting fuel cell, battery boost converter and drive motor), battery relay (relay connecting high voltage battery and battery boost converter), inverter driving drive motor, etc. . This fuel cell system is a fuel cell hybrid system in which a motor is driven by an inverter using electric power from a fuel cell and a high voltage battery.

  The fuel cell system can be applied as an in-vehicle power generation system of a fuel cell vehicle (FCHV), for example, but is not limited to this. It can be used as a power generation system mounted on a self-propelled device such as a robot, or as a stationary power generation system. Each embodiment of the present invention described below shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a fuel cell vehicle equipped with the fuel cell system. In each figure, the fuel cell may be represented as “FC” and the high voltage battery as “BAT”.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a fuel cell system 1 in the present embodiment. The fuel cell system 1 can be mounted on a vehicle 100 such as a fuel cell vehicle (FCHV), an electric vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle. However, the fuel cell system 1 can be applied to various mobile bodies other than the vehicle 100 (for example, ships, airplanes, robots, etc.), stationary power sources, and portable fuel cell systems.

  The fuel cell system 1 includes a fuel cell 2, an oxidizing gas piping system 3 that supplies air as an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell 2, a fuel gas piping system 4 that supplies hydrogen gas as a fuel gas to the fuel cell 2, A refrigerant piping system 5 that supplies refrigerant to the fuel cell 2, a power system 6 that charges and discharges the power of the system 1, and a control device 7 that performs overall control of the operation of the system 1 are provided. Oxidizing gas and fuel gas can be collectively referred to as reaction gas.

  The fuel cell 2 is composed of, for example, a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, and has a stack structure in which a large number of single cells are stacked. The unit cell includes a solid polymer membrane having proton conductivity in an electrolyte layer, has an air electrode (cathode) on one surface of the electrolyte, a fuel electrode (anode) on the other surface, and A pair of separators are provided so as to sandwich the air electrode and the fuel electrode from both sides. An oxidizing gas is supplied to the oxidizing gas channel 2a of one separator, and a fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas channel 2b of the other separator. The fuel cell 2 generates electric power by the electrochemical reaction of the supplied fuel gas and oxidizing gas.

  The oxidizing gas piping system 3 includes a supply path 11 through which the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell 2 flows, and a discharge path 12 through which the oxidizing off gas discharged from the fuel cell 2 flows. The supply path 11 communicates with the discharge path 12 via the oxidizing gas flow path 2a. The oxidizing off gas is in a highly moist state because it contains moisture generated by the cell reaction of the fuel cell 2.

  The supply path 11 is provided with a compressor 14 that takes in outside air via an air cleaner 13. Further, the supply path 11 is provided with a humidifier 15 for humidifying the oxidizing gas pumped to the fuel cell 2 by the compressor 14 as necessary. The humidifier 15 exchanges moisture between the low-humidity oxidizing gas flowing in the supply passage 11 and the high-humidity oxidizing off-gas flowing in the discharge passage 12, and appropriately supplies the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell 2. Humidify.

  The back pressure on the air electrode side of the fuel cell 2 is adjusted by a back pressure adjusting valve 16 disposed in the discharge path 12 near the cathode outlet. In the vicinity of the back pressure adjustment valve 16, a pressure sensor P1 for detecting the pressure in the discharge passage 12 is provided. The oxidizing off gas passes through the back pressure regulating valve 16 and the humidifier 15 and is finally exhausted into the atmosphere outside the system as exhaust gas.

  The fuel gas piping system 4 includes a hydrogen supply source 21, a supply path 22 through which hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen supply source 21 to the fuel cell 2 flows, and a supply path for supplying hydrogen offgas (fuel offgas) discharged from the fuel cell 2. 22, a circulation path 23 for returning to the junction point A of 22, a pump 24 that pumps the hydrogen off-gas in the circulation path 23 to the supply path 22, and a purge path 25 that is branched and connected to the circulation path 23. The hydrogen gas flowing out from the hydrogen supply source 21 to the supply path 22 by opening the main valve 26 is supplied to the fuel cell 2 through the pressure regulating valve 27 and other pressure reducing valves and the shutoff valve 28. The purge passage 25 is provided with a purge valve 33 for discharging the hydrogen off gas to a hydrogen diluter (not shown).

  The refrigerant piping system (cooling mechanism) 5 is configured to supply a refrigerant channel 41 communicating with the cooling channel 2 c in the fuel cell 2, a cooling pump 42 provided in the refrigerant channel 41, and a refrigerant discharged from the fuel cell 2. It has a radiator 43 for cooling, a bypass passage 44 for bypassing the radiator 43, and a switching valve 45 for setting the flow of cooling water to the radiator 43 and the bypass passage 44. The refrigerant flow path 41 has a temperature sensor 46 provided in the vicinity of the refrigerant inlet of the fuel cell 2 and a temperature sensor 47 provided in the vicinity of the refrigerant outlet of the fuel cell 2. The refrigerant temperature (related temperature of the fuel cell) detected by the temperature sensor 47 reflects the internal temperature of the fuel cell 2 (hereinafter referred to as FC temperature). The temperature sensor 47 detects the temperature of parts around the fuel cell (related temperature of the fuel cell) and the outside air temperature around the fuel cell (related temperature of the fuel cell) instead of (or in addition to) the refrigerant temperature. May be. Further, the fuel cell cooling pump 42 circulates and supplies the refrigerant in the refrigerant channel 41 to the fuel cell 2 by driving the motor.

  The power system 6 includes a high-voltage DC / DC converter 61, a battery 62, a traction inverter 63, a traction motor 64, and various auxiliary inverters 65, 66, and 67. The high-voltage DC / DC converter 61 is a direct-current voltage converter that adjusts the direct-current voltage input from the battery 62 and outputs it to the traction inverter 63 side, and the direct-current input from the fuel cell 2 or the traction motor 64. And a function of adjusting the voltage and outputting it to the battery 62. The charge / discharge of the battery 62 is realized by these functions of the high-voltage DC / DC converter 61. Further, the output voltage of the fuel cell 2 is controlled by the high voltage DC / DC converter 61.

  The battery (capacitor) 62 is a chargeable / dischargeable secondary battery, and is composed of, for example, a nickel metal hydride battery. In addition, various types of secondary batteries can be applied. Instead of the battery 62, a chargeable / dischargeable battery other than the secondary battery, for example, a capacitor may be used.

  The traction inverter 63 converts a direct current into a three-phase alternating current and supplies it to the traction motor 64. The traction motor 64 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. The traction motor 64 constitutes, for example, a main power source of the vehicle 100 on which the fuel cell system 1 is mounted, and is connected to the wheels 101L and 101R of the vehicle 100. The auxiliary machine inverters 65, 66, and 67 control the driving of the motors of the compressor 14, the pump 24, and the cooling pump 42, respectively.

  The control device 7 is configured as a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, and RAM therein. The CPU executes a desired calculation according to the control program, and performs various processes and controls such as control of normal operation and control of warm-up operation described later. The ROM stores control programs and control data processed by the CPU. The RAM is mainly used as various work areas for control processing.

  The timer 70, the voltage sensor 72, and the current sensor 73 are connected to the control device 7. The timer 70 measures various times necessary for controlling the operation of the fuel cell system 1. The voltage sensor 72 detects the output voltage (FC voltage) of the fuel cell 2. Specifically, the voltage sensor 72 detects a voltage (hereinafter referred to as “cell voltage”) generated by each of a large number of single cells of the fuel cell 2. Thereby, the state of each single cell of the fuel cell 2 is grasped. The current sensor 73 detects the output current (FC current) of the fuel cell 2.

  The control device 7 inputs detection signals from various sensors such as various pressure sensors P1, temperature sensors 46 and 47, and an accelerator opening sensor that detects the accelerator opening of the vehicle 100, and each component (compressor 14, A control signal is output to the back pressure regulating valve 16 or the like. In addition, the control device 7 diagnoses the moisture state of the fuel cell 2 at a predetermined timing, and performs moisture control of the fuel cell 2 based on the diagnosis result.

  Further, in the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, when the water balance in the fuel cell 2 becomes a predetermined value or less by the control device 7, the output of the fuel cell 2 is limited with a predetermined priority, and the electrolyte The moisture content of the membrane is to be recovered. The detailed procedure is shown below. Here, in order to keep the temperature of the fuel cell 2 below a certain value, in order to perform an operation in which the stack of the fuel cell 2 does not dry while limiting the output of the fuel cell 2 Priority is given to the operation with the smallest auxiliary power loss, and a predetermined output (assumed cell voltage) is secured while reducing the heat generation amount of the stack. Hereinafter, an output limiting technique for recovering the membrane water content will be described (see FIG. 2 and the like).

  Here, first, the water balance of the fuel cell 2 refers to the entry and exit of water in the fuel cell 2 or the balance of the amount thereof. If the water content of the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell 2 increases (or decreases), that is, this increases (or decreases) the water balance. There are various methods for managing the water balance (moisture management of the fuel cell 2). In general, a method of sending moisture from the outside by adding moisture to the fuel gas (hydrogen gas), and the fuel cell There are a method of utilizing moisture generated in the fuel cell 2 and an internal management method of managing the fuel cell 2 in a humid state. In the present embodiment, when the water balance in the fuel cell 2 becomes a predetermined value or less, the control device 7 causes the fuel cell 2 to be prioritized in the order of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, anode circulation amount increase, and cathode pressure increase. Is going to limit the output.

  In general, in the fuel cell 2, water is generated at the cathode in accordance with the electrochemical reaction, so that most of the water discharged from the fuel cell 2 to the outside is discharged as water vapor together with the cathode offgas. It is moisture. For this reason, when the gas pressure on the cathode side is increased, water tends to exist as liquid water instead of water vapor in the cathode side flow path (supply path 11 and discharge path 12), and the amount of water discharged as water vapor together with the cathode off-gas. Therefore, the water balance of the fuel cell 2 can be increased (see FIG. 5D). Further, if the gas pressure on the cathode side is relatively increased with respect to the anode side, the movement of water in the electrolyte membrane from the cathode side to the anode side where water is generated is promoted, and the water content of the electrolyte membrane ( Water balance) can be increased. On the other hand, when the gas pressure on the anode side is increased, water is unlikely to exist as liquid water in the cathode side flow path (supply path 11 and discharge path 12). As a result of the increased amount, the water balance of the fuel cell 2 decreases (see FIG. 5B).

  Further, when the air stoichiometric ratio at the cathode (CA) is reduced, the amount of water discharged as water vapor along with the cathode off-gas increases, resulting in a decrease in the water balance of the fuel cell 2 (see FIG. 5A). On the other hand, when the amount of gas circulation in the anode (AN) increases, the water balance of the fuel cell 2 increases (see FIG. 5C).

  Here, an example of processing in the case where the water balance is recovered by the output restriction is shown below (see FIG. 6). In this embodiment, various auxiliary machines are adjusted according to the dry state of the fuel cell stack to control heat generation and water balance. That is, first, during operation of the fuel cell system 1, a constant water balance is calculated by the control device 7 (step SP1). Here, it is determined whether or not the calculated water balance exceeds 0 (whether it is a positive state) (step SP2). If it exceeds 0, the output restriction processing routine is terminated. Calculate the balance. On the other hand, if the water balance is negative (see FIG. 4), in this embodiment, the air stoichiometric ratio change (reduction) at the cathode (CA), the fuel gas pressure change (reduction) at the anode (AN), the anode (AN) Gas circulation amount increase is performed in this order (NO in step SP2, step SP3).

  It should be noted that after the air stoichiometric ratio is reduced, a process for increasing the cathode (CA) pressure may be performed, followed by a process for decreasing the anode gas pressure and increasing the anode gas circulation rate. However, the cathode pressure increasing process as a method of increasing the volume flow rate of the cathode pressure is likely to lead to an increase in auxiliary power and an increase in heat generation. Therefore, in this embodiment, priority is given to the other three means as described below. (Step SP3) However, if the water content of the membrane cannot be recovered, the cathode pressure is increased in the subsequent stage (Step SP5).

  By the way, the water balance is calculated based on the amount of power removed from the fuel cell stack based on the amount of water generated (carrying away) based on the amount of cathode air, the amount of exhausted anode, and the temperature (water temperature). It can be determined by subtracting the amount of water produced. For example, the moisture removal amount by the cathode air can be calculated by performing calculation based on a map below saturated water vapor. The control device 7 of the fuel cell system 1 performs various controls so as to turn to 0 or more (plus) when the water balance becomes 0 or less (minus). In addition to this, it is also possible to employ a means such as providing a dew point meter at the cathode outlet and measuring to calculate the water balance.

  Here, the horizontal axis indicates the amount of water content increase per minute (min), and the vertical axis indicates the output limit value (threshold value indicating the value that can be output at that time). The required power (however, the state where the output limit of the fuel cell 2 is not set) is displayed as a constant value with a broken line (see FIG. 2). Each circle in the figure is an operating point, and indicates a value that can be output by the fuel cell 2 at that time. The interval between the operating point and the broken line (see the arrow in the figure) is complemented by the battery 62. This is the amount of output that you need. For example, if an auxiliary machine such as an air compressor or an air conditioner of a vehicle is operated (operated), the extra power required for these will be consumed (auxiliary power loss), and the output for driving the vehicle will be increased. Therefore, it is necessary to secure the power consumption corresponding to the auxiliary power loss.

  As described above, generally, the output limit value of the fuel cell 2 is determined according to the water temperature (cooling water temperature of the fuel cell 2). Therefore, if the cooling performance of the fuel cell 2 does not change, the heat generation of the fuel cell 2 occurs. The amount is determined by the operating point described above. Therefore, if the auxiliary machine power loss is reduced, the output limit value of the fuel cell 2 is increased (the restriction is relaxed). Conversely, if the auxiliary machine power loss is increased, the output limit value of the fuel cell 2 is It will be reduced (further limited) (see FIG. 2).

Here, an example will be described. When the water content increase amount and the output limit threshold value are initially in the operating point (a) in FIG. 2, the air stoichiometric ratio is set in step SP3 as described above. By reducing, the power consumption of the auxiliary machine (compressor 14) can be reduced. For example, when the required output power for the fuel cell 2 at that time (the required power when there is an output limit) is W ₁ and the output limit value at the operating point (a) is below this W ₁ , The air stoichiometric ratio can be reduced to move the operating point from (a) to (b), and the output limit value can be increased by the amount of auxiliary machine power loss to be equal to or higher than the required output power W _1. . In addition, it is preferable to perform the air stoichiometric ratio reduction of the cathode (CA) within a range not accompanied by a voltage drop of the fuel cell stack accompanying the reduction.

  In the present embodiment, the anode (AN) pressure is also changed (reduced) (step SP3). According to this processing, the operating point moves from (b) to (c). If the anode pressure is reduced, the power consumption of the auxiliary equipment such as the pump 24 can be reduced, and the output limit value of the fuel cell 2 can be further increased by this auxiliary power loss. The anode pressure reduction is performed within a range where the hydrogen concentration in the anode circulation system becomes a predetermined value or more. Further, the anode pressure is reduced within a pressure range that does not cause backflow due to the cathode back pressure when exhausted by the purge valve (exhaust drain valve) 33. Further, the anode pressure is reduced within a pressure range that does not cause a cell voltage drop due to a hydrogen concentration drop.

  As described above, considering the output limit of the fuel cell 2, first, the output limit value is increased by the amount of auxiliary power loss (relaxing the limit). In this embodiment, the output at this operating point (c) The limit value becomes the maximum value (or maximum value) (see FIG. 2), and the magnitude of the output that needs to be complemented by the battery 62 becomes the minimum value (or minimum value) (see FIG. 3).

  Subsequently, in the present embodiment, the anode (AN) circulation amount is changed (increased) (see FIG. 2). When the anode circulation amount is increased, the operating point moves from (c) to (d), and the water balance increases accordingly (see FIG. 5 (C)), but the power consumption of auxiliary equipment such as the pump 24 is increased. The output limit value decreases as the amount increases. Increasing the amount of anode circulation leads to power loss. Therefore, after the above two treatments (reducing the cathode air stoichiometric ratio and reducing the anode pressure), the output limit value reaches the maximum value (maximum value). It is preferable to perform such a circulation amount increasing process. The process of increasing the anode circulation amount is less sensitive to changes in water balance and the like than the process of increasing the cathode pressure. In addition, when changing the operating status by performing the various processes described so far, if the cell voltage is lower than the expected value, the stack will dry due to the operation after the change, so the gas flow rate is increased. However, it is preferable to operate in the direction in which the cell voltage increases.

  Here, in this embodiment, it is determined whether the water balance at this time exceeds 0 (plus state) (step SP4), and if it exceeds 0 (YES in step SP4), step SP9. (See FIG. 6). On the other hand, if it does not exceed 0 (NO in step SP4), a process of further increasing the cathode (CA) pressure is performed (step SP5).

  When the cathode (CA) pressure is increased in step SP5, the operating point moves from (d) to (e), and the water balance increases accordingly (see FIG. 5 (D)). Since the power consumption of the auxiliary machine increases, the output limit value decreases.

  Thereafter, in this embodiment, it is determined again whether the water balance exceeds 0 (plus state) (step SP6). If it exceeds 0 (YES in step SP6), the process of step SP9 is performed. On the other hand, if it still does not exceed 0 (NO in step SP6) at this time, the output of the fuel cell 2 is limited, and the dry-up is suppressed until the water balance exceeds 0 (until it becomes positive). The amount of water is recovered (step SP7, step SP8). If the water balance exceeds 0 (YES in step SP8), the process of step SP9 is performed.

  In step SP9, it is determined whether the output of the fuel cell 2 is a predetermined value (whether the cell voltage of the fuel cell 2 exceeds an assumed value). If the cell voltage exceeds the assumed value (YES in step SP9), the series of processing routines is terminated. On the other hand, if the cell voltage does not exceed the assumed value (NO in step SP9), the process returns to step SP3, and processing such as cathode stoichiometric ratio change (reduction) is performed again.

  As described above, in the fuel cell system 1 of the present embodiment, the membrane water content is reduced in the order of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, anode circulation amount increase (step SP3), and further cathode pressure increase (step SP5). Thus, it is possible to manage the water balance while avoiding a decrease in the output limit value of the fuel cell 2. For example, if only the anode pressure is reduced, the amount of increase in the water balance is small although the output limit is small, but it takes time to recover the membrane water content. For example, it is possible to further shorten the time required to recover the membrane water content. Further, if all of these processes are performed so that the amount of increase in the water balance is increased, more output restriction is performed accordingly, but in this embodiment, a process with less auxiliary power loss. By performing in order, the operation can be optimized so as to ensure a predetermined output (assumed cell voltage) while reducing the amount of heat generated in the stack.

  In the present embodiment, the amount of power that can be supplemented by the battery 62 is determined from the battery SOC (remaining battery power amount or battery storage state) and compensated for the insufficient membrane water content in a short time. The amount of water content that can be increased is selected. That is, under the condition that the following Equation 1 is satisfied, that is, the time (left side) that can be supplemented by the battery 62 exceeds the time (right side) until the membrane water content is recovered, the membrane water content. Is selected as appropriate so as to minimize the time until the recovery. However, when the SOC of the battery 62 is minimized and there is a possibility that the running performance of the fuel cell vehicle may be affected, a condition that is less affected by the output restriction (a condition that increases the output restriction value shown in FIG. 2) is appropriately set. It is preferable to select.

[Equation 1]
(Remaining battery power) / (Battery complementary power / min)> (Insufficient water content) / (Water content increase / min)

  In the above description, the battery supplementary power amount per minute (min) and the water content increase amount are exemplified, but this is merely an example of the amount per unit time, and it goes without saying that the unit of time can be changed as appropriate. Absent.

  Next, a method for limiting the power of an air conditioner (air conditioner, shown as AC in FIG. 7 and the like) will be described.

  When the vehicle is operated while operating the air conditioner system 81 and the air conditioner auxiliary heat exchanger 82 mounted on the fuel cell vehicle in a normal temperature (or low temperature) environment, the water temperature increases, excessive operation, air conditioner There is a possibility that dry-up occurs in the fuel cell 2 due to the influence of the heater due to the cooperation. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to avoid dry-up even when there is no external humidification (a configuration in which the external device is not humidified), control according to the operation request of the air conditioner is performed according to various conditions. Implement (see FIGS. 7 and 8).

  First, when the fuel cell system 1 is in operation, the controller 7 constantly calculates the water balance (step SP11), and when the dry state of the fuel cell stack is detected when heating or dehumidifying the air conditioner, for example, When the balance is negative (NO in step SP12), a power reduction request is made to the air conditioner system 81, and the temperature of the cooling water of the fuel cell 2 is lowered by performing heat cooperation to the air conditioner side (step SP13). The heat cooperation to the air conditioner side can be performed, for example, by releasing heat to the air conditioner side using the air conditioner auxiliary heat exchange 82. In addition, when the dry state of the fuel cell stack is still detected, if the operation mode of the air conditioner is cooling, the power loss of the fuel cell 2 is reduced by reducing the power of the air conditioner, and dry-up occurs. To avoid. When dry-up cannot be avoided by the above method (NO in step SP14), the water balance is recovered but the cell voltage does not exceed the assumed value (NO in step SP16), the above-described fuel cell 2 The output restriction process (see FIG. 6) is performed (step SP15). On the other hand, when the dry-up can be avoided by the above method, the output limiting process (see FIG. 6) of the fuel cell 2 described above can be omitted.

  Further, when the water temperature (cooling water temperature) is raised at the request of the air conditioner system 81 when the air conditioner is linked (step SP21), the water balance of the fuel cell 2 becomes positive even when the water temperature rises. It is preferable to control the balance and increase the water temperature after the control so that the water balance is equivalent to that before the start of the control to avoid dry-up (steps SP22 to SP25).

  Next, a method for notifying the user when performing output restriction will be described.

  As described above, when the output is limited when the water balance of the fuel cell 2 is negative, the user (especially the driver) may be notified so that the output limitation is performed. preferable. By appropriately notifying and recognizing such information, it is possible to eliminate a sense of discomfort and anxiety that a user such as a driver of a fuel cell vehicle can have, and to use the system more safely.

  Various notification methods can be employed in this case. For example, the red zone of the water temperature meter 83 can be indicated when the water balance is negative (see FIG. 9). Alternatively, when the water balance is negative, guide the region above the maximum value of the red zone of the water temperature meter 83 (guide the region that is not indicated even when the water temperature reaches the maximum temperature), and it is clearer that the output is in a limited state. It is also preferable to notify (see FIG. 10). Of course, it is also possible to notify the user of the state of the fuel cell stack, such as a negative water balance, using other indicators such as an instrument panel or windscreen, or using a warning sound such as a buzzer. . To give a simple example, changing the sound gradually or changing the music according to the degree of dryness, displaying the output limit value, changing the output map for the accelerator (output at 100% accelerator) Adopt measures such as making the maximum output limited), making the air-conditioner less effective, such as giving a warm air, and letting the user sense by vibrating the seat and handle. Can do.

  The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the cathode stoichiometric ratio change (reduction), the anode pressure change (reduction), and the anode circulation amount change (increase) have been performed in step SP3 (see FIG. 6). This is merely an example of a preferred embodiment, and in addition, each process may be performed in independent steps, and it may be determined for each step whether or not the water balance exceeds zero.

  In the embodiment described above, whether the water balance is positive or negative, that is, the output restriction is determined based on the water balance 0, but the output restriction is determined based on any other value, that is, a value other than 0. It may be.

  According to the present invention, the relay welding state of the fuel cell can be detected even when the open voltage of the fuel cell is close to the open voltage of the high voltage battery. Therefore, the present invention can be widely used in fuel cells and fuel cell systems that have such requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Fuel cell system, 2 ... Fuel cell, 3 ... Oxidation gas piping system (gas piping system), 4 ... Fuel gas piping system (gas piping system), 7 ... Control apparatus (control part), 81 ... Air conditioning system (air conditioning) System), 83 ... Water temperature meter (device for notifying the user that output is limited)

Claims (5)

A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of the reaction gas, and the gas piping system for supplying a reactant gas to the fuel cell, which have a, in the fuel cell system to supply power to the power consuming device,
The supply state of the reactive gas is changed in response to a power generation request in the fuel cell, and the power loss in a predetermined power consuming device related to recovery of the water balance of the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell among the power consuming devices. A control unit for instructing to secure power consumption by increasing the output , and when the water balance in the fuel cell falls below a predetermined value, each process of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation amount increase is performed. the carried out in the described order in accordance with priority power loss is reduced for a given power consumption device, the control section limits the output of the fuel cell as the heating value is reduced to restore the water balance, the more A fuel cell system.   2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein a cathode pressure increase process is further performed when it is determined that the water balance is not in a recovery trend even by the processes of the air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation amount increase.   The fuel cell system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an air conditioning system, wherein the power of the air conditioning system is reduced when the water balance becomes a predetermined value or less.   The fuel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a device for notifying a user that the output is restricted when the output is restricted when the water balance is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Battery system. A fuel cell that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction of the reaction gas, and the gas piping system for supplying a reactant gas to the fuel cell, and have a control of the fuel cell system to supply power to the power consuming device A method,
When the water balance in the fuel cell is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the supply state of the reaction gas is changed, and each process of air stoichiometric ratio reduction, anode pressure reduction, and anode circulation amount increase is performed in the power consumption device. carried out in the described order in accordance with the priority power loss for a given power consumption devices related to water balance recovery of the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell is reduced, limiting the output of the fuel cell as the heating value is reduced A fuel cell control method for recovering the water balance.

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