JPS60241670A - Fuel cell controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control the cell temperature to predetermined level against the load variation by comparing the temperature of fuel cell with a setting level to obtain a pressure level then comparing said pressure level with the pressure in a cooling water tank and increasing/decreasing the opening of a regulation valve at the steam discharge port. CONSTITUTION:Cooling water 5 in a tank 4 is circulated by a circulation pump 8 through cooling flow paths 6, 7 into a fuel cell 1 to perform cooling. Here, the temperature of cell 1 is detected through a detector 12 and compared with a setting level 11 through a controller 14 to obtain a setting pressure 15 which is compared with the level of a pressure sensor 16 in a tank 4 through a controller 18 thus to increase/decrease the opening of a regulation valve 10 provided at the steam discharge port 9. Consequently, when varying the temperature in accordance to the pressure variation of cooling water 5 in the cooling flow paths 6, 7, the temperature of the cell can be maintained at predetermined level with quickened response while following after the temperature variation under load variation.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] This invention maintains the temperature of the fuel cell main body at a predetermined temperature.
The present invention relates to a control device for a fuel cell device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional control device for a fuel cell device disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-82978. In the figure, (1) is the fuel cell main body, which is composed of a fuel electrode (2) and an air electrode (3). (4) is a tank that stores cooling water (5) that cools the fuel cell main body (1); (6)
and (7) is a cooling system that guides the cooling water (5) in the tank (4) to the fuel cell main body (1) and also guides the cooling water (5) after cooling the fuel cell main body (1) to the tank (4). Channel, (8
) is a pump provided in the cooling channel (7) to circulate the cooling water (5), and (9) is a discharge port for discharging steam generated within the tank (4) to the outside of the tank.

Next, the operation will be explained. The main components of the fuel wL Ikegi body 1) are a fuel electrode (2) to which hydrogen as fuel is supplied, and an air electrode (3) to which air is supplied as an oxidizing agent.
It is used to convert the fuel into chemical energy, and heat is generated as a side effect during this energy conversion. If the temperature inside the battery rises above a specified level due to this heat, electrode deterioration will accelerate and electrolyte evaporation. Otherwise, it may adversely affect the heat resistance of the battery components, making it difficult to operate the battery efficiently.
), (7) must be cooled by circulating cooling water (5).

Furthermore, the cooling water (5) that circulated in the cooling channels (a) and (7) absorbs the temperature of the battery and the water temperature rises, so steam is released from the outlet (9) provided in the tank (4). By doing so, the temperature of the cooling water (5) in the tank (4) is lowered, and the temperature of the fuel cell main body () is maintained at a predetermined temperature.

Conventional control devices for fuel cell devices are configured as described above, so it is difficult to make the cooling water temperature follow temperature changes due to changes in battery load, etc. There were drawbacks such as (1) that the temperature rise could not be suppressed and the temperature could not be maintained at a predetermined level. Furthermore, these drawbacks may cause evaporation of the electrolyte and deterioration of the electrodes, resulting in the drawback that efficient fuel cell operation cannot be achieved.

[Summary of the invention]

This invention was made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional ones. A regulating valve is provided at the steam outlet of the tank, and the temperature value of the fuel cell body and a preset temperature value are calculated and processed. A first control device is provided that outputs a set pressure value, and the set pressure value output from the first control device and the pressure value in the tank are processed to output the valve opening amount of the regulating valve. The present invention provides a control device for a fuel cell device that can maintain the temperature of the fuel cell at a predetermined temperature by providing a second control device that controls increase/decrease in the amount of opening of the regulating valve.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Second
In the figure, (1) to 9) have the same structure as the conventional device described above. αQ is the #valve installed at the outlet (9) of the tank (4), Qυ is the preset temperature value, and (2) is the temperature detector (2) that detects the temperature of the fuel cell body (1). (hereinafter referred to as temperature sensor), (to) is the fuel cell main body (to) detected by this temperature sensor (to)
1) temperature value, 04 is the set temperature value 0υ and the fuel cell main body (
C10 is a pressure detector (hereinafter referred to as pressure sensor) that detects the pressure in the tank (4). )O
η is the tank (4) detected by this pressure sensor OQ
The pressure value in (goods) is the set pressure value (2) and tank (4)
This is a second control device that calculates and processes the pressure value αη in the control valve αQ, outputs the valve opening amount 011 of the regulating valve αQ, and controls the increase/decrease of the valve opening amount of the regulating valves Q and II.

Next, the operation will be explained along the flowchart shown in FIG. The heat generated in the fuel cell body (1) causes a temperature rise,
Temperature sensor 4 outputs the current temperature value pv1a3 as the first value.
The set pressure value 5VQ (l is calculated by calculation with the preset temperature value 5V1U. The set pressure value sv2 is the calculation result EV of the first control device a4, (148 ), if the temperature value P■1 (to) is lower than the set temperature value S■1 (b) (14b), the value (16a) added with the pressure value commensurate with the lower temperature is the set pressure value 5v2 (to), and the temperature value Ppv, (2
) is higher than the set temperature value 5V10υ (15c) The value obtained by subtracting the pressure value commensurate with the higher temperature from ζ (15b)
is the set pressure value Sv! It is provided as QFI to the second controller. This second control device ltu is connected to the tank (4)
Pressure value PV2 detected by pressure sensor 0111 in
0η and the set pressure value 5v2 (to) given by the first control device 04, the valve month set 4 of the regulating valve QQ is determined.

The valve opening degree j101 is the calculation result Ev of the second control device pipe.

If the pressure value in the tank (4) is lower than the set pressure value 5v2 (to) due to (18a) (18b), the valve opening amount (19a) is 0, which is the value obtained by subtracting the valve opening amount commensurate with the lower pressure. By applying the same to the regulating valve αQ, the opening degree of the regulating valve an decreases, the pressure in the tank (4) increases, the temperature of the cooling water (6) also rises, and the temperature value SV,03 increases. will increase. On the other hand, pressure value PV2 of tank (4)
If C1η is higher than the set pressure value S■20JII (18
In c), the valve opening amount 01lI, which is the addition of the valve opening amount commensurate with the high pressure, is given to the regulating valve (1 (I), so the valve opening amount of the regulating valve OQ increases, and the valve opening amount in the tank (4) As the pressure decreases, the temperature of the cooling water (5) also decreases, and the temperature value S
By changing the pressure in the tank (4) and changing the temperature of the cooling water (5), the fuel can be adjusted to follow temperature changes such as load fluctuations. The temperature of the battery can be maintained at a predetermined level. Therefore, a cooling effect with a quick response to temperature changes can be obtained, evaporation of the electrolyte and deterioration of the electrodes can be suppressed, and efficient fuel cell operation can be achieved.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, this invention provides a regulating valve at the steam outlet of the tank, calculates the temperature value of the fuel cell body and a preset temperature value, and outputs a set pressure value. A first control device is provided, and the set pressure value output from the first control device and the pressure value in the tank are processed to output the valve opening amount of the regulating valve, and the valve opening amount of the regulating valve is calculated. By providing the second control device that controls increase and decrease, it is possible to obtain a control device for a fuel cell device that can efficiently maintain the temperature of the fuel cell at a predetermined temperature.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a control device of a conventional fuel cell device.
FIGS. 2 and 8 are a system diagram and a flowchart showing a control device for a fuel cell device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, (1) is the fuel cell main body, (2) is the fuel electrode,
(3) is the air electrode, (4) is the tank, (6) I (7)
is a cooling reduction path, (9) is a discharge port, 01 is a regulating valve, (6) is a set temperature value, (to) is a temperature value, 0< is a first control device,
(To) is the set pressure value, 0η is the pressure value, (To) is the second control device, and the axis is the valve opening amount. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent Masuo Oiwa Figure 1 Figure 2, 11 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A fuel cell main body consisting of a fuel electrode and an air electrode, a tank in which a cooling medium for cooling the fuel cell main body is stored and having a vapor discharge port, and the cooling medium in this tank is transferred to the fuel cell main body. In the fuel cell device, the cooling channel has a cooling flow path that guides the cooling medium after cooling the fuel cell main body to the tank, and a control valve provided at a vapor discharge port of the tank, and a temperature control valve of the fuel cell main body. a first control device that calculates and outputs a set pressure value by processing the value and a preset set temperature value; and a set pressure value output from the first control device and a pressure value in the tank. 1. Control of a fuel cell device characterized by comprising: a second control device which performs arithmetic processing and outputs the valve opening amount of the control valve, and controls increase/decrease of the opening amount of the control valve. Device.