US20100092819A1 - Fuel cell system - Google Patents

Fuel cell system Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100092819A1
US20100092819A1 US12/522,584 US52258408A US2010092819A1 US 20100092819 A1 US20100092819 A1 US 20100092819A1 US 52258408 A US52258408 A US 52258408A US 2010092819 A1 US2010092819 A1 US 2010092819A1
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United States
Prior art keywords
fuel cell
activation processing
catalyst activation
gas
cell stack
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Abandoned
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US12/522,584
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English (en)
Inventor
Kenji Umayahara
Tadaichi Matsumoto
Fusaki Igarashi
Michio Yoshida
Kota Manabe
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Toyota Motor Corp
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Individual
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Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA reassignment TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MANABE, KOTA, YOSHIDA, MICHIO, IGARASHI, FUSAKI, MATSUMOTO, TADAICHI, UMAYAHARA, KENJI
Publication of US20100092819A1 publication Critical patent/US20100092819A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04544—Voltage
    • H01M8/04559—Voltage of fuel cell stacks
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L50/00—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle
    • B60L50/50—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L58/00—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles
    • B60L58/30—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
    • B60L58/32—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles for monitoring or controlling fuel cells for controlling the temperature of fuel cells, e.g. by controlling the electric load
    • B60L58/33—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles for monitoring or controlling fuel cells for controlling the temperature of fuel cells, e.g. by controlling the electric load by cooling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L58/00—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles
    • B60L58/40—Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L7/00—Electrodynamic brake systems for vehicles in general
    • B60L7/10—Dynamic electric regenerative braking
    • B60L7/16—Dynamic electric regenerative braking for vehicles comprising converters between the power source and the motor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
    • H01G9/00—Electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices; Processes of their manufacture
    • H01G9/28—Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices with other electric components not covered by this subclass
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04574—Current
    • H01M8/04589—Current of fuel cell stacks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04604—Power, energy, capacity or load
    • H01M8/04619—Power, energy, capacity or load of fuel cell stacks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04604—Power, energy, capacity or load
    • H01M8/04626—Power, energy, capacity or load of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04664—Failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04679—Failure or abnormal function of fuel cell stacks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
    • H01M8/04746—Pressure; Flow
    • H01M8/04753—Pressure; Flow of fuel cell reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
    • H01M8/04746—Pressure; Flow
    • H01M8/04761—Pressure; Flow of fuel cell exhausts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
    • H01M8/04858—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04865—Voltage
    • H01M8/0488—Voltage of fuel cell stacks
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
    • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
    • Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02T90/40—Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a fuel cell system having a catalyst activating function.
  • a fuel cell stack is a power generation system which oxidizes a fuel by an electrochemical process to directly convert energy released by an oxidizing reaction into electric energy.
  • the fuel cell stack has a membrane-electrode assembly in which both side surfaces of a polymer electrolytic film for selectively transporting hydrogen ions are sandwiched by a pair of electrodes formed of a porous material.
  • Each of the pair of electrodes has a catalyst layer which contains, as a main component, carbon powder carrying a platinum-based metal catalyst and which comes in contact with the polymer electrolytic film, and a gas diffusion layer formed on the surface of the catalyst layer and having both air permeability and electron conductivity.
  • Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-346979 describes processing of stopping the supply of air to the fuel cell stack and forcibly lowering the output voltage of the fuel cell stack by a DC/DC converter to lower the cell voltage to a reduction potential (e.g., 0.6 V or less), thereby removing the hydroxides from the surface of the platinum catalyst to recover a catalyst activity. It is also described in the document that a surplus power generated by the catalyst activation processing is charged into a battery for auxiliary machines.
  • Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-346979
  • the surplus power generated during the catalyst activation processing is preferably as small as possible.
  • an object of the present invention is to suggest a fuel cell system capable of performing the catalyst activation processing of a fuel cell so that drivability is not impaired and so that a surplus power generated during the catalyst activation processing is minimized.
  • a fuel cell system comprises: a fuel cell which receives a supplied fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate a power; and a control device which stops the supply of the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell and lowers the output voltage of the fuel cell to perform catalyst activation processing, when a request power for the fuel cell is smaller than a predetermined value.
  • the request power for the fuel cell is smaller than a threshold value
  • the supply of the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell is stopped to perform the catalyst activation processing, so that drivability is not impaired and so that a surplus power generated during the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.
  • the fuel cell system according to the present invention further comprises: an accumulator device, and the control device prohibits the catalyst activation processing, when the power chargeable into the accumulator device is a predetermined value or less.
  • the catalyst activation processing can be prohibited to avoid the damage of the accumulator device.
  • the control device prohibits the catalyst activation processing, when the running speed of a vehicle using the fuel cell system as a car-mounted power source is a predetermined value or more.
  • the catalyst activation processing can be prohibited to suppress the deterioration of the drivability caused by the lowering of the cell voltage.
  • the fuel cell system according to the present invention further comprises: a plurality of block valves arranged in a piping system which supplies the fuel gas to the fuel cell.
  • the control device closes the plurality of block valves to form a closed space in the piping system, and detects a gas pressure fluctuation in the closed space to prohibit the catalyst activation processing while gas leakage is detected.
  • the catalyst activation processing during the detection of the gas leakage can be prohibited to avoid the deterioration of the precision of the gas leakage detection.
  • control device performs the catalyst activation processing, when the output performance of the fuel cell lowers.
  • the catalyst activation processing is performed when the catalyst activation processing is necessary. In consequence, the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing can be minimized, and it is possible to avoid the deterioration of the durability of the fuel cell due to the repeated performing of the catalyst activation processing.
  • the fuel cell system according to the present invention further comprises a DC/DC converter which controls the output voltage of the fuel cell, and a capacitor into which the power generated by the fuel cell is charged.
  • the control device connects an output terminal of the fuel cell to the DC/DC converter, and controls the output voltage of the fuel cell by the DC/DC converter, whereas when the request power for the fuel cell is the predetermined value or more, the control device connects the output terminal of the fuel cell to the capacitor to charge the power generated by the fuel cell into the capacitor.
  • FIG. 1 is a system constitution diagram of a fuel cell system according to Embodiment 1;
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cell constituting a fuel cell stack
  • FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the operation control of the fuel cell system
  • FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the outline of the executing conditions of catalyst activation processing
  • FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the change of the output voltage of the fuel cell stack during the catalyst activation processing
  • FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the details of the executing conditions of the catalyst activation processing
  • FIG. 7 is a graph showing a relation between a cell voltage and the amount of an oxidized membrane to be adsorbed
  • FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed exceeds a predetermined threshold value
  • FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a first procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that a predetermined time has elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing;
  • FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a second procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on the condition that the predetermined time has elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing;
  • FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the deterioration of the I-V characteristics of the fuel cell stack caused by the adsorption of the oxidized membrane by a platinum catalyst;
  • FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the lowering amount of the output characteristics of the fuel cell stack exceeds a predetermined threshold value
  • FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing the overvoltage of the fuel cell stack
  • FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the activation overvoltage of the fuel cell stack exceeds a predetermined threshold value
  • FIG. 15 is a system constitution diagram of a fuel cell system according to Embodiment 2.
  • FIG. 16 is a system constitution diagram of a fuel cell system according to Embodiment 3.
  • FIG. 1 shows a system constitution of a fuel cell system 10 according to Embodiment 1.
  • the fuel cell system 10 functions as a car-mounted power source system mounted on a fuel cell vehicle, and includes a fuel cell stack 20 which receives a supplied reactant gas (a fuel gas, an oxidizing gas) to generate a power; an oxidizing gas supply system 30 for supplying air as the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20 ; a fuel gas supply system 40 for supplying a hydrogen gas as the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20 ; a power system 50 for controlling charging/discharging of the power; and a controller 60 which generally controls the whole system.
  • a supplied reactant gas a fuel gas, an oxidizing gas
  • an oxidizing gas supply system 30 for supplying air as the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20
  • a fuel gas supply system 40 for supplying a hydrogen gas as the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20
  • a power system 50 for controlling charging/discharging of the power
  • a controller 60 which generally controls the whole system.
  • the fuel cell stack 20 is a solid polymer electrolyte type cell stack in which a large number of cells are stacked in series.
  • an oxidizing reaction of formula (1) occurs in an anode pole
  • a reducing reaction of formula (2) occurs in a cathode pole.
  • an electromotive reaction of formula (3) occurs in the whole fuel cell stack 20 .
  • a voltage sensor 71 for detecting an output voltage (an FC voltage) of the fuel cell stack 20 and a current sensor 72 for detecting an output current (an FC current).
  • the oxidizing gas supply system 30 has an oxidizing gas passage 33 through which the oxidizing gas to be supplied to the cathode pole of the fuel cell stack 20 flows, and an oxidizing off gas passage 34 through which an oxidizing off gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 20 flows.
  • the oxidizing gas passage 33 is provided with an air compressor 32 which takes the oxidizing gas from the atmosphere through a filter 31 , a humidifier 35 which humidifies the oxidizing gas to be pressurized by the air compressor 32 , and a block valve A 1 which blocks the supply of the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the oxidizing off gas passage 34 is provided with a block valve A 2 which blocks the discharge of the oxidizing off gas from the fuel cell stack 20 , a back pressure regulation valve A 3 which regulates an oxidizing gas supply pressure, and the humidifier 15 which performs water content exchange between the oxidizing gas (a dry gas) and the oxidizing off gas (a wet gas).
  • the fuel gas supply system 40 has a fuel gas supply source 41 ; a fuel gas passage 43 through which the fuel gas to be supplied from the fuel gas supply source 41 to the anode pole of the fuel cell stack 20 flows; a circulation passage 44 for returning, to the fuel gas passage 43 , a fuel off gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 20 ; a circulation pump 45 which feeds, to the fuel gas passage 43 , the fuel off gas under pressure in the circulation passage 44 ; and a gas/water discharge passage 46 branched from and connected to the circulation passage 44 .
  • the fuel gas supply source 41 is constituted of, for example, a high-pressure hydrogen tank, a hydrogen occluded alloy or the like, and receives the hydrogen gas having a high pressure (e.g., 35 MPa to 70 MPa).
  • a block valve H 1 When a block valve H 1 is opened, the fuel gas flows from the fuel gas supply source 41 to the fuel gas passage 43 .
  • the pressure of the fuel gas is decreased to, for example, about 200 kPa by a regulator H 2 and an injector 42 , to supply the gas to the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the fuel gas supply source 41 may be constituted of a reformer which forms a hydrogen-rich reformed gas from a hydrocarbon-based fuel, and a high-pressure gas tank which brings the reformed gas formed by this reformer into a high-pressure state to accumulate the pressure.
  • the fuel gas passage 43 is provided with the block valve H 1 for blocking or allowing the supply of the fuel gas from the fuel gas supply source 41 , the regulator H 2 which regulates the pressure of the fuel gas, the injector 42 which controls the amount of the fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell stack 20 , a block valve H 3 for blocking the supply of the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20 , and a pressure sensor 74 .
  • the regulator H 2 is a device which regulates the upstream pressure (the primary pressure) of the regulator into a preset secondary pressure, and is constituted of, for example, a mechanical pressure reduction valve or the like which decreases the primary pressure.
  • the mechanical pressure reduction valve has a housing provided with a back pressure chamber and a pressure adjustment chamber formed via a diaphragm, and has a constitution in which the primary pressure is decreased to a predetermined pressure by the back pressure of the back pressure chamber to form the secondary pressure in the pressure adjustment chamber.
  • the regulator H 2 can be arranged on the upstream side of the injector 42 to effectively decrease the upstream pressure of the injector 42 .
  • the degree of freedom in the design of the mechanism structure (a valve body, the housing, a passage, a driving device, etc.) of the injector 42 since the upstream pressure of the injector 42 can be decreased, it is possible to suppress a disadvantage that the valve body of the injector 42 does not easily move owing to the increase of a pressure difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure of the injector 42 . Therefore, the variable pressure adjustment range of the downstream pressure of the injector 42 can be increased, and the deterioration of the response of the injector 42 can be suppressed.
  • the injector 42 is an electromagnetic driving type opening/closing valve in which the valve body is directly driven with an electromagnetic driving force for a predetermined driving period and detached from a valve seat, whereby a gas flow rate or a gas pressure can be regulated.
  • the injector 42 includes a valve seat having jet holes which jet a gas fuel such as the fuel gas, and also includes a nozzle body which supplies and guides the gas fuel to the jet holes, and the valve body movably received and held in an axial direction (a gas flow direction) with respect to this nozzle body to open or close the jet holes.
  • the valve body of the injector 42 is driven by a solenoid as an electromagnetic driving device, and a pulse-like excitation current supplied to this solenoid can be turned on/off to switch the open area of each jet hole in two stages.
  • the gas jet time and the gas jet timing of the injector 42 are controlled by a control signal output from the controller 60 , to precisely control the flow rate and the pressure of the fuel gas.
  • the injector 42 directly drives and opens/closes the valve (the valve body and the valve seat) with the electromagnetic driving force, the driving period can be controlled to a high response region, and hence the injector has a high response.
  • the injector 42 changes at least one of the open area (the open degree) and the opening time of the valve body provided in the gas passage of the injector 42 , to regulate the flow rate (or a hydrogen molar concentration) of the gas to be supplied to the downstream side.
  • the circulation passage 44 is connected to a block valve H 4 for blocking the discharge of the fuel off gas from the fuel cell stack 20 , and the gas/water discharge passage 46 branched from the circulation passage 44 .
  • the gas/water discharge passage 46 is provided with a gas/water discharge valve H 5 .
  • the gas/water discharge valve H 5 operates in accordance with a command from the controller 60 , to discharge, to the outside, the fuel off gas including impurities in the circulation passage 44 and the water content.
  • the gas/water discharge valve H 5 opens, the concentration of the impurities in the fuel off gas in the circulation passage 44 decreases, and the concentration of hydrogen in the fuel off gas circulated through a circulation system can be increased.
  • the fuel off gas discharged through the gas/water discharge valve H 5 is mixed with the oxidizing off gas flowing through the oxidizing off gas passage 34 , and diluted by a diluter (not shown).
  • the circulation pump 45 is driven by a motor to circulate and supply the fuel off gas of the circulation system to the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the power system 50 includes a DC/DC converter 51 , a battery 52 , a traction inverter 53 , a traction motor 54 and auxiliary machines 55 .
  • the DC/DC converter 51 has a function of raising a direct-current voltage supplied from the battery 52 to output the voltage to the traction inverter 53 and a function of lowering a direct-current power generated by the fuel cell stack 20 or a regenerative power collected by the traction motor 54 by regenerative braking to charge the battery 52 .
  • the charging/discharging of the battery 52 is controlled by these functions of the DC/DC converter 51 .
  • an operation point (the output voltage, an output current) of the fuel cell stack 20 is controlled by the voltage conversion control of the DC/DC converter 51 .
  • the battery 52 functions as a storage source of a surplus power, a regenerative energy storage source during the regenerative braking, or an energy buffer during load fluctuation accompanying the acceleration or deceleration of the fuel cell vehicle.
  • a nickel/cadmium accumulator battery, a nickel/hydrogen accumulator battery, or a secondary battery such as a lithium secondary battery is preferable.
  • an SOC sensor for detecting a state of charge (SOC).
  • the traction inverter 53 is, for example, a PWM inverter driven by a pulse width modulation system, and converts the direct-current voltage output from the fuel cell stack 20 or the battery 52 into a three-phase alternate-current voltage in accordance with a control instruction from the controller 60 to control the rotary torque of the traction motor 54 .
  • the traction motor 54 is, for example, a three-phase alternate-current motor, and constitutes a power source of the fuel cell vehicle.
  • the auxiliary machines 55 generically include motors arranged in units of the fuel cell system 10 (e.g., power sources for pumps, etc.), inverters for driving these motors, and various types of car-mounted auxiliary machine (e.g., an air compressor, an injector, a cooling water circulation pump, a radiator and the like).
  • motors arranged in units of the fuel cell system 10 (e.g., power sources for pumps, etc.), inverters for driving these motors, and various types of car-mounted auxiliary machine (e.g., an air compressor, an injector, a cooling water circulation pump, a radiator and the like).
  • the controller 60 is a computer system including a CPU, an ROM, an RAM and an input/output interface, and controls the units of the fuel cell system 10 . For example, on receiving a startup signal IG output from an ignition switch, the controller 60 starts the operation of the fuel cell system 10 to obtain a request power of the whole system based on an accelerator open degree signal ACC output from an accelerator sensor, a vehicle speed signal VC output from a vehicle speed sensor and the like.
  • the request power of the whole system is a total value of a vehicle running power and an auxiliary machine power.
  • the auxiliary machine power includes a power consumed by a car-mounted auxiliary machine (the humidifier, the air compressor, the hydrogen pump, the cooling water circulation pump or the like), a power consumed by a device (a change gear, a wheel control device, a steering device, a suspension device or the like) necessary for the running of a vehicle, a power consumed by a device arranged in a passenger space (an air conditioner, a light fixture, an audio or the like) and the like.
  • a car-mounted auxiliary machine the humidifier, the air compressor, the hydrogen pump, the cooling water circulation pump or the like
  • a power consumed by a device a change gear, a wheel control device, a steering device, a suspension device or the like
  • a power consumed by a device arranged in a passenger space an air conditioner, a light fixture, an audio or the like
  • the controller 60 determines THE distribution of the output powers of the fuel cell stack 20 and the battery 52 , controls the oxidizing gas supply system 30 and the fuel gas supply system 40 so that the amount of the power to be generated by the fuel cell stack 20 coincides with a target power. Furthermore, the controller controls the DC/DC converter 51 to regulate the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 , thereby controlling the operation point (the output voltage, the output current) of the fuel cell stack 20 . Furthermore, to obtain the target torque corresponding to an accelerator open degree, the controller 60 outputs, for example, U-phase, V-phase and W-phase alternate-current voltage instruction values as switching instructions to the traction inverter 53 , and controls an output torque and the rotation number of the traction motor 54 .
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cell 21 constituting the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the cell 21 is constituted of a polymer electrolytic film 22 , an anode pole 23 , a cathode pole 24 , and separators 26 , 27 .
  • the anode pole 23 and the cathode pole 24 are diffusion electrodes which sandwich the polymer electrolytic film 22 from both sides to constitute a sandwich structure.
  • the separators 26 , 27 constituted of air-impermeable conductive members further sandwich this sandwich structure from both sides, while forming the passages of the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas between the anode pole 23 and the cathode pole 24 .
  • the separator 26 is provided with ribs 26 a having recessed sections.
  • the anode pole 23 abuts on the ribs 26 a to close openings of the ribs 26 a, thereby forming a fuel gas passage.
  • the separator 27 is provided with ribs 27 a having recessed sections.
  • the cathode pole 24 abuts on the ribs 27 a to close openings of the ribs 27 a, thereby forming an oxidizing gas passage.
  • the anode pole 23 has a catalyst layer 23 a including carbon powder carrying a platinum-based metal catalyst (Pt, Pt—Fe, Pt—Cr, Pt—Ni, Pt—Ru or the like) as a main component, the catalyst layer coming in contact with the polymer electrolytic film 22 ; and a gas diffusion layer 23 b formed on the surface of the catalyst layer 23 a and having both air permeability and electron conductivity.
  • the cathode pole 24 has a catalyst layer 24 a and a gas diffusion layer 24 b.
  • the carbon powder carrying platinum or an alloy made of platinum and another metal is dispersed in an appropriate organic solvent, and an electrolytic solution is added as much as an appropriate amount, pasted and screen-printed on the polymer electrolytic film 22 .
  • the gas diffusion layers 23 b, 24 b are formed of carbon cloth woven with a thread made of a carbon fiber, carbon paper or carbon felt.
  • the polymer electrolytic film 22 is a proton conductive ion exchange membrane formed of a solid polymer material, for example, a fluorine-based resin, and exerts satisfactory electric conductivity in a wet state.
  • the polymer electrolytic film 22 , the anode pole 23 and the cathode pole 24 form a membrane-electrode assembly 25 .
  • FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the operation control of the fuel cell system 10 .
  • the operation mode of the fuel cell stack 20 is switched in accordance with an operation load to improve a power generation efficiency. For example, in a low load region having a low power generation efficiency (an operation region where the power generation request is smaller than a predetermined value), the fuel cell system 10 sets the power generation instruction value of the fuel cell stack 20 to zero to control the operation, and the power required for vehicle running or the power necessary for a system operation is covered by the power from the battery 52 (hereinafter referred to as the first operation mode).
  • the power generation instruction value of the fuel cell stack 20 is calculated based on the accelerator open degree, the vehicle speed or the like to control the operation, and the power required for the vehicle running or .the power necessary for the system operation is covered by the only power generated by the fuel cell stack 20 , or the power generated by the fuel cell stack 20 and the power from the battery 52 (hereinafter referred to as the second operation mode).
  • the fuel cell system 10 monitors a control flag indicating the operation mode for a given period, controls the operation in the first operation mode when the control flag turns on, and controls the operation in the second operation mode when the control flag turns off.
  • the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 during a usual operation is in principle limited to an operation range between a use upper limit voltage V 1 and a use lower limit voltage V 2 .
  • the use upper limit voltage V 1 is preferably a voltage which satisfies the condition of a voltage range where the platinum catalyst included in the catalyst layers 23 a, 24 a of the fuel cell stack 20 is not eluted. Furthermore, in addition to the condition, the voltage preferably satisfies the condition of a voltage range where the power generated by the fuel cell stack 20 can be consumed by the auxiliary. machines 55 , when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 keeps the use upper limit voltage V 1 while stopping the supply of the reactant gas to the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the platinum catalyst of the catalyst layer 24 a might be eluted.
  • the control is referred to as the high-potential avoiding control.
  • the use upper limit voltage V 1 is referred to as the high-potential avoiding voltage sometimes.
  • the high-potential avoiding control is in principle executed.
  • the use upper limit voltage V 1 is preferably set so that the voltage per cell is, for example, about 0.9 V.
  • the use lower limit voltage V 2 is preferably a voltage which satisfies the condition of a voltage range where the cell voltage does not lower to a reduction region.
  • the use lower limit voltage V 2 is preferably set so that the voltage per cell is, for example, about 0.8 V.
  • the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 during the usual operation is in principle controlled between the use upper limit voltage V 1 and the use lower limit voltage V 2 , but as required for the system operation, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 is controlled to the use upper limit voltage V 1 or more, or the use lower limit voltage V 2 or less sometimes.
  • the SOC of the battery 52 is, for example, a predetermined value or more, when gas leakage is detected or when regenerative power is collected by the regenerative braking or the like, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 is raised to an open end voltage.
  • the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 is lowered to the use lower limit voltage V 2 or less.
  • the controller 70 sets the power generation instruction value to zero, stops the supply of the reactant gas to the fuel cell stack 20 , and sets a voltage instruction value to the DC/DC converter 51 to the use upper limit voltage V 1 (time t 0 to t 4 ). Even after the supply of the reactant gas is stopped, the unreacted reactant gas remains in the fuel cell stack 20 , and hence the fuel cell stack 20 generates a slight amount of power for a while.
  • a period of the time t 0 to t 2 is a power generation period when the chemical energy of the remaining reactant gas is converted into electric energy to continue the generation of the slight amount of power.
  • the remaining reactant gas has such energy that the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 can keep the use upper limit voltage V 1 , and hence the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 continues to keep the use upper limit voltage V 1 .
  • the power generated in this power generation period is consumed by the auxiliary machines 55 . However, when the power cannot completely be consumed by the auxiliary machines 55 , the power is charged into the battery 52 .
  • the power generation energy of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds the consumption capacity of the auxiliary machines 55 , and hence a part of the power generation energy is charged into the battery 52 .
  • the power generation energy released from the fuel cell stack 20 gradually decreases in accordance with the consumption of the remaining reactant gas. Therefore, at the time t 1 , the power generation energy released from the fuel cell stack 20 is balanced with the consumption capacity of the auxiliary machines 55 , and the power charged into the battery 52 is zeroed.
  • the power generation energy released from the fuel cell stack 20 cannot cover the power consumption of the auxiliary machines 55 , and hence to compensate for the shortage of the power, the battery 52 supplies the power to the auxiliary machines 55 .
  • a period of the time t 2 to t 4 is a power generation stop period when the remaining reactant gas is consumed, and hence the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 cannot keep the use upper limit voltage V 1 any more, thereby resulting in the stop of the power generation.
  • the power generation is stopped, and the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 gradually lowers.
  • the power generation energy of the fuel cell stack 20 is zeroed, so that the power supplied from the battery 52 to the auxiliary machines 55 becomes substantially constant.
  • the oxidizing gas supply system 30 is driven to resupply the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20 . Since the fuel cell stack 20 receives the resupplied oxidizing gas to generate the power, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 starts to rise. In a stage where the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 rises to a predetermined voltage (e.g., 360 V), the resupply of the oxidizing gas ends.
  • a predetermined voltage e.g. 360 V
  • the oxidizing gas is appropriately resupplied, and the output voltage is controlled so that the voltage does not become lower than the use lower limit voltage V 2 .
  • the controller 70 calculates the power generation instruction value in accordance with the request load, controls the supply of the reactant gas to the fuel cell stack 20 , and controls the operation point (the output voltage, the output current) of the fuel cell stack 20 through the DC/DC converter 51 (the time t 4 to time t 5 ).
  • the voltage instruction value to the DC/DC converter 51 is limited to an operation range between the use upper limit voltage V 1 and the use lower limit voltage V 2 .
  • FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the outline of the executing conditions of the catalyst activation processing.
  • the performing of the catalyst activation processing is allowed.
  • the hydrogen ions formed in the anode pole 23 pass through the electrolytic film 22 to move to the cathode pole 24 .
  • the hydrogen ions which have moved to the cathode pole 24 cause an electrochemical reaction with oxygen in the oxidizing gas supplied to the cathode pole 24 , and generates the reducing reaction of oxygen.
  • the surface of the platinum catalyst of the catalyst layer 24 a is covered with the oxidized membrane to increase a reaction resistance (an overvoltage), and the power generation efficiency (output characteristics) lowers.
  • the catalyst activation processing is processing of lowering the cell voltage to a reduction potential to reduce the oxidized membrane and remove the oxidized membrane from the catalyst surface. More specifically, the voltage of each cell, that is, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack is lowered to increase the output current, thereby shifting the electrochemical reaction in the catalyst layer 24 a from an oxidizing reaction region to a reducing reaction region to recover catalyst activity.
  • conditions that the fuel cell vehicle is stopped and that the operation mode is the first operation mode are minimum conditions for allowing the catalyst activation processing.
  • conditions that the fuel cell vehicle is stopped and that the operation mode is the first operation mode are minimum conditions for allowing the catalyst activation processing.
  • other conditions are preferably taken into consideration (details will be described later).
  • FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the change of the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 during the catalyst activation processing.
  • the catalyst activation processing is performed.
  • the controller 60 continues the supply of the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20 , while stopping the supply of the oxidizing gas and linearly gradually decreasing the voltage instruction value to the DC/DC converter 51 from the use upper limit voltage V 1 to a reduction voltage V 3 (time t 10 to t 11 ).
  • the reduction voltage V 3 needs to be in a voltage range where the oxidized membrane covering the platinum catalyst can be reduced to remove the oxidized membrane, and is preferably set so that the voltage per cell is, for example, about 0.7 V.
  • the supply of the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20 is in principle stopped, and the supply of the oxidizing gas is also stopped, but in the catalyst activation processing, the only supply of the oxidizing gas is stopped, while continuing the supply of the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack 20 . This is because if the supply of the fuel gas is also sopped, the pole of each cell 21 shifts, and might be damaged.
  • the controller 60 keeps the voltage instruction value to the DC/DC converter 51 at the reduction voltage V 3 .
  • the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 cannot keep the reduction voltage V 3 , finally resulting in the stop of the power generation. Then, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 starts to gradually lower.
  • the controller 60 drives the air compressor 33 again to resupply the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the air blow voltage V 4 needs to be in a voltage range where the cell voltage does not excessively lower, and is preferably set so that the voltage per cell is, for example, about 0.65 V.
  • FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the details of the executing conditions of the catalyst activation processing.
  • a vehicle speed is VC 1 or less
  • the operation mode is the first operation mode
  • a charging capability Win of the battery 52 is W 1 or less
  • D 1 it is not judged that gas leakage is detected
  • E 1 the air compressor 33 is stopped.
  • the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 is lowered to the reduction voltage V 3 . Therefore, in a case where it is assumed that an accelerator is turned on in this state and that the operation mode is switched from the first operation mode to a second operation mode, the cell voltage is lowered, hence any output following accelerator response during a request for a high load cannot be obtained, and drivability might remarkably deteriorate.
  • a condition that the vehicle is stopped is a necessary condition. When the vehicle is running, the performing of the catalyst activation processing is prohibited. More specifically, the necessary condition for performing the catalyst activation processing is a condition that the vehicle speed is VC 1 (e.g., 0.5 km/h) or less.
  • the operation mode needs to be the first operation mode.
  • the operation mode is the mode other than the first operation mode (e.g., the second operation mode, or a state such as system startup or stop)
  • the catalyst activation processing is prohibited.
  • the first operation mode the supply of the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell stack 20 is stopped. Therefore, in a case where the catalyst activation processing is performed, even when the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 is forcibly lowered, the generated power (the surplus power) can be minimized.
  • the catalyst activation processing is performed in the first operation mode, the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 can be lowered to a reduction potential, while controlling the charging so that the battery 52 is not overcharged.
  • the condition for performing the catalyst activation processing is a condition that the charging capability of the battery 52 is W 1 (e.g., ⁇ 6 kW) or less.
  • W 1 e.g., ⁇ 6 kW
  • W 2 e.g., ⁇ 5 kW
  • the present invention is not limited to the above example.
  • the conditions for allowing or prohibiting the performing of the catalyst activation processing another condition may be added, or the above condition contents may appropriately be changed.
  • the catalyst activation processing is preferably performed.
  • FIG. 7 is a graph showing a relation between the cell voltage and the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed.
  • the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed by the platinum catalyst can be estimated.
  • the effective area of the platinum catalyst that contributes the electrochemical reaction decreases, so that a current density rises, thereby causing the increase of the overvoltage.
  • the catalyst activation processing is performed when the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.
  • FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
  • the controller 60 time-integrates the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed based on time elapsed from the performing of the previous catalyst activation processing (a step 801 ), and judges whether or not the adsorption amount exceeds the predetermined threshold value (a step 802 ). When the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed does not exceed the predetermined threshold value (the step 802 ; NO), the controller 60 repeatedly executes the steps 801 and 802 .
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) for allowing the performing of the catalyst activation processing are satisfied (a step 803 ). When any one of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) is not established (the step 803 ; NO), the controller returns to the step 801 . On the other hand, when all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) are established (the step 803 ; YES), the controller 60 performs the catalyst activation processing (a step 804 ).
  • the cell voltage is present in the reduction region, and hence the negative time integration of the amount of the oxidized membrane to be adsorbed is performed in accordance with the performing time of the catalyst activation processing (the step 801 ).
  • FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a first procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that a predetermined time has elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing.
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not the time elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing exceeds a predetermined time (a step 901 ). When the time elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing does not exceed the predetermined time (the step 901 ; NO), the controller 60 repeatedly executes the judgment of the step 901 .
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) for allowing the performing of the catalyst activation processing are satisfied (a step 902 ). When any one of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) is not established (the step 902 ; NO), the controller returns to the step 901 . On the other hand, when all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) are established (the step 902 ; YES), the controller 60 performs the catalyst activation processing (a step 903 ), to return to the judgment processing of the step 901 .
  • the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.
  • FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a second procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on the condition that the predetermined time has elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing.
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not the time elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing (or a time elapsed from the reset of a timer) exceeds a predetermined time (a step 1001 ). When the time elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing (or the time elapsed from the reset of the timer) does not exceed the predetermined time (the step 1001 ; NO), the controller 60 repeatedly executes the judgment processing of the step 1001 .
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not the cell voltage has lowered to the reduction region after the performing of the previous catalyst activation processing (a step 1002 ).
  • the controller 60 When the cell voltage has lowered to the reduction region (the step 1002 ; YES), the controller 60 resets the time for measuring the time elapsed from the previous catalyst activation processing (a step 1003 ).
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) for allowing the performing of the catalyst activation processing are satisfied (a step 1004 ). When any one of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) is not established (the step 1004 ; NO), the controller returns to the step 1001 . On the other hand, when all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) are established (the step 1004 ; YES), the controller 60 performs the catalyst activation processing (a step 1005 ), to return to the judgment processing of the step 1001 .
  • the performing of the catalyst activation processing can be omitted to minimize the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing.
  • FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the deterioration of the I-V characteristics of the fuel cell stack 20 caused by the adsorption of the oxidized membrane by the platinum catalyst.
  • the oxidized membrane is formed on the surface of the platinum catalyst to increase the overvoltage, and hence the I-V characteristics deteriorate.
  • the operation point in an ideal state is, for example, OP(I, V)
  • the operation point in a state in which the oxidized membrane is formed on the surface of the platinum catalyst is OP′(I, V- ⁇ V).
  • the output voltage at a time when a current I is swept from the fuel cell stack 20 lowers as much as ⁇ V. Therefore, when the lowering amount ⁇ V of the output characteristics of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the catalyst activation processing is preferably performed.
  • FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the lowering amount of the output characteristics of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not the lowering amount AV of the output characteristics of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds the predetermined value (a step 1201 ). When the lowering amount ⁇ V does not exceed the predetermined threshold value (the step 1201 ; NO), the controller 60 repeatedly executes the judgment processing of the step 1201 .
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) for allowing the performing of the catalyst activation processing are satisfied (a step 1202 ). When any one of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) is not established (the step 1202 ; NO), the controller returns to the step 1201 . On the other hand, when all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) are established (the step 1202 ; YES), the controller 60 performs the catalyst activation processing (a step 1203 ), to return to the judgment processing of the step 1201 .
  • the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.
  • FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing the overvoltage of the fuel cell stack 20 .
  • the overvoltage is constituted of an activation overvoltage ⁇ a, a concentration overvoltage ⁇ c and a resistance overvoltage ⁇ r.
  • the activation overvoltage is energy consumed to activate the hydrogen gas and the oxidizing gas having a ground state, respectively.
  • the concentration overvoltage is energy consumed when equilibrium deviates owing to the reaction on electrodes and both a reaction system and a forming system make a concentration difference to cause diffusion movement.
  • the resistance overvoltage generically includes the electric resistances of the polymer electrolytic film 22 , the anode pole 23 , the cathode pole 24 and the separators 26 , 27 themselves, and the contact resistances of them. These overvoltages can be calculated by equations (4) to (6):
  • the oxidized membrane is formed on the surface of the platinum catalyst, and the activation overvoltage increases, so that the catalyst activation processing is preferably performed when the activation overvoltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
  • FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a procedure for performing the catalyst activation processing on a condition that the activation overvoltage of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not the activation overvoltage of the fuel cell stack 20 exceeds the predetermined threshold value (a step 1401 ). When the activation overvoltage does not exceed the predetermined threshold value (the step 1401 ; NO), the controller 60 repeatedly executes the judgment step of the step 1401 .
  • the controller 60 judges whether or not all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) for allowing the performing of the catalyst activation processing are satisfied (a step 1402 ). When any one of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) is not established (the step 1402 ; NO), the controller returns to the step 1401 . On the other hand, when all of the conditions (A 1 ) to (E 1 ) are established (the step 1402 ; YES), the controller 60 performs the catalyst activation processing (a step 1403 ), to return to the judgment processing of the step 1401 .
  • the number of the performing times of the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.
  • FIG. 15 shows a system constitution of a fuel cell system 11 according to Embodiment 2.
  • the fuel cell system 11 has a constitution of a capacitor system in which a capacitor 57 is connected in parallel with a fuel cell stack 20 as a main power source, and a power generated by the fuel cell stack 20 or a regenerative power collected by a traction motor 54 during regenerating braking is charged into the capacitor 57 .
  • the capacitor 57 momentarily takes out the power to realize the system constitution excellent in output characteristics.
  • a DC/DC converter 56 on a primary side is connected to an output terminal of the fuel cell stack 20 , and the DC/DC converter on a secondary side is connected in parallel with the capacitor 57 and a traction inverter 53 , respectively.
  • a controller 60 turns off a relay 58 , and controls the output voltage of the fuel cell stack 20 by the DC/DC converter 56 .
  • the controller 60 turns on the relay 58 , and connects the fuel cell stack 20 in parallel with the capacitor 57 .
  • catalyst activation processing in the fuel cell system 11 according to Embodiment 2 is similar to that of Embodiment 1.
  • FIG. 16 shows a system constitution of a fuel cell system 12 according to Embodiment 3.
  • the fuel cell system 10 according to Embodiment 1 has a constitution of a parallel hybrid system in which the DC/DC converter 51 and the traction inverter 53 are connected in parallel with each other and connected to the fuel cell stack 20
  • the fuel cell system 12 according to Embodiment 3 has a constitution of a series hybrid system in which a DC/DC converter 51 and a traction inverter 53 are connected in series with a fuel cell stack 20 as a main power source. Both the embodiments are different from each other in this respect.
  • catalyst activation processing in the fuel cell system 12 according to Embodiment 3 is similar to that of Embodiment 1.
  • the fuel cell system 10 may be mounted as a power source of a mobile body (a robot, a ship, an airplane or the like) other than the fuel cell vehicle.
  • the fuel cell system 10 according to the present embodiment may be used as a power generation facility (a stational power generation system) of a housing, a building or the like.
  • the supply of an oxidizing gas to the fuel cell is stopped to perform catalyst activation processing, so that drivability is not impaired and so that a surplus power generated during the catalyst activation processing can be minimized.

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CA2673062C (en) 2012-12-11
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