Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Jared Michael Farnsworth

Daniel Charles Folick

Shigeki Hasegawa

Andrew G Sata

Naoki Tomi

Kentaro Fukuda

Christopher M Bulpitt

Luke Alan Rippelmeyer

Nobukazu Mizuno

Hakan Yazarel

Koichi Ueda

Bradley Landon Spare

Takehito Yokoo

Scott A Friedman

Jyotirmoy Vinay Deshmukh

Laura E Bower

Xiaoqing Jin

Daniel K Lim

Arlo C Eitzer

Jonathan J Sander

Justin David Ward

Motoyuki Kimata

Yohei Okamoto

Tomoo Yoshizumi

A vehicle includes a fuel cell power management system including: a fuel cell; a battery; a charge sensor operatively coupled to the battery; a speedometer; and a processor that includes a memory. The processor is configured to calculate a mapping of desired fuel cell power output as a function of the battery charge and the speed of the vehicle and, using the mapping, the battery charge, the speed of the vehicle, and a motor power request, calculate the desired traction power output of the fuel cell. The processor then sets the traction power output of the fuel cell to the desired traction power output of the fuel cell, sets the desired traction power output of the battery to the motor power request minus the traction power output of the fuel cell, and sets the traction power output of the battery to the desired traction power output of the battery.

Fuel cell power management system

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring and controlling pump speeds to maintain a balanced pressure drop between each of the multiple fuel cell systems or circuits. In systems where a single radiator is used to maintain desired temperatures of multiple fuel cells, back flow can nevertheless be avoided. Control maps may be used to meet minimum pump speeds as a function of a flow splitting valve position and target flow rate (to prevent or avoid fluid back flow through a fuel cell stack). Control maps may also be used to determine a minimum pump speed as a function of three-way valve position (to prevent fluid back flow across a radiator path).

Multiple fuel cell radiator system

Systems and methods are provided for modularizing a system. Parallel power systems having electronically isolated high voltage systems facilitate modulization. A control system is provided that optimizes the distribution of a power demand and/or a torque request so as to keep the efficiency, durability, drivability and/or safety of the system within an optimum range. In some cases, the distribution of power is uneven, so as to extend the battery life, while in other cases, the power draw on battery systems are kept equal and constant so as to properly manage the state of charge of the parallel power systems. In still other cases, the chosen power distribution keeps the power demand and/or torque request between minimum and maximum levels/capacity, and the power distribution avoids on/off of an individual power system.

Modular fuel cell system architecture and a control system for distributing power to the modules

A system for reducing overdraw of power in a vehicle includes a power source having a battery and a fuel cell circuit. The system further includes an ECU that transmits a power limit signal to a vehicle controller, the power limit signal corresponding to an instantaneous maximum amount of power of the power source. The ECU also determines a battery allowed power corresponding to an amount of power available to be drawn from the battery to cause the SOC of the battery to remain above a lower SOC threshold. The ECU also determines a current battery power draw from the battery corresponding to an instantaneous amount of power being drawn from the battery. The ECU is designed to reduce the instantaneous maximum amount of power in the power limit signal when the current battery power draw is greater than the battery allowed power, reducing the current battery power draw.

System and method for feedback-based reduction of system overdraw in a fuel cell system

A system for reducing overconsumption of power in a vehicle includes a power source including a battery having a state of charge (SOC), and a fuel cell stack that generates electricity. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the power source and designed to receive a power request corresponding to a requested amount of power from the power source. The ECU is further designed to determine a fuel cell power amount corresponding to an amount of the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack to achieve the requested amount of power. The ECU is further designed to determine an overconsumption event when a current power consumption corresponding to a total amount of power being drawn from the power source is greater than the power request. The ECU is further designed to increase the fuel cell power amount in response to determining the overconsumption event.

System and method for reducing battery overconsumption in a fuel cell system

The systems, devices, and methods described herein relate to heating and cooling automotive fuel cells. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller may be used to control the temperature of fluid in the fuel cells. The PID may be configured to calculate and control the saturation limits of the I-term of the PID controller to reduce integral wind-up.

PI control partial derivative based I-term for wind-up prevention

Methods and systems may provide for technology to predict a future increase in power demand on a fuel cell based on route data associated with a vehicle powered by the fuel cell and reduce an operating temperature of the fuel cell prior to the future increase in power demand. The technology may also provide supplemental power from a battery to the vehicle while the operating temperature of the fuel cell is being reduced.

Preconditioning a fuel cell using route data

A system for controlling gas flow in a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack, a pressure sensor, and a valve to adjust a flow of gas through the fuel cell circuit. The system further includes an ECU designed to estimate pressure values of the gas at multiple locations in the fuel cell circuit based on the detected pressure of the gas and based on flow resistance values (including at the valve), the estimated pressure values including an estimated sensor pressure value at a location of the pressure sensor. The ECU is further designed to determine a pressure deviation between the detected pressure and the estimated sensor pressure value. The ECU is further designed to adjust the flow resistance value of the valve to determine a final flow resistance value of the valve that causes the pressure deviation to reach or drop below a threshold deviation amount.

Air system pressure observer control method for fuel cell system

Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow in a fuel cell circuit of a vehicle. A system may have a fuel cell stack configured to receive hydrogen gas. The system may have a current sensor configured to detect current flowing through the fuel cell stack. The system may have a plurality of actuators, which may include at least one injector, a pump, and a shut valve. The system may have an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU may estimate pressures of the hydrogen gas and non-hydrogen gases in the circuit. The ECU may determine a current increase rate based on the detected current. The ECU may apply a compensatory hydrogen gas stoic to a base hydrogen gas stoic to meet a target hydrogen gas stoic by controlling one or more of the actuators based on the estimated pressures when the current increase rate is above a predetermined threshold value.

Control systems and methods to meet fuel cell fuel demand

A system for providing oxygen to a fuel cell circuit includes a compressor and a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells. The system also includes a plurality of pipes and a pressure sensor designed to detect pressure at a first location. The system also includes a memory to store a model of the fuel cell circuit and an ECU. The ECU determines a control signal corresponding to desirable operation of the compressor and determines flow values of the gas through each component based on the detected pressure and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also determines pressure values of each component based on the determined flow values and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also controls operation of the compressor based on the control signal, at least one of the flow values, and at least one of the pressure values.

Equation based state estimate for air system controller

A system for controlling gas flow in a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack and a valve designed to adjust gas flow through the circuit. The system further includes an ECU that is designed to determine a target flow rate of the gas through the valve. The ECU is further designed to determine a flow compensation value corresponding to an amount of compensation of the target flow rate of the gas through the valve that compensates for fluid accumulation or decumulation in the fuel cell circuit. The ECU is further designed to determine a compensated target flow rate of the gas through the valve based on the target flow rate and the flow compensation value. The ECU is further designed to determine a desired valve position of the valve based on the compensated target flow rate and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.

Air supply control method to fuel cell system

A system includes a fuel cell stack that receives a fluid, an actuator to increase or decrease a fluid temperature of the fluid, a pipe to facilitate flow of the fluid, and a memory designed to store a model of the fuel cell circuit. The system also includes an ECU that calculates mass flow values of the fluid through the fuel cell stack or the pipe based on a previously-determined mass flow value and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also calculates a plurality of pressure values corresponding to the fuel cell stack or the pipe based on the plurality of mass flow values and the model, controls the actuator position of the actuator to increase or decrease the fluid temperature based on at least one of the plurality of mass flow values and at least one of the plurality of pressure values.

Equation based state estimator for cooling system controller

Methods, systems, and devices of a cooling system for controlling air or liquid flow. The fluid system includes one or more actuators that control the air or liquid flow. The fluid system includes multiple interconnecting pipes that transport the air or liquid flow. Each pipe may have a mass flow for the air or liquid flow. The fluid system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine an initial mass flow of the air or liquid flow. The electronic control unit is configured to determine the mass flow for each pipe based on the initial mass flow. The electronic control unit is configured to predict a cooling capability of the air or liquid flow within each pipe and control the one or more actuators to regulate or control cooling of one or more components of the vehicle based on the predicted cooling capability.

Real time iterative solution using recursive calculation

A system for controlling airflow through a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack. The system also includes a valve having a valve position that affects a pressure of the gas and a valve area corresponding to a cross-sectional area of the valve through which the gas may flow. The system also includes a memory designed to store a map or function that correlates the valve area to the valve position. The system also includes an ECU to determine or receive a desired mass flow rate of the gas through the valve, and calculate a desired valve area to achieve the desired mass flow rate. The ECU is also designed to compare the desired valve area to the map or function to determine a desired valve position that provides the desired valve area, and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.

Implementation of feedforward and feedback control in state mediator

Methods, systems, and devices of a control system for gas flow. The control system controls gas flow through a fuel cell stack of a vehicle. The control system includes two or more components including one or more actuators and a fuel cell. The control system includes an electronic control unit connected to the two or more components. The control system is configured to determine initial values and previous timestep values. The control system is configured to determine or estimate a total pressure of the gas flow in each of the two or more components based on the initial values and the previous timestep values. The control system is configured to control the one or more actuators based on the total pressure of the gas flow in each of the two or more components.

Growing community of inventors

Sacramento, CA, United States of America

Jared Michael Farnsworth