Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Raymond Anthony Spiteri

Matthew Roger Dedona

Joseph Carl Burba

Joel Beckerman

Thomas Howard Hunt

Hasdi R Hashim

Jack H Xu

Craig Winfield Peterson

Matt DeDona

Ramakrishna Raju

Wenjun Zhang

An apparatus for heating a fuel cell stack in a cold start mode is provided. The apparatus comprises a fuel cell stack, a boost converter, and a controller. The fuel cell stack powers a vehicle. The boost converter includes a power switch that is thermally coupled to the fuel cell stack. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature during a vehicle startup and to compare the temperature to a predetermined temperature value. The controller is further configured to activate the power switch if the temperature is below the predetermined temperature value such that the power switch generates heat to apply to the fuel cell stack and generates a voltage for powering a power circuit to enable the vehicle to driveaway while the fuel cell stack receives the heat.

Apparatus and method for heating a fuel cell stack

The level of electrical current produced by a fuel cell during rapid changes in the power demanded by a load, is clamped to the fuel cell's maximum rated current value in order to avoid damage to the fuel cell. When the current supplied to the load by the fuel cell overshoots the maximum rated current value, the fuel cell current is immediately reduced by increasing the fuel cell voltage.

Method for controlling fuel cell stack current

A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit (HVERCC) () for coupling to a vehicle bus () includes a battery bus () and a heater bus (). A high-voltage battery pack () is electrically coupled to the battery bus and a resistive load element () is electrically coupled to the heater bus (). A high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module () is electrically coupled to the vehicle bus (), the high-voltage battery pack (), and the resistive load element (). The HVEC module regulates power on the vehicle bus (), the battery bus (), and the heater bus () and operates in multiple functional modes including a constant voltage mode, a constant current mode, and a constant battery current mode.

High-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit

A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit (HVERCC) () for electrically coupling to a vehicle bus () is provided. The HVERCC () includes a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module () coupled to the vehicle bus (), a battery-pack high-voltage bus battery bus (), and a WEG heater bus (). The battery bus () is coupled to a high-voltage battery pack () and a WEG heater circuit (). The HVEC module (), the high-voltage battery pack (), and the WEG heater circuit () are coupled to a logic controller () via a network (). The logic controller () regulates the power on the vehicle bus (), the battery bus (), and the WEG heater bus (). An operational method for the HVEC module () is also provided.

High voltage energy regulated conversion circuit

A power distribution control system for a hybrid fuel cell vehicle is provided. The system includes a high energy converter (HEC) for providing current from an electrical bus to the battery, or from the battery to the bus. As a vehicle load changes, the HEC adjusts the battery current flow. A current command is sent to a fuel cell controller so that the fuel cell current output is adjusted. As the fuel cell current output changes, the HEC further adjusts the battery current flow, until there is a zero net current flow to and from the battery. At this point, a state of equilibrium is reached and the fuel cell provides all the current required by the vehicle loads.

Method and system for controlling power distribution in a hybrid fuel cell vehicle

A power distribution control system for a hybrid fuel cell vehicle is provided. The system includes a high voltage energy converter (HVEC) for providing current from an electrical bus to the battery, or from the battery to the bus. As a vehicle load increases, the HVEC temporarily provides current to the bus from the battery. A feedforward signal is input into a fuel cell subsystem so that the fuel cell begins to generate additional current. As additional fuel cell current becomes available, an HVEC controller reduces the amount of current the HVEC provides to the bus from the battery, until there is a zero net current flow to and from the battery. At this point, a state of equilibrium is reached and the fuel cell provides all the current required by the vehicle loads.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Raymond Anthony Spiteri