Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Tomoyuki Inoue

Kuniaki Ojima

Kazuhide Inoue

Osamu Ogami

Sho Akabori

Shuji Sato

Ryoji Sakai

Takuto Nakagawa

Yoshiaki Hino

Kazuo Satou

A method of detecting degradation of a membrane electrode assembly in a fuel cell system is provided. In the method, it is possible to detect degradation (cross leakage) of a fuel cell. In the state where variation of a load is suppressed, variation of the gas pressure where a predetermined amount of the fuel gas is supplied from a fuel tank to a fuel cell is measured by a pressure sensor provided in a fuel gas circulation channel extending from the fuel gas outlet to the fuel gas inlet.

Method of detecting degradation of membrane electrode assembly in fuel cell system

A fuel cell system includes: a reaction gas supply unit configured to supply a reaction gas to a fuel cell stack; a humidifier configured to transfer moisture from an off-gas discharged from the fuel cell stack to the reaction gas; and a controller configured to control the reaction gas supply unit so as to regulate a supply amount of the reaction gas, wherein the controller is configured to acquire a temperature of the humidifier and set the supply amount of the reaction gas based on a target power generation amount of the fuel cell stack, and in a case where the temperature of the humidifier is equal to or lower than a prescribed warm-up determination value, the controller executes warm-up control to increase the supply amount of the reaction gas as compared with a case where the temperature of the humidifier is higher than the warm-up determination value.

Fuel cell system

An ECU of a fuel cell system determines whether or not temperature information exceeds a temperature threshold for determination when receiving a signal related to power generation stop of a fuel cell stack during operation of a moving body. When the temperature information exceeds the determination temperature threshold, the ECU performs a stop control for stopping power generation of the fuel cell stack. On the other hand, when the temperature information is equal to or lower than the determination temperature threshold, the ECU performs an idle control for generating electric power smaller than electric power consumed by the air pump.

A method of detecting degradation of a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell is provided. In the method, it is possible to detect degradation (cross leakage) of the fuel cell. In the measurement step, the pressure drop value of the pressure of the fuel gas which decreases in the power generation state after discharging of the predetermined amount of the fuel gas, in each predetermined period of time is measured a plurality of times. Thereafter, in the determination step, it is determined that the membrane electrode assembly has been degraded in the case where the minimum pressure drop value, among a plurality of pressure measurement values, exceeds a threshold value.

Method of detecting degradation of membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell

A rear body structure of an automobile having a door in its rear portion comprises a side panel forming a side surface of an automobile body and a rear panel connected to the side panel and forming a rear surface, the side panel being comprised of an outer side panel and an inner side panel. On an outer surface of a rear part of the inner side panel, there is provided a reinforcing member extending vertically of the body, to which an auxiliary reinforcing member, extending between the inner and outer side panels rearwardly of the body, is connected. The auxiliary reinforcing member is connected at its rear portion to an inner end of the rear panel by means of the corner member. As a result, improved rigidity is provided at the rear panel and connection between the same and the side panel without providing any other member which projects into the inside of the automobile.

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Tomoyuki Inoue