Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Xiaofeng Wang

Chad Dubois

Manish Sinha

Sergio E Garcia

Jeffrey J Gagliardo

Jie Kou

Presented are intelligent fuel cell systems (FCS) with logic for evacuating water from anode headers of a fuel cell stack, methods for making/using such systems, and vehicles equipped with such systems. A method of operating an FCS includes a system controller confirming the FCS is running and, once confirmed, receiving a bleed request to remove exhaust gas from exhaust output by the anode. Responsive to the bleed request, the controller determines a total bleed valve use (TBVU) indicating prior bleed requests completed by an anode bleed valve, and thereafter determines if the TBVU is less than a maximum bleed valve use (MBVU). If so, the controller responsively commands the bleed valve to bleed the exhaust gas from the anode exhaust. If TBVU is not less than MBVU, the controller commands a header drain valve to bleed the exhaust gas from the anode exhaust and drain water from the anode header.

Intelligent fuel cell systems and control logic for smart use of anode header drain valves for FCS bleed and drainage

A method for controlling a fuel cell system having a hydrogen fuel injector/ejector and a control system, includes determining a hydrogen fuel consumption rate associated with a selected power level at steady state, determining a modeled hydrogen fuel flow rate associated with the selected power level and the injector/ejector, determining a modeled effective flow area associated with the injector/ejector, determining a true effective flow area of the injector/ejector, and using the effective flow area to calculate or adjust a command signal, an estimation or an estimation error of at least one of a hydrogen fuel flow rate, an anode leak rate and an anode exhaust valve flow rate.

Method for controlling a fuel cell system having a hydrogen fuel injector/ejector

A process for detecting a low-level leak in a fuel cell system is provided. The process includes, within a computerized fuel cell controller, operating programming to monitor operation of the fuel cell system, determine an expected reduction in pressure within an anode gas loop of the fuel cell system based upon the monitored operation, determine a calibrated threshold pressure change based upon the expected reduction in pressure and a margin selected to indicate excess hydrogen gas within the anode gas loop indicating a fuel injector leak, when a fuel injector of the fuel cell system is commanded to a closed state, monitor a pressure within the anode gas loop through a time period, compare the monitored pressure within the anode gas loop through the time period to the calibrated threshold pressure change, and when the comparing indicates the excess hydrogen gas is present, taking remedial action.

Process and system for detecting low-level fuel injector leakage in a fuel cell system

A method of operating a fuel cell stack is described. The fuel cell stack includes a cathode, an anode, a sump configured for collecting water from the anode, and a temporarily disabled drain valve that is otherwise configured to transition from a first position to a second position and thereby modulate water drained from the sump. The method includes increasing a first pressure in the anode via a controller. The method also includes, concurrent to increasing, decreasing a second pressure in the cathode via the controller and, concurrent to decreasing, maintaining a relative humidity of less than a threshold relative humidity in the cathode via the controller.

Method of operating a fuel cell stack having a temporarily disabled drain valve

A method of operating a fuel cell stack is described. The fuel cell stack includes a cathode, an anode, and a temporarily disabled bleed valve that is otherwise configured to transition from a first position to a second position and thereby modulate nitrogen drained from the anode. The method includes increasing a first pressure in the anode via a controller and, concurrent to increasing, decreasing a second pressure in the cathode via the controller. A system and a device including the fuel cell stack are also described.

Method of operating a fuel cell stack having a temporarily disabled bleed valve

Disclosed are fuel cell architectures, fuel cell stack monitoring systems, and control logic for detecting fluid property changes in a fuel cell stack. A method is disclosed for detecting a flow property change of a fluid in a fuel cell system. This method includes determining, e.g., through system analysis or accessing a look-up table, a correlation between voltage change of the fuel cell system and flow property of the fluid, and determining, from the voltage-property correlation, a calibrated voltage drop corresponding to the property change of the fluid. The method monitors system voltage (e.g., moving average voltage of the fuel cell stack operating at steady state), and detecting a voltage magnitude change in the system voltage, e.g., when an anode exhaust valve is opened. Responsive to the voltage magnitude change being greater than the calibrated voltage drop, a signal is generated indicating detection of the flow property change.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Xiaofeng Wang