Method for running a fuel cell system with a failed stack health monitor

摘要

A system and method for selectively operating a fuel cell stack in response to loss of a voltage signal from one or more fuel cells in the stack. If the voltage signal from the one or more fuel cells is lost, the method performs one or more remedial actions to cause the fuel cell stack to operate in a more stack safe condition. The method then determines whether the cell or cells whose voltage signal is lost was healthy, such as operating above a predetermined voltage threshold, prior to the voltage signal being lost. If the cell voltage signal was above the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated normally under the remedial actions, and if the voltage signal is below the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated in a power limitation mode.

主权项

1. A method for operating a fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack, said fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells electrically coupled in series, said method comprising:
monitoring a voltage of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack using a cell voltage monitor; determining that a voltage signal from one or more of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack is lost and not being received by the cell voltage monitor; performing one or more remedial actions in response to the loss of the voltage signal where the remedial actions cause the fuel cell stack to operate in a condition more favorable for stack durability, wherein performing one or more remedial actions includes preventing stack coolant pulsing; determining whether the cell or cells whose voltage signal is lost were healthy prior to the voltage signal being lost; operating the fuel cell stack under the remedial actions if the cell or cells were healthy; and operating the fuel cell stack in a power limitation mode where a power output of the stack is limited if the voltage of the cell or cells were not healthy.