Variable anode flow rate for fuel cell vehicle start-up

摘要

A fuel cell system is disclosed with a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold, a sensor for measuring at least one of an environmental condition affecting the fuel cell stack and a characteristic of the fuel cell stack, wherein the sensor generates a sensor signal representing the measurement of the sensor; and a processor for receiving the sensor signal, analyzing the sensor signal, and controlling a flow rate of a fluid flowing into the anode supply manifold based upon the analysis of the sensor signal.

主权项

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack orientation and having opposing first and second ends, the fuel cell stack including an anode supply manifold and an anode exhaust manifold; a source of hydrogen with an injector positioned adjacent the second end of the fuel cell stack; an anode inlet conduit and an anode exhaust conduit, wherein the anode inlet conduit provides fluid communication between the anode supply manifold and the source of hydrogen and the anode exhaust conduit is in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold, wherein the injector is disposed between the source of hydrogen and the anode inlet conduit; a first valve positioned adjacent the first end of the fuel cell stack and in fluid communication with the anode supply manifold, the first valve disposed at an opposite end of the anode supply manifold from the anode inlet conduit; a second valve in fluid communication with the anode exhaust manifold; a fluid flow sensor for measuring a cumulative volume of a fluid flowing into the anode supply manifold, wherein the fluid flow sensor generates a fluid flow sensor signal representing a measurement of the fluid flow sensor; and a processor in communication with the fluid flow sensor, the first valve, the second valve, and the injector, wherein the processor receives the fluid flow sensor signal, analyzes the sensor signal, and controls at least one of the first valve, the second valve, and also directly controls the injector to control a flow of a fluid from the source of hydrogen, to vary a flow rate of the fluid flowing into the anode supply manifold based upon the analyzed sensor signal during a start-up procedure of the fuel cell system; wherein the varying of the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the anode supply manifold is based upon the analysis of the fluid flow sensor signal by the processor, wherein the processor estimates the location of a hydrogen/air front based upon the measured cumulative volume of the fluid flowed into the anode supply manifold and modifies the flow as the hydrogen/air front reaches a pre-determined location.