Transient Inlet Relative Humidity Estimation Via Adaptive Cathode Humidification Unit Model And High Frequency Resistance

摘要

An apparatus and method to determine the relative humidity of a fuel cell system. A controller is cooperative with a first device and a second device to receive a valve signal and a high frequency resistance value. The controller controls the relative humidity of a fuel cell stack based on the estimation of the relative humidity of the fuel cell stack based on one or more algorithms. The controller modifies the relative humidity of the fuel cell stack through changes in the position of a valve based on at least one of the valve signal and the high frequency resistance value. In one form, the relative humidity of the fuel cell system is determined without the need of a humidity sensor.

主权项

1. A fuel cell system comprising:
a plurality of fuel cells, each of the fuel cells comprising an anode, a cathode, a proton exchange membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a plurality of flowpaths configured to convey hydrogen and oxygen to the anode and the cathode respectively; and a relative humidity control apparatus comprising:
a cathode humidification unit;a valve configured to change a relative humidity of the proton exchange membrane by selectively bypassing the oxygen around the cathode humidification unit and to the plurality of flowpaths;a first device configured to produce a valve signal corresponding to a position of the valve;a second device configured to produce a high frequency resistance value that corresponds to the relative humidity of the proton exchange membrane; anda controller cooperative with the first device and the second device to receive the valve signal and the high frequency resistance value, the controller comprising at least one processor and a computer readable medium such that instructions stored in the computer readable medium are executed by the at least one processor to control through changes in the position of the valve the relative humidity of the proton exchange membrane based on at least one of the valve signal and the high frequency resistance value.