Fuel Cell System and Mobile Article

Abstract

A fuel cell system ( 1 ) is provided with a fuel cell ( 10 ); a fuel supply system ( 3 ) for supplying the fuel cell ( 10 ) with a fuel gas; an injector ( 35 ) for adjusting a pressure on the upstream side of the fuel supply system ( 3 ) and supplying the gas downstream; a control means ( 4 ) for controlling the injector ( 35 ) to be driven in a prescribed drive cycle. The control means ( 4 ) sets the operation status of the injector ( 35 ) corresponding to the operation status of the fuel cell ( 10 ). The operation status of the injector (opening degree of an injector valve (gas passing area), open time of the injector valve (gas injecting time) and the like) can be set corresponding to the operation status of the fuel cell (electricity generated by the fuel cell (power, current and voltage), fuel cell temperature, abnormal state of the fuel cell system, abnormal state of the fuel cell main body, and the like). Thus, supply pressure of the fuel gas can be suitably changed corresponding to the operation status of the fuel cell, and response can be improved.

1 . A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell; a fuel supply system for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell; an injector for regulating a gas state upstream of the fuel supply system and supplying the gas downstream; and a control device for driving and controlling the injector at a predetermined drive cycle,
 wherein said control device sets a working state of said injector in response to an operating state of said fuel cell.   
   
   
       2 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said fuel supply system has a fuel supply flow path for supplying fuel gas supplied from a fuel supply source to said fuel cell, and   said injector is disposed in said fuel supply flow path.   
   
   
       3 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said fuel supply system has a regulator disposed between said fuel supply source and said injector.   
   
   
       4 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said fuel supply system has a fuel supply flow path for supplying fuel gas supplied from the fuel supply source to said fuel cell, and a circulation flow path for returning fuel off-gas discharged from said fuel cell to said fuel supply flow path, and   said injector is disposed upstream of a joining section of said fuel supply flow path and said circulation flow path.   
   
   
       5 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said control device calculates a static flow rate upstream of said injector based on the gas state upstream thereof and sets a working state of said injector in response to the static flow rate.   
   
   
       6 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said control device sets an inactive injection time of said injector based on the gas state upstream of said injector.   
   
   
       7 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 1 ,
 further comprising a pressure sensor disposed at a pressure regulation position at which pressure regulation is required in said fuel supply system,   wherein said control device calculates a pressure differential decrease correction flow rate for decreasing a deviance of a target pressure value at said pressure regulation position set based on the operating state of said fuel cell and a detection pressure value detected by said pressure sensor, and sets a working state of said injector based on the pressure differential decrease correction flow rate.   
   
   
       8 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said control device calculates a fuel consumption quantity in said fuel cell based on the operating state of said fuel cell, and sets a working state of said injector based on the fuel consumption quantity and said pressure differential decrease correction flow rate.   
   
   
       9 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein said control device calculates and updates a target pressure value at said pressure regulation position every predetermined time period based on the operating state of said fuel cell, calculates a pressure differential corresponding correction flow rate corresponding to a deviation between a previously calculated target pressure value and a currently calculated target pressure value, and calculates an injection flow rate of said injector by adding the pressure differential corresponding correction flow rate, said fuel consumption quantity, and said pressure differential decrease correction flow rate.   
   
   
       10 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein said control device calculates a static flow rate upstream of said injector based on the gas state upstream thereof, and calculates a basic injection time of said injector by multiplying said drive cycle by a value obtained by dividing the injection flow rate of said injector by said static flow rate.   
   
   
       11 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein said control device sets an inactive injection time of said injector based on the gas state upstream of said injector, and calculates a total injection time of the injector by adding said basic injection time and said inactive injection time.   
   
   
       12 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said control device calculates a proportional-type pressure differential decrease correction flow rate by multiplying a proportional gain by a deviance of said target pressure value and said detection pressure value, and varies the value of said proportional gain based on the operating state of said fuel cell.   
   
   
       13 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said control device calculates an integrated-type pressure differential decrease correction flow rate by multiplying an integrated gain by a deviance of said target pressure value and said detection pressure value, and varies the value of said integrated gain based on the operating state of said fuel cell.   
   
   
       14 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein said control device calculates a proportional-type pressure differential decrease correction flow rate by multiplying a proportional gain by a deviance of said target pressure value and said detection pressure value, calculates an integrated-type pressure differential decrease correction flow rate by multiplying an integrated gain by an integrated value of said deviance, and varies at least one of said proportional gain and said integrated gain based on the operating state of said fuel cell.   
   
   
       15 . The fuel cell system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein said control device decreases at least one of said proportional gain and said integrated gain as the quantity of electricity generated by said fuel cell decreases.   
   
   
       16 . A mobile article, comprising the fuel cell system according to  claim 1 .