Abstract: A control specifications changing system includes a control specifications data server and a specifications changeable vehicle. The control specifications data server includes a second communication device and a determining device. The second communication device is configured to communicate with the specifications changeable vehicle. The determining device is configured to determine data for changing specifications upon receipt of first vehicle information data from the specifications changeable vehicle through the second communication device. The data for changing specifications includes data for use in changing control specifications of the specifications changeable vehicle to control specifications suited for the received first vehicle information data. The determining device is configured to transmit the determined data for changing specifications to the specifications changeable vehicle through the second communication device.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle is provided that can perform communicative filling only in a case in which it is possible to perform communicative filling appropriately. The vehicle includes: a pressure sensor and temperature sensor; a communication system that transmits data signals generated based on the outputs of these sensors; a battery; a lidded box that protects a hydrogen feed port; a lid switch; and a communicative filling ECU that activates the communication system after the lid has been opened. The ECU determines, based on the state of an activation prohibited flag, whether being a state in which activation of the system is not permitted in response to an opened-state of the lid having been detected. The ECU does not activate the system in a case of the flag being ON, and activates the system in a case of the flag being OFF.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a fuel cell system, a shutoff valve is opened to supply a fuel gas from a storage container to a fuel cell after a fuel cell system shutdown instruction is sent to the fuel cell system so that the fuel cell generates and discharges electricity. The storage container is supplied to the fuel gas supplied from a fuel supply source provided outside the fuel cell system in response to a filling instruction to supply the fuel gas to the storage container. A data signal indicating a state of the storage container is transmitted to the fuel supply source. The shutoff valve is closed and the storage container is supplied to the fuel gas supplied from the fuel supply source if the filling instruction is output while opening the shutoff valve after the fuel cell system shutdown instruction is sent.

Abstract: A data signal accurately reflecting the actual state of a storage vessel is sent to a station side. A fuel cell system (1) includes a hydrogen supply line (32) that connects a tank main body (311) and a fuel cell stack (2), and a main stop valve provided to the hydrogen supply line (32). A communicative filling system (6) generates a data signal based on the state of a hydrogen tank (31), and sends the generated data signal to a station (9). A vehicle (V) includes an FCV-ECU (11) that assumes processing related to control of the fuel cell system (1), and a communicative filling ECU (61) that assumes processing related to control of the communicative filling system (6). Then, the communicative filling ECU inhibits start of communication with the station (9) at least when determined that a main stop valve (312) is in a completely closed state.

Abstract: A control specifications changing system includes a control specifications data server and a specifications changeable vehicle. The control specifications data server includes a second communication device and a determining device. The second communication device is configured to communicate with the specifications changeable vehicle. The determining device is configured to determine data for changing specifications upon receipt of first vehicle information data from the specifications changeable vehicle through the second communication device. The data for changing specifications includes data for use in changing control specifications of the specifications changeable vehicle to control specifications suited for the received first vehicle information data. The determining device is configured to transmit the determined data for changing specifications to the specifications changeable vehicle through the second communication device.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle is provided that can perform communicative filling only in a case in which it is possible to perform communicative filling appropriately. The vehicle includes: a pressure sensor and temperature sensor; a communication system that transmits data signals generated based on the outputs of these sensors; a battery; a lidded box that protects a hydrogen feed port; a lid switch; and a communicative filling ECU that activates the communication system after the lid has been opened. The ECU determines, based on the state of an activation prohibited flag, whether being a state in which activation of the system is not permitted in response to an opened-state of the lid having been detected. The ECU does not activate the system in a case of the flag being ON, and activates the system in a case of the flag being OFF.

Abstract: A fuel cell system executes charge processing to charge electric power generated by a stack to a battery, and sealed discharge processing to cause an oxygen concentration inside a cathode flow channel to decrease, after a stop operation has been made on a power switch. The stop method of a fuel cell system includes: a step of calculating a remaining charge time corresponding to a time in which charge processing can be executed, by subtracting a time required in sealed discharge processing from a predetermined stop processing permitted time, after a stop operation has been made on the power switch (Step S52), a step of calculating a remaining target charge amount of the battery (Step S54), a step of executing charge processing while controlling output of the stack based on the remaining charge time and remaining target charge amount (Step S56), and a step of executing sealed discharge processing.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack, a cell voltage monitor, a hydrogen tank, a hydrogen supply channel, an ejector, a hydrogen off-gas channel, a purge valve, a compressor, an air supply channel, a pressure control unit for controlling air pressure, a pilot pressure input channel branching off from the air supply channel and inputting the air pressure to the ejector as pilot pressure, and a control unit for controlling the purge valve and the pressure control unit. The ejector includes a pressure control mechanism which increases the ejector's secondary-side pressure by increasing the area of the nozzle's ejecting hole when the pilot pressure input from the pilot pressure input channel rises. When electricity generation status of the fuel cell stack is judged to be poor, the control unit opens the purge valve after raising the air pressure and the pilot pressure by using the pressure control unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell having an oxygen-containing gas flow field and a fuel gas flow field, an oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the oxygen-containing gas flow field, a fuel gas supply apparatus for supplying a fuel gas to the fuel gas flow field, a scavenging gas supply apparatus for supplying air as a scavenging gas to the fuel gas flow field, and a controller are provided. The controller includes a voltage detection unit for detecting the voltage of the fuel cell after operation of the fuel cell is stopped and a scavenging control unit for starting scavenging in the fuel gas flow field by the scavenging gas supply apparatus after the detected voltage is decreased temporarily, increased, and decreased again to become a preset voltage or less.

Abstract: In a method for deactivating a fuel cell system, low electric-power generation is performed prior to oxygen-consumption electric-power generation in a case where a state of charge in an electricity storage device provided in the fuel cell system is larger than a predetermined value when a stop switch provided in the fuel cell system is operated. After the state of charge in the electricity storage device is reduced to the predetermined value by compensating for a negative net output by discharging electricity from the electricity storage device, the oxygen-consumption electric-power generation in which oxygen remaining in a cathode system of the fuel cell is consumed to reduce oxygen concentration within the cathode system is performed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided that can establish, for a long time period, a stack to an idling stop state. The fuel cell system includes: an idling stop control means for setting the stack to an idling stop state by, decreasing both a supplied amount of air to the stack and generated electric current produced from the stack to less than during the idling power generation; and a discharge valve control means for determining whether there is a necessity to discharge nitrogen or generated water inside of the anode system, and for opening the purge valve or drain valve in a case of there being a necessity. The discharge valve control means shortens valve open times (PO2, DO2) of the purge valve and drain valve during idling stop to less than the valve open times (PO1, DO1) thereof during idling power generation.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an energy storage, a connecting portion, a lid box, a lid state detector, a vehicle speed detector, and a stop drive device. An external energy supply device is connected to the connecting portion when energy is supplied to the energy storage from the energy supply device. The lid box is to protect the connecting portion. The lid box includes a lid. The lid state detector is configured to detect an open state of the lid of the lid box. The vehicle speed detector is configured to detect a speed of the vehicle. The stop drive device is configured to prevent the vehicle from being driven if the open state of the lid is detected and if the speed of the vehicle is lower than or equal to a threshold stopped vehicle speed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen gas tank, a compressor, an oxidant gas supplying flow passage, an oxidant off-gas discharge flow passage, a diluter for diluting an anode off-gas with a cathode off-gas, a branched gas flow passage through which a branched gas is directed to the diluter, a back pressure valve for controlling a pressure of branched gas, an OCV determining unit, and an I-V characteristic decreasing unit for starting power generation of the fuel cell stack and decreasing an I-V characteristic of the single cell by decreasing a stoichiometric ratios. In a low temperature start-up, the back pressure valve decreases a pressure of the branched gas introduced into the diluter when the I-V characteristic of the single cell is decreased by the I-V characteristic decreasing unit. An operation method of operating the fuel cell system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell system that can quickly decrease a current/voltage characteristic. A fuel cell system includes an introduction piping which connects a discharging piping and a supply piping in communication with each other, and which introduces part of oxidant-off gas in the supply piping, and a circulation on-off valve provided in the introduction piping. The fuel cell system decreases the supply amount of air by an air compressor when a fuel cell is activated at a low temperature to decrease the air-stoichiometry of the fuel cell, and opens the circulation on-off valve to introduce the oxidant-off gas in the supply piping through the introduction piping, thereby causing the oxidant-off gas to circulate.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle is provided that allows for filling as much fuel gas as possible. The vehicle includes a high-pressure tank, a communication system, a communicative filling ECU that selectively executes communicative filling that transmits a data signal from the communication system to the dispenser and allows hydrogen to be filled by way of the dispenser into the tank at a flowrate dependent on the pressure and the temperature; and non-communicative filling that does not transmit a data signal from the communication system and allows hydrogen to be filled at a predetermined flowrate. The ECU determines, while executing communicative filling, whether this communicative filling can be continued to be executed, and interrupts communicative filling and continues hydrogen filling by switching the filling method to non-communicative filling in response to having determined that continuation of communicative filling is not possible.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circulation path, a water reservoir, a water level detector, a water discharger and a controller. The fuel cell generates electric power using fuel gas supplied to an anode and oxidant gas supplied to a cathode. Off-gas discharged from the fuel cell is returned to the fuel cell again through the circulation path. The water reservoir is disposed in the circulation path and stores water separated from the off-gas. During monitoring after stop of the fuel cell system or at startup of the fuel cell system, the controller operates the water discharger to discharge the water stored in the water reservoir when the controller determines that a level of the water detected or estimated by the water level detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference water level.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided which estimates a water content in a fuel cell based on a predetermined map using an integrated value of electric current generated by the fuel cell (ST4) before power generation is stopped (ST5). When a temperature of the fuel cell has fallen lower than a predetermined value (ST7) after the power generation is stopped (ST5), the fuel cell system determines a dry degree in the fuel cell (ST8) and an anode scavenging period (ST9) based on predetermined maps. Scavenging is performed in an anode in the fuel cell for the anode scavenging period (ST10).

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided that can suppress the degradation of the MEA and simultaneously assure the merchantability. The fuel cell system 1 includes: a fuel cell 10 that generates electric power by reacting hydrogen gas and oxidant gas; a temperature sensor 103 that detects the temperature of the fuel cell 10; a voltage lower limit calculation portion 31 that sets the voltage threshold to limit the output of the fuel cell 10 based on the temperature detected of the fuel cell 10; a current upper limit calculation portion 32 and the current limiting portion 33 that limits the output of the fuel cell in a case where the voltage generated by the fuel cell 10 is lower than the voltage threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply channel, a fuel off-gas discharge channel, an oxidant gas supply channel, an oxidant off-gas discharge channel, a first shut valve, a second shut valve, a shut valve controller, a temperature detector, a scavenging device, and an elapsed-time detector. The elapsed-time detector is configured to detect an elapsed time elapsed from a timing at which the fuel cell is shut down. The scavenging device scavenges the oxidant gas flow channel and the fuel gas flow channel in sequence if the elapsed time detected by the elapsed-time detector is within a first predetermined period of time. The scavenging device scavenges the fuel gas flow channel and the oxidant gas flow channel in sequence if the elapsed time detected by the elapsed-time detector is outside the first predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including: a fuel cell which generates electrical power through the reaction of a reaction gas; a reaction gas supply device which supplies the reaction gas to the fuel cell; a cooling device which cools the fuel cell by circulating a coolant through the fuel cell; a fuel cell operating temperature output device which outputs a maximum temperature inside the fuel cell as an operating temperature of the fuel cell; and a fuel cell temperature adjustment device which adjusts a temperature inside the fuel cell so that the operating temperature inside the fuel cell is less than a preset upper temperature limit.