Abstract: A method of controlling a battery having a plurality of cells is executed by a processor. The method includes detecting voltages of the plurality of cells; calculating a voltage difference between a highest voltage and a lowest voltage of the plurality of cells based on the detected voltages; and executing an output restriction on the battery when the voltage difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined first voltage difference threshold value.

Abstract: A charge control method according to an embodiment controls charge of a battery that includes a lithium-ion battery and is disposed in a vehicle and: calculates a long-term chargeable power as a power that allows charging the battery for a long term; calculates a short-term chargeable power as a power that allows charging the battery for a short term and is larger than the long-term chargeable power; calculates a continuous chargeable power that allows continuously charging the battery based on the short-term chargeable power and the long-term chargeable power; and restricts an upper limit of a charge power of the battery to the continuous chargeable power.

Abstract: An output control method for a secondary battery includes: calculating a variation indication amount that correlates with a magnitude of variation between charge and discharge characteristics of the plurality of cells, based on a charge and discharge characteristic indication amount that changes according to change in the charge and discharge characteristic; determining that the variation occurs when the variation indication amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined determination reference value; and setting the available output power based on a determination result that the variation occurs. In the available output power setting step, when the variation does not occur, a basic available output power determined based on the charge and discharge characteristic indication amount is set as the available output power. When the variation occurs, a corrected available output power having a value lower than that of the basic available output power is set as the available output power.

Abstract: An abnormal torque evaluation apparatus is applied to an electrically driven vehicle configured to drive left and right driving wheels independently with respective electric motors and also configured to independently drive the left and right driving wheels by means of the electric motors driven responsively to respective torque commands. Also provided are a yaw jerk detection means for detecting a yaw jerk and an abnormal torque evaluator for evaluating, based on the yaw jerk, the presence or absence of the occurrence of abnormal motor torque at the electric motors.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell; an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell; an aftercooler cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell, and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell to generate electricity at cold start-up.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange between a gas mixture containing source hydrogen and a circulating gas and cooling water used for controlling the temperature of the fuel cell stack. A system controller adjusts the temperature of the cooling water by controlling a temperature control unit on the basis of the temperature of source hydrogen flowing into a junction at which the source hydrogen and a circulating gas are mixed such that the temperature of a source/recirculated hydrogen mixture that is mixed at the junction and that is supplied to the fuel cell stack is kept within a managed temperature range.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell; an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell; an aftercooler cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell, and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell to generate electricity at cold start-up.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell (1); an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell (1); an aftercooler (7) cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell (1) by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector (16, 17) detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller (21a) starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler (7) are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell (1) to generate electricity at cold start-up.

Abstract: An output limiting device for a fuel cell, including: an inlet coolant temperature sensor detecting an inlet coolant temperature at a coolant inlet of the fuel cell; an outlet coolant temperature sensor detecting an outlet coolant temperature at a coolant outlet of the fuel cell; and an output limiter limiting power or current extracted from the fuel cell according to the detected inlet coolant temperature and the detected outlet coolant temperature.

Abstract: An abnormal torque evaluation apparatus is applied to an electrically driven vehicle configured to drive left and right driving wheels independently with respective electric motors and also configured to independently drive the left and right driving wheels by means of the electric motors driven responsively to respective torque commands. Also provided are a yaw jerk detection means for detecting a yaw jerk and an abnormal torque evaluator for evaluating, based on the yaw jerk, the presence or absence of the occurrence of abnormal motor torque at the electric motors.

Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell, a coolant supply device for circulating a supply of the coolant through a coolant path for cooling the fuel cell, a fuel cell temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the fuel cell, a coolant temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the coolant in the coolant path, and a controller for controlling the amount of coolant circulated by the coolant supply device. The controller selects an operation mode of the fuel cell between a power generation mode and a power generation stop mode and calculates the difference between the detected coolant temperature and detected fuel cell temperature. While the operation mode is the power generation stop mode, the controller increases the amount of the coolant circulated as the difference between the detected coolant temperature and the detected fuel cell temperature increases.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange between a gas mixture containing source hydrogen and a circulating gas and cooling water used for controlling the temperature of the fuel cell stack. A system controller adjusts the temperature of the cooling water by controlling a temperature control unit on the basis of the temperature of source hydrogen flowing into a junction at which the source hydrogen and a circulating gas are mixed such that the temperature of a source/recirculated hydrogen mixture that is mixed at the junction and that is supplied to the fuel cell stack is kept within a managed temperature range.

Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of learning its current-voltage characteristics precisely in a short time even when the current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell varies due to reduction of a catalyst of an oxidizing agent electrode during the stop of operation of the fuel cell system. A controller (13) learns current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell stack (2), detects the amount of variation in voltage of current-voltage characteristics before a stop of power generation and those after restart of power generation, and corrects the learnt value of the current-voltage characteristics by the amount of variation in voltage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell (1); an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell (1); an aftercooler (7) cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell (1) by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector (16, 17) detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller (21a) starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler (7) are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell (1) to generate electricity at cold start-up.

Abstract: An output limiting device for a fuel cell, including: an inlet coolant temperature sensor detecting an inlet coolant temperature at a coolant inlet of the fuel cell; an outlet coolant temperature sensor detecting an outlet coolant temperature at a coolant outlet of the fuel cell; and an output limiter limiting power or current extracted from the fuel cell according to the detected inlet coolant temperature and the detected outlet coolant temperature.

Abstract: A fuel cell system according to this invention comprises: a pressurizing valve (2a) provided on a cooling water circulation path; a reservoir tank (5) into which the cooling water flows through a pipe (4) when the pressurizing valve (2a) is open; an air supply pipe (13) that is connected to the reservoir tank (5) to supply air for diluting a fuel gas when the fuel gas accumulates in the reservoir tank (5); and a diluted gas exhaust pipe (15) for discharging the diluted fuel gas from the reservoir tank (5).

Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of learning its current-voltage characteristics precisely in a short time even when the current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell varies due to reduction of a catalyst of an oxidizing agent electrode during the stop of operation of the fuel cell system. A controller (13) learns current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell stack (2), detects the amount of variation in voltage of current-voltage characteristics before a stop of power generation and those after restart of power generation, and corrects the learnt value of the current-voltage characteristics by the amount of variation in voltage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including: a fuel gas supply start command unit (101) for commanding start of a fuel gas supply to a fuel cell (1); a voltage detector (21) for detecting a fuel cell voltage; a control unit (103) for performing a deterioration preventing control for the fuel cell (1) based on the fuel cell voltage (CV) and a start command from the fuel gas supply start command unit (101); and another control unit (104) for controlling fuel gas feed rate according to the start command and the deterioration preventing control. The deterioration preventing control is performed at start-up of the fuel cell system. The fuel gas supply is started according to the start command, and after the deterioration preventing control is started, the fuel gas feed rate is increased.

Abstract: Carbon monoxide contained in reformate gas is removed by a preferential oxidation reaction in a catalyst, two preferential oxidation reactors (20A, 20B) being disposed in series. Valves (7, 8) supply air containing oxygen as an oxidizing agent individually to these preferential oxidation reactors (20A, 20B). Temperature sensors (9, 10) detect the catalyst temperatures of the preferential oxidation reactors (20A, 20B), and a controller (5), by adjusting the flow rate of the valves (7, 8) based on the detected temperatures, maximizes the carbon monoxide removal performance of the preferential oxidation reactors (20A, 20B), while preventing excessive catalyst temperature rise.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: 1) a fuel gas circulating system; 2) a first pressure sensor for sensing a fuel cell inlet sensed pressure; 3) a second pressure sensor for sensing a fuel gas circulating system inlet sensed pressure; 4) a fuel gas circulating system inlet target pressure operator for operating a fuel gas circulating system inlet target pressure, based on the following: i) the fuel cell inlet sensed pressure sensed with the first pressure sensor, and ii) a fuel cell inlet target pressure; and 5) a fuel gas circulating system inlet pressure controller for controlling the pressure of the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell, by so regulating the pressure regulator valve that the fuel gas circulating system inlet sensed pressure sensed with the second pressure sensor becomes the fuel gas circulating system inlet target pressure operated by the fuel gas circulating system inlet target pressure operator.