Abstract: A system and method of simultaneously calculating an isolation resistance and a y-capacitance of a RESS may include the steps of: injecting a first signal into a RESS; recording an output signal from the RESS in response to the injection of the first signal; multiplying the first signal with the output signal to determine a first product; multiplying a second signal with the output signal to determine a second product wherein the second signal is orthogonal to the first signal; filtering the first product to determine a first constant; filtering the second product to determine a second constant; processing the first constant to determine a y-capacitance value; and processing the second constant to determine an isolation resistance value.

Abstract: A system and method for managing power flow in a fuel cell vehicle. The method provides a difference between a power limit signal and an actual power signal to a PI controller to generate a power offset signal. The method determines whether a fuel cell stack is able to provide enough power to satisfy a power request, and if so, adds the power request and the power offset signal to generate a stack power request signal to cause the upper power limit signal to move towards and be matched to the actual power signal. If the stack is not able to provide enough power to satisfy the load power request signal, the method subtracts the power offset signal from the power limit signal to provide a load limit signal to cause the actual stack power signal to move towards and be matched to the upper power limit signal.

Abstract: A battery module that includes a plurality of battery cells having cell elements that are electrically coupled. Each cell includes a first capacitor plate pair having a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate at a first side of the cell element. Each cell also includes a second capacitor plate pair having a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate positioned at a second side of the cell element. The first capacitor plate at the second side of one cell element is capacitively coupled to the first capacitor plate at the first side of the cell element in an adjacent cell and the second capacitor plate at the second side of the one cell element is capacitively coupled to the second capacitor plate at the first side of the cell element in the adjacent cell so as to provide DC breaking.

Abstract: A battery system including a powerline and a plurality of electrically connected smart battery cells each having a cell monitoring unit. The battery system also includes a host controller in communication with the powerline through a plurality of connection lines, where a plurality of the battery cells between adjacent connection lines is referred to as a cell string. The number of cell strings and the number of battery cells in the system determines transfer function gains for signal levels transmitted from the cell monitoring units to the host controller and signal levels transmitted by the host controller to each of the cell monitoring units.

Abstract: System and methods for estimating a state of a battery utilizing an adaptive battery model are presented. The model may utilize a multi-RC electric circuit model designed to represent an open circuit voltage and/or an impedance of an actual battery system. A state observer may be utilized in connection with estimating parameters associated with a model of the battery system (e.g., resistances in the multi-RC circuit model). Systems and methods disclosed herein may further employ a blending technique utilizing an Ah-based SOC determination and an OCV-based SOC determination in estimating a state of a battery system.

Abstract: A battery module that includes a plurality of battery cells having cell elements that are electrically coupled. Each cell includes a first capacitor plate pair having a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate at a first side of the cell element. Each cell also includes a second capacitor plate pair having a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate positioned at a second side of the cell element. The first capacitor plate at the second side of one cell element is capacitively coupled to the first capacitor plate at the first side of the cell element in an adjacent cell and the second capacitor plate at the second side of the one cell element is capacitively coupled to the second capacitor plate at the first side of the cell element in the adjacent cell so as to provide DC breaking.

Abstract: A system and method for managing power flow in a fuel cell vehicle. The method provides a difference between a power limit signal and an actual power signal to a PI controller to generate a power offset signal. The method determines whether a fuel cell stack is able to provide enough power to satisfy a power request, and if so, adds the power request and the power offset signal to generate a stack power request signal to cause the upper power limit signal to move towards and be matched to the actual power signal. If the stack is not able to provide enough power to satisfy the load power request signal, the method subtracts the power offset signal from the power limit signal to provide a load limit signal to cause the actual stack power signal to move towards and be matched to the upper power limit signal.

Abstract: A system and method of simultaneously calculating an isolation resistance and a y-capacitance of a RESS may include the steps of: injecting a first signal into a RESS; recording an output signal from the RESS in response to the injection of the first signal; multiplying the first signal with the output signal to determine a first product; multiplying a second signal with the output signal to determine a second product wherein the second signal is orthogonal to the first signal; filtering the first product to determine a first constant; filtering the second product to determine a second constant; processing the first constant to determine a y-capacitance value; and processing the second constant to determine an isolation resistance value.

Abstract: A power request controller that prevents a power request signal to a fuel cell stack controller from providing more compressor air and hydrogen gas than is necessary to meet the current power demands of the vehicle. The stack controller generates a signal of the available current from the fuel cell stack. This signal and the measured current actually being drawn from the stack are received by a proportional-integral (P-I) controller in the power request controller. If the available stack current is significantly greater than the stack current being used, the P-I controller will provide an output signal that reduces the power request signal to the stack controller so that the current produced by the stack and the current being drawn from the stack are substantially the same. A transient detector turns off the P-I controller so that it does not reduce the power request signal during an up-power transient.

Abstract: A power request controller that prevents a power request signal to a fuel cell stack controller from providing more compressor air and hydrogen gas than is necessary to meet the current power demands of the vehicle. The stack controller generates a signal of the available current from the fuel cell stack. This signal and the measured current actually being drawn from the stack are received by a proportional-integral (P-I) controller in the power request controller. If the available stack current is significantly greater than the stack current being used, the P-I controller will provide an output signal that reduces the power request signal to the stack controller so that the current produced by the stack and the current being drawn from the stack are substantially the same. A transient detector turns off the P-I controller so that it does not reduce the power request signal during an up-power transient.