Abstract: A modeling method of shape-approximating a shape measurement target provided in a structure having a stack structure by a boundary line, and a standard deviation is provided as a tolerance for a measurement value of the shape measurement target, and a calculation boundary line is arranged to converge within the tolerance, and thereby, a shape of the shape measurement target is expressed.

Abstract: An automobile which includes a radiator fan control for heat pump HVAC which can selectively reverse fan direction based on ambient temperature and moisture to reduce ice buildup on a liquid-gas converter. The automobile may include a liquid-gas converter located within an engine bay, a radiator located adjacent the liquid-gas converter, a first fan located adjacent the radiator, a fuel cell and motor with the inverter located adjacent the first fan, the fuel cell supplying electricity to the motor with the inverter to drive the vehicle. The automobile can also include a temperature sensor located on an exterior surface of the automobile to sense an ambient temperature, a heater core connected to the liquid-gas converter and located between the engine bay and the passenger area, and a control unit connected to the first fan, the temperature sensor, and the heater core.

Abstract: An automobile which includes a radiator fan control for heat pump HVAC which can selectively reverse fan direction based on ambient temperature and moisture to reduce ice buildup on a liquid-gas converter. The automobile may include a liquid-gas converter located within an engine bay, a radiator located adjacent the liquid-gas converter, a first fan located adjacent the radiator, a fuel cell and motor with the inverter located adjacent the first fan, the fuel cell supplying electricity to the motor with the inverter to drive the vehicle. The automobile can also include a temperature sensor located on an exterior surface of the automobile to sense an ambient temperature, a heater core connected to the liquid-gas converter and located between the engine bay and the passenger area, and a control unit connected to the first fan, the temperature sensor, and the heater core.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiator fan control for heat pump HVAC which can selectively reverse fan direction based on ambient temperature and reduce ice buildup on a liquid-gas converter. In one embodiment, the invention is an automobile with a liquid-gas converter located within an engine bay, a radiator located adjacent the liquid-gas converter, a first fan located adjacent the radiator, a fuel cell and motor with the inverter located adjacent the first fan, the fuel cell supplying electricity to the motor with the inverter to drive the vehicle. The invention can also include a temperature sensor located on an exterior surface the automobile to sense an ambient temperature, a heater core connected to the liquid-gas converter and located between the engine bay and the passenger area, and a control unit connected to the first fan, the temperature sensor, and the heater core.

Abstract: State of charge control for electric and hybrid vehicles. In one embodiment, a battery may be electrically connected to an electric motor to propel a vehicle. In such an embodiment, during vehicle operation a state of charge of the battery may fluctuate within a given state of charge range and may be regulated to a target state of charge. Such target state of charge may be set below the midpoint of the state of charge range. As the vehicle operates various devices may be controlled to regulate the state of charge to the target. In particular, an electric motor may be employed to lower the state of charge and an internal combustion engine may be employed to raise the state of charge. In other embodiments, regenerative braking, solar power or the like may be employed to raise the state of charge from at or below the target state of charge to the upper state of charge limit.

Abstract: A nitrogen concentration of fuel gas is estimated, and an amount of discharged fuel off-gas that is discharged from a fuel off-gas passage to outside by a discharging mechanism is controlled depending on the estimated nitrogen concentration. The nitrogen concentration, for example, can be estimated from a rate of pressure drop in the fuel off-gas passage during the discharge of fuel off-gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiator fan control for heat pump HVAC which can selectively reverse fan direction based on ambient temperature and reduce ice buildup on a liquid-gas converter. In one embodiment, the invention is an automobile with a liquid-gas converter located within an engine bay, a radiator located adjacent the liquid-gas converter, a first fan located adjacent the radiator, a fuel cell and motor with the inverter located adjacent the first fan, the fuel cell supplying electricity to the motor with the inverter to drive the vehicle. The invention can also include a temperature sensor located on an exterior surface the automobile to sense an ambient temperature, a heater core connected to the liquid-gas converter and located between the engine bay and the passenger area, and a control unit connected to the first fan, the temperature sensor, and the heater core.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hydrogen gas supply portion for supplying a fuel cell with hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas supply portion includes an odorant treatment portion for treating an odorant in a mixed gas containing given hydrogen gas and the odorant. The odorant treatment portion includes an odorant removal portion and an air blower. The odorant removal portion contains a porous adsorbent for adsorbing the odorant contained in the mixed gas and a catalyst for promoting decomposition of the adsorbed odorant. The air blower decomposes the adsorbed odorant. Thus, the odorant treatment portion can perform a function of supplying the fuel cell with hydrogen gas by adsorbing the odorant contained in the mixed gas, and a function of recovering its adsorption capacity by decomposing the adsorbed odorant.

Abstract: A gas/liquid separation device is connected to a discharge valve which can discharge fuel gas to the outside of a fuel cell system along with water accumulated in the gas/liquid separation device. A change in pressure at a portion upstream of the discharge valve, which occurs due to an opening operation of the discharge valve, is detected or estimated, and an integral value is obtained by integrating the amount of change in the pressure with respect to time from when the discharge valve is opened or a parameter value corresponding to the integral value is obtained. The integral value represents an amount of fuel gas discharged due to the opening operation of the discharge valve. It is therefore possible to reliably discharge a desired amount of fuel gas by deciding a closing time at which the discharge valve is closed based on the integral value or the parameter value.

Abstract: State of charge control for electric and hybrid vehicles. In one embodiment, a battery may be electrically connected to an electric motor to propel a vehicle. In such an embodiment, during vehicle operation a state of charge of the battery may fluctuate within a given state of charge range and may be regulated to a target state of charge. Such target state of charge may be set below the midpoint of the state of charge range. As the vehicle operates various devices may be controlled to regulate the state of charge to the target. In particular, an electric motor may be employed to lower the state of charge and an internal combustion engine may be employed to raise the state of charge. In other embodiments, regenerative braking, solar power or the like may be employed to raise the state of charge from at or below the target state of charge to the upper state of charge limit.

Abstract: When a command for stopping electric generation by a fuel cell is issued, shutoff valves are closed (at time t1), and then a time-dependent change in pressure (P) in a closed passage area including the fuel cell is detected. A pressure change speed (dP1, i.e., an inclination of L1) when the pressure (P) is in a first pressure range (Ra) in the vicinity of atmospheric pressure and a pressure change speed (dP2, i.e., an inclination of L2) when the pressure (P) is in a second pressure range (Rb) that is on a high pressure side of the first pressure range (Ra) are detected, and both the pressure change speeds (dP1, dP2) are compared with each other. When a difference between both the pressure change speeds (dP1, dP2) is equal to or larger than a predetermined value (Pc), it is determined that there is a hole in an electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A nitrogen concentration of fuel gas is estimated, and an amount of discharged fuel off-gas that is discharged from a fuel off-gas passage to outside by a discharging mechanism is controlled depending on the estimated nitrogen concentration. The nitrogen concentration, for example, can be estimated from a rate of pressure drop in the fuel off-gas passage during the discharge of fuel off-gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a fuel gas passage through which a fuel gas containing an odorant and hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell flows, an oxidative gas passage through which an oxidative gas supplied to the fuel cell flows, a fuel off gas passage through which a fuel off gas discharged from the fuel cell flows, an oxidative off gas passage through which an oxidative off gas discharged from the fuel cell flows, and an odorant removal portion provided in the fuel off gas passage. The odorant removal portion removes the odorant after the fuel gas has been introduced into the fuel cell.

Abstract: A gas/liquid separation device is connected to a discharge valve which can discharge fuel gas to the outside of a fuel cell system along with water accumulated in the gas/liquid separation device. A change in pressure at a portion upstream of the discharge valve, which occurs due to an opening operation of the discharge valve, is detected or estimated, and an integral value is obtained by integrating the amount of change in the pressure with respect to time from when the discharge valve is opened or a parameter value corresponding to the integral value is obtained. The integral value represents an amount of fuel gas discharged due to the opening operation of the discharge valve. It is therefore possible to reliably discharge a desired amount of fuel gas by deciding a closing time at which the discharge valve is closed based on the integral value or the parameter value corresponding to the integral value.

Abstract: When a command for stopping electric generation by a fuel cell is issued, shutoff valves are closed (at time t1), and then a time-dependent change in pressure (P) in a closed passage area including the fuel cell is detected. A pressure change speed (dP1, i.e., an inclination of L1) when the pressure (P) is in a first pressure range (Ra) in the vicinity of atmospheric pressure and a pressure change speed (dP2, i.e., an inclination of L2) when the pressure (P) is in a second pressure range (Rb) that is on a high pressure side of the first pressure range (Ra) are detected, and both the pressure change speeds (dP1, dP2) are compared with each other. When a difference between both the pressure change speeds (dP1, dP2) is equal to or larger than a predetermined value (Pc), it is determined that there is a hole in an electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell.

Abstract: In a fluid leakage detection apparatus, hydrogen is supplied from a hydrogen tank to an FC stack of a fuel cell via first and second pipes. An inlet valve is provided between the hydrogen tank and the first pipe, and an outlet valve is provided between the first pipe and the second pipe. A controller serves to control valve opening a valve closing operation of the inlet and outlet valves, respectively. Those valves are closed in a state where the pressure within the hydrogen tank is made lower than the pressure within the first pipe, and the pressure within the second pipe is made lower than the pressure within the first pipe by operating those valves. Thereafter, the increase or decrease in the pressure within the first pipe is detected by a pressure gauge such that the leakage in the inlet valve or the outlet valve is determined. This makes it possible to detect the leakage both in the inlet valve and the outlet valve at the same time.

Abstract: In a fluid leakage detection apparatus, hydrogen is supplied from a hydrogen tank to an FC stack of a fuel cell via first and second pipes. An inlet valve is provided between the hydrogen tank and the first pipe, and an outlet valve is provided between the first pipe and the second pipe. A controller serves to control valve opening a valve closing operation of the inlet and outlet valves, respectively. Those valves are closed in a state where the pressure within the hydrogen tank is made lower than the pressure within the first pipe, and the pressure within the second pipe is made lower than the pressure within the first pipe by operating those valves. Thereafter, the increase or decrease in the pressure within the first pipe is detected by a pressure gauge such that the leakage in the inlet valve or the outlet valve is determined. This makes it possible to detect the leakage both in the inlet valve and the outlet valve at the same time.

Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a fuel gas passage through which a fuel gas containing an odorant and hydrogen gas supplied to the fuel cell flows, an oxidative gas passage through which an oxidative gas supplied to the fuel cell flows, a fuel off gas passage through which a fuel off gas discharged from the fuel cell flows, an oxidative off gas passage through which an oxidative off gas discharged from the fuel cell flows, and an odorant removal portion provided in the fuel off gas passage. The odorant removal portion removes the odorant after the fuel gas has been introduced into the fuel cell.

Abstract: A shut valve for a hydrogen occluding alloy tank is integrated into a body of the hydrogen occluding alloy tank. Shut valves for a fuel cell are also integrated into a body of the fuel cell. There is no flow passage for communication between the shut valves and the body of the fuel cell. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which hydrogen gas continues to flow out of the flow passage for communication between the shut valves and the body of the fuel cell despite closure of the valves in response to an inconvenience arising in the flow passage. Even in case of emergency, flow of hydrogen gas can be stopped completely.