Abstract: A battery capacity display method to display a full charge capacity of a battery and a residual capacity of the battery, respectively, as a full charge capacity display value and a residual capacity display value, the battery capacity display method includes: correcting the full charge capacity display value and/or the residual capacity display value so as to decrease a difference between the full charge capacity display value and the residual capacity display value when the battery is in the full charge state and the full charge capacity and the residual capacity in the full charge state are different from each other, and displaying a corrected full charge capacity display value and/or a corrected residual capacity display value.

Abstract: Provided is a battery temperature control device configured to automatically heat a battery with a battery-driven heater so that the battery does not freeze at a minimum electric power consumption when the battery is out of use. The battery temperature control device predicts, based on a combination of a battery temperature and an outside air temperature, a predictive time that the battery temperature is likely to be less than a first set temperature, while the battery temperature is higher than or equal to the first set temperature at which there is no risk of freezing, and sets the predictive time as the next controller startup time, and determines whether or not the battery temperature has fallen to below the first set temperature with a control program wakeup when the predictive time has expired, and battery-drives the heater when the battery temperature fall has occurred, to heat the battery.

Abstract: A capacity estimating apparatus for a secondary battery includes a current-detecting section configured to detect a value of current flowing in the secondary battery; a voltage-detecting section configured to detect a voltage value of the secondary battery; a first estimating section configured to calculate a first estimate value of a remaining capacity of the secondary battery on the basis of an accumulated value of the current values detected by the current-detecting section; and a second estimating section configured to calculate a second estimate value of the remaining capacity of the secondary battery on the basis of the voltage value detected by the voltage-detecting section. The first estimating section is configured to calculate a difference between the first estimate value and the second estimate value, and to correct the first estimate value by correcting the accumulated value so as to gradually reduce the difference.

Abstract: When completion of timer charge before elapse of a designated time is designated by a timer charge reservation means for allowing a user to designate a predetermined charge time zone and a target amount of electric power to be charged to the battery, a timer charge start time is determined. Upon carrying out the timer charge, when it is predicted that the timer charge and battery heating are simultaneously carried out, a required amount of extension of a charge time period is determined so as to complete charge of the battery by the designated time, and starts charge of the battery at a time advanced relative to the timer charge start time by the required amount of extension of a charge time period. With this control, charge of the battery can be completed at a predetermined time without unnecessary enhancement in a required capacity of a battery heater.

Abstract: At a timing of time t1 battery temperature Tbat lowers to Tbat_start and a warm-up request occurs, SOC at this time is a level, like time t2, which allows a vehicle to travel by itself up to a battery charging facility and allows a battery charger to be connected to the battery charging facility. Since a warm-up permission judging value is set to SOCs_low that is substantially 0 at time t1, in response to judgment of “SOC?SOCs_low (?0)”, warm-up of the battery is carried out from time t1 as shown by a solid line, then Tbat can be increased from time t1. A battery charge time can be thus shortened. With this, in order that the battery does not freeze while the battery is unused, a control that warms up the battery by a battery-driven heater is performed while shortening the battery charge time.

Abstract: Even when temperature sensors (12, 13) used in a device for warming a battery (1) being not in use by using a battery-driven heater (2) have failed, the battery (1) is prevented from freezing. Based on a battery temperature (Tb) and an outside air temperature (Ta), times (?t1 to ?t8) during which Tb will decrease down to a warming start temperature (Tb_start) are each set to the next controller startup time (?t). A controller (9) is started up every ?t, at t2, t3, and t4, and checks whether Tb<Tb_start is satisfied or not. At t4 when Tb<Tb_start is satisfied, a heater (2) is battery-driven to warm the battery (1). After t0 when the outside air temperature sensor (13) fails, the outside air temperature (Ta) is set to a fixed value (Ta_const) and based on this Ta=Ta_const and the battery temperature (Tb), the above control is repeated.

Abstract: When warming-up of a battery is in progress (S12), a battery charge state at the warming-up start time of the battery is set to a battery hold capacity SOChold (S14, S15), and a charge power for the battery is controlled so that a battery charge state SOC is kept at SOChold. When a present time is in a timer charge reservation time (S11), the charge power for the battery is controlled so that SOC becomes a full charge state SOCfull (S17). Even if SOC has a tendency to temporarily decrease due to a rapid increase of heater consumption power just after start of warming-up of the battery, by keeping SOC at SOChold (SOC=SOChold), SOC can reach a full charge state as intended during the timer charge reservation time. A proportion of charge using low-priced midnight power is increased to a maximum then running cost can be suppressed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system can be initiated in shorter time while minimizing the deterioration of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a fuel electrode, an oxidizer electrode and an electrolyte membrane disposed there between, the fuel cell producing electricity by an electrochemical reaction of a fuel gas and an oxidizer gas, which are supplied to the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode, respectively; a fuel gas supplying device for supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack; an oxidizer gas supplying device for supplying the oxidizer gas to the fuel cell stack; a current controlling device for extracting a current from the fuel cell stack; and a voltage sensor disposed in at least two of the fuel cell stacks.

Abstract: A fuel cell system can be initiated in shorter time while minimizing the deterioration of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a fuel electrode, an oxidizer electrode and an electrolyte membrane disposed there between, the fuel cell producing electricity by an electrochemical reaction of a fuel gas and an oxidizer gas, which are supplied to the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode, respectively; a fuel gas supplying device for supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell stack; an oxidizer gas supplying device for supplying the oxidizer gas to the fuel cell stack; a current controlling device for extracting a current from the fuel cell stack; and a voltage sensor disposed in at least two of the fuel cell stacks.

Abstract: A fuel cell system which prevents the deterioration of the fuel cell stack when feeding of the oxidant gas is paused under a load to perform a fuel conservation operation. Controller shuts down oxidant gas compressor and cooling water circulating pump to execute fuel conservation operation at a low fuel cell system load. The controller gives a current draw instruction to electric power controller. In the fuel conservation operation, electric power controller draws a current larger than zero from fuel cell stack, and keeps the total charge drawn per unit time constant or substantially constant.

Abstract: When warming-up of a battery is in progress (S12), a battery charge state at the warming-up start time of the battery is set to a battery hold capacity SOChold (S14, S15), and a charge power for the battery is controlled so that a battery charge state SOC is kept at SOChold. When a present time is in a timer charge reservation time (S11), the charge power for the battery is controlled so that SOC becomes a full charge state SOCfull (S17). Even if SOC has a tendency to temporarily decrease due to a rapid increase of heater consumption power just after start of warming-up of the battery, by keeping SOC at SOChold (SOC=SOChold) SOC can reach a full charge state as intended during the timer charge reservation time. A proportion of charge using low-priced midnight power is increased to a maximum then running cost can be suppressed.

Abstract: At a timing of time t1 battery temperature Tbat_lowers to Tbat_start and a warm-up request occurs, SOC at this time is a level, like time t2, which allows a vehicle to travel by itself up to a battery charging facility and allows a battery charger to be connected to the battery charging facility. Since a warm-up permission judging value is set to SOCs_low that is substantially 0 at time t1, in response to judgment of “SOC?SOCs_low (?0)”, warm-up of the battery is carried out from time t1 as shown by a solod line, then Tbat can be increased from time t1. A battery charge time can be thus shortened. With this, in order that the battery does not freeze while the battery is unused, a control that warms up the battery by a battery-driven heater is performed while shortening the battery charge time.

Abstract: Provided is a battery temperature control device configured to automatically heat a battery with a battery-driven heater so that the battery does not freeze at a minimum electric power consumption when the battery is out of use. The battery temperature control device predicts, based on a combination of a battery temperature and an outside air temperature, a predictive time that the battery temperature is likely to be less than a first set temperature, while the battery temperature is higher than or equal to the first set temperature at which there is no risk of freezing, and sets the predictive time as the next controller startup time, and determines whether or not the battery temperature has fallen to below the first set temperature with a control program wakeup when the predictive time has expired, and battery-drives the heater when the battery temperature fall has occurred, to heat the battery.

Abstract: Even when temperature sensors (12, 13) used in a device for warming a battery (1) being not in use by using a battery-driven heater (2) have failed, the battery (1) is prevented from freezing. Based on a battery temperature (Tb) and an outside air temperature (Ta), times (?t1 to ?t8) during which Tb will decrease down to a warming start temperature (Tb_start) are each set to the next controller startup time (?t). A controller (9) is started up every ?t, at t2, t3, and t4, and checks whether Tb<Tb_start is satisfied or not. At t4 when Tb<Tb_start is satisfied, a heater (2) is battery-driven to warm the battery (1). After t0 when the outside air temperature sensor (13) fails, the outside air temperature (Ta) is set to a fixed value (Ta_const) and based on this Ta=Ta_const and the battery temperature (Tb), the above control is repeated.

Abstract: When warming-up of a battery is in progress (S12), a battery charge state at the warming-up start time of the battery is set to a battery hold capacity SOChold (S19, S15), and a charge power for the battery is controlled so that a battery charge state SOC is kept at SOChold. When a present time is in a timer charge reservation time (S11), the charge power for the battery is controlled so that SOC becomes a full charge state SOCfull (S17). Even if SOC has a tendency to temporarily decrease due to a rapid increase of heater consumption power just after start of warming-up of the battery, by keeping SOC at SOChold (SOC=SOChold), SOC can reach a full charge state as intended during the timer charge reservation time. A proportion of charge using low-priced midnight power is increased to a maximum then running cost can be suppressed.

Abstract: A capacity estimating apparatus for a secondary battery includes a current-detecting section configured to detect a value of current flowing in the secondary battery; a voltage-detecting section configured to detect a voltage value of the secondary battery; a first estimating section configured to calculate a first estimate value of a remaining capacity of the secondary battery on the basis of an accumulated value of the current values detected by the current-detecting section; and a second estimating section configured to calculate a second estimate value of the remaining capacity of the secondary battery on the basis of the voltage value detected by the voltage-detecting section. The first estimating section is configured to calculate a difference between the first estimate value and the second estimate value, and to correct the first estimate value by correcting the accumulated value so as to gradually reduce the difference.

Abstract: A battery capacity display method to display a full charge capacity of a battery and a residual capacity of the battery, respectively, as a full charge capacity display value and a residual capacity display value, the battery capacity display method includes: correcting the full charge capacity display value and/or the residual capacity display value so as to decrease a difference between the full charge capacity display value and the residual capacity display value when the battery is in the full charge state and the full charge capacity and the residual capacity in the full charge state are different from each other, and displaying a corrected full charge capacity display value and/or a corrected residual capacity display value.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including: a fuel cell supplied with a fuel gas to a fuel electrode thereof and air to an air electrode thereof; a fuel gas supplying device which supplies the fuel gas to the fuel electrode; an air supplying device which supplies air to the air electrode; a fuel gas pressure regulator which regulates fuel gas pressure at the fuel electrode; a purge valve which discharges exhaust fuel gas from the fuel electrode to the outside; and a controller. The controller continues power generation of the fuel cell, controlling the fuel gas pressure regulator to lower the fuel gas pressure at the fuel electrode, having the air supplying device continuing supplying air to the air electrode with the purge valve closed; and after the fuel gas pressure at the fuel electrode becomes equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure, stops power generation of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a purge valve that adjusts the amount of nitrogen in a hydrogen circulation channel and a fuel electrode to be discharged through a discharge channel. A purge rate correcting unit variably sets a target control value of the nitrogen content in the hydrogen circulation channel and the fuel electrode by taking into account whether a driving mode is set in a normal power generation mode or an idle mode. An opening of the purge valve is controlled on the basis of the target control value.

Abstract: A fuel cell has an anode, a cathode, and a proton-exchange membrane disposed between the anode and cathode. An exhaust anode gas exhausted from an outlet of the anode is directed back to an inlet of the anode. Hydrogen is added to the exhaust anode gas before the exhaust anode gas reaches the inlet.