US 12,347,902 B2
Multiple fuel cell radiator system
Luke A. Rippelmeyer, Plano, TX (US); Yohei Okamoto, Plano, TX (US); Daniel Charles Folick, Long Beach, CA (US); and Jared Farnsworth, Gardena, CA (US)
Assigned to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US)
Filed by TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/545,264.
Prior Publication US 2023/0178774 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 8/04746 (2016.01); B60K 11/04 (2006.01); B60L 58/33 (2019.01); H01M 8/04007 (2016.01); H01M 8/04029 (2016.01); H01M 8/0438 (2016.01); H01M 8/04701 (2016.01)
CPC H01M 8/04768 (2013.01) [B60K 11/04 (2013.01); B60L 58/33 (2019.02); H01M 8/04029 (2013.01); H01M 8/04074 (2013.01); H01M 8/04417 (2013.01); H01M 8/04701 (2013.01); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
determining minimum pump speeds at which first and second pumps of a cooling system may operate to prevent backflow in the cooling system;
determining amounts by which first and second flow splitting valves of the cooling system may be opened to, in conjunction with the first and second pumps, prevent backflow in the cooling system, wherein:
the amounts by which the first and second flow splitting valves may be opened are determined by estimating operating states of components of the cooling system including the first and second pumps and the first and second flow splitting valves, and back-calculating for the amounts based on at least one of: (a) mathematical representations of the components of the cooling system, or (b) values derived from the mathematical representations, and
a respective mathematical representation comprises at least one of: (a) an equation used to represent physical characteristics of a respective component of the cooling system, or (b) a state estimator that predicts an operational state of the respective component; and
operating the first and second pumps at the determined minimum pump speeds and operating the first and second flow splitting valves in accordance with the determined amounts by which first and second flow splitting valves of the cooling system may be opened.