US 12,080,924 B2
Power control system and method of a fuel cell
Byung Jun Sung, Anyang-si (KR)
Assigned to HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Seoul (KR); and KIA CORPORATION, Seoul (KR)
Filed by Hyundai Motor Company, Seoul (KR); and Kia Corporation, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/813,640.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0174881 (KR), filed on Dec. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0178770 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 8/04537 (2016.01); H01M 8/04858 (2016.01); H01M 16/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 8/04552 (2013.01) [H01M 8/04888 (2013.01); H01M 8/04932 (2013.01); H01M 8/0494 (2013.01); H01M 8/04947 (2013.01); H01M 16/006 (2013.01); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power control system of a fuel cell comprising:
a fuel cell that generates electricity;
a load device that is electrically connected to the fuel cell;
a DC/DC converter that is disposed between the fuel cell and the load device, and converts power between a low side of the DC/DC converter electrically connected to the fuel cell and a high side of the DC/DC converter electrically connected to the load device;
a battery that is electrically connected to the high side of the DC/DC converter in parallel with the load device; and
a controller that monitors a voltage of the high side of the DC/DC converter or a voltage of the low side of the DC/DC converter, and controls output power of the fuel cell or power consumption of the load device based on the monitored voltage of the high side or the monitored voltage of the low side,
wherein the controller limits discharge power of the battery when the monitored voltage of the high side is less than or equal to a preset limit voltage, or a difference between the monitored voltage of the high side and the monitored voltage of the low side is less than or equal to a preset voltage difference, and
wherein the controller, while limiting the discharge power of the battery, (i) increases the output power of the fuel cell, and (ii) reduces the power consumption of the load device when it is impossible to further increase the output power of the fuel cell to thereby prevent a voltage reversal of the DC/DC converter.