The control device is provided with a power generation part configured to be able to selectively perform normal power generation and low efficiency power generation in which the power generation loss is greater compared with normal power generation when there is a request for warmup of the fuel cell. The power generation part temporarily stops the low efficiency power generation and performs normal power generation when during performance of the low efficiency power generation the target generated electric power of the fuel cell becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined first switching electric power.

The present disclosure generally relates to power generation systems and methods for intelligently splitting power between, monitoring the life of, and/or controlling the power of one or more power sources, including at least one fuel cell and a battery and/or a supercapacitor, to maximize life of a vehicle and/or powertrain.

Disclosed are a system and method for controlling a cold start of a fuel cell. The system includes a fuel cell configured to be supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas so as to generate electric power, a main bus terminal configured to electrically connect an output terminal of the fuel cell to a high-voltage battery, accessories, or a driving device so as to output the electric power generated by the fuel cell, a main relay provided at the main bus terminal between the output terminal of the fuel cell and the high-voltage battery, the accessories, or the driving device and configured to electrically connect or cut off the main bus terminal, a COD resistor connected to the main bus terminal at an output terminal side of the fuel cell with reference to the main relay, and a controller configured to supply the electric power generated by the fuel cell to the COD resistor in the state in which the main relay is cut off, and to control the COD resistor to consume the electric power generated by the fuel cell and supplied thereto.

A redox flow battery system includes an anolyte; a catholyte; a first half-cell including a first electrode in contact with the anolyte; a second half-cell including a second electrode in contact with the catholyte; a separator separating the anolyte in the first half-cell from the catholyte in the second half-cell; at least one state measurement device configured for intermittently, periodically, or continuously making a measurement of a value indicative of a state of charge of the anolyte or the catholyte before entering or after leaving the first half-cell or second half-cell, respectively; and a controller coupled to the at least one state measurement device for generating a temporal energy profile of the anolyte or the catholyte, respectively, using the measurements.

A redox flow battery system includes an anolyte; a catholyte; a first half-cell including a first electrode in contact with the anolyte; a second half-cell including a second electrode in contact with the catholyte; a separator separating the anolyte in the first half-cell from the catholyte in the second half-cell; at least one state measurement device configured for intermittently, periodically, or continuously making a measurement of a value indicative of a state of charge of the anolyte or the catholyte before entering or after leaving the first half-cell or second half-cell, respectively; and a controller coupled to the at least one state measurement device for generating a temporal energy profile of the anolyte or the catholyte, respectively, using the measurements.

An apparatus for converting power of a fuel cell for power generation to remove an open voltage of the fuel cell and a method thereof are provided. A controller links current to a system or load to reduce an open circuit voltage (OCV) of the fuel cell before power generation of the fuel cell is started, after the fuel cell is started. A power converter converts and supplies power generated by the fuel cell to the system or load. The apparatus removes an OCV of a fuel cell stack to prevent performance and life of the fuel cell from being reduced.

An apparatus is provided for measuring the power of electrolytes at different positions of a flow battery by switching six-way valves without reconnecting channels. With the measurements at the positions, weighting is processed to obtain power corresponding to charging statuses for determining accurate power. The charging and discharging of voltage and current of the battery are controlled for constant operations with high efficiency. Consequently, the efficiency of power conversion is improved; energy consumption is reduced; and the battery is always run within a safe power-range for avoiding accidents or damages to the battery. In addition, the present invention is further applicable to a device monitoring the features of a battery unit. The six-way valves online monitor the power at center positions by switching. The values measured at different positions are aimed at the abnormality of the battery unit for processing adjustment or offline replacement to maintain best operation performance.

One embodiment is a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte; a catholyte; an anolyte tank configured for holding at least a portion of the anolyte; a catholyte tank configured for holding at least a portion of the catholyte; a primary redox flow battery arrangement, and a second redox flow battery arrangement. The primary and secondary redox flow battery arrangements share the anolyte and catholyte tanks and each includes a first half-cell including a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell including a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, a separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell, an anolyte pump, and a catholyte pump. The peak power delivery capacity of the secondary redox flow battery arrangement is less than the peak power delivery capacity of the primary redox flow battery arrangement.

An air supply system for a fuel cell includes: a fuel cell stack in which multiple unit cells are stacked and that generates electricity through chemical reactions, an air channel to supply incoming air containing oxygen to the fuel cell stack and to transfer air discharged from the fuel cell stack to the outside of the air supply system, and a gas adsorption unit that is disposed on the air channel, positioned near an outlet of the fuel cell stack, and adsorbs oxygen contained in the air introduced into the air channel.

A fuel cell system is equipped with a fuel cell unit that is composed of a plurality of fuel cells including a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, a first supply device and a second supply device that supply reactive gas to the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell respectively, and a control device that controls running of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell and operation of the first supply device and the second supply device. The control device suspends electric power generation by the first fuel cell and drives the first supply device to hold an opening circuit voltage of the first fuel cell within a target range, and suspends electric power generation by the second fuel cell and stops driving the second supply device when an output P required of the fuel cell unit is equal to 0.