By processing circuitry executing a program recorded in a storage unit, a control method for a fuel cell system includes calculating a load output and calculating a maximum output, comparing the load output with the maximum output, and controlling, in a case that the load output exceeds the maximum output, the fuel cell system to decrease a power storage output used by a load, by increasing a power generation output.

A system and method for controlling power for a fuel cell are disclosed. The system includes: a fuel cell; a load device electrically connected to the fuel cell; a stack controller configured to set a stack limit current on the basis of a current output current of the fuel cell, the stack limit current configured to limit an output current of the fuel cell on the basis of an output voltage of the fuel cell; and a load controller configured to set a consumption limit current on the basis of the set stack limit current, the consumption limit current configured to limit a consumption current of the load device, the load controller being configured to control the consumption current of the load device to a value equal to or lower than the set consumption limit current.

A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell having first unit cells stacked together, a second fuel cell having second unit cells stacked together, a first voltage detector, a second voltage detector, and a controller. The first voltage detector detects voltage of the first unit cells for every “N” unit cells on average, and the second voltage detector detects voltage of the whole second fuel cell, or detects voltage of the second unit cells for every “M” unit cells on average. The controller determines whether any of the first unit cells is in a fuel deficiency state, by referring to a detection result of the first voltage detector, and performs a cancellation process to cancel the fuel deficiency state, on the first fuel cell that is in a power generating state, while stopping power generation of the second fuel cell, when an affirmative decision is obtained.

A control device of a multi-phase converter having N converter circuits connected in parallel includes: a determination unit configured to determine each share ratio of the N converter circuits to unevenly share input current to the multi-phase converter among the N converter circuits such that a conversion efficiency indicating a ratio of output power from the multi-phase converter with respect to input power to the multi-phase converter is higher in the case where the input current is unevenly shared by the N converter circuits compared to the case where the input current is evenly shared by the N converter circuits when the number of driven converter circuits is one or more and N−1 or less and the start condition is satisfied; and a diagnosis unit configured to diagnose an abnormality of the N converter circuits when the N converter circuits are driven in accordance with the determined share ratios.

A coolant injection controller for a fuel cell system, the coolant injection controller configured to actively control the flow of a coolant to a fuel cell assembly for cooling and/or hydrating the fuel cell assembly in response to a measure of fuel cell assembly performance, wherein the coolant injection controller is configured to provide for a first mode of operation if the measure of fuel cell assembly performance is below a predetermined threshold and a second mode of operation if the measure of fuel cell assembly performance is above the predetermined threshold, the first and second modes having different coolant injection profiles and wherein, in the first mode of operation, the coolant injection profile provides for control of the flow of coolant by alternating between at least two different injection flow rates.

According to an embodiment, a power supply control system includes a plurality of fuel cell systems mounted in an electric device that operates using electric power, a first controller configured to control the plurality of fuel cell systems in an integrated way, and a second controller configured to control the fuel cell system to which the second controller belongs among the plurality of fuel cell systems. The second controller acquires a state of the fuel cell system to which the second controller belongs and notifies the first controller of the state of the fuel cell system. The first controller controls power generation of each of the plurality of fuel cell systems on the basis of the state of the fuel cell system to which the second controller belongs acquired by the second controller.

On a start of a fuel cell system, (i) when the temperature of a high-voltage secondary battery obtained from a temperature sensor is higher than a predetermined reference value, a controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set an output voltage on a step-down side of a DC-DC converter to a higher voltage than a voltage of a low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start an FC auxiliary machine using electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery. (ii) When the temperature of the high-voltage secondary battery obtained from the temperature sensor is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference value, on the other hand, the controller of the fuel cell system is configured to set the output voltage on the step-down side of the DC-DC converter to a lower voltage than the voltage of the low-voltage secondary battery and subsequently start the FC auxiliary machine using the electric power from the high-voltage secondary battery.

A fuel cell system performs a first control of stopping power generation of a fuel cell stack by closing a supply-side stop valve during power generation of the fuel cell stack, and a second control of driving an air pump by using surplus power generated in a moving body to thereby discard the surplus power. If a closed state of the supply-side stop valve is detected when the first control and the second control start to be executed, the air pump is driven in a predetermined state.

A power supply apparatus according to an example embodiment includes an abnormal state determiner configured to determine a maximum output of a fuel cell by determining whether there is an abnormality in the fuel cell, a fuel cell controller configured to control output power of the fuel cell within the maximum output based on demand power of a load, an energy storage configured to charge with power by receiving the power from the fuel cell and supply the power to the load, a charging state determiner configured to determine a charging state of the energy storage based on a charging amount of the energy storage, and a storage controller configured to control charging and discharging of the energy storage based on a difference between the demand power of the load and the output power of the fuel cell.

A system and method for controlling a fuel cell system. An anode tail gas oxidizer (ATO) receives air and fuel exhaust streams from one or more fuel cell stacks of the fuel cell system. The one or more fuel cell stacks provide current to one or more loads. An ATO temperature signal is used to control at least one of a fuel inlet flow to the one or more fuel cell stacks or the current provided to the one or more loads.