MODELING AND USING A VIRTUAL TEMPERATURE SENSOR AT THE WIRELESS OUTPUT OF A FUEL CELL STACK WITH STACK COOLING BYPASS

摘要

The fuel cell temperature measurement system includes a coolant source that provides coolant at a total coolant flow rate and an initial coolant temperature. A flow field plate defines peripheral flow channels and effective area flow channels through which coolant flows. The flow field plate is positioned in a fuel cell stack between individual fuel cells. A total coolant flow provided to the common port divides into a bypass flow through which the peripheral flow channels flow and an active surface flow through which effective area flow channels flow. The bypass flow is connected to the effective surface flow to flow out of the common outlet with an output coolant temperature. The fuel cell temperature measurement system includes a temperature sensor that measures the output coolant temperature from the common output. Finally, a temperature estimator estimates an effective area coolant temperature from the output coolant temperature.