초록 ▼

A diagnostic system and method identifies fuel injector failure in a fuel cell system including a fuel processor and a fuel source. A fuel injector supplies fuel from the fuel source to the fuel processor. A pressure sensor generates a pressure signal based on pressure between the fuel source and th

A diagnostic system and method identifies fuel injector failure in a fuel cell system including a fuel processor and a fuel source. A fuel injector supplies fuel from the fuel source to the fuel processor. A pressure sensor generates a pressure signal based on pressure between the fuel source and the fuel injector. A fuel injector diagnostic identifies fuel injector failure based on the pressure signal. The fuel injector diagnostic includes a moving window tracker that tracks the pressure signal over a moving window. The fuel injector diagnostic further includes a standard deviation or variance calculator that generates a standard deviation or variance based on the pressure signal in the moving window.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fuel cell system comprising a diagnostic system for identifying fuel injector failure in said fuel cell system, comprising:a fuel processor for producing hydrogen;a fuel source;a fuel injector that supplies fuel from said fuel source to said fuel processor;a pressure sensor that generates a pre

1. A fuel cell system comprising a diagnostic system for identifying fuel injector failure in said fuel cell system, comprising:a fuel processor for producing hydrogen;a fuel source;a fuel injector that supplies fuel from said fuel source to said fuel processor;a pressure sensor that generates a pressure signal based on pressure between said fuel source and said fuel injector; anda fuel injector diagnostic that identifies fuel injector failure based on said pressure signal. 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:a fuel pump that pumps fuel from said fuel source to said fuel injector. 3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:a regulator that communicates with said fuel source and that regulates pressure between said fuel pump and said fuel injector. 4. The system of claim 1 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic is implemented using a controller with a processor and memory. 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic includes a moving window tracker that tracks said pressure signal over a moving window. 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic further includes a standard deviation calculator that generates a standard deviation based on said pressure signal in said moving window, wherein when said standard deviation is less than a first threshold, said fuel injector diagnostic turns on an indicator and when said standard deviation is less than a second threshold, said fuel injector diagnostic shuts down said fuel cell. 7. The system of claim 5 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic further includes a variance calculator that generates a variance based on said pressure signal in said moving window and wherein when said variance is less than a first threshold, said fuel injector diagnostic turns on an indicator and when said variance is less than a second threshold, said fuel injector diagnostic shuts down said fuel cell. 8. The system of claim 5 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic further includes a diagnostic enabler that enables said fuel injector diagnostic. 9. The system of claim 8 wherein said diagnostic enabler includes a comparator that receives an injector command and an injector command minimum signal. 10. The diagnostic system of claim 9 further comprising a noise reducer that communicates with said comparator and that transitions from low to high after a first period after said comparator signal goes high and from high to low after a second period after said comparator signal goes low. 11. A method for diagnosing fuel injector failure in a fuel cell system, said fuel cell system comprising a fuel source and a fuel processor for producing hydrogen, said method comprising:supplies fuel from said fuel source to said fuel processor using a fuel injector;generating a pressure signal based on pressure between said fuel source and said fuel injector; andidentifying fuel injector failure based on said pressure signal. 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising pumping fuel from said fuel source to said fuel injector. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising regulating pressure between said fuel pump and said fuel injector. 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said fuel injector diagnostic is implemented using a controller with a processor and memory. 15. The method of claim 11 further comprising tracking said pressure signal over a moving window. 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating a standard deviation based on said pressure signal in said moving window. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:comparing said standard deviation to a first threshold; andturning on an indicator light if said standard deviation exceeds said first threshold. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:comparing said standard deviation to a second threshold; andshutting down said fuel injector if said standard deviation exceeds said second threshold. 19. The method of claim 15 further comprising generating a variance based on said pressure signal in said moving wind ow. 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:comparing said variance to a first threshold; andturning on an indicator light if said variance exceeds said first threshold. 21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:comparing said variance to a second threshold; andshutting down said fuel injector if said variance exceeds said second threshold.