Apparatus and method for high efficiency operation of fuel cell systems
First Claim
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1. A drive circuit comprising:
- a DC bus;
a voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus;
a fuel cell coupled to the voltage converter assembly; and
a controller programmed to;
operate the fuel cell to deliver a power output to the voltage converter assembly during a first mode of operation; and
operate the voltage converter assembly to permit charging the fuel cell during a second mode of operation,wherein the fuel cell comprises a regenerative fuel cell.
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Abstract
A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.
20 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A drive circuit comprising:
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a DC bus; a voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus; a fuel cell coupled to the voltage converter assembly; and a controller programmed to; operate the fuel cell to deliver a power output to the voltage converter assembly during a first mode of operation; and operate the voltage converter assembly to permit charging the fuel cell during a second mode of operation, wherein the fuel cell comprises a regenerative fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of operating a fuel cell propulsion system comprising:
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causing a fuel cell to deliver a first output to a voltage converter assembly during a first mode of operation; causing the voltage converter assembly to permit charging of the fuel cell during a second mode of operation; and causing the voltage converter assembly to boost the first output and supply the boosted output to a DC link, wherein the fuel cell comprises a regenerative fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A fuel cell propulsion system comprising:
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a motor; a DC bus coupled to the motor via an inverter; a DC-to-DC converter assembly coupled to the DC bus; a fuel cell arrangement coupled to the DC bus via the DC-to-DC converter assembly; and a controller programmed to; operate the fuel cell arrangement to deliver a first power output to the DC-to-DC converter assembly during a high-power-demand operating mode; operate the fuel cell arrangement to deliver a second power output to the DC-to-DC converter assembly during a low-power-demand operating mode; and operate the DC-to-DC converter assembly to permit charging the fuel cell arrangement during a regenerative mode of operation, wherein the fuel cell comprises a regenerative fuel cell. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification