Power system for supplying electrical power to a load

• US 20030111908A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emergent Power Inc. (Plug Power Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Relion Incorporated (Plug Power Inc.)
• Inventors: Christensen, Peter C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,703,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/43
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A power system for supplying a power requirement of a load is described and which includes a plurality of DC power sources having at least one fuel cell, and which provides power to a load; and a control electronics assembly is provided and which is electrically coupled to the respective DC power sources, and which selectively reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources to substantially serve the changing power requirements of the load.

Claims

1. A power system for supplying a power requirement of a load, comprising:

a plurality of DC power sources which include at least one fuel cell, and which provides power to the load; and

a control electronics assembly electrically coupled to the respective DC power sources and which selectively reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources to substantially serve the power requirement of the load.

2. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cells.

3. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cells, at least one of which is a fuel cell stack.

4. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include a fuel cell having discrete modular portions, and wherein the individual portions may be removed from operation while the remaining portions continue to operate and supply power to the load.

5. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cells, at least one of which includes a fuel cell stack, and a fuel cell having discrete modular portions.

6. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cell stacks.

7. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include at least one segmented fuel cell stack.

8. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include at least one fuel cell stack which has discrete portions which may be selectively electrically by-passed while the remaining portions continue to produce electrical power.

9. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cells, and wherein individual fuel cells may be physically by-passed while the remaining fuel cells continue to substantially serve the load.

10. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources include multiple fuel cells, and wherein individual fuel cells may be electrically by-passed while the remaining fuel cells substantially serve the load.

11. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes at least one charge storage device.

12. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one battery.

13. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one ultracapacitor.

14. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one battery, and one ultracapacitor.

15. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes multiple fuel cells, and at least one charge storage device.

16. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes multiple fuel cells, and wherein at least one of the fuel cells is a fuel cell stack, and at least one is a charge storage device.

17. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes at least one charge storage device, and at least one fuel cell has discrete portions, and wherein the individual discrete portions of the fuel cell may be by-passed while the remaining portions of the fuel cell substantially serve the load.

18. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes at least one charge storage device, and wherein the at least one fuel cell has discrete portions, and wherein the individual portions of the fuel cell may be physically removed from the fuel cell stack while the remaining portions of the fuel cell stack substantially serve the load.

19. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control electronics assembly is coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to the plurality of DC power sources, and the electrical power requirement of the load, and upon sensing a change in the electrical power requirement of the load reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources by selectively electrically coupling and or decoupling the individual DC power sources to the load to substantially serve the sensed power requirement of the load.

20. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control electronics assembly is coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to the plurality of DC power sources, and the load, and wherein the control electronics assembly upon sensing a predetermined voltage condition of at least one of the plurality of DC power sources, reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources by selectively electrically coupling and/or decoupling the respective DC power sources to the load to substantially serve the power requirement of the load.

21. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control electronics assembly is coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to the DC power sources, and the load, and wherein upon sensing a decrease in the performance of any of the individual DC power sources reconfigures the DC power sources by selectively electrically coupling and/or decoupling the respective DC power sources to the load to substantially serve the power requirement of the load.

22. A power system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one fuel cell includes discrete portions which may be selectively operably bypassed while any remaining portions continue to operate;

and wherein the control electronics assembly is coupled in performance sensing relation relative to the plurality of DC power sources, and the load, and wherein upon sensing a predetermined performance condition of any of the plurality of DC power sources reconfigures the DC power sources by selectively coupling and/or decoupling the respective DC power sources and/or any portions of the fuel cell to the load, to substantially serve the power requirement of the load as sensed by the control electronics assembly.

23. A power system comprising:

a plurality of DC power sources, at least one of which being a fuel cell having at least one ion exchange fuel cell module which produces heat energy during operation, and wherein the fuel cell module includes a bifurcated air flow which dissipates the heat energy of the fuel cell module during operation; and

electrical circuitry coupled to each of the DC power sources and to a load, the electrical circuitry selectively electrically coupling and decoupling the respective DC power sources from the electrical circuitry to meet a power requirement of the load.

24. A power system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the ion exchange fuel cell module further comprises an anode heat sink.

25. A power system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the ion exchange fuel cell module has a pair of membrane electrode diffusion assemblies disposed in spaced relation, one to the other, and wherein each electrode diffusion assembly has an anode side, and an opposite cathode side, and wherein the cathode sides of the pair of membrane electrode diffusion assemblies are proximally related, and the respective anode sides are distally related.

26. A power system as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least one of the DC power sources comprise a fuel cell stack.

27. A power system as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least one of the DC power sources comprise a charge storage device.

28. A power system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the charge storage device comprises a battery.

29. A power system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the charge storage device comprises an ultracapacitor.

30. A power system as claimed in claim 23, and further comprising:

a control electronics assembly coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to each of the DC power sources, and wherein, upon sensing a decrease in the performance of one of the DC power sources, the control electronics assembly uncouples the DC power source which is decreasing in performance from the electrical circuitry.

31. A power system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the load is a dynamic load, and wherein the control electronics assembly is coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to the dynamic load, and wherein the control electronics assembly performs selective electronic coupling and/or decoupling of the DC power sources to substantially supply the electrical power requirement of the dynamic load.

32. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the DC power sources can be individually removed from the power system without disrupting the supply of electrical power to the dynamic load.

33. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the DC power sources can be individually added to the power system without disrupting the supply of electrical power to the dynamic load.

34. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the DC power sources can be individually replaced by an alternative DC power source without disrupting the supply of electrical power to the dynamic load.

35. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the coupling comprises serial coupling of at least some of the DC power sources.

36. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the coupling comprises parallel coupling of at least some of the DC power sources.

37. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the coupling comprises both serial coupling of some DC power sources, and parallel coupling of other DC power sources.

38. A power system as claimed in claim 31, and further comprising:

an inverter for converting a DC power output from the plurality of DC power sources into an AC power output which substantially meets the power requirement of the dynamic load.

39. A power system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the selective electronic coupling and decoupling comprises sequentially selectively electrically coupling and decoupling the DC power sources in a manner which approximates a voltage sine wave to produce a resulting AC power output which substantially supplies the power requirements of the dynamic load.

40. A power system as claimed in claim 23, and further comprising:

a control electronics assembly coupled in voltage sensing relation relative to both the load, and with each DC power source; and

a fuel supply provided to each DC power source, and wherein the fuel supply to each DC power source can be individually regulated, and wherein the control electronics assembly selectively controls the power output of each DC power source by controlling the fuel supply of each DC power source.

41. A power system for servicing the power requirements of a load comprising:

a plurality of DC power sources having predetermined operational parameters, and which includes at least one fuel cell, and wherein at least one of the DC power sources has discrete portions which may be operably by-passed while any remaining portions simultaneously continue operating; and

a control electronics assembly electrically coupled in voltage sensing and controlling relation relative to the respective DC power sources or portions thereof, and which upon sensing a predetermined operational condition of the plurality of DC power sources or portions thereof and/or a change in the power requirements of the load selectively reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources or portions thereof to substantially serve the power requirements of the load.

42. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the power requirements of the load are dynamic.

43. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the control electronics assembly selectively reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources when the predetermined operational parameters indicate a decline in the performance of at least one of the DC power sources.

44. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the control electronics assembly reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources if the power requirements of the load increase or decrease.

45. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the control electronics assembly reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources if at least one of the DC power sources has a declining voltage output.

46. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the reconfiguration includes selectively electrically coupling and/or decoupling selected DC power sources to the load.

47. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein reconfiguration includes energizing and deenergizing selected DC power sources.

48. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein reconfiguration includes physically coupling and/or decoupling selected DC power sources.

49. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the reconfiguration includes physically by-passing all or a portion of one of the DC power sources.

50. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the reconfiguration includes physically bypassing a DC power source.

51. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes multiple fuel cells.

52. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes multiple fuel cells, at least one of which is a fuel cell stack.

53. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the DC power sources having discrete portions comprise a fuel cell assembly having hand-manipulatable modules.

54. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the DC power source having discrete portions comprises;

a fuel cell assembly having hand-manipulatable modules, and wherein the modules generate heat energy during operation, and wherein a preponderance of the heat energy generated during operation of the module is removed from the module by means of an anode heat sink.

55. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the DC power source having discrete portions comprises:

a fuel cell assembly having a hand-manipulatable module, and wherein the module generates heat energy during operation, and wherein less than a preponderance of the heat energy generated during operation is removed from the module by way of a cathode air flow which is supplied to the module during operation.

56. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the at least one DC power source having discrete portions comprises:

a fuel cell assembly having a hand-manipulatable module, and wherein the module has a cathode air flow and generates heat energy during operation, and wherein a preponderance of the heat energy generated during operation of the module is removed from the module by way of the cathode air flow.

57. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes multiple fuel cells, and wherein at least one of the fuel cells is a fuel cell stack.

58. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes multiple fuel cell stacks.

59. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes at least one segmented fuel cell stack.

60. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources includes at least one charge storage device.

61. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one battery.

62. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one ultracapacitor.

63. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes at least one battery, and at least one ultracapacitor.

64. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes multiple fuel cells, and at least one charge storage device.

65. A power system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the plurality of DC power sources further includes multiple fuel cells, and wherein at least one of the fuel cells is a fuel cell stack, and at least one is a charge storage device.

66. A method for supplying electrical power to a load comprising:

providing a load having a power requirement;

providing a plurality of DC power sources which includes at least one fuel cell, and which selectively supplies electrical power to meet the power requirements of the load; and

providing a control electronics assembly for selectively electrically reconfiguring the plurality of DC power sources to serve the power requirement of the load upon sensing a predetermined operational condition of the load and/or DC power sources.

67. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a load further comprises providing a load having a dynamic power requirement.

68. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a load comprises providing a load having an increasing power requirement.

69. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a load comprises providing a load having a decreasing power requirement.

70. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a plurality of DC power sources includes providing multiple fuel cells.

71. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a plurality of DC power sources includes providing multiple fuel cells, at least one of which is a fuel cell stack.

72. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing a plurality of DC power sources further comprises providing at least one DC power source having portions of which that may be operably removed while the remaining portions continue to operate and serve the load.

73. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of providing the control electronics assembly further comprises:

coupling the control electronics assembly in controlling and voltage sensing relation relative to the DC power sources; and

coupling the control electronics assembly in voltage sensing relation relative to the power requirements of the load.

74. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of sensing a predetermined operational condition comprises sensing a decreasing operational condition of the individual DC power sources.

75. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of sensing a predetermined operational condition comprises sensing a change in the power requirement for the load.

76. A method as claimed in claim 66, wherein the step of sensing a predetermined operational condition comprises sensing a failure of at least one of the plurality of DC power sources.

77. A power system for supplying an electrical power requirement of a load comprising:

a fuel cell stack having a plurality of discrete portions which each produce electrical power; and

a control electronics assembly coupled in sensing relation relative to a load having a variable electrical power requirement, and wherein the control electronics selectively couples and decouples portions of the fuel cell stack to the load to supply the varying power requirements thereof.

78. A power system as claimed in claim 77, wherein the discrete portions of the fuel cell stack may be electrically by-passed by the control electronics assembly while the remaining portions continue to produce electrical power.

79. A power system as in claim 77, wherein the discrete portions may be physically by-passed by the control electronics assembly while the remaining portions continue to produce electrical power.

80. A power system as claimed in claim 77, wherein the individual portions of the fuel cell stack may be physically removed while the remaining portions continue to operate.

81. A power system as claimed in claim 77, wherein the portions of the fuel cell stack have predetermined performance characteristics, and the control electronics assembly is coupled in sensing relation relative to the performance conditions of the individual portions thereof, and wherein the control electronics decouples individual portions from the load when the control electronics senses a predetermined decrease in the performance conditions of the individual portions.

82. A power system as claimed in claim 77, and further comprising a charge storage device, and wherein the control electronics assembly selectively electrically couples and decouples the charge storage device to the load.

83. A power system as claimed in claim 82, wherein the charge storage device is a battery.

84. A power system as claimed in claim 82, wherein the charge storage device is an ultracapacitor.

85. A power system for supplying the electrical power requirements of the load comprising:

a DC power source having a plurality of portions which each produce a direct current output; and

a control electronics assembly for selectively combining and subtracting the DC outputs of the individual portions to provide a resulting electrical current output which meets the power requirements of the load.

86. A power system as claimed in claim 85, wherein the DC power source includes a fuel cell stack.

87. A power system as claimed in claim 86, wherein the individual portions of the fuel cell stack may be electrically by-passed by the control electronics assembly while the remaining portions of the fuel cell stack substantially meet the power requirements of the load.

88. A power system as claimed in claim 85, wherein the DC outputs of the individual portions are additively combined and/or subtracted to provide a resulting AC current output.

89. A power system as claimed in claim 85, wherein the DC outputs of the individual portions are additively combined or subtracted to provide a resulting DC current output.

90. A power system as claimed in claim 85, wherein the DC power source includes a plurality of DC power sources, and wherein the control electronics assembly, based upon the power requirements of the load, electrically reconfigures the individual DC power sources to meet the power requirements of the load.

91. A power system for supplying a power requirement of a load, comprising:

a plurality of DC power sources which include multiple fuel cells, and which provide power to the load; and

a control electronics assembly electrically coupled to the respective fuel cells and which may electrically by-pass individual fuel cells, and selectively reconfigure the remaining fuel cells, to substantially serve the power requirement of the load.