Distributed fuel cell network
First Claim
1. A distributed fuel cell network, comprising:
- at least one fuel cell system, comprising;
a fuel cell stack configured to produce an electric current from a fuel and an oxidant;
a measurement subsystem adapted to measure one or more operating parameters of the fuel cell system, wherein the one or more operating parameters at least partially define an operating state of the fuel cell system; and
a fuel cell system communication subsystem in communication with the measurement subsystem and configured to transmit the one or more operating parameters to a remote servicing system; and
a remote servicing system remotely located relative to the at least one fuel cell system, the remote servicing system comprising;
a remote servicing system communication subsystem configured to receive the one or more operating parameters transmitted from the at least one fuel cell system; and
a processing subsystem in communication with the remote servicing system and adapted to service the at least one fuel cell system at least partially in response to the one or more operating parameters transmitted from the at least one fuel cell system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed fuel cell network and communication systems and subassemblies for use therein. The network includes at least one, and typically a plurality of, fuel cell systems. Each fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack that is adapted to produce an electric current from oxygen and a source of protons, such as hydrogen gas. The fuel cell systems further include communication subsystems that enable remote monitoring and/or control of the fuel cell systems from a remotely located servicing system, which includes a corresponding communication subsystem. The remotely located servicing system is adapted to monitor and/or control the operation of the fuel cell systems and in some embodiments may include a redundancy of remote servicing units. In some embodiments, the fuel cell systems also include local controllers, while in other embodiments the fuel cell systems do not include local controllers.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A distributed fuel cell network, comprising:
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at least one fuel cell system, comprising;
a fuel cell stack configured to produce an electric current from a fuel and an oxidant;
a measurement subsystem adapted to measure one or more operating parameters of the fuel cell system, wherein the one or more operating parameters at least partially define an operating state of the fuel cell system; and
a fuel cell system communication subsystem in communication with the measurement subsystem and configured to transmit the one or more operating parameters to a remote servicing system; and
a remote servicing system remotely located relative to the at least one fuel cell system, the remote servicing system comprising;
a remote servicing system communication subsystem configured to receive the one or more operating parameters transmitted from the at least one fuel cell system; and
a processing subsystem in communication with the remote servicing system and adapted to service the at least one fuel cell system at least partially in response to the one or more operating parameters transmitted from the at least one fuel cell system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A fuel cell system configured for remote communication, the fuel cell system comprising:
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a fuel source;
an oxidant source;
a fuel cell stack configured to produce an electric current from fuel received from the fuel source and oxidant received from the oxidant source;
a measurement subsystem operatively coupled to the fuel cell stack and configured to determine one or more operating parameters of the fuel cell system, wherein the one or more operating parameters at least partially define an operating state of the fuel cell system, and a fuel cell system communication subsystem in communication with the measurement subsystem and configured to transmit the one or more operating parameters to a remote servicing system. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A method of servicing a remotely located fuel cell system, the method comprising:
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receiving transmitted operating parameters from a fuel cell system, wherein the operating parameters model an operating state of the fuel cell system; and
remotely monitoring the operating state of the fuel cell system via the transmitted operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method of preventing fuel cell system failure, the method comprising:
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receiving transmitted operating parameters from a remotely located fuel cell system, wherein the operating parameters model at least a portion of an operating state of the fuel cell system, wherein the fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell stack adapted to produce an electric current from a fuel and an oxidant;
remotely monitoring the operating state of the fuel cell system via the transmitted operating parameters;
analyzing the operating state to detect at least one of an impending failure and a future operating state of the fuel cell system; and
transmitting to the remotely located fuel cell system operating instructions configured to adjust the operating state of the fuel cell system at least partially responsive to the analysis. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification