Power controller for fuel cell
First Claim
1. A fuel cell power system, comprising:
- (a) a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cell groups in series with each other and with each fuel cell group comprised of more than one individual fuel cell, said fuel cell stack capable of generating electrical power for use by a load; and
(b) a power controller which receives the electrical power from said fuel cell stack and distributes said electrical power to an output bus, said power controller comprising;
(1) a DC-DC converter; and
(2) a reduction logic circuit operative to limit current through the DC-DC converter in response to voltage across each fuel cell group so that a minimum voltage is maintained across each fuel cell group.
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Abstract
A fuel cell power system includes a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cell groups in series with each other and with each fuel cell group having more than one individual fuel cell, and a power controller which receives electrical power from the fuel cell stack and distributes the electrical power to an output bus. The power controller includes a DC-DC converter, and a reduction logic circuit operative to limit current through the DC-DC converter in response to voltage across each fuel cell group so that a minimum voltage is maintained across each fuel cell group. When used in combination with a hydrogen reformer, the reduction logic circuit is also operative to limit current through the DC-DC converter in response to hydrogen pressure supplied by the reformer to the fuel cell stack so that a minimum pressure is maintained for the hydrogen supplied to the fuel cell stack.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A fuel cell power system, comprising:
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(a) a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cell groups in series with each other and with each fuel cell group comprised of more than one individual fuel cell, said fuel cell stack capable of generating electrical power for use by a load; and
(b) a power controller which receives the electrical power from said fuel cell stack and distributes said electrical power to an output bus, said power controller comprising;
(1) a DC-DC converter; and
(2) a reduction logic circuit operative to limit current through the DC-DC converter in response to voltage across each fuel cell group so that a minimum voltage is maintained across each fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuel cell power system, comprising:
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(a) a reformer for generating hydrogen;
(b) a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cell groups in series with each other and with each fuel cell group comprised of more than one individual fuel cell, said fuel cell stack capable of utilizing the hydrogen from said reformer for generating electrical power for use by a load; and
(c) a power controller which receives the electrical power from said fuel cell stack and distributes said electrical power to an output bus, said power controller comprising;
(1) a DC-DC converter; and
(2) a reduction logic circuit operative to limit current through the DC-DC converter in response to voltage across each fuel cell group so that a minimum voltage is maintained across each fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A fuel cell power system, comprising:
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(a) a fuel cell stack having at least two fuel cell groups in series with each other and with each fuel cell group comprised of more than one individual fuel cell, said fuel cell stack capable of generating electrical power for use by a load; and
(b) a power controller coupled to a microprocessor, the power controller receives the electrical power from said fuel cell stack and distributes said electrical power to an output bus, said power controller comprising a DC-DC converter controlled by said microprocessor such that the microprocessor reduces electrical current through the DC-DC converter in the event that voltage across any fuel cell group is less than a reference voltage, so that a minimum voltage is maintained across each fuel cell group. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification