Hybrid energy conversion system with realtime hybrid power display

• US 20090079263A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Adaptive Materials, Inc. (Edge Autonomy SLO LLC)
• Original Assignee: Adaptive Materials, Inc. (Edge Autonomy SLO LLC)
• Inventors: Crumm, Aaron T., Rice, Jonathan R.
• Application Number:
  US12/313,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079263A1
• 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 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls

Abstract

A hybrid energy conversion system includes a first energy conversion device configured to store and generate electrical power and a second energy conversion device configured to generate electrical power. The hybrid energy conversion system further includes a hybrid power sensing device configured to monitor a hybrid power level and a display device signally communicating with the hybrid power sensing device. The display device is configured to display a hybrid power level indicator based on the hybrid power level.

Claims

1. A hybrid energy conversion system configured to supply electrical output power to an external device, the hybrid energy conversion system comprising:

a first energy conversion device configured to store and generate electrical power;

a second energy conversion device configured to generate electrical power;

a hybrid power sensing device configured to monitor a hybrid power level; and

a display device signally communicating with the hybrid power sensing device, said display device configured to display a hybrid power level indicator based on the hybrid power level.

2. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, wherein the first energy conversion device comprises a rechargeable battery.

3. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, wherein the second energy conversion device comprises a fuel cell.

4. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, wherein the second energy conversion device comprises a solid oxide fuel cell configured to generate power by converting chemical energy from a hydrocarbon fuel into electrical energy.

5. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to provide real-time updating of the hybrid power level indicator when a level of the electrical output power supplied to the external device changes.

6. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel cell power sensing device configured to monitor a fuel cell power level.

7. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, further comprising a power board signally communicating with a controller, said power board being configured to convert electrical power from a fuel cell voltage to a primary system voltage at a voltage conversion factor.

8. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 7, wherein the voltage conversion factor is adjustable.

9. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank and a fuel level sensor monitoring a fuel level of the fuel tank, wherein the display device signally communicates with the fuel level sensor and the display device displays a fuel level indicator based on the fuel level.

10. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 1, wherein the hybrid power level indicator comprises graphical indicia indicative of the hybrid power level of the hybrid energy conversion system.

11. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 10, wherein the display device further includes a battery state-of-charge indicator, an operating life indicator, and an output voltage indicator.

12. A hybrid energy conversion system configured to supply electrical output power to an external device, said hybrid energy conversion system comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a fuel cell;

a hybrid power level sensing device;

a power port configured to provide electrical output power from the rechargeable battery and from the fuel cell to a plurality of external devices; and

a display device signally communicating with the hybrid power sensing device, said display device configured to display a hybrid power level indicator based on the hybrid power level of the hybrid power sensing circuit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the hybrid energy conversion system is configured to modify the output electrical power based on changes in power demand of the external devices.

14. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 12, wherein the display device is configured to provide real-time updating of the hybrid power level indicator when the output electrical power supplied to the external devices changes.

15. The hybrid energy conversion system of claim 12, wherein the display device further includes at least one of a battery state-of-charge indicator, a fuel level indicator, an operating life indicator, and an output voltage indicator.

16. A method of providing a real-time hybrid power level indicator of a hybrid energy conversion system to a display device, said method comprising:

monitoring a hybrid power level of a hybrid power sensing device;

providing a signal indicative of the hybrid power level to the display device; and

depicting a hybrid power level indicator based on the hybrid power level of the hybrid power sensing device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising graphically depicting the hybrid power level indicator.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a change in hybrid power level; and

modifying the hybrid power level indicator when the change in hybrid power level is determined.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining a change in hybrid power level when a load demand of a first external device electrically coupled to the hybrid energy conversion system increases.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting a change in hybrid power level when a second external device is electrically coupled to the hybrid energy conversion system.