Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Supply Apparatus

• US 20090155633A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Syspotek Corporation
• Original Assignee: Syspotek Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Wen-Hsing, Dong, Ming-Yao
• Application Number:
  US12/328,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20090155633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/9
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0488 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04888 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• 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 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus comprises a fuel cell power supply circuit and a secondary battery power supply circuit. Wherein a charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit determines the power characteristics for the recharging of a secondary battery unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit, based on the electrical signal outputted by a sensor unit of the fuel cell power supply circuit; the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage levels separately at output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit with a differential between said voltage levels based on the power transmitted by the fuel cell power supply circuit, and controls the recharging of the secondary battery unit by the charger unit; and a fuel cell unit of the fuel cell power supply circuit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

Claims

1. A fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus, comprising:

a fuel cell power supply circuit including a fuel cell unit, a fuel cell voltage conversion unit and a sensor unit, the fuel cell unit being a fuel cell power generating device, the fuel cell voltage conversion unit being a power voltage conversion device, the sensor unit being for detecting the characteristics of the power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit, and for outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the characteristics of power outputted by the fuel cell unit; and

a secondary battery power supply circuit including a secondary battery and a charger unit, the secondary battery being a rechargeable energy storage device, the charger unit being a power control device and controlling the characteristics of power supplied by the secondary battery power supply circuit for charging the secondary battery;

wherein the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit are electrically connected in parallel;

the input terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit is electrically connected to the power output terminal of the fuel cell unit and the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit is electrically connected to the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit;

the fuel cell and the fuel cell voltage conversion unit is electrically connected in series in the fuel cell power supply circuit and the sensor unit is electrically connected to the charger unit;

the charger unit determines the power characteristics supplied by the secondary battery power supply circuit for charging the secondary battery, according to the electrical signal outputted by the sensor unit;

the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit with a differential between the two predetermined voltage levels, according to the power transmitted by the fuel cell power supply circuit, and controls the charger unit to charge the secondary battery unit; and

the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

2. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the state of the power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit being lower than the power outputted by the fuel cell unit, the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit such that the fuel cell power supply circuit would output power while the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit would stop the power output, and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to charge the secondary battery, the sensor unit regulating the power of charger unit in the charging process such that the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

3. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor unit controls the predetermined voltage level outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit to be higher than the predetermined voltage level outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit to stop the power outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit.

4. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sensor unit regulates the differential between the output voltage of the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the output voltage of the secondary battery power supply circuit.

5. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit further comprises a secondary battery voltage conversion unit, the secondary battery voltage conversion unit being a voltage conversion device;

and the sensor unit regulates the differential between the output voltage of the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the output voltage of the secondary battery voltage conversion unit.

6. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the output terminal of secondary battery power supply circuit further comprises a secondary battery voltage conversion unit, the secondary battery voltage conversion unit being a voltage conversion device;

and the sensor unit regulates the voltage signal of specific duty cycle formed by the differential between the predetermined voltage outputted by the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the predetermined voltage outputted by the secondary battery voltage conversion unit, to control the output distribution ratio between the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit.

7. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the state of the power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit being higher than the power outputted by the fuel cell unit, the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit, and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to stop charging the secondary battery such that the output terminals of both the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit would output power and the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

8. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sensor unit controls the predetermined voltage level outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit being slightly higher than the predetermined voltage level outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit such that the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate, and the output power at the output terminal of secondary battery power supply circuit is lower than the output power of the fuel cell unit;

and the sensor unit controls the predetermined voltage level outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit being slightly lower than the predetermined voltage level outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit such that the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate, and the output power at the output terminal of secondary battery power supply circuit is higher than the output power of the fuel cell unit.

9. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sensor unit regulates the differential between the output voltage of the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the output voltage of the secondary battery power supply circuit.

10. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the power output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit further comprises a secondary battery voltage conversion unit, the secondary battery voltage conversion unit being a voltage conversion unit;

and the sensor unit regulates the differential between the output voltage of the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the output voltage of the secondary battery voltage conversion unit.

11. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sensor unit regulates the voltage signal of specific duty cycle formed by the differential between the predetermined voltage outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit, to control the output distribution ratio between the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit.

12. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit regulates the voltage signal of specific duty cycle formed by the predetermined voltage at the output terminal of the fuel cell voltage conversion unit such that the voltage signal of specific duty cycle formed by the differential between the predetermined voltage outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage outputted by the secondary battery power supply circuit can be regulated to control the output distribution ratio between the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary batter power supply circuit.

13. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the power output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit further consists of a secondary battery voltage conversion unit, the secondary battery voltage conversion unit being a voltage conversion device, and the sensor unit regulates voltage signal of specific duty cycle formed by the differential between the predetermined voltage outputted by the fuel cell voltage conversion unit and the predetermined voltage outputted by the secondary battery voltage conversion unit to control the output distribution ratio between the fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit.

14. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the state of the power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit being equal to the power outputted by the fuel cell unit, the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to stop charging the secondary battery such that the fuel cell power supply circuit would output power while the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit would stop the power output, and the fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

15. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell voltage conversion unit includes at least a DC voltage booster circuit and at least a DC voltage buck circuit.

16. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a sensor element and a microcontroller, the sensor element being electrically connected to the fuel cell power supply circuit and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the power transmitted in the fuel cell power supply circuit to the microcontroller, through the microcontroller, the sensor unit regulating the voltage differential between the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit and controlling the charger unit in carrying out to charge the secondary battery unit.

17. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is disposed at any position between the high potential location and the low potential location of the fuel cell power supply circuit.

18. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises a sensor element, the sensor element being selected from a circuit consisting of the differential amplifier, a Hall element or a sensor chip, and the sensor element outputting a electrical signal corresponding to the current value, voltage value or electric power value outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit.

19. A fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of fuel cell power supply circuits, each fuel cell power supply circuit comprising a fuel cell unit and a fuel cell voltage conversion unit, the fuel cell unit being a fuel cell power generating device, the fuel cell voltage conversion unit being a power voltage conversion device;

a sensor unit for detecting the characteristics of power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the characteristics of power outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit; and

a secondary battery power supply circuit comprising a secondary battery and a charger unit, the secondary battery being a rechargeable energy storage device, the charger unit being a power control device and controlling the characteristics of power supplied by the secondary battery power supply circuit for charging the secondary battery;

wherein the fuel cell power supply circuits and the secondary battery power supply circuit are electrically connected in parallel, the power input terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit being electrically connected to the power output terminal of the fuel cell units, the power output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit being electrically connected to the power output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuits, the fuel cells and the fuel cell voltage conversion units being electrically connected in series in the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit, the sensor unit being electrically connected to the charger unit;

the charger unit determines the power characteristics supplied by the secondary battery power supply circuit for charging the secondary battery, according to the electrical signal outputted by the sensor unit;

the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit with a differential between the two predetermined voltage levels based on the power transmitted by the fuel cell power supply circuit, and the sensor unit controls the charge of the secondary battery unit by the charger unit; and

the fuel cell units output power at a predetermined constant work rate.

20. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the state of the power transmitted by any of the fuel cell power supply circuits being lower than the power outputted by the fuel cell unit, the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit such that the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit would output power while the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit would stop the power output, and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to charge the secondary battery, the sensor unit regulating the power of charger unit in the charging process such that the corresponding fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

21. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the state of the power transmitted by any of the fuel cell power supply circuits being higher than the power outputted by the fuel cell unit the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit, and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to stop charging the secondary battery such that the output terminals of both the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and the secondary battery power supply circuit would output power and the corresponding fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

22. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the state of the power transmitted by any of the fuel cell power supply circuits being equal to the power outputted by the fuel cell unit the sensor unit regulates the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage level at the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuits and the sensor unit selects the charger unit of the secondary battery power supply circuit to stop charging the secondary battery such that the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit would output power while the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit would stop the power output and the corresponding fuel cell unit outputs power at a predetermined constant work rate.

23. The filet cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the fuel cell voltage conversion unit includes at least a DC voltage booster circuit and at least a DC voltage buck circuit.

24. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a plurality of sensor elements and a microcontroller, the sensor elements being respectively electrically connected to the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the power transmitted in the fuel cell power supply circuit to the microcontroller, through the microcontroller, the sensor unit regulating the voltage differential between the predetermined voltage at output terminal of the fuel cell power supply circuit and the predetermined voltage at output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit and controlling the charger unit in carrying out to charge the secondary battery unit.

25. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sensor units are disposed at any position between the high potential location and the low potential location of the fuel cell power supply circuits.

26. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a sensor element and a microcontroller, the sensor element being electrically connected to the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the power transmitted in the fuel cell power supply circuit to the microcontroller, through the microcontroller, the sensor unit regulating the voltage differential between the output terminal of the corresponding fuel cell power supply circuit and the output terminal of the secondary battery power supply circuit and controlling the charger unit in carrying out to charge the secondary battery unit.

27. The fuel cell hybrid power supply apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each sensor unit comprises a sensor element, the sensor element being selected from a circuit consisting of the differential amplifier, a Hall element or a sensor chip, and the sensor element outputting a electrical signal corresponding to the current value, voltage value or electric power value outputted by the fuel cell power supply circuit.