Fuel cell system for charging an electric vehicle

• US 20090246596A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Gurunathan, Ranganathan, Ballantine, Arne, Srinivasan, Ramesh, Aaron, Stuart, Reynolds, Scott, Sridhar, K.R., Light, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,624,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/513
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/635 based on ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/654 located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 : Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 : of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 : Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 : Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 : Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/77 : with external circulating path
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0432 : Temperature; Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 : Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04701 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04925 : Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method for charging electric vehicles includes receiving information regarding an electric vehicle. At least a portion of the information is received through a vehicle interface configured to place a battery of the electric vehicle into electrical communication with a fuel cell system. A charge is delivered from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter. The charge is delivered based at least in part on the information.

Claims

1. A method for charging electric vehicles, comprising:

receiving information regarding an electric vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the information is received through a vehicle interface configured to place a battery of the electric vehicle into electrical communication with a fuel cell system; and

delivering a charge from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter, wherein the charge is delivered based at least in part on the information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a second portion of the information is received via user input, stored information, or a manufacturer of the electric vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises one or more of a type of the electric vehicle, a type of the battery, a charging rate of the battery, a temperature rating of the battery, an amount of time in which the charge is to be delivered, or an estimated driving distance before a subsequent charge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the information, whether heat is to be provided to the electric vehicle while the charge is delivered to the battery of the electric vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing the heat to the battery if it is determined that the heat is to be provided, wherein the heat comprises waste heat from the fuel cell system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the waste heat is delivered to the battery via circulated air or circulated fluid.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the battery comprises a liquid electrolyte battery, and further comprising:

pumping a liquid electrolyte out of the liquid electrolyte battery;

applying the waste heat to the liquid electrolyte; and

returning the liquid electrolyte to the liquid electrolyte battery.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the information, whether the electric vehicle is to be cooled while the charge is delivered to the battery of the electric vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising cooling the electric vehicle if it is determined that the electric vehicle is to be cooled, wherein the cooling is provided through an air conditioning unit of the electric vehicle or via circulation of cool air generated outside of the electric vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating or cooling the electric vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined time at which a driver of the electric vehicle is scheduled to return to the electric vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the heating is performed using waste heat from the fuel cell system.

12. A charging station comprising:

a transactional unit configured to receive information regarding an electric vehicle;

a vehicle interface configured to

place a battery of the electric vehicle in electrical communication with a fuel cell system; and

deliver a charge from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle; and

a waste heat unit configured to deliver heat to the electric vehicle during at least a portion of delivery of the charge, wherein the heat comprises waste heat from the fuel cell system.

13. The charging station of claim 12, further comprising the fuel cell system.

14. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the waste heat is delivered to the electric vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined time at which a driver of the electric vehicle is expected to return to the electric vehicle.

15. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the information includes a temperature rating of the battery, and further wherein the waste heat is delivered to the electric vehicle based at least in part on the temperature rating and at least in part on an ambient temperature.

16. The charging station of claim 12, further comprising a cooling unit configured to cool the battery of the electric vehicle during at least a portion of the delivery of the charge.

17. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the vehicle interface comprises a first winding of a transformer, and further wherein a second winding of the transformer is mounted on the electric vehicle.

18. The charging station of claim 17, wherein the charge is delivered to the battery via inductive coupling between the first winding and the second winding.

19. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the vehicle interface comprises a connector configured to connect to a rectifier mounted to the electric vehicle.

20. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the information includes a destination and a desired time of arrival at the destination, and wherein the charging unit is configured to determine a charging schedule based at least in part on the destination and at least in part on the desired time.

21. The charging station of claim 20, wherein the destination and the desired time of arrival are received from an electronic calendar of a driver of the electric vehicle.

22. The charging station of claim 20, wherein the information further includes a route to the destination, wherein the charging schedule is determined based at least in part on the route, and further wherein the route is received from at least one of mapping software or a mapping website.

23. A fuel cell generator system comprising:

a fuel cell system configured to generate a direct current (DC) signal;

a DC/DC converter configured to receive the DC signal from the fuel cell system and convert the DC signal to a voltage for a battery of an electric vehicle; and

a router configured to direct at least a portion of the converted DC signal from the DC/DC converter for charging the electric vehicle.

24. The fuel cell generator system of claim 23, wherein the voltage generated by the DC/DC converter is within a first voltage range, and further comprising a second DC/DC converter configured to generate voltages within a second voltage range.

25. The fuel cell generator system of claim 23, wherein the DC/DC converter is bi-directional such that power from a battery of the electric vehicle can be received for use in handling load transients or powering a load.

26. The fuel cell generator system of claim 23, further comprising a control unit configured to control the fuel cell system, the DC/DC converter, and the router.

27. The fuel cell generator system of claim 23, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a first winding of a transformer, and further wherein a second winding of the transformer is mounted to the electric vehicle, and further wherein the converted DC signal is delivered to the electric vehicle through inductive coupling between the first winding and the second winding.

28. The fuel cell generator system of claim 27, wherein a size of the second winding of the transformer is based at least in part on the voltage of the battery.

29. The fuel cell generator of claim 23, further comprising a renewable power source in electrical communication with the DC/DC converter, wherein at least a portion of the DC signal originates from the renewable power source.

30. The fuel cell generator of claim 23, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises an adjustable DC/DC converter.

31. The fuel cell generator of claim 23, wherein the router is configured to direct at least a portion of the converted DC signal from the DC/DC converter to a charging station for charging the electric vehicle without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter.