FUEL CELL STABILISATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110217615A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited
• Original Assignee: Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited
• Inventors: Dickson, Andrew Bryce, Smith, Rex Graham
• Application Number:
  US12/997,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/452
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04225 during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04302 applied during start-up
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04567 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04589 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04895 Current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04925 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04955 Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• 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

Abstract

A fuel cell stabilisation system for stabilising the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack (101) to a DC bus (104), including: a DC power supply (108); and a control (112) configured to enable the DC power supply (108) to supply electrical power to the DC bus (104).

Claims

1. A fuel cell stabilization system for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, comprising:

a DC power supply; and

a control configured to enable the DC power supply to supply electrical power to the DC bus based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

2. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control comprises:

a bus voltage sensor configured to sense a DC bus voltage on the DC bus representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the DC bus voltage to at least one selected setpoint voltage defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to control the supply of electrical power to the DC bus.

3. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control comprises:

a fuel cell current sensor configured to sense a fuel cell electrical current supplied by the fuel cell stack representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the fuel cell electrical current to at least one selected set-point current defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to control the supply of electrical power to the DC bus.

4. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DC power supply is powered at start-up by a power grid.

18. A fuel cell system comprising:

a fuel cell stack;

a DC bus; and

a fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 1.

19. A fuel cell system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a DC-to-AC inverter electrically connected to the DC bus for exporting electrical power from the fuel cell stack.

20. A fuel cell system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an EMC filter electrically connected to the DC bus for reducing electromagnetic noise and transient voltages on the DC bus.

5. A fuel cell stabilization system for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, comprising a control configured to limit electrical power drawn from the DC bus by a housekeeping supply, which is configured to power one or more housekeeping elements, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

6. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control comprises:

a bus voltage sensor configured to sense a DC bus voltage on the DC bus representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the DC bus voltage to at least one selected setpoint voltage defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to limit electrical power drawn from the DC bus by the housekeeping supply.

7. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control comprises:

a fuel cell current sensor configured to sense a fuel cell electrical current supplied by the fuel cell stack representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the fuel cell electrical current to at least one selected set-point current defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to limit electrical power drawn from the DC bus by the housekeeping supply.

8. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a rechargeable battery bank configured to supply backup power to the other housekeeping elements when the power drawn by the housekeeping supply from the DC bus is limited by the control.

9. A fuel cell stabilization system for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus, comprising a control configured to enable a loadbank to draw electrical power from the DC bus.

10. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control comprises:

a bus voltage sensor configured to sense a DC bus voltage on the DC bus representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the DC bus voltage to at least one selected set-point voltage defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to control supply of electrical power from the DC bus to the loadbank.

11. A fuel cell stabilization system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control comprises:

a fuel cell current sensor configured to sense a fuel cell electrical current supplied by the fuel cell stack representative of the supply of electrical power;

a comparator configured to compare the fuel cell electrical current to at least one selected set-point current defining the selected operating range, to generate the stabilization signal; and

a variable control, controlled by the stabilization signal of the comparator, configured to control supply of electrical power from the DC bus to the loadbank.

12. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a DC bus voltage on the DC bus; and

increasing an electrical power flow to the DC bus from a DC power supply as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

13. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a fuel cell current being drawn from the fuel cell stack by the DC bus; and

increasing an electrical power flow to the DC bus from a DC power supply as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

14. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a DC bus voltage on the DC bus connected to the fuel cell stack; and

reducing an electrical power flow from the DC bus to a housekeeping power supply as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

15. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a fuel cell current being drawn from the fuel cell stack by the DC bus; and

reducing an electrical power flow from the DC bus to a housekeeping power supply as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

16. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a DC bus voltage on the DC bus connected to the fuel cell stack; and

increasing an electrical power flow to a loadbank from the DC bus as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.

17. A method for stabilizing the supply of electrical power from a fuel cell stack to a DC bus within a selected operating range, which method comprises:

detecting a fuel cell current level being drawn from the fuel cell stack by the DC bus; and

increasing an electrical power flow to a loadbank from the DC bus as required, based on a stabilization signal representing the supply of electrical power being outside the selected operating range.