ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A GRID-TIED REVERSIBLE SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, comprising:
- a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) unit, having a fuel cell mode, wherein the RSOFC unit produces electrical power from fuel, and an electrolysis mode, wherein the RSOFC unit consumes electrical power to produce the fuel;
a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter, coupled to the RSOFC unit, configured to convert direct current (DC) electrical power produced by the RSOFC unit into outgoing alternating current (AC) power, and to convert incoming AC power into DC power for consumption by the RSOFC unit in electrolysis mode;
a common bus, coupled to the bi-directional AC/DC converter and to a power grid; and
a plurality of RSOFC subsystems, coupled to receive power only through the common bus.
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Abstract
A Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system includes a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) unit, a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter, coupled to the RSOFC unit, a common bus, coupled to the bi-directional AC/DC converter and to a power grid, and a plurality of RSOFC subsystems, coupled to receive power only through the common bus. The RSOFC unit has a fuel cell mode, wherein the RSOFC unit produces electrical power from fuel, and an electrolysis mode, wherein the RSOFC unit consumes electrical power to produce the fuel. The bi-directional AC/DC converter is coupled to the RSOFC unit, and is configured to convert direct current (DC) electrical power produced by the RSOFC unit into outgoing alternating current (AC) power, and to convert incoming AC power into DC power for consumption by the RSOFC unit in electrolysis mode.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, comprising:
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a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) unit, having a fuel cell mode, wherein the RSOFC unit produces electrical power from fuel, and an electrolysis mode, wherein the RSOFC unit consumes electrical power to produce the fuel; a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter, coupled to the RSOFC unit, configured to convert direct current (DC) electrical power produced by the RSOFC unit into outgoing alternating current (AC) power, and to convert incoming AC power into DC power for consumption by the RSOFC unit in electrolysis mode; a common bus, coupled to the bi-directional AC/DC converter and to a power grid; and a plurality of RSOFC subsystems, coupled to receive power only through the common bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A power distribution system for a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, comprising:
a common bus, coupled between a power grid and a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, the common bus including a plurality of power circuit breakers, configured to trip on overload condition, each power circuit breaker coupled to a bi-directional AC/DC converter that is coupled to a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) unit having a power generation mode and a power-consuming electrolysis mode; and a plurality of subsystem circuit breakers, configured to trip on overload condition, each subsystem circuit breaker coupled to at least one of a plurality of RSOFC subsystems, whereby the plurality of RSOFC subsystems receive power only through the common bus, whether the RSOFC units are operating in power generation mode or electrolysis mode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system, comprising:
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selectively operating a fuel cell unit of a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (RSOFC) system in either electrolysis mode or in fuel cell mode; providing power to the fuel cell unit from a power grid coupled to the RSOFC system via a common bus using a bi-directional alternating current/direct current (AC/DC) converter, when operating in electrolysis mode; distributing power from the fuel cell unit to the power grid via the common bus using the bi-directional AC/DC converter, when operating in fuel cell mode; and powering electrical subsystems of the RSOFC system via the common bus when the fuel cell unit operates in either electrolysis mode or fuel cell mode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification