Customer side power management system including auxiliary fuel cell for reducing potential peak load upon utilities and providing electric power for auxiliary equipment

• US 5,880,536 A
• Filed: 05/14/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avogadro Maxwell Boltzman LLC
• Original Assignee: IO Limited Partnership LLP
• Inventors: Mardirossian, Aris
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAPLAN, JONATHAN STUART
• Application Number:
  US08/856,187
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 307/38, 307/39, 307/43, 307/44, 307/64, 307/65, 307/66, 307/80, 307/85, 307/86, 307/87, 364/492, 364/493
• US Class Current: 307/44
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/40 Fuel cell technologies in production processes

Abstract

A customer side power management system including at least one auxiliary fuel cell(s) source is provided. When the power derived from the electric utility reaches a predetermined threshold level, all remaining power needed to supply the customer'"'"'s loads is obtained from the at least one hydrocarbon powered fuel cell which is/are located within the customer'"'"'s facility. In such a manner, high peak demand utility charges are avoided by the customer, and the simple cost effective power generation from the fuel cell is provided.

Claims

1. A customer side electrical power management system comprising:

a main distribution panel, located at a customer location, for receiving electric power from a public electric utility via a plurality of phase lines or wires, said distribution panel for thereafter distributing the received electric power toward a plurality of loads at the customer location;

at least one hydrocarbon-powered fuel cell located at the customer location that receives hydrocarbon fuel and transforms said hydrocarbon fuel into electric power to be directed to said loads;

a power distribution circuit including a threshold level setting circuit located at the customer location, said threshold level setting circuit for allowing the customer to set a maximum power level of power from said utility that the customer wishes to receive and pay for, in order to reduce peak demand charges;

a comparator for determining when the amount of power being received by the customer from said utility reaches said maximum power level;

means, in operative relation with said comparator, for causing all additional power required by the customer that is above said level to be generated by said at least one fuel cell and to be directed from said at least one fuel cell to said loads;

wherein said power distribution circuit includes means for receiving an input directly from said main distribution panel, said input being indicative of power being derived by the loads from said public electric utility;

said comparator including means for comparing the level of a signal of said input with a predetermined threshold level set by said threshold setting circuit;

a switch in said power distribution circuit, said switch being in communication with said comparator and said switch being selectively opened and closed as a function of output from said comparator; and

means for opening said switch when said comparator determines that said signal of said input has reached said predetermined threshold level thereby allowing power from said fuel cell to aid in supplying power to the loads.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said fuel cell is powered by natural gas, and wherein a public natural gas line supplies the fuel to said fuel cell.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said comparator is disposed within a power distribution circuit located at the customer location, and wherein said power distribution circuit is in communication with said fuel cell, a light distribution load panel, and said main distribution panel, and wherein said fuel cell includes a fuel processor, a fuel cell stack, and a power conditioner for transforming the natural gas into AC power.

4. The power management system of claim 2, further including means for always supplying a predetermined amount of power from the fuel cell to the loads regardless of whether said switch is opened or closed.

5. The power management system of claim 4, wherein said comparator is located withing said power distribution circuit and wherein said power distribution circuit is in direct communication with said fuel cell, a light distribution load panel, and said main distribution panel, and wherein said fuel cell includes a fuel processor, a fuel cell stack, and a power conditioner for transforming the natural gas into AC power.

6. The power management system of claim 4, wherein said switch is in direct communication with each of said comparator and said fuel cell.