Reconfigurable plural DC power source power system responsive to changes in the load or the plural DC power sources

• US 6,703,722 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emergent Power Inc. (Plug Power Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avista Laboratories Inc. (Plug Power Inc.)
• Inventors: Christensen, Peter C.
• Primary Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US10/017,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20030111908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 307/71, 307/72, 307/74, 307/75, 307/80, 307/85, 307/86
• US Class Current: 307/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• 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

Abstract

A power system for supplying a power requirement of a load is described and which includes a plurality of DC power sources having at least one fuel cell, and which provides power to a load; and a control electronics assembly is provided and which is electrically coupled to the respective DC power sources, and which selectively reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources to substantially serve the changing power requirements of the load.

Claims

1. A power system for supplying electrical power to a dynamic load which has a power requirement, comprising:

a plurality of DC power sources which include at least one fuel cell, and wherein the individual DC power sources may be selectively physically and/or electrically by-passed while the remaining DC power sources continue to produce electrical power;

a plurality of performance sensors which are individually mounted in performance sensing relation relative to the respective DC power sources, and wherein the respective DC power sources have performance indicia, and wherein the respective sensors are operable to sense and then produce an electrical signal which indicates the performance indicia of the respective DC power sources;

control electronics circuitry including a controller which is electrically coupled to the respective DC power sources, and which senses the voltage output of the respective DC power sources, and is electrically arranged to sense the voltage and other requirements of the load, and wherein the control electronics circuitry is electrically coupled with the plurality of sensors, and is operable to receive the electrical signals generated by the respective sensors; and

switching circuitry including a switching matrix electrically coupled with and responsive to the control electronics circuitry and the controller wherein the control electronics assembly, based upon the performance sensor electrical signals provided by the performance sensors and the voltage and other requirements of the load, electrically reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources by physically and/or electrically by-passing individual DC power sources, and further selectively electrically coupling the remaining DC power sources, by way of the switching circuitry, and the switching matrix, into serial, parallel, and/or serial and parallel electrical arrangements to provide a resulting DC power output which substantially meets the power requirements of the dynamic load.

2. A power system as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the control electronics reconfigures the plurality of D.C. power sources upon sensing electrical signals from one of the performance sensors which indicates a decline in the performance indicia of one of the D.C. power sources.

3. A power system as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the control electronics assembly, upon sensing electrical signals from one of the performance sensors which indicates a declining performance indicia of one of the D.C. power sources physically by-passes the D.C. power source having the declining performance indicia.

4. A power system as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the control electronics assembly, upon sensing electrical sensors from one of the performance sensors which indicates a declining performance indicia of one of the D.C. power sources electrically by-passes the D.C. power source having the declining performance indicia.

5. A power system as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the reconfiguration of the D.C. power sources further include physically and/or electrically by-passing all or a portion of one of the D.C. power sources.

6. A power system as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the reconfiguration of the D.C. power sources includes energizing and deenergizing selected D.C. power sources.