Capacitor bank for electrical generator

• US 7,477,505 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plug Power Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Hydrogen Corporation (Plug Power Inc.)
• Inventors: Timmerman, Mark, Mulvenna, Alan John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha; Nguyen T
• Application Number:
  US11/477,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20070086146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502, 361503-504, 361/303, 361/305, 361/328, 361/301.3, 361/301.4, 361/508, 361/512
• US Class Current: 361/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/08 Structural combinations, e.g. assembly or connection, of hybrid or EDL capacitors with other electric components, at least one hybrid or EDL capacitor being the main component
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/76 specially adapted for integration in multiple or stacked hybrid or EDL capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/04 specially adapted for mounting on a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/28 Structural combinations of electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices with other electric components not covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

A capacitor bank for an electrical power generator comprises: a positive assembly having a positive electrical terminal; a negative assembly having a negative electrical terminal; at least one capacitor sandwiched between and electrically coupled to the positive and negative assemblies; and electrical interconnects coupled to each of the terminals and for coupling to a load or to another capacitor bank. The positive and negative assemblies of the capacitor bank are each stackable on the positive and negative assemblies of another capacitor bank. When two capacitor banks are stacked with their positive assemblies facing each other, the interconnects couple the capacitor banks in series, and when two capacitor banks are stacked with a positive assembly facing a negative assembly, the interconnects couple the capacitor banks in parallel. A plurality of such capacitor banks can be electrically connected in series and/or in parallel in a number of different configurations, thereby providing a highly customizable capacitor bank assembly to suit the particular needs of the electrical power generator.

Claims

1. A capacitor bank for an electrical power generator, comprising

(a) a positive assembly having a substantially planar outer surface and a positive electrical terminal;

(b) a negative assembly having a substantially planar outer surface and a negative electrical terminal;

(c) at least one capacitor sandwiched between and electrically coupled to the positive and negative assemblies; and

(d) electrical interconnects coupled to each of the terminals and for coupling to a load or to another capacitor bank;

the positive and negative assemblies of the capacitor bank each being stackable on a positive or negative assembly of another capacitor bank to form a capacitor bank assembly.

2. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 1 wherein the positive and negative terminals are located at the perimeter of their respective assemblies, such that the interconnects extend along the perimeter of the capacitor bank to couple to terminals of an adjacent stacked capacitor bank.

3. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 2 wherein the interconnects comprise a hyperboloid socket and an electrical contact pin coupled to the socket and that extends to couple with a hyperboloid socket of another interconnect.

4. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 2 wherein the capacitor bank comprises a plurality of double-layer capacitors.

5. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 3 wherein the positive assembly contacts the negative assembly of another capacitor bank, a negative contact pin couples the negative terminals of the respective capacitor banks, and a positive contact pin couples the positive terminals of the respective capacitor banks, thereby establishing a parallel electrical connection between the respective capacitor banks.

6. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 5 wherein the contact pins extend substantially perpendicular to the positive assembly.

7. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 3 wherein the positive assembly contacts the positive assembly of another capacitor bank, a contact pin couples the negative terminal of the capacitor bank with the positive terminal of the other capacitor bank, thereby establishing a series electrical connection between the respective capacitor banks.

8. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 7 wherein the contact pin extends substantially perpendicular to the positive assembly.

9. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 3 wherein the positive assembly contacts the negative assembly of another capacitor bank, a contact pin couples the positive terminal of the capacitor bank with the negative terminal of the other capacitor bank, thereby establishing a series electrical connection between the respective capacitor banks.

10. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 9 wherein the contact pin extends substantially parallel to the positive assembly.

11. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 4 wherein the capacitors are arranged in multiple series-connected groups, wherein the capacitors within a group of capacitors are connected together in parallel.

12. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 11 wherein each assembly includes a bus bar assembly having multiple bus bars wherein each bus bar connects the capacitors within a group in parallel.

13. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 12 wherein each assembly includes a bus bar assembly having multiple bus bars wherein each bus bar connects at least two capacitor groups in series.

14. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 13 wherein each assembly includes a circuit board having at least one voltage balancing circuit electrically coupled to multiple series-connected capacitors.

15. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 14 wherein the circuit board includes at least one voltage sensor for measuring the voltage across the capacitor bank.

16. A capacitor bank as claimed in claim 11 wherein the capacitor is welded to at least one associated bus bar.