Regenerative compressor motor control for a fuel cell power system
First Claim
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel cell that processes an oxidant to produce electrical energy;
a variable capacity compressor system that supplies said oxidant to said fuel cell and that during operation of the fuel cell system, supplies said oxidant by operating in a mode selected from a normal mode below a threshold rate of 40%/s change in capacity and a rapid transient mode selected from an upward and downward variation at or above the threshold rate, said variable capacity compressor system comprising;
a compressor that compresses said oxidant; and
a compressor motor that drives said compressora controller that monitors a power demand from said fuel cell and that selects a power source for said compressor motor, said power source being either a main power source when operating in said normal mode or a supplemental power source when operating in said rapid transient mode which is upward wherein said supplemental power source is selected from capacitors and supercapacitors and wherein said controller controls charging of said supplemental power source comprising regenerative braking of the compressor motor that converts mechanical energy into charging current.
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Abstract
A variable capacity compressor that is operable in a normal mode and either an upward or downward rapid transient mode includes a compressor that compresses a fluid and a motor that drives the compressor. A controller powers the motor from a main power source when operating in the normal mode and powers the motor from a supplemental power source when operating in the upward rapid transient mode.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
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a fuel cell that processes an oxidant to produce electrical energy; a variable capacity compressor system that supplies said oxidant to said fuel cell and that during operation of the fuel cell system, supplies said oxidant by operating in a mode selected from a normal mode below a threshold rate of 40%/s change in capacity and a rapid transient mode selected from an upward and downward variation at or above the threshold rate, said variable capacity compressor system comprising; a compressor that compresses said oxidant; and a compressor motor that drives said compressor a controller that monitors a power demand from said fuel cell and that selects a power source for said compressor motor, said power source being either a main power source when operating in said normal mode or a supplemental power source when operating in said rapid transient mode which is upward wherein said supplemental power source is selected from capacitors and supercapacitors and wherein said controller controls charging of said supplemental power source comprising regenerative braking of the compressor motor that converts mechanical energy into charging current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of operating a fuel cell system comprising a variable capacity compressor system, comprising a variable capacity compressor that supplies an oxidant to fuel cells of the fuel cell system while the fuel cell system operates and a compressor motor that drives the compressor, the method comprising:
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operating said variable capacity compressor in a normal mode at a first capacity of the fuel cell system to produce electrical power; powering the compressor motor from a main power source during said normal mode; adjusting said variable capacity compressor from said first capacity to a second capacity of the fuel cell system to produce electrical power when in a rapid transient mode at or above a threshold rate of 40%/s change in capacity; and when in said rapid transient mode either; a) powering the compressor motor from a supplemental power source when said rapid transient mode is an upward rapid transient mode, or b) regeneratively braking the compressor motor to produce charging current for said supplemental power source when operating in said rapid transient mode which is a downward rapid transient mode. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification