Method of optimizing operating efficiency of fuel cells

• US 8,071,246 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Mitlitsky, Fred, Sridhar, K.R., Gottmann, Matthias, Venkataraman, Swaminathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S
• Application Number:
  US12/458,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20090269626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/430
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/147 Fuel cells with molten carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/40 Combination of fuel cells with other energy production systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04052 Storage of heat in the fuel cell system
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04925 Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0656 by electrochemical means H01M8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1011 Direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC], e.g. direct methanol fuel cells [DMFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/184 Regeneration by electrochemical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system includes receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel and adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel.

Claims

1. A method of operating a reversible fuel cell electrochemical system capable of a fuel cell mode and an electrolysis mode, comprising:

operating a fuel cell at a first operating efficiency and a first throughput, the first operating efficiency being about equal to an optimum efficiency and the first throughput being below an optimum throughput;

receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel; and

adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel to operate the fuel cell at a second operating efficiency or a second throughput different from the first operating efficiency and the first throughput;

wherein the step of adjusting comprises adjusting the operating efficiency below an optimum efficiency and adjusting the throughput of the fuel cell to be about equal to an optimum throughput when the fuel cell electrochemical system is operating in the fuel cell mode and when the cost of electricity is higher than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is lower than a predetermined cost; and

wherein the step of adjusting comprises adjusting the operating efficiency below an optimum efficiency and adjusting the throughput of the fuel cell to be about equal to an optimum throughput when the fuel cell electrochemical system is operating in the electrolysis mode and when the cost of electricity is lower than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is higher than a predetermined cost.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the fuel cell in the fuel cell mode to generate electricity, wherein the at least one of operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell is adjusted from the first operating efficiency and the first throughout to the second operating efficiency and the second throughput for operation in the fuel cell mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fuel cell comprises a solid oxide fuel cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating efficiency of the fuel cell is adjusted by adjusting the throughput from the first throughput to the second throughput.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell are adjusted from the first operating efficiency or the first throughput to the second different operating efficiency or the second throughput based on the received cost of electricity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell are adjusted from the first operating efficiency or the first throughput to the second different operating efficiency or the second throughput based on the received cost of fuel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput comprises adjusting the operating efficiency.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput comprises adjusting the throughput.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput comprises adjusting the operating efficiency and the throughput.