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Apparatus, system, and method to manage the generation and use of hybrid electric power

  • US 8,364,287 B2
  • Filed: 07/25/2008
  • Issued: 01/29/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus to manage the generation and use of electric power, the apparatus comprising:

  • a monitoring module configured to receive signals from a plurality of sensors, the signals comprising power level information of a plurality of energy converters, energy level information of an electric energy storage device, and power level information of an electric load, wherein the plurality of energy converters comprises at least one fuel-based energy converter and at least one non-fuel-based energy converter, the at least one fuel-based energy converter converts a secondary fuel to a primary fuel and generates electric power using the primary fuel, the secondary fuel comprises a mixture of a solid anhydrous chemical hydride reactant and a solid anhydrous activating agent, and the primary fuel comprises hydrogen;

    a determination module configured to compare the signals to determine whether electric power from the plurality of energy converters satisfies the electric load and whether the energy level of the electric energy storage device satisfies a predefined threshold level, the predefined threshold level based on an energy conversion delay of the at least one fuel-based energy converter, the energy conversion delay comprising an amount of time for the at least one fuel-based energy converter to convert the secondary fuel to the primary fuel and to generate electric power using the primary fuel; and

    a regulation module configured to increase the electric power from the at least one fuel-based energy converter in response to a determination by the determination module that the electric power from the plurality of energy converters does not satisfy the electric load threshold and that the energy level of the electric energy storage device does not satisfy the predefined threshold level, wherein the regulation module increases the electric power from the at least one fuel-based energy converter by increasing a rate that the at least one fuel-based energy converter introduces a liquid to the mixture of the solid anhydrous chemical hydride reactant and the solid anhydrous activating agent to produce hydrogen and generates electric power using the produced hydrogen, the hydrogen produced at the time the at least one fuel-based energy converter introduces the liquid to the mixture of the solid anhydrous chemical hydride reactant and the solid anhydrous activating agent.

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