Apparatus for high efficiency operation of fuel cell systems and method of manufacturing same
First Claim
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1. A drive circuit comprising:
- a DC bus having a positive DC link and a negative DC link, the DC bus configured to supply power to a load;
a first fuel cell coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a first voltage converter, the first fuel cell configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus;
a second fuel cell coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a second voltage converter, the second fuel cell configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell;
an energy storage device coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a third voltage converter; and
a controller programmed to cause the energy storage device to;
receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from the load; and
provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load;
wherein at least one of the first and second voltage converters is one of a boost converter and a bi-directional buck/boost converter.
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Abstract
A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A drive circuit comprising:
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a DC bus having a positive DC link and a negative DC link, the DC bus configured to supply power to a load; a first fuel cell coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a first voltage converter, the first fuel cell configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus; a second fuel cell coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a second voltage converter, the second fuel cell configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell; an energy storage device coupled to the positive DC link of the DC bus via a third voltage converter; and a controller programmed to cause the energy storage device to; receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from the load; and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load; wherein at least one of the first and second voltage converters is one of a boost converter and a bi-directional buck/boost converter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification