Fuel cell system for charging an electric vehicle

• US 8,624,549 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Sridhar, K. R., Aaron, Stuart, Ballantine, Arne, Light, Peter, Reynolds, Scott, Srinivasan, Ramesh, Gurunathan, Ranganathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Slifka, Sarah A
• Application Number:
  US12/379,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20090246596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/54 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/635 based on ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/637 characterised by the use of reversible temperature-sensitive devices, e.g. NTC, PTC or bimetal devices; characterised by control of the internal current flowing through the cells, e.g. by switching means for preventing undesired use or discharge H01M50/572
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/654 located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 : Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 : of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 : Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 : Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 : Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/77 : with external circulating path
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0432 : Temperature; Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04604 : Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04701 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04925 : Power, energy, capacity or load
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method for charging electric vehicles includes receiving information regarding an electric vehicle. At least a portion of the information is received through a vehicle interface configured to place a battery of the electric vehicle into electrical communication with a fuel cell system. A charge is delivered from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter. The charge is delivered based at least in part on the information.

Claims

1. A method for charging electric vehicles, comprising:

receiving, by a charging station, information regarding an electric vehicle, wherein the information determines one or more charging parameters for a battery incorporated into the electric vehicle and wherein at least a portion of the information is received by the charging station from the electrical vehicle through a vehicle interface located within the charging station;

placing a fuel cell system within the charging station into electrical communication with the electric vehicle via the vehicle interface, wherein the fuel cell system is external to the electric vehicle;

delivering a charge from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface wherein the charge is delivered based at least in part on the information received from the electric vehicle; and

determining, based at least in part on the information, whether heat is to be provided to at least the battery of the electric vehicle in addition to the charge while the charge is delivered to the battery of the electric vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a second portion of the information is received via user input, stored information, or a manufacturer of the electric vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of a type of the electric vehicle, a type of the battery, a charging rate of the battery, a temperature rating of the battery, an amount of time in which the charge is to be delivered, and an estimated driving distance before a subsequent charge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the heat to the battery by the charging station in addition to the charge if it is determined that the heat is to be provided, wherein the heat comprises waste heat from the fuel cell system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the waste heat is delivered to the battery via circulated air or circulated fluid.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the battery comprises a liquid electrolyte battery, and further comprising:

pumping a liquid electrolyte out of the liquid electrolyte battery;

applying the waste heat to the liquid electrolyte; and

returning the liquid electrolyte to the liquid electrolyte battery.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the information, whether the electric vehicle is to be cooled by the charging station while the charge is delivered to the battery of the electric vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising cooling the electric vehicle if it is determined that the electric vehicle is to be cooled, wherein the cooling is provided by the charging station through an air conditioning unit of the electric vehicle or via circulation of cool air generated outside of the electric vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating or cooling the electric vehicle by the charging station based at least in part on a predetermined time at which a driver of the electric vehicle is scheduled to return to the electric vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the heating is performed by the charging station using waste heat from the fuel cell system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell system comprises one or more solid oxide fuel cells located in the charging station external to the electric vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising charging two or more electric vehicles simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the fuel cell system a continuous supply of fuel.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of delivering a charge from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface occurs without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the waste heat is obtained from at least one of an anode exhaust of the fuel cell system, a cathode exhaust of the fuel cell system and a heat radiated off fuel cells of the fuel cell system.