Utilization-based fuel cell monitoring and control
First Claim
1. An energy-producing and consuming assembly, comprising:
- a fuel source configured to provide a supply fuel stream at a supply pressure;
a detector configured to detect the supply pressure;
a supply fuel pressure regulator configured to receive the supply fuel stream and to produce therefrom a pressure-regulated fuel stream at a regulated pressure;
a fuel cell stack configured to receive the pressure-regulated fuel stream and an oxidant stream and to produce therefrom an electric current at a production amperage to satisfy an electrical load;
a load-regulating device configured to selectively control a magnitude of the electrical load; and
a controller programmed to selectively control the production amperage based on the detected supply pressure by actively controlling the load-regulating device, wherein the controller is programmed to at least one of increase the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is greater than an upper threshold pressure and decrease the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is less than a lower threshold pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fuel cell systems and methods for controlling the operation of components of the fuel cell system, which may include a fuel source and a fuel cell stack. In some examples, a fuel source is adapted to provide supply fuel to a fuel cell stack at a supply pressure. The fuel cell stack produces electric current at a production amperage. In some examples, a control system is adapted to control operation of the fuel cell stack based on a pressure detected at the fuel cell stack. In some examples, a target production amperage is determined based on the detected pressure, such that when electric current is produced at the target production amperage for the detected pressure, the fuel cell stack consumes a predetermined proportion of the supply fuel.
140 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An energy-producing and consuming assembly, comprising:
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a fuel source configured to provide a supply fuel stream at a supply pressure; a detector configured to detect the supply pressure; a supply fuel pressure regulator configured to receive the supply fuel stream and to produce therefrom a pressure-regulated fuel stream at a regulated pressure; a fuel cell stack configured to receive the pressure-regulated fuel stream and an oxidant stream and to produce therefrom an electric current at a production amperage to satisfy an electrical load; a load-regulating device configured to selectively control a magnitude of the electrical load; and a controller programmed to selectively control the production amperage based on the detected supply pressure by actively controlling the load-regulating device, wherein the controller is programmed to at least one of increase the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is greater than an upper threshold pressure and decrease the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is less than a lower threshold pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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14. An energy-producing and consuming assembly, comprising:
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a fuel source configured to provide a supply fuel stream at a supply pressure; a detector configured to detect the supply pressure; a supply fuel pressure regulator configured to receive the supply fuel stream and to produce therefrom a pressure-regulated fuel stream at a regulated pressure; a fuel cell stack configured to receive the pressure-regulated fuel stream and an oxidant stream and to produce therefrom an electric current at a production amperage to satisfy an electrical load; a load-regulating device configured to selectively control a magnitude of the electrical load; and means for selectively controlling the production amperage based on the detected supply pressure by actively controlling the load-regulating device, wherein the means for selectively controlling at least one of; (i) increases the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is greater than an upper threshold pressure; and (ii) decreases the electrical load responsive to detecting that the supply pressure is less than a lower threshold pressure.
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Specification