Fuel cell system for charging an electric vehicle

• US 9,597,966 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• 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): Slifka, Sarah A
• Application Number:
  US14/064,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 charging station comprising:

a transactional unit configured to receive information regarding an electric vehicle;

a vehicle interface configured to

place a battery of the electric vehicle in electrical communication with a fuel cell system; and

deliver a charge from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle; and

a waste heat unit configured to deliver heat to the electric vehicle during at least a portion of delivery of the charge, wherein the heat comprises waste heat from the fuel cell system comprising at least one of a heated gas or a heated liquid.

2. The charging station of claim 1, further comprising the fuel cell system.

3. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the waste heat is delivered to the electric vehicle based at least in part on a predetermined time at which a driver of the electric vehicle is expected to return to the electric vehicle.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the information includes a temperature rating of the battery, and further wherein the waste heat is delivered to the electric vehicle based at least in part on the temperature rating and at least in part on an ambient temperature.

5. The charging station of claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit configured to cool the battery of the electric vehicle during at least a portion of the delivery of the charge.

6. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface comprises a first winding of a transformer, and further wherein a second winding of the transformer is mounted on the electric vehicle.

7. The charging station of claim 6, wherein the charge is delivered to the battery via inductive coupling between the first winding and the second winding.

8. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface comprises a connector configured to connect to a rectifier mounted to the electric vehicle.

9. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the information includes a destination and a desired time of arrival at the destination, and wherein the charging unit is configured to determine a charging schedule based at least in part on the destination and at least in part on the desired time.

10. The charging station of claim 9, wherein the destination and the desired time of arrival are received from an electronic calendar of a driver of the electric vehicle.

11. The charging station of claim 9, wherein the information further includes a route to the destination, wherein the charging schedule is determined based at least in part on the route, and further wherein the route is received from at least one of mapping software or a mapping website.

12. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the waste heat from the fuel cell system comprises the heated gas.

13. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the heated gas is obtained from an anode or cathode exhaust system of fuel cell system.

14. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the heated gas is obtained from air heated by heat radiated off the fuel cells of fuel cell system.

15. The charging station of claim 12, wherein the waste heat unit further comprises at least one fan or blower configured to provide the waste heat comprising the heated gas to the electric vehicle.

16. The charging station of claim 1, wherein the waste heat from the fuel cell system comprises the heated liquid.

17. The charging station of claim 16, wherein the heated liquid is obtained from a liquid heated by heat radiated off the fuel cells of fuel cell system.