Fuel cell power plant cooling network integrated with a thermal hydraulic engine
First Claim
1. An electrical power generating system, comprising:
- a fuel cell power plant configured to generate electrical power based on a chemical reaction; and
a coolant network that is configured to carry fluid toward the fuel cell power plant where fluid in the coolant network can become heated fluid by absorbing heat from the fuel cell power plant, the coolant network includinga thermal hydraulic engine that is configured to generate electrical power,a cooling station configured to reduce a temperature of fluid provided to the cooling station,a first portion configured to carry fluid from the cooling station toward a portion of the fuel cell power plant where fluid in the first portion can be heated,a second portion configured to carry the heated fluid from the first portion to a heated fluid inlet of the thermal hydraulic engine,the thermal hydraulic engine being configured to direct heated fluid from the inlet to a section of the thermal hydraulic engine where heat from the heated fluid can be used for generating electrical power,the thermal hydraulic engine including a fluid outlet that is configured to direct fluid from which heat has been used for generating electrical power away from the thermal hydraulic engine in a direction toward the cooling station,the cooling station being configured to reduce a temperature of fluid received from the thermal hydraulic engine before the fluid is provided to the first portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illustrative example electrical power generating system includes a fuel cell power plant that is configured to generate electrical power. The fuel cell power plant includes a cell stack assembly including a plurality of fuel cells that are configured to generate electrical power based on a chemical reaction. A coolant network is configured to carry fluid toward the cell stack assembly where fluid in the coolant network can become heated by absorbing heat from the fuel cell power plant. The coolant network includes a thermal hydraulic engine that is configured to generate electrical power. The coolant network is configured to carry the heated fluid to the thermal hydraulic engine where the heated fluid can be used for generating electrical power. The coolant network is configured to carry a reduced temperature fluid from the thermal hydraulic engine back toward the cell stack assembly.
34 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electrical power generating system, comprising:
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a fuel cell power plant configured to generate electrical power based on a chemical reaction; and a coolant network that is configured to carry fluid toward the fuel cell power plant where fluid in the coolant network can become heated fluid by absorbing heat from the fuel cell power plant, the coolant network including a thermal hydraulic engine that is configured to generate electrical power, a cooling station configured to reduce a temperature of fluid provided to the cooling station, a first portion configured to carry fluid from the cooling station toward a portion of the fuel cell power plant where fluid in the first portion can be heated, a second portion configured to carry the heated fluid from the first portion to a heated fluid inlet of the thermal hydraulic engine, the thermal hydraulic engine being configured to direct heated fluid from the inlet to a section of the thermal hydraulic engine where heat from the heated fluid can be used for generating electrical power, the thermal hydraulic engine including a fluid outlet that is configured to direct fluid from which heat has been used for generating electrical power away from the thermal hydraulic engine in a direction toward the cooling station, the cooling station being configured to reduce a temperature of fluid received from the thermal hydraulic engine before the fluid is provided to the first portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An electrical power generating system, comprising:
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a fuel cell power plant configured to generate electrical power based on a chemical reaction; a thermal hydraulic engine that is configured to generate electrical power; a single cooling station configured to reduce a temperature of a cooling fluid; and a coolant network that includes a first cooling loop including at least one heat rejection heat exchanger downstream of the cooling station and a low grade heat exchanger downstream of the at least one heat rejection heat exchanger, the cooling station being downstream of the low grade heat exchanger, the at least one heat rejection heat exchanger being situated for fluid in the at least one heat rejection heat exchanger to absorb heat associated with operation of the fuel cell power plant, the low grade heat exchanger having a first portion configured to receive heated fluid from the at least one heat rejection heat exchanger and to direct the received fluid toward the cooling station; the coolant network includes a second cooling loop including a second portion that directs a second fluid through the low grade heat exchanger where second fluid in the second portion is heated by heat from the heated fluid in the first portion of the low grade heat exchanger, the second cooling loop including a third portion configured to direct heated second fluid to a section of the hydraulic engine where heat from the heated second fluid can be used for generating electrical power before the second fluid is returned to the second portion; the coolant network includes a third cooling loop configured to direct fluid from the cooling station toward the thermal hydraulic engine where the fluid can absorb heat from at least some of the hydraulic engine before returning the fluid to the cooling station. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification