Modular fuel cell system

• US 9,947,955 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Sridhar, K. R., Venkataraman, Swaminathan, Lyle, William David, Ballantine, Arne
• Primary Examiner(s): Barcena, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US14/881,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04007 related to heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0675 Removal of sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2425 High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/244 with matrix-supported molten electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2475 Enclosures, casings or containers of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2483 characterised by internal manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2484 characterised by external manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2485 Arrangements for sealing external manifolds; Arrangements for mounting external manifolds around a stack
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/249 comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A fuel cell stack module includes a base, a cover dome removably positioned on the base, and a plurality of fuel cell stacks removably positioned on the base below the cover dome. A modular fuel cell system includes a plurality of the fuel cell stack modules, where each fuel cell stack module may be electrically disconnected, removed from the fuel cell system, repaired or serviced without stopping an operation of the other fuel cell stack modules in the fuel cell system.

Claims

1. A modular fuel cell system, comprising:

a first container comprising doors;

fuel cell stack modules disposed in the first container, such that each fuel cell stack modules may be accessed through a corresponding one of the doors, each fuel cell stack module comprising;

a base;

a cover dome disposed on the base and comprising a thermally insulating material; and

fuel cell stacks disposed on the base and inside of the cover dome;

a fuel reformer disposed on the base and fluidly connected to the fuel cell stacks;

a fuel heat exchanger configured to heat fuel provided to the fuel reformer using fuel exhaust from the fuel cell stacks; and

an air heat exchanger configured to heat air provided to the fuel cell stacks using air exhaust emitted from the fuel cell stacks;

at least one fuel processing module; and

at least one power conditioning module,

wherein;

the modular fuel cell system is configured such that at least one module can be taken off line without taking the remaining modules off line;

each type of module is installed in or on a separate container; and

the containers are located separately from each other.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each module is configured to be serviced, repaired or removed from the system without opening the containers in which the other type of modules are located and without servicing, repairing or removing the other type of modules.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each module is configured to be accessed from two or more sides.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein a plurality of the fuel cell stack modules are configured to be indexed to be accessed from two or more sides.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein all high service or consumable components are located in a single module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a purge gas and desulfurizer material is located in a single module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system is configured such that one of several optional modules is selected for each of fuel processing, fuel cell, and power conditioning;

the fuel processing modules may be interchanged without modification to the fuel cell modules or to the power conditioning modules; and

the power conditioning modules may be interchanged without modification to the fuel cell modules or to the fuel processing modules.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a single user interface which is adapted to operate the at least one fuel cell stack module, the at least one fuel processing module, and the at least one power conditioning module.