Fuel cells power generation system

• US 20030143447A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Yasuhito, Hara, Koichiro, Nakanishi, Osamu, Masui, Takeshi, Akimoto, Naomichi, Hattori, Nobuki, Yamasaki, Shiroh
• Application Number:
  US10/355,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20030143447A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/23
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators combination of fuel cells with other electrochemical generator H01M16/003
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04029 Heat exchange using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04679 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0668 Removal of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0675 Removal of sulfur
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The power generation mode of fuel cells included in a fuel cells power generation system, the quantity of power generation by the fuel cells, the working power used for a load, the amount of hot water kept in a hot water tank, the time, the occurrence of an abnormality in the system, and a request for regular inspection are displayed on a display unit of an operation display panel as numerical values and stepwise-variable graphical expression representing variations in quantity. The user is accordingly informed of the current driving conditions of the system and the working power used for the load, and sets the power generation mode of the fuel cells based on these pieces of information. This enables the user to adequately and readily control the operations of the system.

Claims

1. A fuel cells power generation system, comprising:

fuel cells that receive a supply of a fuel and generate electric power;

a hot water tank that stores hot water heated with at least heat from said fuel cells; and

an operation display module having an operation unit that is manipulated to control operations of said fuel cells and a display unit that displays an output electric power from said fuel cells and a hot water storage state in said hot water tank.

2. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, said fuel cells power generation system further comprising:

an output electric power detection module that measures the output electric power from said fuel cells; and

a hot water storage state detection module that detects the hot water storage state in said hot water tank,

wherein said operation display module receives inputs of the observed output electric power from said fuel cells and the detected hot water storage state in said hot water tank and displays the inputs on said display unit.

3. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, said fuel cells power generation system further comprising:

an electric power conversion supply module that converts the output electric power from said fuel cells into a desired electric power and supplies the converted electric power to a power supply line from another system power source to a load,

wherein said operation display module displays a working power used for the load on said display unit.

4. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 3, said fuel cells power generation system further comprising:

a working power detection module that measures the working power used for the load,

wherein said operation display module receives an input of the observed working power and displays the input on said display unit.

5. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said operation display module displays a power supply from said another system power source to the load, instead of the working power, on said display unit.

6. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said operation display module displays a power supply from said another system power source to the load, in addition to the working power, on said display unit.

7. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display unit of said operation display module has a display of numerical values.

8. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display unit of said operation display module has a display of a stepwise-variable graphical expression representing variations.

9. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an operation mode of said fuel cells is selected among a plurality of predetermined operation modes and is set on said operation unit of said operation display module, and

said display unit of said operation display module displays the setting of the selected operation mode.

10. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said operation display module displays occurrence of an abnormality in said system.

11. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said operation display module displays a request for an inspection of said system.

12. A fuel cells power generation system, comprising:

fuel cells that receive a supply of a fuel and generate electric power;

an electric power conversion supply module that converts a direct current power from said fuel cells into a desired electric power and supplies the converted electric power to a power supply line from another system power source to a load; and

an operation display module having an operation unit that is manipulated to control operations of said fuel cells and a display unit that displays an output electric power from said fuel cells and a power supply from said another system power source to the load.

13. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, said fuel cells power generation system further comprising:

an output electric power detection module that measures the output electric power from said fuel cells; and

a power supply detection module that detects the power supply from said another system power source to the load,

wherein said operation display module receives inputs of the observed output electric power from said fuel cells and the detected power supply from said another system power source to the load and displays the inputs on said display unit.

14. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said operation display module displays a working power used for the load, instead of the power supply, on said display unit.

15. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said operation display module displays a working power used for the load, in addition to the power supply, on said display unit.

16. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said display unit of said operation display module has a display of numerical values.

17. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said display unit of said operation display module has a display of a stepwise-variable graphical expression representing variations.

18. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, wherein an operation mode of said fuel cells is selected among a plurality of predetermined operation modes and is set on said operation unit of said operation display module, and

said display unit of said operation display module displays the setting of the selected operation mode.

19. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said operation display module displays occurrence of an abnormality in said system.

20. A fuel cells power generation system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said operation display module displays a request for an inspection of said system.

21. An operation display device that is used for a fuel cells power generation system, which comprises fuel cells receiving a supply of a fuel and generating electric power and a hot water tank storing hot water heated with at least heat from said fuel cells,

said operation display device comprising:

an operation unit that is manipulated to control operations of said fuel cells; and

a display unit that displays an output electric power from said fuel cells and a hot water storage state in said hot water tank.

22. An operation display device that is used for a fuel cells power generation system, which comprises fuel cells receiving a supply of a fuel and generating electric power and an electric power conversion supply module that converts a direct current power from said fuel cells into a desired electric power and supplies the converted electric power to a power supply line from another system power source to a load,

said operation display device comprising:

an operation unit that is manipulated to control operations of said fuel cells; and

a display unit that displays an output electric power from said fuel cells and a power supply from said another system power source to the load.

23. An operation display device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said display unit displays a working power used for the load, in place of the power supply.

24. An operation display device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said display unit displays a working power used for the load, in addition to the power supply.