APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD TO MANAGE THE GENERATION AND USE OF HYBRID ELECTRIC POWER

• US 20090076661A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molly Alonso
• Original Assignee: Trulife Incorporated (Trulife)
• Inventors: Wang, Guangde, Brydon, Chris, Pearson, Ken, You, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1293 Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes
• 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 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0656 by electrochemical means H01M8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 : Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 : Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to manage the generation and use of hybrid electric power. A monitoring module receives signals from one or more sensors. The signals comprise power level information of an electric energy storage device, power level information of one or more energy converters, and power level information of an electric load. A determination module compares the signals to determine whether electric power from the energy converters satisfies the electric load. A regulation module adjusts the electric power from the energy converters in response to a determination by the determination module that the electric power from the energy converters does not satisfy an electric load threshold.

Claims

1. An apparatus to manage the generation and use of electric power, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring module configured to receive signals from one or more sensors, the signals comprising power level information of one or more energy converters, and power level information of an electric load;

a determination module configured to compare the signals to determine whether electric energy from the one or more power converters satisfies the electric load; and

a regulation module configured to adjust the electric power from the one or more energy converters in response to a determination by the determination module that the electric power from the one or more energy converters does not satisfy the electric load threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an energy conservation module configured to store excess electric power from the one or more energy converters as an alternate energy type in response to a determination by the determination module that the electric power from the one or more energy converters satisfies the electric load.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the energy conservation module is further configured to cause at least one of the one or more energy converters to convert a secondary fuel to a primary fuel, the primary fuel comprising the alternate energy type.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the alternate energy type is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, heat energy, chemical energy, and potential energy.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the energy conservation module is further configured to charge the electric energy storage device in response to a substantially full alternate energy storage device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a prioritization module configured to balance a supply of electric power delivered to the electric load based on a prioritization of power/energy sources.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more energy converters comprise fuel-based energy converters and non-fuel-based energy converters, and in the prioritization of electric sources, a priority of the non-fuel-based energy converters is higher than a priority of the electric energy storage device, and the priority of the electric energy storage device is higher than a priority of the fuel-based energy converters.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the prioritization of electric sources is selected based on one or more of an energy conversion cost, an energy conversion efficiency, and an energy conversion delay, a user override module configured to override the prioritization of electric sources based on user input.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a prediction module configured to make a prediction of an upcoming power draw of the electric load based on a historic power draw of the electric load, and wherein the determination module is further configured to adjust the electric power from the one or more energy converters based on the prediction.

10. A system to manage the generation and use of electric power, the system comprising:

one or more energy converters each configured to convert an energy source to electric power;

an electric energy storage device configured to store and supply the electric power/energy from the one or more energy converters;

one or more sensors that measure a power/energy level of the electric energy storage device, a power/energy level of the one or more energy converters, and a power level of an electric load coupled to the one or more energy converters and to the electric energy storage device;

a controller configured to determine whether the power level of the one or more energy converters satisfies the electric load and whether the power level of the electric energy storage device satisfies a predefined threshold level and to increase the power level of the one or more energy converters in response to a determination that the power level of the one or more energy converters does not satisfy the electric load and that the power level of the electric energy storage device fails to satisfy the predefined threshold level; and

an power interface configured to electrically couple the one or more sensors, the electric energy storage device, and the controller.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the signals further comprise an energy source status and an electric power/energy generation potential of the one or more energy converters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electric power generation potential comprises a measured gas pressure of produced hydrogen generated by the one or more energy converters.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more energy converters is a non-fuel-based energy converter selected from the group consisting of photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, water turbines, geothermal turbines, solar concentrators, and waste heat co-generators.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more energy converters is a fuel-based energy converter selected from the group consisting of fuel cells, microturbine systems, hydrogen reformers, hydrogen electrolysis systems, and internal combustion engine generators.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the power interface comprises one or more standardized ports, each of the standardized ports configured to transfer communication signals and electric energy from a corresponding pluggable connector of one of the one or more energy converters, and to removably couple the corresponding pluggable connector to the power interface.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to receive customized energy converter type definitions and to control energy converters corresponding to the customized energy converter type definitions.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more energy converters comprises a collapsible structure.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more energy converters are configured to convert a secondary fuel to a primary fuel.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the secondary fuel is selected from the group consisting of water and hydrocarbons, and wherein the primary fuel comprises hydrogen.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the secondary fuel comprises a chemical hydride, and the primary fuel comprises hydrogen.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the chemical hydride comprises a solid anhydrous chemical hydride reactant and an activating agent.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein the electric energy storage device comprises an energy storage capacity configured to substantially satisfy a power draw of the electric load for at least twelve hours, and further wherein the one or more energy converters are configured to output an amount of electric power satisfying an average power draw of the electric load and less than a peak power draw of the electric load.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer usable program code executable to perform operations for managing the generation and use of electric power/energy, the operations of the computer program product comprising:

receiving signals from one or more sensors, the signals comprising power/energy level information of an electric energy storage device, power/energy level information of one or more hydrogen-based energy converters, pressure level information of a hydrogen storage device, and power/energy level information of an electric load;

determining whether electric power/energy from the one or more hydrogen-based energy converters satisfies the electric load;

determining whether an energy level of the electric energy storage device satisfies a predefined threshold level;

increasing hydrogen generation of a hydrogen generating device in response to a determination that the electric power/energy from the one or more hydrogen-based energy converters does not satisfy the electric load and that the energy level of the electric energy storage device does not satisfy the predefined threshold level.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising storing excess electric power/energy from the one or more energy converters as an alternate energy type in response to a determination that the electric power from the one or more hydrogen-based energy converters satisfies the electric load and that the power/energy level of the electric energy storage device satisfies the predefined threshold level, and further comprising charging the electric energy storage device in response to a full alternate energy storage device.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising charging the electric energy storage device in response to a determination that the electric energy storage device does not satisfy the predefined threshold level.