# US 10,312,729 B2 · Alternating current uninterruptible power supply system

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- Number: US 10,312,729 B2
- Document ID: US10312729B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/257,321
- Filed: 2016-09-06
- Published: 2016-12-29
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-13
- Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yoshinori Mitsui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312729B2

## CPC

- H02J 9/062: {for AC powered loads}
- H01M 8/0432: Temperature; Ambient temperature
- H01M 8/04328: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04604: {Power, energy, capacity or load}
- H01M 8/04708: {of fuel cell reactants}
- H01M 8/04955: Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
- H01M 16/006: {of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries}
- H02J 1/00: Circuit arrangements for DC mains or DC distribution networks
- H02J 2101/30: Fuel cells
- Y02B 90/10: Applications of fuel cells in buildings
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An alternating current uninterruptible power supply system includes a first power feed line, a second power feed line, a switchover relay, a converter, a power switch, a fuel cell, a system control board, a battery, and an inverter. If it is determined that electric power supply from a commercial alternating current power source has stopped for a first time or longer, a system control part of the system control board switches the switchover relay from a first state to a second state. Then, on the basis of the state of the electric power of the first power feed line, the system control part determines whether or not stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for a second time or longer. After that, if it is determined that the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the second time or longer, the system control part starts power generation of the stack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An alternating current uninterruptible power supply system supplying electric power from a fuel cell at the time of power failure of a commercial alternating current power source, comprising:
a switch provided with a first input part, a second input part, and an output part and allowed to perform, in response to an inputted instruction, switching to a first state that the first input part and the output part are connected to each other or to a second state that the second input part and the output part are connected to each other;
a first power feed line electrically connected to the first input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the commercial alternating current power source;
a second power feed line electrically connected to the second input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the fuel cell;
the fuel cell electrically connected to the second power feed line and provided with a stack constructed from a plurality of unit battery cells generating electric power by means of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidation gas and with a plurality of control valves allowed to adjust supply of the fuel gas and the oxidation gas to the stack in response to an inputted instruction;
a battery allowed to be charged and connected to the second power feed line in parallel to the stack;
a converter connected between the first power feed line and the second power feed line;
an inverter connected to the second power feed line between the battery and the second input part;
an electric power detection part outputting a result corresponding to a state of the electric power from the commercial alternating current power source flowing through the first power feed line; and
a control part, wherein
the control part performs at least the following controls a) to d):
a) a control of, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for a first time or longer;
b) a control of b consisting of the following controls b1) to b3),
b1) if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for the first time or longer, transmitting an instruction of switching a contact from the first state to the second state to the switch;
b2) a control of determining whether or not the commercial alternating current power source has resumed; and
b3) a control of, transmitting an instruction of switching a contact from the second state to the first state to the switch if it is determined that the commercial alternating current power source has resumed, or proceeding the control processing to the control of c),
c) a control of, if it is determined that the commercial alternating current power source has not resumed, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for a second time or longer which is longer than the first time; and
d) a control of, if it is determined that the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the second time or longer, transmitting an instruction of starting power generation of the fuel cell to the fuel cell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, wherein
the control part performs the following controls e) to g):
e) a control of, after the control d) described above, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for a given duration;
f) a control of, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the given duration, transmitting an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch; and
g) a control of, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the given duration, transmitting an instruction of stopping the power generation of the fuel cell to the fuel cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell includes:
a cooling fan supplying wind to the stack; and
a first temperature detection part outputting a result corresponding to a temperature of the inside of a housing containing the fuel cell to the control part, and wherein
the control part performs at least the following controls h) to j):
h) a control of, in the control a) described above, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has not stopped for the first time or longer, on the basis of the result from the first temperature detection part, determining whether or not the temperature of the inside of the housing is at or above a threshold;
i) a control of, if it is determined that the temperature of the inside of the housing is at or above the threshold, transmitting an instruction of operating the cooling fan to the cooling fan; and
j) a control of, after the control i) described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the inside of the housing is not at or above the threshold, transmitting an instruction of stopping the cooling fan to the cooling fan.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 wherein the fuel cell includes:
a first heater receiving electric power through the first power feed line so as to warm a supply source of the fuel gas of the fuel cell; and
a second temperature detection part outputting a result corresponding to a temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas to the control part, and wherein
the control part performs at least the following controls k) to m):
k) a control of, in the control a) described above, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has not stopped for the first time or longer, on the basis of the result from the second temperature detection part, determining whether or not the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas of the fuel cell is at or below a threshold;
l) a control of, if it is determined that the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas is at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning ON the first heater to the first heater; and
m) a control of, after the control l) described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas is not at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning OFF the first heater to the first heater.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell includes:
a third temperature detection part outputting a result corresponding to a temperatures of the control valve to the control part, and
a second heater electrically connected to the first power feed line so as to warm the control valve, and wherein
the control part performs the following controls n) to p):
n) a control of, in the control a) described above, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has not stopped for the first time or longer, on the basis of the result from the third temperature detection part, determining whether or not a temperature of the control valve of the fuel cell is at or below a threshold;
o) a control of, if it is determined that the temperature of the control valve is at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning ON the second heater to the second heater; and
p) a control of, after the control o) described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the control valve is not at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning OFF the second heater to the second heater.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, wherein in the control b) described above, if a width of a pulse signal corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to the first time, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the first state to the second state to the switch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 2, wherein in the control b) described above, if a width of a pulse signal corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to the first time, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the first state to the second state to the switch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 3, wherein in the control b) described above, if a width of a pulse signal corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to the first time, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the first state to the second state to the switch.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 4, wherein in the control b) described above, if a width of a pulse signal corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to the first time, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the first state to the second state to the switch.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 5, wherein in the control b) described above, if a width of a pulse signal corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to the first time, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the first state to the second state to the switch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 6, wherein in the control f) described above, if the number of pulse signals corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to a given value, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 7, wherein in the control f) described above, if the number of pulse signals corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to a given value, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 8, wherein in the control f) described above, if the number of pulse signals corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to a given value, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 9, wherein in the control f) described above, if the number of pulse signals corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to a given value, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The alternating current uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 10, wherein in the control f) described above, if the number of pulse signals corresponding to zero crossing of the commercial alternating current power source is greater than or equal to a given value, the control part transmits an instruction of switching the contact from the second state to the first state to the switch.

### Claim 16

An alternating current uninterruptible power supply system supplying electric power from a fuel cell at the time of power failure of a commercial alternating current power source, comprising:
a switch provided with a first input part, a second input part, and an output part and allowed to perform, in response to an inputted instruction, switching to a first state that the first input part and the output part are connected to each other or to a second state that the second input part and the output part are connected to each other;
a first power feed line electrically connected to the first input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the commercial alternating current power source;
a second power feed line electrically connected to the second input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the fuel cell;
the fuel cell electrically connected to the second power feed line and provided with a stack constructed from a plurality of unit battery cells generating electric power by means of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidation gas and with a plurality of control valves allowed to adjust supply of the fuel gas and the oxidation gas to the stack in response to an inputted instruction;
a battery allowed to be charged and connected to the second power feed line in parallel to the stack;
a converter connected between the first power feed line and the second power feed line;
an inverter connected to the second power feed line between the battery and the second input part;
an electric power detection part outputting a result corresponding to a state of the electric power from the commercial alternating current power source flowing through the first power feed line;
a control part;
a cooling fan supplying wind to the stack; and
a first temperature detection part outputting a result corresponding to a temperature of the inside of a housing containing the fuel cell to the control part, and wherein
the control part performs at least the following controls a) to d) and h) to j):
a) a control of, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for a first time or longer;
b) a control of, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for the first time or longer, transmitting an instruction of switching a contact from the first state to the second state to the switch;
c) a control of, after the control b) described above, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for a second time or longer which is longer than the first time; and
d) a control of, if it is determined that the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the second time or longer, transmitting an instruction of starting power generation of the fuel cell to the fuel cell;
h) a control of, in the control a) described above, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has not stopped for the first time or longer, on the basis of the result from the first temperature detection part, determining whether or not the temperature of the inside of the housing is at or above a threshold;
i) a control of, if it is determined that the temperature of the inside of the housing is at or above the threshold, transmitting an instruction of operating the cooling fan to the cooling fan; and
j) a control of, after the control i) described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the inside of the housing is not at or above the threshold, transmitting an instruction of stopping the cooling fan to the cooling fan.

### Claim 17

An alternating current uninterruptible power supply system supplying electric power from a fuel cell at the time of power failure of a commercial alternating current power source, comprising:
a switch provided with a first input part, a second input part, and an output part and allowed to perform, in response to an inputted instruction, switching to a first state that the first input part and the output part are connected to each other or to a second state that the second input part and the output part are connected to each other;
a first power feed line electrically connected to the first input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the commercial alternating current power source;
a second power feed line electrically connected to the second input part of the switch and transmitting electric power from the fuel cell;
the fuel cell electrically connected to the second power feed line and provided with a stack constructed from a plurality of unit battery cells generating electric power by means of a reaction between fuel gas and oxidation gas and with a plurality of control valves allowed to adjust supply of the fuel gas and the oxidation gas to the stack in response to an inputted instruction;
a battery allowed to be charged and connected to the second power feed line in parallel to the stack;
a converter connected between the first power feed line and the second power feed line;
an inverter connected to the second power feed line between the battery and the second input part;
an electric power detection part outputting a result corresponding to a state of the electric power from the commercial alternating current power source flowing through the first power feed line;
a control part;
a first heater receiving electric power through the first power feed line so as to warm a supply source of the fuel gas of the fuel cell; and
a second temperature detection part outputting a result corresponding to a temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas to the control part, and wherein
the control part performs at least the following controls a) to d) and k) to m):
a) a control of, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for a first time or longer;
b) a control of, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has stopped for the first time or longer, transmitting an instruction of switching a contact from the first state to the second state to the switch;
c) a control of, after the control b) described above, on the basis of the result outputted from the electric power detection part, determining whether or not the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for a second time or longer which is longer than the first time; and
d) a control of, if it is determined that the stopping of the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has continued for the second time or longer, transmitting an instruction of starting power generation of the fuel cell to the fuel cell;
k) a control of, in the control a) described above, if it is determined that the electric power supply from the commercial alternating current power source has not stopped for the first time or longer, on the basis of the result from the second temperature detection part, determining whether or not the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas of the fuel cell is at or below a threshold;
l) a control of, if it is determined that the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas is at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning ON the first heater to the first heater; and
m) a control of, after the control l) described above, if it is determined that the temperature of the supply source of the fuel gas is not at or below the threshold, transmitting an instruction of turning OFF the first heater to the first heater.