# US 10,320,015 B1 · Fuel Cell Power Management

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- Number: US 10,320,015 B1
- Document ID: US10320015B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/640,866
- Filed: 2015-03-06
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-07
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Applicants: The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Inventors: Kenneth A. Burke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320015B1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04559: {of fuel cell stacks}
- H01M 8/04: Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
- H01M 8/04552: {of the individual fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04582: {of the individual fuel cell}
- H01M 8/241: with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
- H01M 8/2465: Details of groupings of fuel cells
- H01M 8/04037: {Electrical heating}
- H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with fuel cell power management. According to one embodiment, a fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells producing electric potentials. An electric potential of a fuel cell is measured as a fuel cell voltage. The fuel cell stack further includes a plurality of connection points including a ground, a first connection point, and a second connection point. The first connection point draws a first voltage based on combined fuel cell voltages of a first set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells. The second connection point draws a second voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages of a second set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell power management system, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cells stacked in series and having a first extreme end at one end of the stack and a second extreme end at the opposite end of the stack, the plurality of fuel cells configured to produce electric potentials, wherein an electric potential of a fuel cell is measured as a fuel cell voltage; and
a ground connection point located at the first extreme end of the stack;
an extreme connection point located at the second extreme end of the stack and configured to draw a total voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages between the ground connection point and the extreme connection point;
a first connection point located along the stack between the ground connection point and the extreme connection point and configured to draw a first voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages between the ground connection point and the first connection point;
a second connection point located along the stack between the first connection point and the extreme connection point and configured to draw a second voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages between the ground connection point and the second connection point;
wherein the second connection point and the extreme connection point are both connected to a shared device to selectively provide a second voltage or a total voltage to the shared device; and
wherein the current produced by each cell within the stack is determined by the current withdrawn from the stack at each of the connection points.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power management system of claim 1, wherein the first connection point is configured to be connected to a first device, wherein the first device is configured to require the first voltage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power management system of claim 1, wherein the first voltage is different from the total voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power management system of claim 1, wherein the fuel cell stack is a part of a fuel cell system, and wherein the first device is internal to the fuel cell system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fuel cell power management system of claim 4, wherein the first device is a pump of the fuel cell system, a heater of the fuel cell system, or electronics of the fuel cell system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power management system of claim 1 further comprising one or more than one additional connection points located along the stack between the ground connection point and the extreme connection point and configured to draw a voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages between the ground connection point and each one or more than one additional connection points.