Dynamically responsive high efficiency CCHP system
AssigneeCombined Energies LLC
InventorsRhonda Lee Staudt, Donald Frank Rohr, John Anthony Vogel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A highly efficient combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system is capable of providing 100% utilization of an energy generator used by the system by distributing thermal and electrical outputs of the energy generator to loads and/or other storage apparatuses. The CCHP system includes an energy generator, which can be a fuel cell and a waste heat recovery unit that assists in recovering thermal energy from the energy generator and returning it to the energy generator, and/or providing it to a thermal load, or a storage as needed or desired.
Claims16
A combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system for delivering thermal energy and electrical energy to a structure in need thereof, the CCHP system comprising:
- an energy generator that simultaneously produces electrical energy and thermal energy as an output;
- a waste heat recovery system thermally coupled to the energy generator and including:
- a distribution system for delivering thermal energy to the structure;
- and
- a cooling system for providing conditioned air to the structure;
- wherein the waste heat recovery system is configured to:
- recover thermal energy from the energy generator;
- return a first portion of the recovered thermal energy to the energy generator;
- and
- deliver a second portion of the recovered energy to the distribution system or the cooling system depending on the present or future needs of the structure;
- a control system configured to control the energy generator and the waste heat recovery system;
- and
- a DC to DC boost converter (DDBC) electronically coupled to the energy generator and configured to condition the electrical energy for use by the structure, the DDBC including:
- a plurality of interleaved, isolated, full-bridge DC-DC converters arranged in a Delta-Wye configuration and a multi-leg bridge;
- an input current filter and a plurality of DC-AC converters, wherein the plurality of DC-AC converters are electronically coupled to the input current filter and configured to receive a discontinuous input current;
- and
- a plurality of transformers, wherein each of the plurality of transformers is electronically coupled to a corresponding respective one of the plurality of DC-AC converters.
A combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system for use in a residential or light commercial structure having electric and thermal loads, the CCHP system comprising:
- a fuel cell system having thermal and electrical outputs;
- a waste heat recovery system including:
- a thermal management module;
- a storage system;
- a distribution system;
- an
- a cooling system;
- a control system in communication with the fuel system and the waste heat recovery system, the control system configured to:
- receive a signal representative of a required electrical load or a required thermal load;
- determine whether any additional loads are required by the structure after receiving the signal;
- and
- communicate with the fuel cell system and the waste heat recovery system so as maximize the utilization of the electrical and thermal outputs of the fuel cell system,
- wherein the communication with the fuel cell system and the waste recovery system only occurs when the thermal load and the electrical load are both needed by the structure, and
- wherein the control system limits the thermal and electrical outputs of the fuel cell system based upon the thermal load;
- and
- a DC to DC boost converter (DDBC) electronically coupled to the electrical output and configured to condition the electrical output for use by the structure, the DDBC including:
- a plurality of interleaved, isolated, full-bridge DC-DC converters arranged in a Delta-Wye configuration and a multi-leg bridge;
- an input current filter and a plurality of DC-AC converters, wherein the plurality of DC-AC converters are electronically coupled to the input current filter and configured to receive a discontinuous input current;
- and
- a plurality of transformers, wherein each of the plurality of transformers is electronically coupled to a corresponding respective one of the plurality of DC-AC converters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.