Direct current (DC) load levelers
AssigneeFuelCell Energy, Inc.
InventorsGeorge P. Berntsen, Lincoln Vitalis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load leveling system includes a fuel cell inverter, a direct current (DC) load bank, and a controller. The fuel cell inverter is configured to receive DC power generated by a fuel cell assembly. The DC load bank is connected to the fuel cell assembly in parallel with the fuel cell inverter. The controller is in communication with the fuel cell inverter and the DC load bank. The controller is configured to identify a reduction in a load being drawn by the fuel cell inverter. Responsive to the identification of the reduction of the load, the controller is also configured to divert the DC power generated by the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell inverter to the DC load bank to prevent load cycling of the fuel cell assembly.
Claims21
A load leveling system comprising:
- a fuel cell inverter configured to receive direct current (DC) power generated by a fuel cell assembly;
- a DC load bank connected to the fuel cell assembly in parallel with the fuel cell inverter;
- and
- a controller in communication with the fuel cell inverter and the DC load bank, wherein the controller is configured to:
- identify a reduction in a load being drawn by the fuel cell inverter;
- responsive to the identification of the reduction of the load, divert the DC power generated by the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell inverter to the DC load bank to prevent load cycling of the fuel cell assembly;
- monitor a condition of the fuel cell inverter after diverting the DC power from the fuel cell inverter to the DC load bank;
- determine that the fuel cell inverter is again operational;
- and
- based on the determination that the fuel cell inverter is again operational, divert the DC power from the DC load bank back to the fuel cell inverter.
A method for leveling a load of a fuel cell system, the method comprising:
- identifying a reduction in a load being drawn by a fuel cell inverter from a fuel cell assembly;
- and
- responsive to the identification of the reduction of the load, diverting direct current (DC) power generated by the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell inverter to a DC load bank to prevent load cycling of the fuel cell assembly;
- monitoring a condition of the fuel cell inverter after diverting the DC power from the fuel cell inverter to the DC load bank;
- determining that the fuel cell inverter is again operational;
- and
- based on the determination that the fuel cell inverter is again operational, diverting the DC power from the DC load bank back to the fuel cell inverter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.