Fuel cell system air throttle for hybrid power control
AssigneeNimbus Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsMatthew P. Wilson, Michael E. Gorman, Samuel J. Angles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell power plant includes an energy storage system connected in parallel with a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a controller, a fuel flow system, an air flow system, and an internal water management system. The controller is operable to receive, as inputs, the energy storage system state of charge and the power demand from an electric load. The controller is further operable to determine a power split set point and execute commands, as output, to control operation of the air flow system, wherein the air flow system actively regulates the proportion of current flow between the fuel cell system and the energy storage system to meet the power demand of the electric load.
Claims17
A hybrid power system, comprising:
- a fuel cell power plant comprising an energy storage system connected in parallel with a fuel cell system;
- the fuel cell system comprising a controller, a fuel flow system, an air flow system, and a water management system;
- an electric load operably connected to the fuel cell power plant;
- the controller operable to receive, as inputs, a state of charge of the energy storage system and a power demand from the electric load;
- calculate a set point to proportion a current split between the fuel cell system and the energy storage system;
- and execute commands, as output, to control operation of the air flow system at the set point, wherein the air flow system actively regulates a proportion of current flow between the fuel cell system and the energy storage system to meet the power demand from the electric load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.