# US 11,993,354 B2 · Fuel cell charging system with air breathing capability, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) system including same, and method of use

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- Number: US 11,993,354 B2
- Document ID: US11993354B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/202,942
- Filed: 2021-03-16
- Published: 2021-09-16
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-16
- Assignees: Terradepth, Inc.
- Applicants: Terradepth, Inc.
- Inventors: Josef Wolfel; Judson A. Kauffman; Andrew Resnick; Kenneth L. Childress; David L. Pearson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993354B2

## CPC

- B63G 8/001: {Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42)}
- B63G 8/08: Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12)
- B60L 53/126: Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
- B60L 53/305: {Communication interfaces}
- B60L 53/65: involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
- B60L 53/66: Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/04156: {with product water removal}
- H01M 8/04179: {by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants}
- H01M 8/04201: {Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes}
- H01M 8/04753: {of fuel cell reactants}
- H01M 8/04843: {of fuel cell exhausts}
- H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)}
- H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00)
- H01M 10/46: Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus (circuits for charging H02J7/00)
- H01M 16/006: {of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries}
- B63G 2008/004: {autonomously operating}
- H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing}
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y02T 90/167: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- Y04S 30/14: Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
- B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H)
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) may include a fuel cell charging system including a power generation subsystem having an air breathing subsystem taking intake air from the external atmosphere, a supply of compressed hydrogen in onboard storage tanks, an air-breathing PEMFC receiving the intake air and hydrogen, the PEMFC operable to produce electric energy and generating waste water, a water removal system for discharging the waste water offboard, and the fuel cell charging system having a power storage subsystem including a chargeable battery subsystem to receive electric energy to charge the chargeable battery subsystem. A system manager of an onboard data processing system may be configured to control the fuel cell charging system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100, comprising:
an onboard computing system 150 comprising a processor, the computing system 150 comprising instructions executable by the processor to provide a system manager module 160;
a power system 120 configured to provide electric power to operating units of the AUV;
the power system 120 comprising a power generation subsystem 122 in electrical communication with a power storage subsystem 124, the power system 120 configured to operate in a charging cycle;
the power generation subsystem 122 comprising a fuel cell charging system 130, the fuel cell charging system 130 comprising an air breathing subsystem 140 changeable between an open condition and closed condition, in the open condition the air breathing subsystem 140 in open communication with atmospheric air when the AUV 100 is located at the ocean surface, the air breathing subsystem 140 comprising intake air passed into the AUV 100 from the external atmosphere, in the closed condition the air breathing subsystem 140 closed to prevent intake air from passing into the AUV 100 from the external atmosphere;
the fuel cell charging system 130 comprising an onboard supply of hydrogen gas 182 delivered to a fuel cell 132;
the fuel cell 132 receiving the intake air, the fuel cell 132 receiving the hydrogen gas, the fuel cell 132 configured to perform fuel cell process operation with the oxygen in the intake air and with the hydrogen gas, the fuel cell process operation generating electric energy and waste water output from the fuel cell 132;
the power storage subsystem 124 comprising a chargeable battery subsystem 136 configured to store electric energy output from the fuel cell 132; and
the system manager module 160 configured to control the AUV 100 to ascend to the surface from submerged operation to perform a charging period of the charging cycle, the system manager module 160 configured to control the AUV 100 to descend from the surface to submerged operation to perform a discharging period to power operations of the AUV 100,
the water removal system 170 comprising a water pump 192 in communication with the waste water collector 188 to pump collected waste water to be discharged outside the hull structure 110,
the water removal system 170 selectively operable to provide waste water to a wet filter 597 in communication with the air breathing subsystem 140, the waste water serving as a filter media of the wet filter 597.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
a hull structure 110 omitting a storage tank of gaseous oxidizing agent.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
the water removal system 170 comprising a water pump 192 in communication with the waste water collector 188 to pump collected waste water to be discharged outside the hull structure 110.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
the water removal system 170 comprising a waste water exhaust valve 190 operable between open position and closed position, the waste water exhaust valve 190 in the open position enabling open communication for the waste water to pass outward to be discharged outside the hull structure 110.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
the power storage subsystem 125 comprising a chargeable battery subsystem 136;
a battery management subsystem 126 configured to control charging and discharging of the chargeable battery subsystem 136.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
a ballast system 116 comprising a ballast volume independent of oxygen storage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim claim 1, comprising:
the hull structure 110 having a form factor independent of onboard oxygen storage volume.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 1, comprising:
hydrogen storage 182 volume independent of oxygen storage.

### Claim 9

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100, comprising:
an onboard computing system 150 comprising a processor, the computing system 150 comprising instructions executable by the processor to provide a system manager module 160;
a power system 120 configured to provide electric power to operating units of the AUV;
the power system 120 comprising a power generation subsystem 122 in electrical communication with a power storage subsystem 124, the power system 120 configured to operate in a charging cycle;
the power generation subsystem 122 comprising a fuel cell charging system 130, the fuel cell charging system 130 comprising an air breathing subsystem 140 changeable between an open condition and closed condition, in the open condition the air breathing subsystem 140 in open communication with atmospheric air when the AUV 100 is located at the ocean surface, the air breathing subsystem 140 comprising intake air passed into the AUV 100 from the external atmosphere, in the closed condition the air breathing subsystem 140 closed to prevent intake air from passing into the AUV 100 from the external atmosphere;
the fuel cell charging system 130 comprising an onboard supply of hydrogen gas 182 delivered to a fuel cell 132;
the fuel cell 132 receiving the intake air, the fuel cell 132 receiving the hydrogen gas, the fuel cell 132 configured to perform fuel cell process operation with the oxygen in the intake air and with the hydrogen gas, the fuel cell process operation generating electric energy and waste water output from the fuel cell 132;
the power storage subsystem 124 comprising a chargeable battery subsystem 136 configured to store electric energy output from the fuel cell 132; and
the system manager module 160 configured to control the AUV 100 to ascend to the surface from submerged operation to perform a charging period of the charging cycle, the system manager module 160 configured to control the AUV 100 to descend from the surface to submerged operation to perform a discharging period to power operations of the AUV 100,
hydrogen storage 182 volume independent of oxygen storage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 9, comprising:
a hull structure 110 omitting a storage tank of gaseous oxidizing agent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 9, comprising:
a water removal system 170 comprising a waste water collector 188 configured to receive waste water generated by operation of the fuel cell 132.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 11, comprising:
the water removal system 170 comprising a water pump 192 in communication with the waste water collector 188 to pump collected waste water to be discharged outside the hull structure 110.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 11, comprising:
the water removal system 170 comprising a waste water exhaust valve 190 operable between open position and closed position, the waste water exhaust valve 190 in the open position enabling open communication for the waste water to pass outward to be discharged outside the hull structure 110.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 11, comprising:
the water removal system 170 selectively operable to provide waste water to a wet filter 597 in communication with the air breathing subsystem 140, the waste water serving as a filter media of the wet filter 597.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 9, comprising:
the power storage subsystem 125 comprising a chargeable battery subsystem 136;
a battery management subsystem 126 configured to control charging and discharging of the chargeable battery subsystem 136.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 9, comprising:
a ballast system 116 comprising a ballast volume independent of oxygen storage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) 100 according to claim 9, comprising:
the hull structure 110 having a form factor independent of onboard oxygen storage volume.

### Claim 18

A method 400 of use of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) including a fuel cell charging system having an air breathing subsystem taking intake air from the external atmosphere, a supply of compressed hydrogen in onboard storage tanks, the intake air and hydrogen supplied to an air-breathing PEMFC housed in a water-tight AUV hull structure, the PEMFC operable to produce electric energy for operating the AUV, the PEMFC generating waste water, the power generation subsystem comprising a water removal system for discharging the waste water offboard, the fuel cell charging system having a power storage subsystem including a chargeable battery subsystem in communication with a battery management subsystem, said method 400 comprising:
providing 404, by an onboard computing system, a system manager configured for controlling the fuel cell charging system;
determining 408, by the system manager, when the AUV will submerge;
stopping 412, by the system manager, the PEMFC from charging the chargeable battery subsystem, when the AUV is to submerge;
first closing 416, by the system manager, an air intake valve connected to an air intake snorkel of the air breathing subsystem;
second closing 420, by the system manager, the water removal system;
first switching 424, by the system manager, the battery management subsystem and chargeable battery subsystem to output mode from charging mode;
detecting 428, by the system manager, that the AUV has surfaced;
starting 432, by the system manager module, operation of the PEMFC charging system;
first opening 436, by the system manager, the intake valve connected to the snorkel;
second opening 440, by the system manager, the waste water exhaust valve; and
second switching 444, by the system manager, power output generated by operation of the PEMFC to charging the chargeable battery subsystem.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one data processing device of a data processing system, causes said at least one data processing device to perform the method 400 of claim 18.

### Claim 20

A method 300 of use of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) including a fuel cell charging system, the fuel cell charging system including a power generation subsystem having an air breathing subsystem taking intake air from the external atmosphere, a supply of compressed hydrogen in onboard storage tanks, an air-breathing PEMFC housed in a water-tight AUV hull structure, the PEMFC receiving the intake air and hydrogen, the PEMFC operable to produce electric energy for operating the AUV, the PEMFC generating waste water, the power generation subsystem comprising a water removal system for discharging the waste water offboard, the fuel cell charging system having a power storage subsystem including a chargeable battery subsystem in electric current communication with the power generation subsystem to receive electric energy to charge the chargeable battery subsystem, the chargeable battery subsystem in communication with a battery management subsystem operable to control charging and discharging of the chargeable battery subsystem, said method 300 comprising:
operating, by an onboard computing system comprising a processor, a system manager configured for controlling the fuel cell charging system;
comparing 304, by the system manager, stored energy level relative to a predetermined minimum threshold, for the chargeable battery subsystem;
surfacing 308 the AUV to the ocean surface from a submerged location, by the system manager, when the stored energy level has met the predetermined minimum threshold for the chargeable battery subsystem;
initiating 312, by the system manager, charging operation by the fuel cell charging system when the predetermined minimum threshold is met when the AUV is located at the ocean surface;
first opening 316, by the system manager, the air breathing subsystem by opening an air intake valve thereof to intake atmospheric air to pass as intake air into the air breathing PEMFC;
second opening 320, by the system manager, the hydrogen supply subsystem by opening a hydrogen supply valve to enable hydrogen gas to pass into and react in the PEMFC to generate electric energy supplied to the power storage subsystem in electrical communication with the PEMFC, to charge the chargeable battery subsystem;
third opening 324, by the system manager, the water removal system by opening a waste water exhaust valve to enable discharge of waste water from the water removal system;
charging 328, by the system manager, the chargeable battery subsystem by controlling operation of the PEMFC to generate electrical energy supplied to the chargeable battery subsystem;
ending 332, by the system manager, charging of the chargeable battery subsystem by disrupting supply of electric energy to the chargeable battery subsystem;
first closing 336, by the system manager, the air breathing subsystem by closing an air intake valve, to discontinue intaking and passing of intake air into the air breathing PEMFC;
second closing 340, by the system manager, the hydrogen supply subsystem by closing a hydrogen supply valve to prevent hydrogen gas from passing into the PEMFC, to stop operation of the PEMFC; and
third closing 344, by the system manager, the water removal system by closing the waste water exhaust valve to stop discharge of waste water from the water removal system and prevent backflow entry of foreign water inside the AUV hull structure.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one data processing device of a data processing system, causes said at least one data processing device to perform the method 300 of claim 20.