# US 12,113,396 B1 · Fuel cell powered ring bus architectures

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- Number: US 12,113,396 B1
- Document ID: US12113396B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/182,908
- Filed: 2023-03-13
- Published: 2024-09-19
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2023-03-13
- Assignees: ABB Schweiz AG
- Applicants: ABB Schweiz AG
- Inventors: Li Qi; Harish Suryanarayana; Silvio Colombi; Taosha Jiang; Yuzhi Zhang; Harry Bye Handlin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113396B1

## CPC

- H02J 9/062: {for AC powered loads}
- H01M 8/04955: Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells
- H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources
- H02J 1/102: being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence)
- H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence)
- H02J 9/061: {for DC powered loads}
- H01M 2250/10: Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
- H02J 2101/30: Fuel cells
- Y02B 90/10: Applications of fuel cells in buildings
- Y02B 90/20: Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00)
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

In one aspect, a fuel cell power system is provided. The fuel cell power system includes a ring bus, a plurality of bidirectional uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), a plurality of direct current (DC) fuel cell modules, and a plurality of bidirectional direct current to alternating current (DC-AC) power converters. Each of the plurality of UPSs is electrically coupled to at least one battery, an AC utility feed, a load, and via a choke, the ring bus. Each of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules includes one or more fuel cells coupled to a hydrogen storage. Each of the plurality of bidirectional DC-AC power converters is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules and a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs at the AC utility feed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell power system comprising:
a ring bus;
a plurality of bidirectional uninterruptable power supplies (UPSs), each electrically coupled to at least one battery, an alternating current (AC) utility feed, a load, and via a choke, the ring bus;
a plurality of direct current (DC) fuel cell modules, each including one or more fuel cells coupled to a hydrogen storage; and
a plurality of bidirectional DC-AC power converters, each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules and a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs at the AC utility feed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of DC fuel cell modules comprise a primary power source for the ring bus and the AC utility feed comprises a backup power source for the ring bus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs and a corresponding one of the plurality of DC-AC bidirectional power converters is configured to provide AC electrical power to the AC utility feed in response to a trigger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, further comprising:
a choke bypass circuit breaker in parallel with the choke.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of UPS bypass circuit breakers, each in parallel with one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The fuel cell power system of claim 5, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs further comprises:
a rectifier electrically coupling the at least one battery with the AC utility feed; and
an inverter electrically coupling the at least one battery with the load, and via the choke, the ring bus,
the battery is configured to provide, via the rectifier, AC power to the AC utility feed, and
the battery is further configured to provide, via the inverter, the AC power to the AC utility feed when a corresponding one of the plurality of UPS bypass circuit breakers is closed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules is configured to generate hydrogen for the hydrogen storage in response to receiving DC electrical power from a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional DC-AC power converters.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
the load is a dual-corded load and is electrically connected to at least two of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
the load is a single-corded load and is electrically connected to only one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell power system of claim 1, wherein:
each of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs includes a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional DC-AC power converters.

### Claim 11

A fuel cell power system comprising:
a ring bus;
a plurality of bidirectional uninterruptable power supplies (UPSs), each electrically coupled to at least one battery, an AC utility feed, a load, and via a choke, to the ring bus;
a plurality of direct current (DC) fuel cell modules, each including one or more fuel cells coupled to a hydrogen storage; and
a plurality of bidirectional DC-DC power converters, each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules and a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, wherein:
the plurality of DC fuel cell modules comprises a primary power source for the ring bus and the AC utility feed comprises a backup power source for the ring bus.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs is configured to provide AC electrical power to the AC utility feed in response to a trigger.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, further comprising:
a choke bypass circuit breaker in parallel with the choke.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, further comprising:
a plurality of UPS bypass circuit breakers, each in parallel with one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, wherein:
at least one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules is configured to generate hydrogen for the hydrogen storage in response to receiving DC electrical power from a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional DC-DC power converters.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, wherein:
the load is a dual-corded load and is electrically connected to at least two of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The fuel cell power system of claim 11, wherein:
the load is a single-corded load and is electrically connected to only one of the plurality of bidirectional UPSs.

### Claim 19

A fuel cell power system comprising:
a direct current (DC) ring bus;
a plurality of DC fuel cell modules, each including one or more fuel cells coupled to a hydrogen storage; and
a plurality of bidirectional DC uninterruptable power supplies (DC-UPSs), each electrically coupled to at least one battery, a corresponding one of the plurality of DC fuel cell modules, and, via the DC ring bus, a load.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The fuel cell power system of claim 19, further comprising:
a plurality of bidirectional DC to alternating current (DC-AC) power converters, each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of bidirectional DC-UPSs and an AC utility feed,
wherein the plurality of DC fuel cell modules comprises a primary power source for the DC ring bus, and
wherein the AC utility feed comprises a secondary power source for the DC ring bus.