Fuel cell system controller
AssigneeIdaTech, LLC
InventorsDavid J. Edlund, Thomas G. Herron, Craig F. Holmes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel cell system that includes a control system for regulating the power produced by the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack adapted to produce electrical power from a feed. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce the feed for the fuel cell stack from one or more feedstocks. The control system regulates the power produced by the fuel cell system to prevent damage to, and/or failure of, the system.
Claims47
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce a feed stream containing hydrogen gas from one or more feedstocks;
- a fuel cell stack including at least one fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to receive at least a portion of the feed stream and to produce electrical power therefrom, and further wherein the fuel cell stack has a currently available power output;
- a bypass adapted to selectively divert at least a portion of the feed stream from delivery to the fuel cell stack;
- and
- a control system adapted to selectively actuate the bypass to control the portion of the feed stream that is diverted from delivery to the fuel cell stack and thereby regulate the rate that the feed stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, wherein the control system is adapted to selectively actuate the bypass responsive at least in part to an applied load to the fuel cell system.
A method for operating a fuel cell system that is adapted to receive an applied load and which comprises a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce a feed stream containing hydrogen gas, and a fuel cell system having a currently available power output and adapted to receive at least a portion of the feed stream and to produce electrical power therefrom, the method comprising:
- producing a feed stream with the fuel processing assembly operating at a rate of production of the feed stream;
- delivering at least a portion of the feed stream to a fuel cell stack;
- and
- selectively diverting a portion of the feed stream from delivery to the fuel cell stack if the applied load is less than the currently available power output.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce a feed stream containing hydrogen gas from one or more feedstocks;
- a fuel cell stack including at least one fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to receive at least a portion of the feed stream and to produce electrical power therefrom, and further wherein the fuel cell stack has a currently available power output;
- a battery bank adapted to store electrical power, wherein the battery bank has a current level of stored power;
- a bypass adapted to selectively divert at least a portion of the feed stream from delivery to the fuel cell stack;
- and
- a control system adapted to selectively actuate the bypass to control the portion of the feed stream that is diverted from delivery to the fuel cell stack and thereby regulate the rate that the feed stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, wherein the control system is adapted to selectively actuate the bypass responsive at least in part to the current level of stored power of the battery bank.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- means for producing electrical power from a feed;
- and
- means for controlling the fuel cell system for preventing the electrical power produced by the system from exceeding both a maximum rated power output of the system and a currently available power output of the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.