# US 2014/0154601 A1 · Module level redundancy for fuel cell systems

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- Number: US 2014/0154601 A1
- Document ID: US20140154601A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/177,160
- Filed: 2014-02-10
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-07-11
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google Inc.
- Inventors: Allen Wayne Schade
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154601A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04753: {of fuel cell reactants}
- H01M 8/0432: Temperature; Ambient temperature
- H01M 8/04365: {of other components of a fuel cell or fuel cell stacks}
- H01M 8/0438: Pressure; Ambient pressure; Flow
- H01M 8/04388: {of anode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04395: {of cathode reactants at the inlet or inside the fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04611: {of the individual fuel cell}
- H01M 8/04619: {of fuel cell stacks}
- H01M 8/04992: characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
- H01M 8/1246: the electrolyte consisting of oxides
- H01M 8/2425: High-temperature cells with solid electrolytes
- H01M 8/249: comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- H01M 2250/30: Fuel cells in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
- H01M 2300/0071: Oxides
- Y02B 90/10: Applications of fuel cells in buildings
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- 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

This disclosure relates to module level redundancy for fuel cell systems. A monitoring component monitors a set of operational parameters for a fuel cell group. The fuel cell group includes a set of fuel cell units, each having a set of fuel cell stacks. The fuel cell stacks include a set of gas powered fuel cells that convert air and fuel into electricity using a chemical reaction. The monitoring component determines that the set of operational parameters do not satisfy a set of operational criteria, and, in response, a load balancing component adjusts the electrical output capacity of the set of fuel cell units included in the fuel cell group.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a memory, communicatively coupled to a processor, the memory having stored therein executable instructions, comprising:
a module level redundancy component that organizes fuel cell units from a plurality of sets of fuel cell units into a plurality of sets of fuel cell groups to supply an amount of electrical output to a load, wherein respective fuel cell groups comprise at least one fuel cell unit from each of a set of fuel cell units, and respective sets of fuel cell units have different fuel supplies; and
a control component that monitors at least one operational parameter for the sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the control component, in response to a determination that the at least one operational parameter does not satisfy at least one operational criteria, adjusts at least one control parameter of one or more fuel cell units.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the control component adjusts the at least one control parameter to maintain an amount of electrical output of the plurality of sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one operational parameter include at least one of an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell group, an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell unit, an amount of fuel flow to at least one fuel cell unit, or a temperature of at least one fuel cell unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one operational criteria includes at least one of a fuel cell group output capacity threshold, a fuel cell unit output capacity threshold, a fuel cell stack output capacity threshold, a fuel cell output capacity threshold, a fuel flow threshold, or a fuel cell unit temperature threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein respective fuel cell groups have at least one disparate fuel cell unit from other fuel cell groups of the set of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one control parameter includes an amount of air flow to at least one fuel cell unit.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
organizing, by a system including a processor, fuel cell units from a plurality of sets of fuel cell units into a plurality of sets of fuel cell groups to supply an amount of electrical output to a load, wherein respective fuel cell groups comprise at least one fuel cell unit from each of a set of fuel cell units, and respective sets of fuel cell units have different fuel supplies;
monitoring, by a system, at least one operational parameter for the sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising, in response to a determination that the at least one operational parameter does not satisfy at least one operational criteria, adjusting, by the system, at least one control parameter of one or more fuel cell units.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusting the at least one control parameter comprises adjusting the at least one control parameter to maintain an amount of electrical output of the plurality of sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one operational parameter include at least one of an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell group, an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell unit, an amount of fuel flow to at least one fuel cell unit, or a temperature of at least one fuel cell unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one operational criteria includes at least one of a fuel cell group output capacity threshold, a fuel cell unit output capacity threshold, a fuel cell stack output capacity threshold, a fuel cell output capacity threshold, a fuel flow threshold, or a fuel cell unit temperature threshold.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein respective fuel cell groups have at least one disparate fuel cell unit from other fuel cell groups of the set of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one control parameter includes an amount of air flow to at least one fuel cell unit.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a system including a processor to perform operations comprising:
arranging fuel cell units from a plurality of sets of fuel cell units into a plurality of sets of fuel cell groups to supply an amount of electrical output to a load, wherein respective fuel cell groups comprise at least one fuel cell unit from each of a set of fuel cell units, and respective sets of fuel cell units have different fuel supplies;
monitoring at least one operational parameter for the sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising, in response to a determination that the at least one operational parameter does not satisfy at least one operational criteria, adjusting at least one control parameter of one or more fuel cell units.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the adjusting the at least one control parameter comprises adjusting the at least one control parameter to maintain an amount of electrical output of the plurality of sets of fuel cell groups.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one operational parameter include at least one of an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell group, an electrical output capacity of at least one fuel cell unit, an amount of fuel flow to at least one fuel cell unit, or a temperature of at least one fuel cell unit.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one operational criteria includes at least one of a fuel cell group output capacity threshold, a fuel cell unit output capacity threshold, a fuel cell stack output capacity threshold, a fuel cell output capacity threshold, a fuel flow threshold, or a fuel cell unit temperature threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein respective fuel cell groups have at least one disparate fuel cell unit from other fuel cell groups of the set of fuel cell groups.