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US 2022/0069613 A1Published application
Fuel cell and battery backup power sources within power systems
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsSuresh Baddam Reddy, David Michael Milam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system or other power system includes a primary power source and a fuel cell and battery system as a backup power source. The fuel cell and battery backup system(s) are integrated into the primary power source to reduce the required power components and to provide high-quality power conditioning for the UPS system. A control system receives and analyzes data from the primary power source, as well as from the fuel cell and battery backup systems, to perform advanced power management and sharing, manage transitions, export power to the grid, and manage boil-off losses at the fuel cell.
Claims20
A power system, comprising:
- a primary power source arranged to provide voltage to a target load via a DC bus, the DC bus being electrically connected to the target load, and being electrically connected to the primary power source via a first connection;
- a first backup power source comprising an electrochemical fuel cell, wherein the first backup power source is arranged to provide voltage from the electrochemical fuel cell to the target load via the DC bus, the DC bus being electrically connected to the first backup power source via a second connection;
- and
- a second backup power source comprising an energy storage device, wherein the second backup power source is arranged to provide voltage from the energy storage device to the target load via the DC bus, the DC bus being electrically connected to the second backup power source via a third connection.
1 more element
A method, comprising
- receiving, by a control system, a first data signal from a primary power source of a power system, wherein the primary power source is arranged to provide voltage to a target load via a DC bus electrically disposed between the primary power source and the target load;
- receiving, by the control system, a second data signal from a backup power source of the power system, wherein the backup power source comprises an electrochemical fuel cell, wherein the backup power source is separately coupled to the DC bus and is arranged to provide voltage from the electrochemical fuel cell to the target load via the DC bus;
- determining, by the control system and based at least in part on the first data signal and the second data signal, a first output voltage associated the primary power source;
- determining, by the control system and based at least in part on the first data signal and the second data signal, a second output voltage associated with the backup power source;
- transmitting, by the control system, a first control instruction including data representing the first output voltage to a controller of the primary power source via a first data connection;
- and
- transmitting, by the control system, a second control instruction including data representing the second output voltage to a controller of the backup power source via a second data connection,
- wherein the first control instruction causes the primary power source to output the first output voltage and wherein the second control instruction causes the backup power source to output the second output voltage.
5 more elements
An uninterruptible power source (UPS) system, comprising:
- a primary power source arranged to provide power to a target load, the primary power source comprising a first controller configured to control a first power output from the primary power source to the target load;
- a first backup power source comprising an electrochemical fuel cell, the first backup power source comprising a second controller configured to control a second power output from the first backup power source to the target load;
- a second backup power source comprising an energy storage device, the second backup power source comprising a third controller configured to control a third power output from the second backup power source to the target load;
- and
- a control system including:
- one or more central processing units (CPUs);
- and
- memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more CPUs, cause the control system to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, via one or more data connections, a data signal from at least one of the primary power source, the first backup power source, or the second backup power source;
- determining, based at least in part on the data signal, an output voltage associated with at least one of the primary power source, the first backup power source, or the second backup power source;
- and
- transmitting, via the one or more data connections, a control instruction including data representing the determined output voltage to at least one of the primary power source, the first backup power source, and the second backup power source.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.