Fuel cell power systems and methods of controlling a fuel cell power system

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a plurality of terminals;
• a plurality of fuel cells respectively electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity, the fuel cells being configured to be individually selectively deactivated and remaining ones of the fuel cells being configured to provide electricity to the terminals with others of the fuel cells deactivated;
• a power supply, different from the fuel cells;
• and
• a control system coupled to the power supply and configured to receive electricity from the power supply at least at some times, and which is further operably coupled with the plurality of fuel cells, the control system being configured to monitor at least one operational condition of the power supply.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a plurality of terminals;
• a plurality of fuel cells electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• a main valve adapted to couple with a fuel source and configured to selectively supply fuel to the fuel cells;
• and
• a control system configured to control the main valve, and wherein the control system comprises a plurality of distributed controllers.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of terminals;
• at least one fuel cell within the housing and which is electrically coupled with the terminals and which is configured to convert chemical energy into electricity, and wherein the at least one fuel cell comprises a plurality of fuel cells provided in a plurality of cartridges;
• a bleed valve configured to selectively purge non-fuel diluents from the at least one fuel cell;
• a control system configured to control selective positioning of the bleed valve;
• and a manifold configured to provide fluid communication of the cartridges with the bleed valve.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of terminals;
• a plurality of fuel cells, within the housing, and electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity, and wherein the plurality of fuel cells are defined by multiple cartridges removably supported by the housing and that are individually selectively removed from the housing and remaining ones of the fuel cells are configured to provide electricity to terminals with others of the cartridges removed;
• a control system configured to monitor an electrical output condition of the at least one of the fuel cell and to control an operational parameter of at least one of the fuel cells;
• and
• an operator interface coupled with the control system to indicate the electrical condition monitored by the control system.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a housing;
• a temperature sensor supported by the housing to sense temperature in the housing;
• a fan supported by the housing to move air inside the housing;
• a plurality of terminals;
• at least one fuel cell within the housing and electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• a control system coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to control the fan in response to the sensed temperature;
• an operator interface coupled with the control system to indicate the temperature sensed by the control system;
• and
• circuitry electrically coupled to the control system, and configured to at least, at times, determine the output voltage of the at least one fuel cell, and wherein the control system is configured to determine electrical efficiency based upon the output voltage, and wherein the fan is a variable speed fan, and wherein the control system varies the speed of the fan in response to the determined electrical efficiency.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a housing;
• a plurality of terminals;
• at least one fuel cell within the housing and electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• a bleed valve in fluid communication with the at least one fuel cell to selectively remove waste fluid therefrom;
• a control system configured to monitor an electrical output condition of at least one of the fuel cells and to control the bleed valve;
• and
• an operator interface coupled with the control system to indicate the electrical condition monitored by the control system.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a housing having an inside facing surface defining a cavity, and an outside facing surface and having a plurality of receptacles which are accessible from outside of the housing, the individual receptacles including an electrical connector and a fuel supply connector;
• a plurality of cartridges each including a casing supporting at least one fuel cell, the casing being removably received in a receptacle and including a fuel inlet connector which mates with the fuel supply connector of at least one of the receptacles when the casing is received in a receptacle, and an electrical connector which mates with the electrical connector of at least one of the receptacles when the casing is received in a receptacle, each fuel cell being configured to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• a power bus inside the housing and electrically coupled to the respective electrical connectors and selectively coupled to a load;
• and
• a control system electrically coupled to the power bus and configured to monitor at least one operational condition of the power bus, and wherein the cartridges can be individually removed from the housing while the remaining cartridges continue to produce electricity.

A fuel cell power system comprising:

• a plurality of terminals;
• at least one fuel cell electrically coupled with the terminals and configured to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• a power supply, different from the fuel cells;
• and
• a control system coupled to the power supply and configured to receive electricity from the power supply at least at some times, and which is further operably coupled with the at least one fuel cell, and wherein the control system is configured to monitor at least one operational condition of the power supply.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing at least one fuel cell within the housing and electrically coupling the fuel cell within the terminals;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the at least one fuel cell;
• defining a control system using a plurality of distributed controllers;
• and
• controlling a bleed valve using the control system to selectively purge non-fuel diluents from the at least one fuel cell.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing a plurality of fuel cells within the housing and electrically coupling the fuel cell with the terminals;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the plurality of fuel cells;
• controlling a bleed valve using a control system to selectively purge non-fuel diluents from the at least one fuel cell;
• and
• selectively deactivating one of the fuel cells and providing electricity to the terminals from the remaining fuel cells.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing at least one fuel cell within the housing and electrically coupling the fuel cell with the terminals, and wherein the at least one fuel cell in defined by using a plurality of fuel cells provided in a plurality of cartridges;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the fuel call;
• controlling a bleed valve using a control system to selectively purge non-fuel diluents from the at least one fuel cell;
• and
• providing fluid communication between the cartridges and the bleed valve using a manifold.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing at least one fuel cell within the housing and electrically coupling the at least one fuel cell with the terminals;
• providing a control system, and defining the control system using a plurality of distributed controllers;
• coupling the operator interface to the control system;
• controlling an operational parameter of the at least one fuel cell using the control system;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the at least one fuel cell;
• monitoring an electrical output condition of the at least one fuel cell using the control system;
• and
• indicating the electrical output condition monitored by the control system by utilizing an operator interface.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing a plurality of fuel cells and electrically coupling the fuel cells with the terminals;
• providing a power supply different from the fuel cells, and defining the power supply using a battery;
• providing a control system;
• providing charge circuitry which is electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells;
• configuring the power supply to selectively supply electricity to the control system at least at some times;
• monitoring at least one operational condition of the power supply using the control system;
• selectively charging the battery, in response to control from the control system, and utilizing the charge circuitry which is electrically coupled to the at least one fuel cell;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the plurality of fuel cells;
• individually selectively deactivating one of the fuel cells while another of the fuel cells actively continues to convert chemical energy into electricity;
• and
• providing electricity to the terminals from the active fuel cells.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing at least one fuel cell within the housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing a control system;
• providing an operator interface and coupling the operator interface to the control system;
• electrically coupling the at least one fuel cell with the terminals;
• supporting a temperature sensor in the housing to sense a temperature in the housing, and coupling the temperature sensor to the control system;
• moving air inside the housing using a fan supported by the housing;
• controlling the fan in response to the sensed temperature using the control system;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the at least one fuel cell;
• determining an output voltage of the at least one fuel cell;
• indicating the temperature sensed by the control system using the operator interface;
• determining the electrical efficiency of the at least one fuel cell based on the output voltage using circuitry electrically coupled to the control system;
• and
• varying the speed of the fan in response to the determined electrical efficiency, utilizing the control system.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• providing a plurality of terminals;
• providing at least one fuel cell within the housing;
• electrically coupling at least one fuel cell with the terminals;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the at least one fuel cell;
• selectively removing waste fluid from the at least one fuel cell using a bleed valve;
• monitoring an electrical output condition of the at least one fuel cell and controlling the bleed valve, using a control system;
• indicating the electrical condition using an operator interface coupled with the control system;
• providing a fuel gas sensor which is positioned within the housing;
• and
• detecting the concentration of a fuel gas inside of the housing by using the fuel gas sensor which is supported by the housing and which is electrically coupled to the control system.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a housing having an inside cavity and an outside surface, and having a plurality of receptacles accessible from outside of the housing, the receptacles respectively including an electrical connector and a fuel supply connector;
• providing a plurality of cartridges each including a casing supporting at least one fuel cell, and wherein the casing is removably received within a receptacle and further including a fuel inlet connector which mates with the fuel supply connector of at least one of the receptacles when the casing is received in a receptacle, and an electrical connector which mates with the electrical connector of at least one of the receptacles when the casing is received in a receptacle;
• selectively coupling respective electrical connectors of a power bus which is positioned inside the housing to a load and electrically coupling the plurality of cartridges having at least one fuel cell to the power bus;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using at least one of the fuel cells;
• and
• monitoring at least one operational condition of the power bus using a control system which is electrically coupled to the power bus, and wherein the respective cartridges may be operably removed from the housing while the remaining cartridges continue to produce electricity.

A fuel cell power method comprising:

• providing a plurality of terminals;
• electrically coupling at least one fuel cell with the terminals;
• providing a power supply, different from the fuel cells, and coupling the power supply to a control system, to provide electricity to the control system, and wherein the control system is electrically coupled to the at least one fuel cell;
• converting chemical energy into electricity using the at least one fuel cell;
• and
• monitoring at least one operational condition of the power supply using the control system.