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US 7,575,822 B2Granted
Method of optimizing operating efficiency of fuel cells
AssigneeBloom Energy Corporation
InventorsFred Mitlitsky, K. R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottman, Swaminathan Venkataraman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system includes receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel and adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel.
Claims12
A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system, comprising:
- operating a fuel cell in a fuel cell mode to generate electricity;
- receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel;
- adjusting an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel;
- and
- storing heat generated by the fuel cell operating in the fuel cell mode;
- wherein the at least one of operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell is adjusted for operation in the fuel cell mode;
- and
- wherein the step of adjusting comprises adjusting the operating efficiency in the fuel cell mode below an optimum efficiency and adjusting the throughput of the fuel cell to be about equal to an optimum throughput when the cost of electricity is higher than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is lower than a predetermined cost.
5 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system, comprising:
- operating a fuel cell in a fuel cell mode to generate electricity;
- receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel;
- adjusting an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel;
- and
- providing additional heat to the fuel cell operating in the fuel cell mode;
- wherein the at least one of operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell is adjusted for operation in the fuel cell mode;
- and
- wherein the step of adjusting comprises adjusting the operating efficiency in the fuel cell mode to be about equal to an optimum efficiency and adjusting the throughput of the fuel cell to be below an optimum throughput when the cost of electricity is lower than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is higher than a predetermined cost.
5 more elements
A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system, comprising:
- receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel;
- adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of a fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel;
- storing heat generated by the fuel cell when the fuel cell operates at an efficiency lower than an optimum efficiency;
- and
- providing the stored heat to the fuel cell when the fuel cell operates at an efficiency that is about equal to the optimum efficiency.
2 more elements
A fuel cell electrochemical system, comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- and
- a first means for adjusting at least one of operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on at least one of a received cost of electricity and a received cost of fuel;
- and
- a second means for storing heat generated by the fuel cell operating in the fuel cell mode;
- wherein the first means is a means for adjusting the operating efficiency of the fuel cell in the fuel cell mode below an optimum efficiency to increase an electricity generation rate of the fuel cell when the cost of electricity is higher than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is lower than a predetermined cost.
3 more elements
A fuel cell electrochemical system, comprising:
- a fuel cell;
- and
- a first means for adjusting at least one of operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on at least one of a received cost of electricity and a received cost of fuel;
- and
- a second means for providing additional heat to the fuel cell operating in the fuel cell mode;
- wherein the first means is a means for adjusting the operating efficiency of the fuel cell in the fuel cell mode to be about equal to an optimum efficiency to decrease an electricity generation rate of the fuel cell when the cost of electricity is lower than a predetermined cost or the cost of fuel is higher than a predetermined cost.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.