Power supply control for power generator
AssigneeCeres Intellectual Property Company Limited
InventorsChristopher John Evans, Charles Richard Elliott, Stephen James Watkins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system (100) for connecting a fuel cell stack to an A.C. grid to provide power thereto is disclosed in which a voltage regulated D.C. bus (110) is provided to be coupled to the fuel cell stack, a bidirectional inverter (120) is coupled to the D.C. bus (110), and is to be coupled between the D.C. bus (110) and the A.C. grid. At least one D.C. auxiliary load (130) of the fuel cell stack is provided coupled to the D.C. bus (110). A D.C. to D.C. converter (140) is provided between the fuel cell stack and the D.C. bus (110).
Claims36
A system for connecting a fuel cell stack to an A.C. grid to provide power thereto, comprising:
- a D.C. to D.C. converter to be coupled to the fuel cell stack;
- a voltage regulated D.C. bus coupled to the D.C. to D.C. converter;
- a bidirectional inverter coupled to the D.C. bus, and to be coupled between the D.C. bus and the A.C. grid;
- and
- at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack coupled to the D.C. bus,
- wherein the at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack includes a load that is required for the fuel cell stack to operate,
- wherein the D.C. to D.C. converter is unidirectional in order to provide power from the fuel cell stack to the D.C. bus, and
- wherein the D.C. bus extends continuously from the D.C. to D.C. converter to the bidirectional inverter without interruption by a D.C. isolator in the D.C. bus.
A method for controlling a power generation system including a fuel cell stack supplying an A.C. grid, the method comprising providing power to a voltage regulated D.C. bus, and at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack connected to the D.C. bus, wherein:
- the at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack includes a load that is required for the fuel cell stack to operate,
- in a first mode, voltage regulated D.C. power is provided to the at least one D.C. auxiliary load from the A.C. grid, via the voltage regulated D.C. bus;
- and
- in a second mode, voltage regulated D.C. power is provided to the at least one D.C. auxiliary load from the fuel cell stack, via the voltage regulated D.C. bus,
- wherein a unidirectional D.C. to D.C. converter is provided between the fuel cell stack and the D.C. bus in order to provide power from the fuel cell stack to the D.C. bus, and
- wherein the D.C. bus is provided so as to extend continuously from the D.C. to D.C. converter to a bidirectional inverter without interruption by a D.C. isolator in the D.C. bus.
A power generating device, comprising a system for connecting a fuel cell stack to an A.C. grid to provide power thereto, the system comprising:
- a D.C. to D.C. converter to be coupled to the fuel cell stack;
- a voltage regulated D.C. bus coupled to the D.C. to D.C. converter;
- a bidirectional inverter coupled to the D.C. bus, and to be coupled between the D.C. bus and the A.C. grid;
- and
- at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack coupled to the D.C. bus,
- wherein the at least one D.C. auxiliary load of the fuel cell stack includes a load that is required for the fuel cell stack to operate, wherein the D.C. to D.C. converter is unidirectional in order to provide power from the fuel cell stack to the D.C. bus, and
- wherein the D.C. bus extends continuously from the D.C. to D.C. converter to the bidirectional inverter without interruption by a D.C. isolator in the D.C. bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.