Fuel cell system with grid independent operation and DC microgrid capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322637-B2
Application number	US-201514790253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2015
Priority date	Nov 15, 2010
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes grid independent operation with DC microgrid capability. This fuel cell system has a capability of operation with and without the grid, and with DC micro-grid capability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a plurality of power modules each comprising at least one fuel cell segment;
an input output module comprising at least one first inverter;
a plurality of second inverters;
at least one uninterruptible power module comprising at least one of the plurality of second inverters; and
a control logic unit comprising a selective connection mechanism;
wherein:
the at least one fuel cell segment of each of the plurality of power modules is electrically connected in parallel to the at least one first inverter and at least one of the plurality of second inverters;
the at least one first inverter is electrically connected to a load through an electrical grid, wherein the at least one first inverter is selectively electrically connected to the electrical grid through a switch;

the plurality of second inverters are electrically connected in parallel to the load without using the electrical grid; and
the control logic unit is configured to selectively electrically connect the electrical grid to the load via configuring the selective connection mechanism into a first position, to selectively electrically connect the plurality of second inverters to the load via configuring the selective connection mechanism into a second position, and to control the plurality of second inverters as a single inverter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power module comprises a first housing, the input output module comprises a second housing which is separate from the first housing, and the at least one uninterruptible power module comprises a third housing which is separate from the first and the second housings.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the third housing is located adjacent to the load and the first and the second housings are located further from the load than the third housing.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the selective connection mechanism comprises a switch
which is configured to:
(i) electrically connect the electrical grid to the load and to disconnect the plurality of second inverters from the load in the first position, and
(ii) electrically connect the plurality of second inverters to the load and to disconnect the electrical grid from the load in the second position.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the switch comprises an electrical switch.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electrical switch comprises a switching circuit.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the switch comprises an electromechanical switch.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electromechanical switch comprises a relay.

9. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a plurality of power modules each comprising at least one fuel cell segment;
an input output module comprising at least one first inverter and configured for selective connection to an electrical grid through a switch;
a plurality of second inverters, wherein the at least one fuel cell segment of each of the plurality of power modules is electrically connected in parallel to at least one of the plurality of second inverters;
at least one uninterruptible power module comprising at least one of the plurality of second inverters; and
a control logic unit comprising a selective connection mechanism, wherein the control logic unit is configured to selectively electrically connect the electrical grid to a load via configuring the selective connection mechanism into a first position, to selectively electrically connect the plurality of second inverters to the load in parallel via configuring the selective connection mechanism into a second position, and to control the plurality of second inverters as a single inverter;
wherein the power module comprises a first housing, the input output module comprises a second housing which is separate from the first housing, and the at least one uninterruptible power module comprises a third housing which is separate from the first and the second housings.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the third housing is located adjacent to the load and the first and the second housings are located further from the load than the third housing.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the selective connection mechanism comprises a switch which is configured to:
(i) electrically connect the electrical grid to the load and to disconnect the plurality of second inverters from the load in the first position, and
(ii) electrically connect the plurality of second inverters to the load and to disconnect the electrical grid from the load in the second position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the switch comprises an electrical switch.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the electrical switch comprises a switching circuit.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the switch comprises an electromechanical switch.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the electromechanical switch comprises a relay.

Assignees

• Bloom Energy Corp

Inventors

• Srinivasan Ramesh
• Swaminathan Rajaram
• Gurunathan Ranganathan
• Ballantine Arne
• Mcelroy James

Classifications

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• H02J2101/30

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H02J9/00

  Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting · CPC title

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title