Modular pad for a fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10651496-B2
Application number	US-201615061673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A pad for a fuel cell system includes a base having an upper surface, a separator disposed on the upper surface of the base, frames disposed on the separator and configured to support modules of the fuel cell system, and plumbing disposed between the upper surface of the base and the frames, and connected to the fuel cell modules. The separator is configured to space apart the frames and the upper surface of the base. The base may include modular sections that may be arranged in a linear configuration, a rectangular configuration, an orthogonal configuration, or a stepped configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular pad of a fuel cell system, comprising at least one pad section that comprises:
bosses disposed in a first row;
plumbing brackets disposed in a second row that is parallel to the first row;
a wiring recess extending between the plumbing brackets and the bosses;
connection recesses extending from the wiring recess and between the bosses; and
a plumbing recess extending along at least one edge of the pad section;
wherein:
the pad comprises first and second pad sections, each having two short sides that extend between two long sides; and
the first and second pad sections are aligned in an orthogonal configuration, such a short side of the first pad section contacts a long side of the second pad section.

2. A modular pad of a fuel cell system, comprising at least one pad section that comprises:
bosses disposed in a first row;
plumbing brackets disposed in a second row that is parallel to the first row;
a wiring recess extending between the plumbing brackets and the bosses;
connection recesses extending from the wiring recess and between the bosses; and
a plumbing recess extending along at least one edge of the pad section;
wherein:
the pad comprises first, second, and third pad sections, each having two short sides that extend between two long sides; and
the first, second, and third pad sections are aligned in a stepped configuration, such that the short sides of the second pad section contact long sides of the first and third pad sections.

3. A fuel cell system comprising fuel cell power modules disposed on the modular pad of claim 1 .

4. A fuel cell system comprising fuel cell power modules disposed on the modular pad of claim 2 .

Assignees

• Bloom Energy Corp

Inventors

• Trevisan David
• Ballantine Arne
• Mahler Jessica
• Parker Ross
• Daco Christian
• Richards Gilbert

Classifications

• H01M8/249 Primary

  comprising two or more groupings of fuel cells, e.g. modular assemblies · CPC title

• H01M2250/10

  Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title

• Y02P90/40

  Fuel cell technologies in production processes · CPC title

• H01M8/2484

  characterised by external manifolds · CPC title

• Y02B90/14

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic