Fuel cell system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12272846-B2
Application number	US-202117563268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Dec 28, 2021
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell units each configured to generate lower-voltage DC power. The fuel cell system includes a plurality of DC-DC converters each electrically connected to each of the fuel cell units and configured to convert the lower-voltage DC power to higher-voltage DC power. The fuel cell system includes a primary load power conversion unit electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output a primary load. The fuel cell system includes an auxiliary load power conversion unit electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output an auxiliary load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell units housed in a fuel cell container and each configured to generate lower-voltage DC power;
a plurality of DC-DC converters housed in the fuel cell container and each electrically connected to each of the fuel cell units and configured to convert the lower-voltage DC power to higher-voltage DC power;
a primary load power conversion unit housed in a power electronics container and electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output a primary load to an external unit that is external to the fuel cell system;
an auxiliary load power conversion unit housed in the power electronics container and electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output an auxiliary load to one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system, the one or more auxiliary systems being necessary to keep the fuel cell system operating; and
an uninterruptable power supply that supplies the fuel cell system and the one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system with emergency power.

2. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the primary load power conversion unit is configured to convert the higher-voltage DC power to AC power and wherein the primary load is the AC power.

3. The fuel cell system of claim 2 , wherein the primary load is supplied to the external unit to power the external unit.

4. The fuel cell system of claim 3 , wherein the external unit is a residential or commercial building.

5. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary load power conversion unit is configured to convert the higher-voltage DC power to AC power and wherein the auxiliary load is the AC power.

6. The fuel cell system of claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary load is supplied to the one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system to power the one or more auxiliary systems.

7. The fuel cell system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more switchgear components housed in the power electronics container and configured to electrically connect the plurality of DC-DC converters to the primary load power conversion unit and the auxiliary load power conversion unit and configured to supply the lower-voltage DC power to an external unit.

8. The fuel cell system of claim 7 , further comprising a battery unit housed in the power electronics container and electrically connected to the one or more switchgear components and configured to provide start-up power to the fuel cell system.

9. The fuel cell system of claim 8 , further comprising an uninterruptable power supply housed in the power electronics container and configured to supply power to the fuel cell system in the event the battery unit fails.

10. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell container housing a plurality of fuel cell units each configured to generate lower-voltage DC power, and housing a plurality of DC-DC converters each electrically connected to each of the fuel cell units and configured to convert the lower-voltage DC power to higher-voltage DC power; and
a power electronics container housing a primary load power conversion unit electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output a primary load to an external unit that is external to the fuel cell system, and housing an auxiliary load power conversion unit electrically connected to the plurality of DC-DC converters and configured to output an auxiliary load to one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system, the one or more auxiliary systems being necessary to keep the fuel cell system operating, and housing an uninterruptable power supply that supplies the fuel cell system and the one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system with emergency power, wherein the primary load power conversion unit and the auxiliary load power conversion unit are configured to convert the higher-voltage DC power to AC power, and wherein the primary load and the auxiliary load are AC power.

11. The fuel cell system of claim 10 , wherein the primary load is supplied to the external unit to power the external unit.

12. The fuel cell system of claim 10 , wherein the external unit is a residential or commercial building.

13. The fuel cell system of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary load is supplied to the one or more auxiliary systems of the fuel cell system to power the one or more auxiliary systems located within the fuel cell container.

14. The fuel cell system of claim 10 , wherein the power electronics container further houses one or more switchgear components configured to electrically connect the plurality of DC-DC converters to the primary load power conversion unit and the auxiliary load power conversion unit and configured to supply the lower-voltage DC power to an external unit.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Folick Daniel Charles
• Mcclory Matthew K
• Kelley Dakota

Classifications

• H02J2105/12

  supplying households or buildings · CPC title

• H02J2101/30

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2250/40

  Combination of fuel cells with other energy production systems · CPC title

• H01M2250/10

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

• H01M8/002

  Shape, form of a fuel cell · CPC title