Apparatus and method for high efficiency operation of fuel cell systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018323450-A1
Application number	US-201816034817-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	Dec 2, 2008
Publication date	Nov 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.

First claim

1 . A fuel cell propulsion system comprising:
a traction motor; a voltage converter assembly coupled to the traction motor, the voltage converter assembly comprising a plurality of boost converters and a buck/boost converter; a fuel cell assembly coupled to the plurality of boost converters; an energy storage device coupled to the buck/boost converter; and a control system configured to:
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a first power output is delivered to the traction motor;
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a second power output is delivered to the traction motor; and
operate the buck/boost converter such that a third power output is delivered to the traction motor.

2 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage device comprises one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, and a flywheel.

3 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a regenerative fuel cell.

4 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells.

5 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter assembly further comprises an inverter coupled to the traction motor.

6 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 5 , wherein the traction motor is an AC motor.

7 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the energy storage device.

8 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the fuel cell assembly.

9 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , further comprising an AC/DC converter interface coupleable to an external charging source for charging the energy storage device.

10 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the voltage converter assembly such that the energy storage device is charged by the fuel cell assembly.

11 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the voltage converter assembly such that the energy storage device is charged by regenerative braking.

12 . A fuel cell system for a vehicle comprising:
a traction motor; a voltage converter assembly coupled to the traction motor, the voltage converter assembly comprising a plurality of boost converters and a buck/boost converter; a hid cell assembly coupled to the plurality of boost converters; an energy storage device coupled to the buck/boost converter; an interface coupleable to the energy storage device, the interface configured to allow for charging the energy storage device from an external charging source; and a control system configured to:
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a first power output is delivered to the traction motor;
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a second power output is delivered to the traction motor; and
operate the buck/boost converter such that a third power output is delivered to the traction motor.

13 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , wherein the energy storage device comprises one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, and a flywheel.

14 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a regenerative fuel cell.

15 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells.

16 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , wherein the voltage converter assembly further comprises an inverter coupled to the traction motor.

17 . The fuel cell system of claim 16 , wherein the traction motor is an AC motor.

18 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the energy storage device.

19 . The fuel cell system of claim 12 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the fuel cell assembly.

20 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 12 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the voltage converter assembly such that the energy storage device is charged by the fuel cell assembly.

21 . The fuel cell propulsion system of claim 12 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the voltage converter assembly such that the energy storage device is charged by regenerative braking.

22 . A fuel cell vehicle comprising:
an AC traction motor; an inverter coupled to the AC traction motor; a plurality of boost converters coupled to the inverter; a buck/boost converter coupled to the inverter; a fuel cell assembly coupled to the plurality of boost converters; an energy storage device coupled to the buck/boost converter; and a control system configured to:
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a first power output is delivered to the inverter;
operate the plurality of boost converters such that a second power output is delivered to the inverter;
operate the buck/boost converter such that a third power output is delivered to the inverter; and
operate the buck/boost converter such that a fourth power output is delivered to the energy storage device.

23 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the energy storage device comprises one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, and a flywheel.

24 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a regenerative fuel cell.

25 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the fuel cell assembly comprises a plurality of fuel cells.

26 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the energy storage device.

27 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , further comprising an auxiliary load coupled to the fuel cell assembly.

28 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the control system is further configured to operate the plurality of boost converters such that a fifth power output is delivered to the buck/boost converter.

29 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 28 , wherein the fourth power output delivered to the energy storage device is derived from the fifth power output.

30 . The fuel cell vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the fourth power output delivered to the energy storage device is derived from the traction motor operating in a regenerative braking mode.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• King Robert Dean
• Richter Timothy Gerard

Classifications

• H02J2101/30

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• B60L58/40

  for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M16/006

  of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title