Capacitor circuit for arrays of power sources such as microbial fuel cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9450437-B2
Application number	US-201213625372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2012
Priority date	Sep 23, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

An electronic circuit to increase voltages from one or more energy sources. The electronic circuit can include a first set of capacitors and a second set of capacitors, and a first set of switches associated with the first set of capacitors and a second set of switches associated with the second set of capacitors. Also included is at least one energy source and an external load. The first and second set of capacitors, first and second set of switches, the at least one energy source, and the external load are arranged and connected such that the first set of capacitors is connected to the at least one energy source in parallel while the second set of capacitors is connected to the external load in series, and vice versa.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic circuit to increase voltages from at least one energy source with relatively low voltages to an external load, said electronic circuit comprising:
a first set of capacitors and a second set of capacitors;
a first set of switches associated with said first set of capacitors and a second set of switches associated with said second set of capacitors; and
said first and second set of capacitors, said first and second set of switches, the at least one energy source and the external load operatively switching between a first mode and a second mode such that:
during the first mode said first set of capacitors are connected to the at least one energy source in parallel by said first set of switches and not connected by said second set of switches or connected to said second set of capacitors while said second set of capacitors are connected to the external load in series by said second set of switches and not connected by said first set of switches or connected to said first set of capacitors, and
during the second mode said second set of capacitors are connected to the at least one energy source in parallel by said second set of switches and not connected by said first set of switches or connected to said first set of capacitors while said first set of capacitors are connected to the external load in series by said first set of switches and not connected by said second set of switches or connected to said second set of capacitors;
thereby alternately charging said first and second set of capacitors in parallel with the at least one energy source and avoiding voltage reversal and discharging said second and first set of capacitors in series with the external load, respectively, and providing a continuous, stable and increase in output voltage from the at least one energy source.

2. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein said first and second set of capacitors are switched from said parallel arrangement to said series arrangement, and vice versa, by a pair of electronic switches connected to a positive end and a negative end of each capacitor.

3. The electronic circuit of claim 2 , wherein said electronic switches are operated by an automated program.

4. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy source is an array of multiple fuel cells arranged in parallel.

5. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy source is an array of multiple rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel.

6. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy source is an array of multiple primary batteries arranged in parallel.

7. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy source is an array of multiple microbial fuel cells arranged in parallel and the array of multiple fuel cells enhance oxidation of organic matter.

8. The electronic circuit of claim 7 , wherein said array of multiple microbial fuel cells contain a microbial electrolysis cell that produces hydrogen.

9. The electronic circuit of claim 1 , wherein said first set or said second set of capacitors provide power back to the at least one energy source in order to improve performance thereof.

10. An electronic circuit to increase voltages from at least one energy source with relatively low voltages to an external load, the at least one energy source having a plurality of microbial fuel cells arranged in parallel, said electronic circuit comprising:
a first set of capacitors and a second set of capacitors;
a first set of switches associated with said first set of capacitors and a second set of switches associated with said second set of capacitors; and
said first and second set of capacitors, said first and second set of switches, the at least one energy source and the external load operatively switching between a first mode and a second mode such that:
during the first mode said first set of capacitors are connected to the plurality of microbial fuel cells in parallel by said first set of switches and not connected by said second set of switches or connected to second set of capacitors while said second set of capacitors are connected to the external load in series by said second set of switches and not connected by said first set of switches or connected to said first set of capacitors, and
during the second mode said second set of capacitors are connected to the plurality of microbial fuel cells in parallel by said second set of switches and not connected by said first set of switches or connected to first set of capacitors while said first set of capacitors are connected to the external load in series by said first set of switches and not connected by said second set of switches or connected to said second set of capacitors;
thereby alternately charging said first and second set of capacitors in parallel with the plurality of microbial fuel cells and avoiding voltage reversal and discharging said second and first set of capacitors to the external load, respectively, in series and providing an increase in output voltage from the plurality of microbial fuel cells.

11. The electronic circuit of claim 10 , wherein said first and second set of capacitors are switched from said parallel arrangement to said series arrangement, and vice versa, by a pair of electronic switches connected to a positive end and a negative end of each capacitor.

12. The electronic circuit of claim 11 , wherein said electronic switches are operated by an automated program.

13. The electronic circuit of claim 12 , further comprising an array of multiple rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel with the plurality of microbial fuel cells.

14. The electronic circuit of claim 12 , further comprising an array of multiple primary batteries arranged in parallel with the plurality of microbial fuel cells.

15. A process for providing increased voltages from a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to an external load, the process comprising:
providing a first set of capacitors and a second set of capacitors;
a first set of switches associated with the first set of capacitors and a second set of switches associated with the second set of capacitors; and
connecting the first and second set of capacitors, the first and second set of switches, the microbial fuel cell and the external load such that:
the first and second set of capacitors are connected to the microbial fuel cell (MFC) in parallel when the first and second set of switches are in a first position;
the first and second set of capacitors are connected to the external load in series when the first and second set of switches are in a second position;
alternately charging the first and second set of capacitors with the microbial fuel cell (MFC) by placing the first set of switches and the second set of switches, respectively, in the first position; and
alternately discharging the first and second set of capacitors to the external load by placing the first set of switches and the second set of switches, respectively, in the second position;
wherein the first set of capacitors are not connected by the second set of switches or connected to the second set of capacitors and the second set of capacitors are not connected by the first set of switches or connected to the first set of capacitors.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the first set of capacitors are being charged by the microbial fuel cell (MFC) when the second set of capacitors are being discharged to the external load, and vice versa.

17. The process of claim 16 , wherein switching of the first and second set of capacitors between t

Assignees

• Penn State Res Found
• The Penn State Univ

Inventors

• Kim Younggy
• Logan Bruce E
• Hatzell Marta

Classifications

• H02J7/855 Primary

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• Y10T307/685

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01M8/16

  Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts · CPC title

• H02J7/0063 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M16/006

  of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries · CPC title