Energy management system, gas meter, and energy management apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9678491-B2
Application number	US-201214348032-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2012
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

An energy management system 1 is provided with an SOFC unit 100 and a gas meter 200 . The gas meter 200 includes: a control unit 230 that stops gas supply when continuous use of gas lasts a specific period; and a transmission unit 220 that transmits a stop instruction signal to the SOFC unit 100 before a timing at which continuous use of gas lasts the specific period, the stop instruction signal designating a time limit that is before the timing and instructing to stop the SOFC unit 100.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy management system comprising:
a fuel cell apparatus configured to generate power using a gas;
a gas meter configured to measure the gas supply to at least the fuel cell apparatus; and
a controller configured to control the gas meter, wherein
the controller is configured to stop gas supply to at least the fuel cell apparatus when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period; and
to transmit a stop instruction signal to the fuel cell apparatus prior to expiry of the specific time period, whereby the fuel cell apparatus stops prior to stopping of gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus.

2. The energy management system according to claim 1 , comprising:
an energy management apparatus connected to the fuel cell apparatus and the gas meter, wherein
the controller is configured to transmit the stop instruction signal to the fuel cell apparatus via the energy management apparatus.

3. The energy management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the stop instruction signal includes a first stop instruction signal that designates a first time limit that is before the expiry of the specific time period and a second stop instruction signal that designates a second time limit that is before the first time limit.

4. A gas meter connected to a fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
a controller configured to stop gas supply to at least the fuel cell apparatus when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period; and
a transmission unit configured to transmit a stop instruction signal to the fuel cell apparatus prior to expiry of the specific time period, whereby the fuel cell apparatus stops prior to stopping of the gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus.

5. An energy management apparatus connected to a fuel cell apparatus and a gas meter, wherein
the gas meter has a function of stopping gas supply to at least the fuel cell apparatus when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period, and
the energy management apparatus includes:
a reception unit that receives a stop instruction signal from the gas meter prior to expiry of the specific time period, and
a transmission unit configured to transmit the stop instruction signal to the fuel cell apparatus, whereby the fuel cell apparatus stops prior to stopping of the gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus.

6. An energy management system comprising:
a fuel cell apparatus configured to generate power using a gas;
a gas meter configured to measure the gas supplied to at least the fuel cell apparatus; and
a controller configured to control the gas meter, wherein
the controller is configured to:
stop gas supply to at least the fuel cell apparatus when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period;
receive a fuel cell status signal from the fuel cell apparatus indicating a status of the fuel cell apparatus, and
to continue gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus even when the continuous use of gas lasts the specific time period when the controller determines that only the fuel cell apparatus is using gas on the basis of the fuel cell status signal.

7. The energy management system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
an energy management apparatus connected to the fuel cell apparatus and the gas meter, wherein
the controller receives the fuel cell status signal from the fuel cell apparatus via the energy management apparatus.

8. A gas meter connected to a fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
a controller configured to stop gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period; and
a reception unit configured to receive a fuel cell status signal indicating a status of the fuel cell apparatus from the fuel cell apparatus, wherein
the controller is configured to continue gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus even when continuous use of gas lasts the specific time period when the controller determines that only the fuel cell apparatus is using gas on the basis of the fuel cell status signal.

9. An energy management apparatus connected to a fuel cell apparatus and a gas meter, wherein
the gas meter has a function of stopping gas supply when continuous use of gas lasts a specific time period,
the energy management apparatus includes:
a reception unit configured to receive a fuel cell status signal from the fuel cell apparatus indicating a status of the fuel cell apparatus;
a transmission unit configured to transmit the fuel cell status signal to the gas meter, and
a controller,
wherein the gas meter is configured to continue gas supply to the fuel cell apparatus even when the continuous use of gas lasts the specific time period if the controller determines that only the fuel cell apparatus is using gas on the basis of the fuel cell status signal.

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Joko Shingo

Classifications

• G01F13/006 Primary

  measuring volume in function of time · CPC title

• G01F3/22

  for gases · CPC title

• H01M8/04955

  Shut-off or shut-down of fuel cells · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• F17D5/02

  Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss · CPC title