High efficiency power conditioner employing low voltage DC bus and buck and boost converters
US6369461B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A power conditioner interfaces a load to a fuel cell 10 that produces a low voltage that varies with the load. A dc-to-ac inverter 16 operates with a low voltage input provided by a dc bus 14. When a positive step load change occurs, a low voltage battery 22 provides power equal to the step change until the fuel cell 10 is able to provide enough power to support the entire load. The power from the battery 22 is supplied to the varying dc bus 14 through a boost converter 12. When very large positive load step changes occur, the battery can feed power to the dc bus through diode D1, rather than through the boost converter. Diode D1 does not need to be used, but its use allows the boost converter to be sized for common load changes rather than for the maximum possible load change (such as might be seen during a faulted output). A buck converter converts the variable voltage on the dc bus 14 to the appropriate float charging voltage of the battery. The buck converter also supplies power for auxiliary equipment when available from the fuel cell. If the fuel cell is unable to provide the auxiliary power (such as during startup or load transients), then the auxiliary power can come direct…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.