Low voltage power tap on high voltage stack
US7972749B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 5, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell stack providing high voltage power. A tap is electrically coupled to the positive end of the stack to provide a positive voltage output terminal of the fuel cell stack, and a tap is electrically coupled to the negative end of the stack to provide a negative output terminal of the fuel cell stack. A low voltage tap is electrically coupled to one or more intermediate bipolar plates of the stack to provide low voltage power. Several intermediate taps can be electrically coupled to the bipolar plates, where a center intermediate tap is designated a reference potential tap. A switching network switches the several voltage potentials to provide an AC signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.