Structure and method for fuel cell system where multiple fuel cells and power electronics feed loads in parallel allowing for integrated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H01M-008/04
H01M-008/24
H02M-001/14
출원번호
US-0619779
(2015-02-11)
등록번호
US-9461320
(2016-10-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Ballantine, Arne
Gurunathan, Ranganathan
Pmsvvsv, Prasad
Vishnuvarjula, Anilkumar
출원인 / 주소
BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
대리인 / 주소
The Marbury Law Group PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
154
초록▼
Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) to be performed on electrochemical devices, such as fuel cell stack segments, by power electronics connecting the electrochemical devices in parallel to a common load and/or bus. In an embo
Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) to be performed on electrochemical devices, such as fuel cell stack segments, by power electronics connecting the electrochemical devices in parallel to a common load and/or bus. In an embodiment, the power electronics may compensate for any ripple generated during EIS such that no ripple is realized at the common load and/or bus.
대표청구항▼
1. A system, comprising: a direct current (“DC”) bus;a first electrochemical device electrically connected via a first input connection to a first DC converter, wherein the first DC converter is connected via a first output connection to the DC bus;at least one second electrochemical device electric
1. A system, comprising: a direct current (“DC”) bus;a first electrochemical device electrically connected via a first input connection to a first DC converter, wherein the first DC converter is connected via a first output connection to the DC bus;at least one second electrochemical device electrically connected via at least one second input connection to at least one second DC converter, wherein the at least one second DC converter is connected via the at least one second output connection to the DC bus and wherein the first output connection and the at least one second output connection connect the first DC converter and the at least one second DC converter to the DC bus in parallel; anda processor connected to the first DC converter and the at least one second DC converter, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising: selecting a test waveform to inject onto the first input connection from the first DC converter to the first electrochemical device;determining a first resulting ripple on the first output connection that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform onto the first input connection;determining at least one offset waveform to inject onto the at least one second input connection from the at least one second DC converter to the at least one second electrochemical device such that one or more second ripples which will be provided to the at least one second output connection cancel the first resulting ripple;controlling the first DC converter to inject the test waveform onto the first input connection; andcontrolling the at least one second DC converter to inject the at least one offset waveform onto the at least one second input connection. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electrochemical device is a first fuel cell stack segment and the at least one second electrochemical device is at least one second fuel cell stack segment. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising: controlling the first DC converter to monitor an impedance response of the first fuel cell segment using impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) in response to the injected test waveform; anddetermining a characteristic of the first fuel cell segment based at least in part on the impedance response of the first fuel cell segment. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising adjusting a setting of the first fuel cell segment based on the determined characteristic. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the determined characteristic is a fuel utilization rate and wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that adjusting a setting of the first fuel cell segment based on the determined characteristic comprises adjusting a fuel flow setting of the first fuel cell segment based on the determined fuel utilization rate. 6. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising: determining whether the determined characteristic exceeds a failure threshold; andindicating a failure mode in response to determining the determined characteristic exceeds the failure threshold. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the failure mode is a fuel starvation state, an anode catalyst poisoning state, an anode catalyst damage state, or a water flooding state. 8. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one second electrochemical device electrically connected via at least one second input connection to at least one second DC converter, wherein the at least one second DC converter is connected via at least second output connection to the DC bus and wherein the first output connection and the at least one second output connection connect the first DC converter and the at least one second DC converter to the DC bus in parallel comprises: a second fuel cell stack segment electrically connected via a second input connection to a second DC converter, wherein the second DC converter is connected via a second output connection to the DC bus;a third fuel cell stack segment electrically connected via a third input connection to a third DC converter, wherein the third DC converter is connected via a third output connection to the DC bus; anda fourth fuel cell stack segment electrically connected via a fourth input connection to a fourth DC converter, wherein the fourth DC converter is connected via a fourth output connection to the DC bus and wherein the first output connection, second output connection, third output connection, and fourth output connection connect the first DC converter, second DC converter, third DC converter, and fourth DC converter to the DC bus in parallel, andwherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that: determining at least one offset waveform to inject onto the at least one second input connection from the at least one second DC converter to the at least one second electrochemical device such that one or more second ripples which will be provided to the at least one second output connection cancel the first resulting ripple comprises determining a second offset waveform to inject onto the second input connection from the second DC converter to the second fuel cell stack segment, a third offset waveform to inject onto the third input connection from the third DC converter to the third fuel cell stack segment, and a fourth offset waveform to inject onto the fourth input connection from the fourth DC converter to the fourth fuel cell stack segment such that a sum of a second ripple on the second output connection, a third ripple on the third output connection, and a fourth ripple on the fourth output connection cancels the first resulting ripple; andcontrolling the at least one second DC converter to inject the at least one offset waveform onto the at least one second input connection comprises: controlling the second DC converter to inject the second offset waveform onto the second input connection;controlling the third DC converter to inject the third offset waveform onto the third input connection; andcontrolling the fourth DC converter to inject the fourth offset waveform onto the fourth input connection. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first fuel cell stack segment, the second fuel cell stack segment, the third fuel cell stack segment, and the fourth fuel cell stack segment are all segments of a solid oxide fuel cell system, proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, phosphoric acid fuel cell system, or molten carbonate fuel cell system. 10. The system of claim 3, wherein controlling the first DC converter to monitor an impedance response of the first fuel cell segment using EIS in response to the injected test waveform comprises: converting real and imaginary components of a voltage of the first fuel cell segment and real and imaginary components of a current of the first fuel cell segment to a polar form voltage of the first fuel cell segment and a polar form current of the first fuel cell segment; anddetermining an impedance of the first fuel cell segment as the polar form voltage of the first fuel cell segment over the polar form current of the first fuel cell segment. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first DC converter includes an energy storage device configured to store ripple energy and discharge the ripple energy out of phase. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy storage device is on the first input connection, the first output connection, or a winding on a transformer of the first DC converter. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electrochemical device and the second electrochemical device are both battery cells, electrolysis cells, or electrochemical pumping cells. 14. A method, comprising: selecting a test waveform to inject onto a first input connection from a first DC converter to a first electrochemical device;determining a first resulting ripple on a first output connection of the first DC converter that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform onto the first input connection;determining at least one offset waveform to inject onto at least one second input connection from at least one second DC converter to at least one second electrochemical device such that one or more second ripples which will be provided to at least one second output connection of the at least one second DC converter cancel the first resulting ripple;injecting the test waveform onto the first input connection; andinjecting the at least one offset waveform onto the at least one second input connection,wherein the first output connection and at least one second output connection connect the first DC converter and the at least one second DC converter to a DC bus in parallel. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first electrochemical device is a first fuel cell stack segment and the at least one second electrochemical device is at least one second fuel cell stack segment. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: monitoring an impedance response of the first fuel cell segment using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) in response to the injected test waveform; anddetermining a characteristic of the first fuel cell segment based at least in part on the impedance response of the first fuel cell segment. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising adjusting a setting of the first fuel cell stack segment based on the determined characteristic. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determined characteristic is a fuel utilization rate and wherein adjusting a setting of the first fuel cell stack segment comprises adjusting a fuel flow setting of the first fuel cell stack segment based on the determined fuel utilization rate. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: determining whether the determined characteristic exceeds a failure threshold; andindicating a failure mode in response to determining the determined characteristic exceeds the failure threshold. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the failure mode is a fuel starvation state, an anode catalyst poisoning state, an anode catalyst damage state, or a water flooding state. 21. The method of claim 16, wherein: determining at least one offset waveform to inject onto at least one second input connection from at least one second DC converter to at least one second electrochemical device such that one or more second ripples which will be provided to at least one second output connection of the at least one second DC converter cancel the first resulting ripple comprises determining a second offset waveform to inject onto a second input connection from a second DC converter to a second fuel cell stack segment, a third offset waveform to inject onto a third input connection from a third DC converter to a third fuel cell stack segment, and a fourth offset waveform to inject onto a fourth input connection from a fourth DC converter to a fourth fuel cell stack segment such that a sum of a second ripple on a second output connection of the second DC converter, a third ripple on a third output connection of the third DC converter, and a fourth ripple on a fourth output connection of the fourth DC converter cancels the first resulting ripple;injecting the offset waveform onto the at least one second input connection comprises: injecting the second offset waveform onto the second input connection;injecting the third offset waveform onto the third input connection; andinjecting the fourth offset waveform onto the fourth input connection; andthe first output connection, second output connection, third output connection, and fourth output connection connect the first DC converter, the second DC converter, third DC converter, and fourth DC converter to the DC bus in parallel. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first fuel cell stack segment, the second fuel cell stack segment, the third fuel cell stack segment, and the fourth fuel cell stack segment are all segments of a solid oxide fuel cell system, proton exchange membrane fuel cell system, phosphoric acid fuel cell system, or molten carbonate fuel cell system. 23. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring an impedance response of the first fuel cell segment using EIS in response to the injected test waveform comprises: converting real and imaginary components of a voltage of the first fuel cell segment and real and imaginary components of a current of the first fuel cell segment to a polar form voltage of the first fuel cell segment and a polar form current of the first fuel cell segment; anddetermining an impedance of the first fuel cell segment as the polar form voltage of the first fuel cell segment over the polar form current of the first fuel cell segment. 24. The method of claim 14, wherein the first DC converter includes an energy storage device, the method further comprising: storing ripple energy and discharging the ripple energy out of phase. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the energy storage device is on the first input connection, the first output connection, or a winding on a transformer of the first DC converter. 26. The method of claim 14, wherein the first electrochemical device and the second electrochemical device are both battery cells, electrolysis cells, or electrochemical pumping cells. 27. A system, comprising: a direct current (“DC”) bus;a first fuel cell segment electrically connected via a first input connection to a first DC converter, wherein the first DC converter is connected via a first output connection to the DC bus;at least one second device connected via at least one second output connection to the DC bus; anda processor connected to the first DC converter and the at least one second device, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising: injecting an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test waveform into the first fuel cell segment to generate a first resulting ripple to the DC bus; andinjecting at least one second offset ripple to the DC bus from the at least one second device, wherein the at least one second offset ripple at least partially offsets the first resulting ripple on the DC bus. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one second device is at least one waveform generator. 29. The system of claim 27, wherein: the at least one second device is at least one second DC converter electrically connected via at least one second input connection to at least one second fuel cell segment;the first output connection and the at least one second output connection are connected to the DC bus in parallel; andthe processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that injecting at least one second offset ripple to the DC bus from the at least one second device comprises injecting at least one offset waveform into the at least one second fuel cell segment to generate at least one second offset ripple to the output bus. 30. A method of operating a fuel cell system, comprising: injecting an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test waveform into a first fuel cell segment to generate a first resulting ripple to an output bus of the fuel cell system; andinjecting at least one second offset ripple to the output bus,wherein the at least one second offset ripple at least partially offsets the first resulting ripple on the output bus. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein injecting at least one second offset ripple to the output bus is performed by a waveform generator connected to an input line to the output bus. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein: injecting at least one second offset ripple to the output bus comprises injecting at least one offset waveform into at least one second fuel cell segment to generate at least one second offset ripple to the output bus; andthe at least one second fuel cell segment is connected to the output bus in parallel with the first fuel cell segment.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (154)
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