Uninterruptible fuel cell system
View Patent ↗An exemplary method of providing electrical power is provided. A first alternating current is received from a grid. The first alternating current is converted to a first direct current using a first inverter in electrical communication with the grid. The first inverter is also in electrical communication with a fuel cell system. The first direct current is converted to a second alternating current using a second inverter, and the second alternating current is provided to a load.
1. A system for providing power, the system comprising:
a fuel cell system configured to provide a first direct current, wherein the first direct current is provided to a second inverter on a split bus having a positive bus, a negative bus, and a neutral bus;
a system monitor configured to detect a power condition in which a load does not receive sufficient power from the fuel cell system by monitoring at least one of the fuel cell system and the load;
a first inverter in electrical communication with the fuel cell system and a grid, wherein the first inverter is configured to receive at least a portion of the first direct current from the fuel cell system, convert the received portion of the first direct current to a second alternating current, and provide the second alternating current to the grid and to terminate providing the second alternating current to the grid in response to detection by the system monitor of the power condition;
the second inverter in electrical communication with the fuel cell system wherein the second inverter is configured to convert the first direct current to a first alternating current;
the load in electrical communication with the second inverter, wherein the load is configured to receive the first alternating current from the second inverter; and
an alternative power source configured to provide a third direct current to the second inverter through the split bus;
wherein the system monitor is configured to control the first alternating current and the second alternating current to provide power to the load.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a DC/DC converter configured to boost the first direct current.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first inverter is a bi-directional inverter in electrical communication with the second inverter and wherein the first inverter is configured to:
receive a third alternating current from the grid in response to detection by the system monitor of the power condition;
convert the third alternating current to a second direct current; and
provide the second direct current to the second inverter.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second inverter is further configured to:
convert the second direct current to a third fourth alternating current; and
provide the fourth alternating current to the load.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the power condition comprises at least one of a fuel cell system failure in which at least a portion of the first direct current from the fuel cell system is not received or an increase in power demand of the load beyond a capacity of the fuel cell system.