Plug Power Inc.

Dustan L Skidmore

John W Parks

Arne Watson Ballantine

Ryan Hallum

Daniel O Jones

Charles Michael Carlstrom, Jr

John Guido Piccirillo

James G Hoehn, Jr

John Douglas Usborne

Jon W Meredith

John H Meredith

Mark Pellerin

Edward Hardwicke

Dayton Simmons

A method for operating a fuel cell system includes electrically coupling a fuel cell stack to an energy storage device and an electrical demand by a load device. A controller is coupled to the fuel cell stack, the energy storage device, and the load device via a communications connection. The controller obtains information relative to an operation of at least one of the fuel cell stack and the energy storage device and the controller controls an operation of the load device based on the information.

Fuel cell-vehicle communications systems and methods

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, energy storage and a control subsystem. The energy storage supplements a power that is provided by the fuel cell stack. The energy storage is coupled to the fuel cell stack and has a voltage. The control system regulates a peak of the voltage based on a temperature of the energy storage.

Maximizing energy storage life in a fuel cell system using active temperature compensation

A cogeneration fuel cell system and associated methods of operation are provided that accommodate a demand for heat as well as a demand for electric power. The system is operated among various modes to balance heat and power demand signals. In general, a fuel cell system is coupled to a power sink and a heat sink, and a controller is adapted to respond to data signals from the power sink and the heat sink. As examples, such data signals from the heat sink may include a temperature indication or a heat demand signal (such as from a thermostat), and such data signals from the power sink may include a voltage or current measurement, an electrical power demand signal, or an electrical load.

Method and apparatus for controlling a combined heat and power fuel cell system

A technique includes applying a charge to a flow plate of a fuel cell stack and depositing a material on at least a portion of the flow plate in response to the charge. In some embodiments of the invention, the technique may be applied to a fuel cell stack that includes a passageway to communicate a coolant. As a result of the technique, the fuel cell stack may include a layer to line the passageway to electrically insulate the stack from the coolant.

Forming a layer on a flow plate of a fuel cell stack

A technique includes providing power to a group fuel cell system components and providing sensors to monitor conditions of the fuel cell system. The status of each sensor is associated with a switch, and the switches are serially coupled together. The delivery of power to the fuel cell system components is regulated in response to states of the switches.

Regulating the communication of power to components of a fuel cell system

A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes coupling the fuel cell stack to a load, monitoring a power that is consumed by the load and determining if the power is increasing or decreasing. If the output power is increasing, a first control technique is used to control a fuel flow to the fuel cell stack, and if the output power is decreasing, a second control technique that is different from the first control technique is used to control the fuel flow to the stack.

Technique and apparatus to control the transient response of a fuel cell system

A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes coupling the fuel cell stack to a load and determining a power that is consumed by the load. The technique includes detecting a change in the power that is consumed by the load and controlling a fuel flow to the fuel cell stack to control a power output of the fuel cell stack to accommodate the change in the power consumed by the load. The technique also includes delaying the beginning of the controlling in response to the detection of the change in the power that is consumed by the load.

A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes providing a fuel flow and using at least some of the fuel flow to produce power with the fuel cell stack. A request is received to charge a battery. In response to the request, the technique includes determining if the remainder of the fuel flow is sufficient to produce additional power to charge the battery. Based on the determination, the remainder of the fuel flow is used to produce the additional power to charge the battery.

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Troy, NY, United States of America

Dustan L Skidmore