The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 12, 2009
Filed:
May. 26, 2004
Jerrold E. Franklin, Sacramento, CA (US);
James M. Oros, Carmichael, CA (US);
Jerrold E. Franklin, Sacramento, CA (US);
James M. Oros, Carmichael, CA (US);
Altergy Systems, Inc., Folsom, CA (US);
Abstract
A power management and protection system is provided for a hybrid fuel cell system. The hybridization includes a fuel cell stack and an energy storage device (ESD) having either batteries, ultracapacitors, or both, in parallel with the fuel cell for delivering power to an electrical load. Voltage and current protection is provided to the stack, ESD, and load by use of a two stage control system. The first stage limits the current drawn from the stack and the charging rate of the ESD and provides for the voltage output to be within an adjustable predetermined range to prevent an over-voltage condition on the ESD and the load and an under-voltage condition in the stack. The second stage limits the current delivered to the load to an adjustable predetermined level, prevents an under-voltage condition on the load, and prevents rapid discharge of the ESD in the case of a short circuit.