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:
Mar. 26, 2013
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2010
Akbar Chowdhury, Pittsford, NY (US);
Kristian M. Whitehouse, Denver, CO (US);
Akbar Chowdhury, Pittsford, NY (US);
Kristian M. Whitehouse, Denver, CO (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for operating a fuel cell stack where electrical energy from regenerative braking is used to operate system loads instead of using fuel cell stack power to conserve hydrogen. A fuel cell stack and an ultracapacitor are electrically coupled to a high voltage electrical bus. A by-pass line is provided around a blocking diode including a by-pass contactor. A stack contactor is provided to disconnect the fuel cell stack from the electrical bus. A stand-by mode request is made if the voltage at a node proximate to the blocking diode closest to the ultracapacitor is higher than the voltage at a node proximate to the blocking diode closest to the fuel cell stack. Steps are then made to electrically prepare the high voltage electrical bus. Then, the stack contactor is opened and the by-pass contactor is closed to allow the regenerate braking energy to power the system loads.