US 12,438,377 B2
Fuel cell based microgrid
Carl Cottuli, San Jose, CA (US); Prasad Pmsvvsv, San Jose, CA (US); Ranganathan Gurunathan, San Jose, CA (US); Beau Baker, San Jose, CA (US); and Edwin Pho, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/361,266.
Prior Publication US 2024/0039291 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. H02J 3/38 (2006.01); H02J 3/28 (2006.01); H02J 3/46 (2006.01)
CPC H02J 3/381 (2013.01) [H02J 3/28 (2013.01); H02J 3/46 (2013.01); H02J 2300/30 (2020.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of fuel cell modules to generate direct current (DC) power, each fuel cell module of the plurality of fuel cell modules comprising a stack of fuel cells;
a plurality of dual mode inverters (DMIs) to convert the DC power into alternating current (AC) power, each DMI of the plurality of DMIs configured to operate as one of current source inverter (CSI) and voltage source inverter (VSI);
a plurality of DC switches, each DC switch of the plurality of DC switches configured to electrically connect or disconnect a corresponding fuel cell module of the plurality of fuel cell modules from a DC bus electrically coupled to the plurality of the DC switches; and
a transfer switch,
wherein a first set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs is configured to electrically connect a first set of the plurality of fuel cell modules with a grid,
wherein the transfer switch is electrically connected to the first set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs, the grid, and a load among a first load and a second load, wherein the transfer switch is configured to electrically connect the first set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs with the grid in a first state, wherein, in the first state, the first set of DMIs are disconnected with the load, and wherein the transfer switch is configured to electrically connect the first set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs with the load in a second state, wherein, in the second state, the first set of DMIs are disconnected with the grid,
wherein a second set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs is configured to electrically connect a second set of the plurality of fuel cell modules with the first load, and
wherein a third set of DMIs from the plurality of DMIs is configured to electrically connect the DC bus with the first load.