Patent ID: 6703722
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: H02J

Abstract:
A power system for supplying electrical power to a dynamic load which has a power requirement, comprising:a plurality of DC power sources which include at least one fuel cell, and wherein the individual DC power sources may be selectively physically and/or electrically by-passed while the remaining DC power sources continue to produce electrical power: a plurality of performance sensors which are individually mounted in performance sensing relation relative to the respective DC power sources, and wherein the respective DC power sources have performance indicia, and wherein the respective sensors are operable to sense and then produce an electrical signal which indicates the performance indicia of the respective DC power sources; control electronics circuitry including a controller which is electrically coupled to the respective DC power sources, and which senses the voltage output of the respective DC power sources, and is electrically arranged to sense the voltage and other requirements of the load, and wherein the control electronics circuitry is electrically coupled with the plurality of sensors, and is operable to receive the electrical signals generated by the respective sensors; and switching circuitry including a switching matrix electrically coupled with and responsive to the control electronics circuitry and the controller wherein the control electronics assembly, based upon the performance sensor electrical signals provided by the performance sensors and the voltage and other requirements of the load, electrically reconfigures the plurality of DC power sources by physically and/or electrically by-passing individual DC power sources, and further selectively electrically coupling the remaining DC power sources, by way of the switching circuitry, and the switching matrix, into serial, parallel, and/or serial and parallel electrical arrangements to provide a resulting DC power output which substantially meets the power requirements of the dynamic load.