Patent ID: 8367258
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A high efficiency electric power source arrangement for a fuel cell having a fluctuating voltage operating point and a voltage-current characteristic divided into four operational ranges comprising a first adaptable range, a second selected range associated with a nominal voltage, a third adaptable range and a fourth recovering range, each range corresponding to a predetermined range of voltages and currents, the fuel cell being connected to a load having a predetermined allowed voltage fluctuation corresponding to a selected range, the power source arrangement comprising: a DC-DC voltage converter having an input and an output; a by-pass branch connected between the input and the output of said DC-DC voltage converter; a first switch connecting the output of the fuel cell either to the input of said DC-DC voltage converter or to said by-pass branch; a second switch alternatively connecting and disconnecting the fuel cell to said first switch; and a control unit controlling said first switch and said second switch, characterized in that said control unit further comprises measuring device means coupled to the fuel cell for detecting the voltage operating point thereof, for connecting the fuel cell to said by-pass branch if the voltage operating point is within the range of voltages corresponding to the second selected range of the voltage-current characteristic, and for disconnecting the fuel cell from said by-pass branch if the voltage operating point is within the range of voltages corresponding to any of the first adaptable range, the third adaptable range or the fourth recovering range of the voltage-current characteristic.