Patent ID: 6777909
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: B60L,Y02T

Abstract:
A device for generating electrical power in a vehicle having a fuel cell, a drive motor, a driving converter and auxiliary or supplementary units for starting and continuous operation phases of the vehicle, said device comprising:a first temporary power store; at least one switching contact for connecting the auxiliary or supplementary units and a first end of a first bidirectional d.c./d.c. converter to electrical outputs of the fuel cell; and a controller which controls a release and direction of a power flux via the first d.c./d.c. converter as a function of an operating state of the fuel cell and of the first temporary power store; wherein, the drive motor is connectable to the fuel cell via the drive converter; the driving converter is connected to electrical outputs of the fuel cell via a switching contact; the first temporary power store is connectable to a second end of the first d.c./d.c. converter via at least one further switching contact; a first end of at least one second bidirectional d.c./d.c. converter is connectable to electrical outputs of the fuel cell via the switching contact; a second end of the second d.c./d.c. converter is connected to an onboard power system of the vehicle, whose voltage is lower than a rated voltage of the fuel cell, and which includes a second temporary power store; the switching contact is arranged outside a connection path of the first temporary power store to the drive motor; a release and direction of a power flux via the second d.c./d.c. converter is controlled by the controller as a function of the operating state of the fuel cell and of one of the first and second temporary power stores; and the release and direction of the power flux via the first d.c./d.c. converter is controlled by the controller as a function of an operating state of the second power store.