US 11,757,117 B2
Fuel cell systems with series-connected subsystems
Nader Zaag, Milton (CA); Paolo Forte, Maple (CA); Dennis Böhm, Recklinghausen (DE); and John Yui Ki Poon, Thornhill (CA)
Assigned to HYDROGENICS CORPORATION, Mississauga (CA)
Filed by HYDROGENICS CORPORATION, Mississauga (CA)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/823,229.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/240,709, filed on Sep. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0070193 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. H01M 8/04955 (2016.01); B60L 50/72 (2019.01); B60L 58/30 (2019.01); H01M 8/04537 (2016.01); H01M 8/24 (2016.01); B60L 58/40 (2019.01)
CPC H01M 8/04955 (2013.01) [B60L 50/72 (2019.02); B60L 58/30 (2019.02); H01M 8/04559 (2013.01); H01M 8/24 (2013.01); B60L 58/40 (2019.02); H01M 2250/20 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel cell bypass system comprising:
a fuel cell system including
a first fuel cell module,
a second fuel cell module electrically connected in series with the first fuel cell module, and
a third fuel cell module electrically connected in parallel with the first fuel cell module and the second fuel cell module,
a switching device electrically coupled between the third fuel cell module and the first and second fuel cell modules;
a controller configured to, in response to an output voltage of at least one of the first fuel cell module and the second fuel cell module being less than a threshold, operate to open the switching device in order to disconnect the first and second fuel cell modules from the third fuel cell module and provide continuous, uninterrupted flow of an output voltage from the third fuel cell module, and
a diode electrically connected to the second fuel cell module and the switching device to prevent a reverse flow of current from the switching device toward the first and second fuel cell modules in response to the switching device being opened.