A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.

An energy storage system for an electrical grid running on a renewable energy source includes a baseload power module, a waste converter module, and a load-following power module. The baseload power module includes a first fuel cell system configured to provide a baseload power to the electrical grid. The waste converter module is configured to extract and store hydrogen from an exhaust stream produced by the first fuel cell system. The load-following power module includes a second fuel cell system configured to receive hydrogen from the waste converter module and convert the hydrogen to electrical energy to support the electrical grid.

An energy storage system for an electrical grid running on a renewable energy source includes a baseload power module, a waste converter module, and a load-following power module. The baseload power module includes a first fuel cell system configured to provide a baseload power to the electrical grid. The waste converter module is configured to extract and store hydrogen from an exhaust stream produced by the first fuel cell system. The load-following power module includes a second fuel cell system configured to receive hydrogen from the waste converter module and convert the hydrogen to electrical energy to support the electrical grid.

A power supply apparatus, a power supply system, and a power supply method increase the power generation efficiency of the system overall in a system that includes a plurality of power source units. A power supply apparatus operates distributed power sources in parallel, the distributed power sources including power source units, and supplies output power from the distributed power sources to a load. The power supply apparatus includes a controller that controls each power source unit so that output power from whichever of the power source units has higher power generation efficiency is prioritized to increase.

Disclosed is a fuel cell-based multiple power supply system, and more particularly a fuel cell-based multiple power supply system capable of alternately operating a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell that is rapidly started up and provides fast response and a solid oxide fuel cell that provides high power generation efficiency depending on required situations and remedying some power deficiency using an energy storage system or a secondary battery, such as a super capacitor, thereby flexibly dealing with a situation difficult to solve using a single fuel cell.

Disclosed is a fuel cell-based multiple power supply system, and more particularly a fuel cell-based multiple power supply system capable of alternately operating a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell that is rapidly started up and provides fast response and a solid oxide fuel cell that provides high power generation efficiency depending on required situations and remedying some power deficiency using an energy storage system or a secondary battery, such as a super capacitor, thereby flexibly dealing with a situation difficult to solve using a single fuel cell.

Techniques of deploying fuel cells in a facility are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a location of the receptacle at the facility that the fuel cell is connected upon detecting the fuel connector of the second side of the carrier being coupled to a fuel port at a receptacle at the facility. The method can then include generating and storing, in a database, a fuel cell record indicating that the fuel cell is physically connected to the receptacle at the identified location in the facility and instructing a control device in the facility corresponding to the identified location to provide fuel to the fuel cell via the fuel port, the fuel connector, the connection between the first side and the second side of the carrier, and the fuel inlet of the fuel cell.

A solid oxide fuel cell stack for an aircraft engine includes ring-shaped fuel cell assemblies of parallel tubular oxide fuel cells circumferentially around a central axis. A first stacking manifold for each fuel cell assembly is in contact with a first side of the individual fuel cell assembly, a second stacking manifold is in contact with a second side of the individual fuel cell assembly, and a central recess for leading an engine shaft through. Each fuel cell includes a tubular anode and tubular cathode, the fuel cell assemblies stacked in an axial direction through pairs of first and second stacking manifolds contacting each other. Each first stacking manifold includes a hydrogen inlet and is connected to first ends of the anodes of the fuel cells. Each second stacking manifold includes a hydrogen and steam outlet and is connected to second ends of the anodes of the fuel cells.

A solid oxide fuel cell stack for an aircraft engine includes ring-shaped fuel cell assemblies of parallel tubular oxide fuel cells circumferentially around a central axis. A first stacking manifold for each fuel cell assembly is in contact with a first side of the individual fuel cell assembly, a second stacking manifold is in contact with a second side of the individual fuel cell assembly, and a central recess for leading an engine shaft through. Each fuel cell includes a tubular anode and tubular cathode, the fuel cell assemblies stacked in an axial direction through pairs of first and second stacking manifolds contacting each other. Each first stacking manifold includes a hydrogen inlet and is connected to first ends of the anodes of the fuel cells. Each second stacking manifold includes a hydrogen and steam outlet and is connected to second ends of the anodes of the fuel cells.

A fuel cell system includes: a first fuel cell stack; and a second fuel cell stack with lower output voltage than the first fuel cell stack, a pre-switching stack configured by the first fuel cell stack or the second fuel cell stack, a step-up stack configured by the first fuel cell stack or the second fuel cell stack, a post-switching stack configured by at least the first fuel cell stack, and steps up voltage of the step-up stack with the pre-switching stack connected to the load and then switches to a connection state where the post-switching stack is connected to the load.