FUEL ELEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD CONTROLLING FUEL ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: chemical sources of electric energy. SUBSTANCE: fuel element system comprising fuel elements which are connected to source of gaseous fuel and generate electric energy for supply of load includes unit measuring gas consumption that measures flow rate of gas supplied to fuel elements and control unit which determines point of highest efficiency of energy conversion on output electric characteristic current-voltage of fuel elements corresponding to observed value related to flow rate of gas as working point and adjusts electric energy generated by fuel elements in order to stimulate fuel elements in working point. Control unit computes required energy of inverter depending on pedal stroke, determines characteristic of output electric current-output voltage corresponding to flow rate of gas, establishes point of highest efficiency of energy conversion on mentioned characteristic to find working point of fuel elements and computes output electric power of fuel elements in specified working point. Control unit 20 determines output voltage required to charge storage battery on basis of difference between computed required power of inverter and computed output electric power of fuel elements and condition of storage battery. Control unit 20 controls D C converter and adjusts output voltage of D C converter thanks to which storage battery 40 generates power of certain output voltage. Control unit 20 adjusts in turn inverter 44 to supply power to motor 46 whose consumed power corresponds to required power ( stage S30 ). Such design of system enables fuel elements 36 to be put into service with their activation at working point of highest efficiency of energy conversion. EFFECT: increased efficiency of energy conversion. 7 cl, 7 dwg