Fuel Cell Power Control for Fair Multi-Unit Fuel Gas Cost Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell systems installed in apartments, it is challenging to accurately calculate the amount of fuel gas used for power generation and water heating, making it difficult to fairly allocate the cost burden to individual units.
Innovation Solution
A power control apparatus with a controller that measures the fuel gas used by a fuel cell and the hot water supplied to consumer facilities, calculates the amount of fuel gas used for each unit by separating the usage based on power generation and water heating, using flow meters and calorimeters to obtain data for accurate allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fuel cell system supplies both power and hot water to multiple consumer facilities, then the system provides comprehensive energy services, but it becomes difficult to accurately allocate the fuel gas cost burden to individual units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the total fuel gas consumption into distinct components: power generation consumption and water heating consumption. By separating these usage purposes, the system can accurately attribute costs to each consumer facility based on their specific power and hot water consumption, resolving the allocation accuracy problem while maintaining comprehensive energy services
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces calculation units as intermediary components that compute the relationship between fuel gas consumption, power output, and hot water output. These intermediaries process the coupled energy services data to derive accurate cost allocation figures for each consumer facility, enabling precise billing without requiring separate physical measurement systems
2Measurement precision
If the system separates fuel gas usage into power generation and water heating components, then accurate cost allocation is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functional calculation units that can perform multiple tasks: measuring total fuel gas consumption, measuring power output, measuring hot water output, and calculating the separated consumption components. This universal approach avoids requiring separate dedicated devices for each measurement and calculation function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high separation accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The calculation units utilize the fuel cell system's own operational data (power output, hot water output, total fuel consumption) to automatically compute the separated consumption components. The system serves itself by internally processing its own performance data without requiring external complex measurement infrastructure, achieving accurate separation with minimal added complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fair allocation of the fuel gas cost burden to each unit by accurately determining the amount used for power generation and water heating, simplifying the billing process and accounting for energy losses.
Implementation Method 1
a fuel cell that generates power and heats water by using a fuel gas
Implementation Method 2
a fuel cell that generates power and heats water by using a fuel gas
Data Source
AI summary
A power control apparatus includes a controller configured to control a fuel cell. The fuel cell generates power and heats water using fuel gas. The fuel gas supplies the power and hot water to a plurality of consumer facilities. The controller obtains an amount of the fuel gas used by the fuel cell. The controller obtains an amount of the hot water supplied to the plurality of consumer facilities. The controller calculates, based on the amount of the fuel gas and the amount of the hot water, an amount of the fuel gas used by each one of the plurality of consumer facilities.