Fuel Cell Energy Storage and Utilization Using IBPS Components

The need for a reliable and clean DC energy source to power portable electronic devices is real today and growing fast. Until recently, converted AC or battery -sourced DC have been the only affordable approaches. The continuing development of Fuel Cell technology is now yielding a technically viable and increasingly affordable alternative to these traditional DC power sources. Many potential applications, however, have low average power needs combined with much higher peak power needs, which would logically necessitate a much larger and more expensive fuel cell system than the average power consumption would indicate. One potential solution that minimizes the fuel cell size requirement, is to integrate a battery sub-system that will serve as a 'reservoir' for the fuel cell electric output not consumed during the average state, and supplement the fuel cell electric output when required to satisfy the peak power state demand.