Fuel cell power plant

Abstract

A fuel cell power plant cooling system may include a power unit coolant supply line configured to receive a coolant, two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines connected to the power unit coolant supply line and configured to receive coolant from the power unit coolant supply line, two or more fuel cell systems configured to be cooled by the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively, two or more fuel cell system return supply lines connected to the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively, and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, and a power unit return supply line connected to the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines, respectively.

1 . A fuel cell power plant cooling system, comprising:
 a power unit coolant supply line configured to receive a coolant;   two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines connected to the power unit coolant supply line and configured to receive coolant from the power unit coolant supply line;   two or more fuel cell systems configured to be cooled by the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively;   two or more fuel cell system return supply lines connected to the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively, and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines; and   a power unit return supply line connected to the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein an end of the power unit coolant supply line is capped. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein an end of the power unit return supply line is capped. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein an end of the power unit coolant supply line is connected to a power unit coolant supply line of a second fuel cell power plant cooling system. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein an end of the power unit return supply line is connected to a power unit return supply line of a second fuel cell power plant cooling system. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant is water. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , comprising two or more slidable fuel cell system skids which accommodate the two or more fuel cell systems, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , comprising two or more fuel cell system exhaust lines connected to a condensate drain line and configured to expel exhaust from the power unit coolant supply line. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein the two or more fuel cell system exhaust lines are oriented in a vertical direction relative to a ground plane. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel cell power plant cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines are oriented in a vertical direction relative to a ground plane. 
     
     
         11 . A fuel cell power plant cooling structure, comprising:
 a power unit coolant supply line configured to receive a coolant;   two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines connected to the power unit coolant supply line and configured to receive coolant from the power unit coolant supply line;   two or more fuel cell systems configured to be cooled by the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively;   two or more fuel cell system return supply lines connected to the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively, and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines; and   a power unit return supply line connected to the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines and configured to receive coolant from the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines, respectively.   
     
     
         12 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the power unit coolant supply line is capped. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the power unit return supply line is capped. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the power unit coolant supply line is connected to a power unit coolant supply line of a second fuel cell power plant cooling system. 
     
     
         15 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the power unit return supply line is connected to a power unit return supply line of a second fuel cell power plant cooling system. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 11 , wherein the coolant is water. 
     
     
         17 . A fuel cell power plant cooling structure, comprising:
 a first fuel cell power plant cooling system, including:
 a power unit coolant supply line configured to receive a coolant; 
 two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines connected to the power unit coolant supply line and configured to receive coolant from the power unit coolant supply line; 
 two or more fuel cell systems configured to be cooled by the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively; 
 two or more fuel cell system return supply lines connected to the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines, respectively, and configured to receive used coolant from the two or more fuel cell system coolant supply lines; and 
 a power unit return supply line connected to the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines and configured to receive used coolant from the two or more fuel cell system return supply lines, respectively; and 
   a second fuel cell power plant cooling system including a second power unit coolant supply line configured to receive the coolant from the power unit coolant supply line.   
     
     
         18 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 17 , wherein an end of the second power unit coolant supply line is capped. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 17 , wherein the second fuel cell power plant cooling system includes a second power unit return supply line configured to receive the used coolant from the power unit return supply line. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel cell power plant cooling structure of  claim 19 , wherein an end of the second power unit return supply line is capped.