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US-20260128344-A1 - ELECTROCHEMICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INSTALLING SAME USING A SKID

US20260128344A1US 20260128344 A1US20260128344 A1US 20260128344A1US-20260128344-A1

Abstract

An electrochemical system includes fuel cell or electrolyzer modules, and a skid supporting the modules.

Inventors

  • Chad Pearson
  • Gururaj B. Rao
  • Supreetha NLN
  • Joseph TAVI
  • Rueben KEMPTON
  • Charles F. WALTON, JR.
  • Matthew Mahoney
  • Nicholas Vincent
  • Jordan LARUE
  • William Kenney
  • Katie FELDT

Assignees

  • BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251209
Priority Date
20221112

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of installing an electrochemical system, comprising: providing a plurality of modules comprising at least one electrochemical module on a skid; transporting the skid with the plurality of modules disposed thereon to an installation site; and providing at least one utility hook-up to the electrochemical system at the installation site.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing all inter-module plumbing and wiring connections for the plurality of modules on the skid prior to transporting the skid to the installation site.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising securing the skid on the installation site using at least one of a shim, an outrigger, an L-bracket, a Z-bracket, a concrete anchor or an earth anchor.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: preparing a surface comprising at least one of asphalt, compacted aggregate or permeable pavers at the installation site; and placing multiple skids at the installation site, each including a plurality of modules disposed thereon, onto the surface.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein providing the at least one utility hook-up comprises coupling at least one skid to underground gas and water utility lines via flexible conduits.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising installing an above-ground cable tray on the surface extending between at least two the multiple skids, wherein electrical connections to each of the at least two skids are made via the cable tray.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one plumbing conduit is mounted to the cable tray, wherein a plumbing connection to at least one of the skids is made via the at least one plumbing conduit mounted to the cable tray.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the skid comprises a deck and at least one pedestal connected to and supporting the deck.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochemical system comprises a fuel cell power generating system and the at least one electrochemical module comprises at least one fuel cell power module.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modules comprises: a plurality of the fuel cell power modules, each containing a hot box; a fuel processing module fluidly coupled to the plurality of fuel cell power modules; and a power conditioning module electrically coupled to the plurality of fuel cell modules.
  11. 11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of fuel cell power modules comprise multiple rows of fuel cell power modules extending along a length of the skid, and the fuel processing module and the power conditioning module are located adjacent to the multiple rows of fuel cell power modules.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising ancillary equipment located on the skid, wherein the ancillary equipment comprises at least one of: a water distribution module; a step load module; a telemetry cabinet; a power distribution system; a disconnect system; a backup power supply; an EDS unit; or a microgrid inverter unit.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the fuel cell power modules are located on a first side of the skid, the ancillary equipment is located on a second side of the skid, and the fuel processing module and the power conditioning module are located between the fuel cell power modules and the ancillary equipment.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the ancillary equipment includes a disconnect system mounted to a side surface of the skid.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising a fuel injector/regulator apparatus mounted to the skid.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electrochemical system comprises multiple skids, each skid including: a plurality of fuel cell power modules; a fuel processing module; and a power conditioning module located on the deck of the respective skid; and the electrochemical system further comprises inter-skid connections configured to share at least one of water, fuel or power between the respective skids.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrochemical system further comprises: a centralized desulfurization unit and at least one gas and water distribution module (GDM) fluidly coupled to the centralized desulfurization unit, wherein the at least one GDM is fluidly coupled to the multiple skids; and a system power distribution unit electrically coupled to the multiple skids.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochemical system comprises a hydrogen generation system, and the at least one electrochemical module comprises at least one electrolyzer module.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transporting the skid comprises using a forklift to transport the skid by inserting forklift prongs into at least one fork pocket located on the skid.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transporting the skid comprises using a crane to least one of lift, lower or move the skid.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure is directed generally to electrochemical systems, such as fuel cell systems and electrolyzer systems, and methods of installing thereof, using a skid. BACKGROUND Rapid and inexpensive installation can help to increase the prevalence of electrochemical systems, such as fuel cell systems and electrolyzer systems. Installation costs for pour in place custom designed concrete pads, which generally require trenching for plumbing and electrical lines, can become prohibitive. Installation time is also a problem in the case of most sites since concrete pours and trenches generally require one or more building permits and building inspector reviews. Furthermore, stationary fuel cell and/or electrolyzer systems may be installed in location where the cost of real estate is quite high or the available space is limited (e.g., a loading dock, a narrow alley or space between buildings, etc.). The system installation should have a high utilization of available space. When a considerable amount of stand-off space is required for access to the system via doors and the like, installation real estate costs increase significantly. When the number of fuel cell and/or electrolyzer systems to be installed on a site increases, one problem which generally arises is that stand-off space between these systems is required (to allow for maintenance of one unit or the other unit). The space between systems is lost in terms of its potential to be used by the customer of the fuel cell system. In the case of some fuel cell and/or electrolyzer system designs, these problems are resolved by increasing the overall capacity of the monolithic system design. However, this creates new challenges as the size and weight of the concrete pad required increases. Therefore, this strategy tends to increase the system installation time. Furthermore, as the minimum size of the system increases, the fault tolerance of the design is reduced. The fuel cell and/or electrolyzer stacks or columns of these systems are usually located in hot boxes (i.e., thermally insulated containers). The hot boxes of existing large stationary fuel cell systems are housed in cabinets, housings or enclosures. The terms cabinet, enclosure, and housing are used interchangeably herein. The cabinets are usually made from metal. The metal is painted with either automotive or industrial powder coat paint, which is susceptible to scratching, denting and corrosion. Most of these cabinets are similar to current industrial HVAC equipment cabinets. SUMMARY In one embodiment, an electrochemical system, such as a fuel cell power system or an electrolyzer hydrogen generation system, includes a skid including a deck and at least one pedestal connected to and supporting the deck, and a plurality of modules comprising at least one electrochemical module located on the deck of the skid. In another embodiment, a method of installing an electrochemical system includes providing a plurality of modules comprising at least one electrochemical module on a skid, transporting the skid with the plurality of modules disposed thereon to an installation site, and providing at least one utility hook-up to the electrochemical system at the installation site. In another embodiment, a docking station for a skid-mounted electrochemical system includes a housing containing at least one utility stub within an interior of the housing, and at least one opening in a surface of the housing through which at least one utility connection between the at least one utility stub and a skid-mounted electrochemical system may be made. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates top plan view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate top and perspective views of a pad of the fuel cell system of FIG. 2. FIG. 3D illustrates a perspective view of a modified version of a pad of the fuel cell system of FIG. 2. FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4B illustrates top plan view of the system of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4C illustrates a schematic view of a pad of the fuel cell system of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5A illustrates a top plan view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5B illustrates a schematic view of a pad of the fuel cell system of FIG. 5A. FIG. 5C illustrates a top plan view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5D illustrates a schematic view of a pad of the fuel cell system FIG. 5C. FIG. 6A illustrates a top plan view of a modular fuel cell system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6B illustrates a schematic view of a pad of the fuel cell system of FIG. 6A. FIG. 7A illustrat