Soec load configuration method

Abstract

A method of electrolyzer system load configuration includes determining that at least one sensor of multiple heater power supplies is functional, determining whether multiple heater power supplies are connected in parallel, testing a connection between the plural heater power supplies and one or more heaters, and transmitting an electrolyzer system load configuration to one or more electrolyzer module controllers.

1 . A method of electrolyzer system load configuration, comprising:
 determining that at least one sensor of multiple heater power supplies is functional;   determining whether multiple heater power supplies are connected in parallel;   testing a connection between the plural heater power supplies and one or more heaters; and   transmitting an electrolyzer system load configuration to one or more electrolyzer module controllers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining that the at least one sensor of the multiple heater power supplies is functional comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level not exceeding an off threshold; and   turning on the first heater power supply in response to the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered off sensing an energy level not exceeding the off threshold.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional:
 turning off the first heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of a second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level not exceeding the off threshold; and 
 turning on the second heater power supply in response to the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off sensing an energy level not exceeding the off threshold. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining that the at least one sensor of the multiple heater power supplies is functional comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to an on threshold;   determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of an output of the first heater power supply; and   turning off the first heater power supply in response to determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold and to determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as the energy polarity of the output of the first heater power supply.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional:
 turning on a second heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold; 
 determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of an output of the second heater power supply; and 
 turning off the second heater power supply in response to determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold and to determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as the energy polarity of the output of the second heater power supply. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether at least some of the multiple heater power supplies are connected in parallel comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level approximately equal to an energy of an output of a second heater power supply that is powered on; and   determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of the output of the second heater power supply that is powered on.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are tested for parallel connection; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are tested for parallel connection:
 turning off the second heater power supply; 
 turning on the first heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level approximately equal to an energy of an output of the first heater power supply that is powered on; and 
 determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of the output of the first heater power supply that is powered on. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of testing the connection between the multiple heater power supplies and the one or more heaters comprises:
 turning on a first heater power supply; and   determining that all temperature sensors associated with a first heater sense a temperature rise.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining that less than all the multiple heater power supplies are tested for connection to the one or more heaters; and   in response to determining that less than all the multiple heater power supplies are tested for connection to the one or more heaters:
 turning off the first heater power supply; 
 waiting until sensors of the one or more heaters sense approximately a base temperature; 
 turning on a second heater power supply in response to the sensors of the one or more heaters sensing approximately a base temperature; and 
 determining that all temperature sensors associated with the second heater sense a temperature rise. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer system load configuration comprises data of the steps determining of whether the multiple heater power supplies are connected in parallel and the step of testing of the connection between the multiple heater power supplies and the one or more heaters. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer system comprises a solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOECs) system comprising a plurality of electrolyzer modules containing the electrolyzer module controllers. 
     
     
         12 . An electrolyzer system, comprising:
 a heater power supply module comprising multiple heater power supplies and a heater power supply module controller connected to the multiple heater power supplies; and   one or more electrolyzer modules, each comprising:
 one or more electrolyzer stacks; 
 one or more heaters connected to the multiple heater power supplies, the one or more heaters comprising at least one of an air heater or a stack heater; and 
 an electrolyzer module controller connected to the one or more heaters and connected to the heater power supply module controller; and 
   wherein the heater power supply module controller is configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations comprising:
 identifying an electrolyzer system load configuration of associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters; and 
 transmitting the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters to the electrolyzer module controller. 
   
     
     
         13 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises determining that a sensor of the multiple heater power supplies is functional. 
     
     
         14 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level not exceeding an off threshold; and   turning on the first heater power supply in response to the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered off sensing an energy level not exceeding the off threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 14 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional:
 turning off the first heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of a second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level not exceeding the off threshold; and 
 turn on the second heater power supply in response to the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off sensing an energy level not exceeding the off threshold. 
   
     
     
         16 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to an on threshold;   determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of an output of the first heater power supply; and   turning off the first heater power supply in response to determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold and to determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as the energy polarity of the output of the first heater power supply.   
     
     
         17 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 16 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are functional:
 turning on a second heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold; 
 determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of an output of the second heater power supply; and 
 turning off the second heater power supply in response to determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy level approximately equal to the on threshold and to determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered on senses an energy polarity same as the energy polarity of the output of the second heater power supply. 
   
     
     
         18 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the one or more electrolyzer stacks comprise solid oxide electrolyzer cell stacks; and   the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises determining whether at least some of the multiple heater power supplies are connected in parallel.   
     
     
         19 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that a first sensor of a first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level approximately equal to an energy of an output of a second heater power supply that is powered on; and   determining that the first sensor of the first heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of the output of the second heater power supply that is powered on.   
     
     
         20 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 19 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that less than all sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are tested for parallel connection; and   in response to determining that less than all the sensors of the multiple heater power supplies are tested for parallel connection:
 turning off the second heater power supply; 
 turning on the first heater power supply; 
 determining that a second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy level approximately equal to an energy of an output of the first heater power supply that is powered on; and 
 determining that the second sensor of the second heater power supply that is powered off senses an energy polarity same as an energy polarity of the output of the first heater power supply that is powered on. 
   
     
     
         21 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises testing a connection between the multiple heater power supplies and one or more heaters. 
     
     
         22 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 12 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 turning on a first heater power supply; and   determining that all temperature sensors associated with a first heater sense a temperature rise.   
     
     
         23 . The electrolyzer system of  claim 22 , wherein the heater power supply module controller is further configured with controller-executable instructions configured to cause the heater power supply module controller to perform operations such that the step of identifying the electrolyzer system load configuration of the associations of the multiple heater power supplies with the one or more heaters further comprises:
 determining that less than all the multiple heater power supplies are tested for connection to the one or more heaters; and   in response to determining that less than all the multiple heater power supplies are tested for connection to the one or more heaters:
 turning off the first heater power supply; 
 waiting until sensors of the one or more heaters sense approximately a base temperature; 
 turning on a second heater power supply in response to the sensors of the one or more heaters sensing approximately a base temperature; and 
 determining that all temperature sensors associated with the second heater sense a temperature rise.