1. A modular fuel cell system, comprising:
a base;
at least one power module arranged in a row on the base; and
a fuel processing module and a power conditioning module arranged on at least one end of the row on the base;
wherein:
each power module comprises a separate cabinet comprising at least one fuel cell stack located in a hot box;
the at least one power module is electrically and fluidly connected to the fuel processing and the power conditioning modules through the base; and
wherein the cabinet comprises:
a cabinet housing: and
a door on the housing, wherein the door is configured to open within 0 to 30 degrees of a vertical swing and then within 0 to 30 degrees of a horizontal swing.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel processing and power conditioning modules are located in a common inputoutput cabinet.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel processing module is located in a first cabinet and the power conditioning module is located in a second cabinet which is separate from the first cabinet.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first cabinet, the second cabinet and each power module cabinet have doors facing perpendicular to an axis of the row.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel processing module comprises at least one adsorption bed and the power conditioning module comprises a DCAC converter, electrical connectors for AC power output and a system controller.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein each power, fuel processing and power conditioning module may be serviced, repaired or removed from the system without opening the remaining module cabinets in the system and without taking off line, servicing, repairing or removing the other modules in the system.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a pre-cast concrete, geopolymer or steel base comprising channels which contain electrical bus bar conduits, input and output fuel conduits and at least one water conduit which extend to the system, from the system, or between the modules.
8. The system of claim 1,
wherein:
the door comprises one or more inner portions and one or more outer portions; and
the outer portions may be opened while the inner portions remain closed or the outer portions comprises a different material than the inner portions.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein:
the inner portion forms a framework for the door and couples the door to the cabinet housing; and
the outer portion is coupled to the inner portion and provides an outer fascia for the door.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the outer portion is formed of non-fire resistant polymer material and the inner portion is formed of a fire resistant material selected from metal and fire resistant polymer material.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the entire door is injection molded as a single structure made of different materials or is made by vacuum thermoforming, such that the inner portion is made from a heat and flame resistant plastic sheet, and the outer portion is made from a plastic that is weather resistant and has a lower heat and flame resistance than the inner portion.
12. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one air filter located in a space between the inner and outer portions of the door, such that the outer portion may be opened while the inner portion remains closed.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein:
the at least one filter comprises a plurality of the filters which are located over each other in the space between the inner and the outer door portions;
the filters are supported on the inner surface of the outer portion;
an edge of the door between the inner and outer portions comprises an air inlet opening to the space between the inner and outer door portions; and
the inner door portion includes an air outlet opening into an interior of the cabinet.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one perforated screen located in an air flow path between the air inlet opening and the at least one filter;
wherein:
a width of the space between the inner and outer door portions is larger than that of the air inlet opening; and
the space between the inner and outer door portions provides an air flow path comprising at least one turn of at least 90 degrees between the air inlet opening and the at least one filter such that debris in the air flow falls to a bottom of the space.
15. The system of claim 8, wherein the inner portion and the outer portion of the door are configured to open in tandem within 0 to 30 degrees of the vertical swing and then within 0 to 30 degrees of the horizontal swing.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the door opens by being moved up and then at least partially over the top of the cabinet within 0 to 30 degrees of a horizontal direction;
the door is mounted onto walls of the cabinet with plural independent mechanical arms;
the plural independent mechanical arms comprise two arms provided on a first side of the door and two arms provided on a second side of the door;
a first arm on the first side of the door comprises a first, generally straight end attached to an interior wall of the cabinet and a second, generally curved end attached to the door;
a second arm on the first side of the door comprises a first, generally curved end attached to the interior wall of the cabinet and a second, generally straight end attached to the door;
the second arm is longer than the first arm; and
in an open position, an upper portion of the door is located over a top surface of the cabinet and a lower portion of the door overhangs an opening to the cabinet.
17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a latch located inside the door between inner and outer portions of the door.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the latch comprises:
a side handle;
at least one biasing member;
a wheeled latch actuating mechanism; and
a catch coupled to a frame of the cabinet;
wherein the side handle is hinged so that movement of the handle in a circular motion in a plane parallel to a front surface of the door causes the wheeled latch actuating mechanism to slide to a side to disengage or engage the catch.
19. The system of claim 1, further comprising an adsorption bed assembly, comprising:
a rotatable support; and
a plurality of vessels arranged on the rotatable support, each vessel containing an adsorption bed.
20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein:
the assembly comprises a desulfurizer assembly for the fuel cell system;
the adsorption bed comprises a bed of at least one of an impurity adsorption or desulfurization material; and
the plurality of vessels are connected in fluid series.
21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein each vessel comprises a canister having a generally rectangular prismatic body with a beveled edge and a plurality of separate internal channels and wherein all inputs and output connections for the plurality of vessels comprise swiveling leak-tight connections arranged on the same side of the assembly.
22. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising a species sensor to detect sulfur or other contaminant that has broken through a vessel in the fluid series.
23. The system of claim 1, wherein the base comprises two or more pre-cast concrete or geopolymer sections.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A grinding machine having first and second grinding wheels selectively used in dependence on steps of grinding operations for grinding a workpiece with each of the grinding wheels with coolant supplied to a contact surface on a grinding surface of each grinding wheel and the workpiece, wherein:
the first grinding wheel comprises a grinding wheel having a grinding surface formed to be plane; and
the second grinding wheel comprises a grinding wheel having a plurality of oblique grooves formed on a grinding surface thereof to be inclined relative to a wheel circumferential direction.
2. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of oblique grooves are inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the wheel circumferential direction and are formed at equiangular intervals in such an arrangement that where one side intersection point is defined as an intersection point of each oblique groove and an extension line of one side edge parallel to the wheel circumferential direction of the contact surface and the other side intersection point is defined as an intersection point of each oblique groove and an extension line of the other edge, the other side intersection point of each oblique groove overlaps the one side intersection point of an oblique groove next to each such oblique groove by a predetermined overlap amount in the wheel circumferential direction; and
in grinding the workpiece with the second grinding wheel, an infeed amount of the second grinding wheel against the workpiece and at least one of the inclination angle and the intervals of the oblique grooves are set so that the length in the wheel circumferential direction of the contact surface on the grinding surface of the second grinding wheel and the workpiece becomes shorter than the overlap amount.
3. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of oblique grooves are inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the wheel circumferential direction and are formed on the grinding surface at equiangular intervals to open at both sides of the second grinding wheel so that a part of each oblique groove on one side of the second grinding wheel overlaps a part of a circumferentially adjoining oblique groove on the other side of the second grinding wheel by a predetermined overlap amount in the wheel circumferential direction; and
in grinding the workpiece with the second grinding wheel, an infeed amount of the second grinding wheel against the workpiece and at least one of the inclination angle and the intervals of the oblique grooves are set so that the length in the wheel circumferential direction of the contact surface on the grinding surface of the second grinding wheel and the workpiece becomes shorter than the overlap amount.
4. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sum of widths of adjoining oblique grooves which are within the contact surface on the grinding surface of the second grinding wheel and the workpiece and which exist on a cutting-plane line becomes constant at all times, the cutting-plane line being taken when radially cutting the second grinding wheel at an arbitrary position in the circumferential direction and in parallel to a wheel spindle of the grinding machine.
5. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein a mechanism is provided to selectively bring the first and second grinding wheels before the workpiece to use the first grinding wheel in a rough grinding of the workpiece and to use the second grinding wheel in a finish grinding of the workpiece.
6. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein a mechanism is provided to selectively bring the first and second grinding wheels before the workpiece to grind a smooth cylindrical surface portion of the workpiece with the first grinding wheel and to grind an uneven cylindrical surface portion of the workpiece with the second grinding wheel.
7. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second grinding wheels are rotatably carried on opposite sides of a wheel head and wherein the mechanism comprises:
a wheel head swivel device for turning the wheel head about an axis perpendicular to a plane including the axis of the workpiece and the axes of the first and second grinding wheels.
8. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first grinding wheel and the second grinding wheel are arranged in a juxtaposed relation.
9. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first and second grinding wheels are juxtaposed by fitting and fastening the second grinding wheel on a wheel spindle of the grinding machine and then, by fitting the first grinding wheel on the wheel spindle and fastening the first grinding wheel on the second grinding wheel.
10. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first and second grinding wheels are juxtaposed on the wheel spindle with a space therebetween in the axial direction of the wheel spindle.
11. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first and second grinding wheels are arranged in the juxtaposed relation by being attached respectively on respective wheel spindles which are rotatably supported respectively by first and second wheel heads movable independently in the axial direction of the workpiece.
12. The grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
at least the grinding surface of the second grinding wheel is formed to be inclined relative to the axis of the second grinding wheel; and
a wheel head rotatably supporting the first and second grinding wheels is constructed as a swivel head which is turnable about an axis extending to be perpendicular to a plane including the axis of the workpiece and the axis of a wheel spindle rotatably supported by the swivel head.
13. A grinding method for grinding a workpiece with each of first and second grinding wheels with coolant supplied to a contact surface on a grinding surface of each grinding wheel and the workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a grinding surface of the first grinding wheel to be plane;
forming a plurality of oblique grooves on a grinding surface of the second grinding wheel to be inclined relative to a wheel circumferential direction; and
selectively using the first and second grinding wheels in dependence on the steps of grinding operations which are performed in turn on the workpiece.
14. The grinding method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first grinding wheel is used in a rough grinding of the workpiece, whereas the second grinding wheel is used in a finish grinding of the workpiece.
15. The grinding method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the first grinding wheel is used in grinding a smooth cylindrical surface portion of the workpiece, whereas the second grinding wheel is used in grinding an uneven cylindrical surface portion of the workpiece.