Patent ID: 8206860
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for maintaining an output voltage of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack at or below a maximum voltage, said method comprising: modifying a desired voltage set-point value that defines a predetermined maximum fuel cell voltage value; determining an error value between the modified voltage set-point value and an average fuel cell voltage from the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack; determining a minimum gross power prediction value using the modified voltage set-point value that is used to prevent the fuel cell voltage from going above the predetermined maximum; determining a supplemental power value based on the minimum gross power prediction value and the error value to determine how much power needs to be drawn from the stack to maintain the fuel cell voltage below the predetermined maximum voltage value; charging a battery using stack power based on the supplemental power value to reduce the fuel cell voltage; and coupling an auxiliary load to the fuel cell stack to reduce the fuel cell voltage if a maximum battery charge limit is reached or may be reached.