Patent ID: 6991864
Filing Date: 2006-01-31
Classification: H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell power plant adapted to store energy which is removed from the associated fuel cell stack during transition from being not operating to operating, and vice versa, comprising: a controller interconnected with said fuel cell stack and responsive to signals received by said controller to cause said fuel cell stack to start up and to cause said fuel cell stack to shut down; an energy storage system associated with said fuel cell power plant, said energy storage system responsive to electrical output provided thereto to store corresponding energy; and storage control means operable by said controller, during a transition selected from (a) startup of said fuel cell power plant or (b) shutdown of said fuel cell power plant, to extract, in the form of electrical output, energy generated by said fuel cell stack, said electrical output being provided to said energy storage device, thereby limiting the maximum average voltage in the fuel cells of said fuel cell slack during said transition.