Patent ID: 7291412

Claim:
A control apparatus for a fuel cell system in a vehicle, in which a fuel cell is adapted to generate electric power with supplied utilities, generated power being supplied to a load of the vehicle and to a power storage unit, where supplied power stored in the power storage unit is supplied therefrom to the load as necessary, and the load is driven by electric power supplied from the fuel cell and electric power supplied from the power storage unit, the control apparatus comprising: a required load computing section configured to compute required power for the load based on a detected condition of the vehicle; a margin load power setting section configured to set margin load power, which is an increased amount of electric power, over the currently required power, that would be needed to be supplied to the load from said power storage unit and said fuel cell assuming the required power for the load increases at a predetermined rate for a maximum acceleration of the vehicle; an inputable power and outputable power computing section configured to compute inputable power and outputable power of said power storage unit; and a control section configured to: compare the margin load power and the outputable power; compare the inputable power and an electric power difference between said margin load power and said outputable power when said outputable power is smaller than the margin load power; set the inputable power to be a charged power of said power storage unit when the electric power difference is larger than said inputable power; and control a flow rate or pressure of gas supplied to control a utility supply condition of said fuel cell to prepare to always generate electric power sufficient to immediately compensate for a deficient amount of electric power obtained by subtracting said inputable power and said outputable power from said margin load power and for the required power for the load based on the detected condition of the vehicle.