Patent ID: 7858250

Claim:
A feedback control method of operating an electrochemical apparatus operated using a fuel containing an electrochemically active contaminant by applying voltage control to an electrode of the apparatus using the following algorithm the following steps: a) determining a mathematical model that relates an instantaneous coverage of the electrode by fuel and contaminant to an overvoltage applied to the anode; b) forming an observer that relates the instantaneous coverage of the fuel and contaminant to a single operating parameter of the apparatus; c) forming an objective function that describes a performance parameter of the fuel cell for a discrete set of values related to the instantaneous coverage of the electrode by fuel and contaminant; d) maximizing the objective function using optimal control techniques to maximize performance of the electrochemical apparatus by determining an optimal waveform of the single operating parameter over a specified period of time; e) driving the contaminant coverage of the electrode to a low value by varying only the overvoltage to obtain the optimal waveform of the single operating parameter; f) driving the fuel coverage of the electrode to a high value by varying only the overvoltage to obtain the optimal waveform of the single operating parameter; and f) repeating steps a) through d) as necessary.