Patent ID: 8691454

Claim:
A variable fuel cell power supply system comprising: at least one power conversion unit, wherein each said power conversion unit comprises, a first unit including at least one oxygen source, at least one hydrogen source, and a plurality of fuel cells coupled to said oxygen and hydrogen sources, a second unit including at least one energy storage device coupled to said fuel cells, a third unit including at least one voltage converter device coupled to said fuel cells, and said energy storage device, wherein each of said fuel cells, said energy storage device, and said voltage converter device are individually switchable; at least one load bus, each load bus connected to said power conversion unit at said third unit of voltage converter device; at least one load coupler, each load coupler selectively connecting said at least one load bus to a load line; and at least one process controller responsive to a plurality of operating parameters from said power conversion unit and said load coupler, wherein said process controller is configured to selectively engage at least one of said plurality of fuel cells, which dynamically adjusts the total generating capacity of all of said fuel cells, to substantially meet the changing power needs of the load.