Patent ID: 8133626

Claim:
A method for operating a fuel cell system that is configured to receive an applied load and which comprises a fuel cell stack having a maximum rated power output and a currently available power output which includes at least one proton exchange membrane fuel cell or an alkaline fuel cell, and which is configured to receive a feed stream from a source of hydrogen gas and to produce an electrical power output therefrom, the method comprising: delivering the feed stream to the fuel cell stack; receiving an air stream by the fuel cell stack at least partially concurrently with the delivering; producing the electrical power output from at least a portion of the feed stream and at least a portion of the air stream, wherein the producing is at least partially responsive to the applied load, the delivering, and the receiving; restricting the electrical power output produced by the fuel cell stack from exceeding the maximum rated power output of the fuel cell stack responsive to the applied load exceeding the maximum rated power output of the fuel cell stack; and wherein in addition to the restricting the method further comprises preventing the electrical power output produced by the fuel cell stack from exceeding the currently available power output of the fuel cell stack responsive to the applied load exceeding the currently available power output of the fuel cell stack.