Patent ID: 6884533

Claim:
A control system for a fuel cell electric power generation system having a fuel processing system comprising a reformer for converting a reactant stream comprising a hydrocarbon fuel to a reformate stream, and a fuel cell stack fluidly connected to the fuel processing system to receive the reformate stream, the control system comprising: a current detector for measuring an output current of the fuel cell stack and generating a corresponding current signal; a first flow detector for measuring a first flow rate of a process gas stream and generating a corresponding first flow rate signal; a first sensor for measuring a concentration of a first component of the reformate stream and generating a corresponding first concentration signal; and a processor configured to maintain hydrogen utilization in the fuel cell stack at about a user selectable value or within a user selectable range by generating an output signal as a function of the current signal, the flow rate signal and the first concentration signal, the output signal being for use in controlling a process variable impacting hydrogen utilization.