Patent ID: 6979507

Claim:
A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce a feed stream containing hydrogen gas from one or more feedstocks; a fuel cell stack including at least one fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell stack is adapted to receive at least a portion of the feed stream and to produce electrical power therefrom, and further wherein the fuel cell stack has a currently available power output; a bypass adapted to selectively divert at least a portion of the feed stream from delivery to the fuel cell stack; a battery bank adapted to store electrical power, wherein the battery bank has a current level of stored power; and a control system adapted to selectively actuate the bypass to control the portion of the feed stream that is diverted from delivery to the fuel cell stack and thereby regulate the rate that the feed stream is delivered to the fuel cell stack, wherein the control system is adapted to selectively actuate the bypass responsive at least in part to an applied load to the fuel cell system and the current level of stored power of the battery bank.