Patent ID: 7479336

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: at least one cathode section having an inlet and an outlet; at least two anode sections each having an inlet and an outlet; wherein said at least one cathode section and said at least two anode sections are operable to convert an oxidant-containing cathode reactant and a hydrogen-containing anode reactant into electricity, a cathode effluent and an anode effluent; a first flow path operable to supply a first anode reactant feed stream to an inlet of a first anode section of said at least two anode sections; a second flow path operable to supply a second anode reactant feed stream to an inlet of a second anode section of said at least two anode sections; a first device in said first flow path operable to modulate flow through said first flow path; a second device in said second flow path operable to modulate flow through said second flow path; a third flow path connecting an outlet of said first anode section to an outlet of said second anode section without passing through an anode section, said third flow path thereby providing flow communication between said first and second anode sections through said outlets; a valve communicating with said third flow path and operable to modulate venting of anode effluent from said third flow path; a fourth flow path operable to supply a third anode reactant feed stream to said third flow path without said third anode reactant feed stream flowing through an anode section prior to reaching said third flow path; and a third device in said fourth flow path operable to modulate flow through said fourth flow path.