Patent ID: 8568935

Claim:
A method for managing fuel cell power increases in a fuel cell system using air flow feedback delay, the method comprising the steps of: a. determining gas flow effecting characteristics of an air flow path of the fuel cell system between a compressor supplying air and a cathode outlet of a fuel cell stack; b. determining a required air mass flow rate at the cathode outlet to provide a predetermined current output from the fuel cell stack; c. determining an actual air mass flow at a predetermined point in the air flow path; d. calculating an air flow feedback delay as a function of the actual air mass flow and the gas flow effecting characteristics, wherein the gas flow effecting characteristics include a gas temperature, a gas pressure, and a static volume of a cathode of the fuel cell stack; and e. delaying an external circuit from increasing current draw from the fuel cell stack by the magnitude of the air flow feedback delay.