A mobile fuel cell system includes a fuel cell generator generating a stack output signal. Multiple boost converter circuits converting the stack output signal into multiple recharge signals while in a first mode. A boost converter circuit converting the stack output signal into a local signal while in a second mode. Multiple charging handles connectable to multiple electric vehicles. A switch circuit presenting the recharge signals to the charging handles, remove the recharge signals from the charging handles and present the local signal while in the second mode. An auxiliary load may be connected to the fuel cell generator and the switch circuit. A rechargeable energy storage circuit powers the auxiliary load while in the first mode and stores energy received in the local signal while in the second mode. The auxiliary load is powered with the local signal while in the second mode.

A method for identifying a leak (4′) within a membrane (4) of a fuel cell (5) during operation of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps: reducing the power provided by the fuel cell (5) starting from an output power to a minimum value; determining measurement values of the current cell voltage of the fuel cell (5) whilst the reduced power at the minimum value is provided by the fuel cell (5); and assessing a state of the membrane (4) of the fuel cell (5) on the basis of the determined measurement values in order to identify a leak (4′). The power reduced by the fuel cell (5) whilst measurement values of the current cell voltage are determined is provided at the same level by at least one further energy source.

A power management server controls a fuel cell system including a power generator. The power management server includes at least one processor. The processor is configured to execute a reception process and control process. The reception process incudes a reception process of receiving a massage including an information element indicating an operation state of the fuel cell system. The control process includes a control process of controlling the fuel cell system which the operation state is a power generating state, in preference to the fuel cell system which the operation state is a starting up state, stopping state, and stop operating state, in a control target period.

A drive circuit comprising a DC bus configured to supply power to a load, a first fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a first power output to the DC bus, and a second fuel cell coupled to the DC bus and configured to provide a second power output to the DC bus supplemental to the first fuel cell. The drive circuit further includes an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus and configured to receive energy from the DC bus when a combined output of the first and second fuel cells is greater than a power demand from a load, and provide energy to the DC bus when the combined output of the first and second fuel cells is less than the power demand from the load.

A fuel cell system includes a FC, a TRC, an oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus, a battery, and an ECU. The ECU is capable of performing power consumption control which allows the oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus to consume electrical energy during regeneration of the TRC. The ECU is configured to determine a charge margin with respect to a charge limitation value of the battery, in a manner that the charge margin set after the power consumption control starts becomes smaller than the charge margin set before the power consumption control is performed.

Various embodiments manage a fuel cell IT grid system to maintain fuel cell temperatures above a threshold temperature. The system may include power modules each including a fuel cell, DC/DC converters each connected to a power module, a DC power bus connected to the DC/DC, IT loads each connected to the DC power bus, a load balancing load connected to the DC power bus, and a control device connected to a first power module. The control device may determine whether a temperature of the first power module exceeds the temperature threshold, determine whether an electrical power output of the power modules exceeds an electrical power demand of the IT loads in response to the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold, and direct excess electrical power output to the load balancing load in response to the electrical power output exceeding the electrical power demand.

A dual chamber solid oxide fuel cell integrated into the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine, in which engine exhaust gases are routed to the anode of a tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and heated secondary air is supplied to the cathode of the SOFC. The secondary air supply is heated using the existing engine temperature and exhaust gas temperature through a heat exchanger formed by a modified cylinder head and exhaust manifold. The dual chamber solid oxide fuel provides the necessary hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide scrubbing to achieve mandatory catalytic conversion for vehicle operation. In addition, the dual chamber solid oxide fuel cell is capable of generating sufficient electrical power for the vehicle. Omission of conventional catalytic convertors and alternators allows for improved efficiency and fuel economy of the internal combustion engine.

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a voltage detector; a current detector; an alternating current signal supply unit; a phase difference calculation unit configured to calculate, based on detected alternating voltage and detected alternating current, a phase difference between the detected alternating current and the detected alternating voltage; and an estimation unit configured to estimate, in accordance with the phase difference, an electric power generation distribution feature amount representing an electric power generation distribution in a cell surface of the fuel cell, with use of a predetermined relationship between the electric power generation distribution feature amount and the phase difference. The electric power generation distribution feature amount includes a value indicating a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of local current density in the cell surface.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, an oxidizing gas supply system, a fuel gas supply system, a current control circuit configured to control an output current of the fuel cell stack, a control unit configured to control power generation of the fuel cell stack, and the output current of the current control circuit, the control unit controlling the current control circuit to adjust the output current thereby adjusting a heating value of the fuel cell stack; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor abnormal fuel gas generation, the abnormal fuel gas generation corresponding to a state where the fuel gas in excess of a predetermined allowable amount exists in the cathode. When the monitoring unit detects the abnormal fuel gas generation during execution of a warm-up operation to allow the fuel cell stack to generate heat with a predetermined target heating value, the control unit reduces the output current by reducing the target heating value.

A fuel cell system includes a controller which controls operations of an oxidizing gas supply/discharge system and a fuel gas supply/discharge system, and controls power generation of a fuel cell stack, and, when detecting a fuel gas concentration abnormality that a fuel gas concentration in an exhaust gas exceeds an allowable value during the power generation of the fuel cell stack, the controller increases a flow rate of air fed by an air compressor, and controls an opening of a bypass valve to execute exhaust gas dilution control for increasing a ratio of the flow rate of the air flowing out from the bypass piping to an exhaust gas piping with respect to the flow rate of the air to be supplied to the fuel cell stack.