According to the present embodiment, the first fuel cell group is formed of a plurality of fuel cell stacks connected in series. The first power converter is capable of controlling a first power to be generated by the first fuel cell group according to a first output current. The second fuel cell group is formed of a plurality of fuel cell stacks connected in series, the fuel cell stacks corresponding respectively to the fuel cell stacks in the first fuel cell group. The second power converter is capable of controlling a second power to be generated by the second fuel cell group according to a second output current. Oxygen-containing gas is supplied through the first pipe to each of the fuel cell stacks in the first fuel cell group and each of the fuel cell stacks in the second fuel cell group.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit configured to generate an amount of electrical power for supply to a varying electrical load and a fuel cell controller configured to receive a first indication that the varying electrical load is at a local maximum within a predetermined period, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with an operational parameter having a first value such that the fuel cell unit produces a limited maximum amount of electrical power that is a predetermined percentage of a maximum rated power output of the fuel cell unit. The fuel cell controller is also configured to receive an indication that the varying electrical load has reduced, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with the operational parameter having a second value such that the fuel cell unit produces an amount of electrical power below the limited maximum amount of electrical power.

A method conditions a fuel cell stack of a fuel cell system during a usage operation of the fuel cell system. The method determines that a conditioning of the fuel cell stack is to be carried out for increasing an electrical power provided by the fuel cell stack during usage operation. In addition, the method adjusts at least one operating parameter of the fuel cell system in order to increase a current flow through the fuel cell stack for conditioning the fuel cell stack during usage operation.

Provided is a power control apparatus for a fuel cell vehicle which includes a fuel cell and which is driven by an electric motor that is supplied with electric power from the fuel cell. The power control apparatus includes an accelerator sensor that detects an operation of an accelerator, and a control unit that controls the fuel cell to increase the output power of the fuel cell so as to correspond to an increase in a requested acceleration output based on the detected accelerator opening degree. When the accelerator opening degree is less than a first accelerator determination value that is set in advance, the control unit controls the fuel cell to suppress an increase in the output power thereof.

An energy management system having a fuel cell apparatus (150) as a power generator that generates power using fuel, and an EMS (200) that communicates with the fuel cell apparatus (150). The EMS (200) receives messages that indicate a type of the fuel cell apparatus (150), from the fuel cell apparatus (150).

An embodiment fuel cell device includes a fuel cell, a power controller configured to convert a magnitude of a stack voltage output from the fuel cell and to output the stack voltage having the converted magnitude to a load, and a junction box including a bypass diode that includes an anode coupled to the stack voltage and to a voltage input terminal of the power controller and a cathode coupled to a voltage output terminal of the power controller and to the load, wherein the voltage output terminal of the power controller is configured to carry a voltage having the converted magnitude.

A device for protecting a converter and a control method thereof, the device including: a voltage detection unit that detects at least one of an input-stage voltage and an output-stage voltage of a converter; a switching device that connects an output stage of the converter and a load connected to the output stage, or blocks a connection; a controller that determines whether the detected input-stage voltage or output-stage voltage is out of a preset voltage range, and, when the voltage is out of the range, controls the switching device to cut off the connection between the output stage of the converter and the load; and a driving unit that controls an operation of at least one of the fuel cell and the battery so that a driving force of the vehicle is not generated by the fuel cell and the battery when the connection is cut off.

An electrical system includes a stack (3) of electrochemical cells (5), a power converter (9) electrically connected to the stack (3), a voltage comparator (7) for comparing the voltage at the terminals of at least one group of at least one electrochemical cell (5) of the stack (3) to a threshold voltage, and a control module (11) for controlling the converter (9). The control module (11) includes a generator (74) for generating a control instruction for controlling the converter (9) and a transmission member (76) for transmitting the control instruction to the converter (9). The voltage comparator (7) is suitable for transmitting a signal to the transmission member (76). The signal consists of a first instruction from an instruction for transmitting and an instruction for blocking the control instruction when the compared voltage is higher than the threshold voltage, and a second instruction from the instructions for transmitting and blocking the control instruction when the compared voltage is lower than or equal to the threshold voltage.

A power controlling apparatus includes a secondary battery (2) connected to an electrical device (4), and a fuel cell (3) connected to the electrical device (4) and the secondary battery (2). The fuel cell (3) has two non-generating modes including an idling mode and a halt mode, the fuel cell (3) suspending generation of power while being supplied with fuel in the idling mode, the fuel cell (3) stopping generation of power without fuel supply in the halt mode. The power controlling apparatus further includes a remainder estimator (11) to calculate the remaining number of starts representing the remaining number of available starts of the fuel cell (3), and a controller (16) to control the fuel cell (3) to be one of the two non-generating modes during a non-charging mode of the secondary battery (2), based on the remaining number of starts calculated by the remainder estimator (11).

A required output (power consumption amount) of each of loads to which electrical power generated by fuel cell stacks is supplied is adjusted, in a manner so that a difference in a residual amount of fuel in the fuel tanks between fuel cell engines is reduced.