Abstract: A fuel cell system includes fuel cell stacks electrically connected in parallel and supplying a gross current to a load. A controller determines the gross load current, and produces a desired current through the load by adjusting, based on the gross load current, at least one parameter affecting at least one of the inputs to and outputs from the system. This system allows a stack design and its voltage output to be kept constant while stacks are added for increased power.

Abstract: Pressure control in a fuel cell is achieved by using an H-infinity controller coupled in a feedback loop between a reactant feed gas valve and a pressure sensor on gas flows to the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell. To maintain pressure balance across the membrane, the pressure of the oxidant reactant is used to regulate fuel reactant flow. An integrator windup compensator manages integral windup in the H-infinity control scheme. Control weight, sensor noise weight, and performance weight matrices are incorporated into the H-infinity control model. Respective to PID control, the H-infinity model provides superior performance in the presence of high frequency feedback noise enabling use of low cost control components in the fuel cell and a minimum of EMI shielding.