Method and apparatus for fuel cell systems

Abstract

An array of fuel cell systems are electrically couplable in series and/or parallel combinations to provide a variety of output powers, output current and/or output voltages. The fuel cell systems are “hot swappable” and redundant fuel cell systems may automatically replace faulty fuel cell systems to maintain output power, current and/or voltage, with or without switching. The configuration of fuel cell systems may be automatic and may be based on desired power, current and/or voltage, and/or based on the operating parameters of the fuel cell systems and/or power supply system.

1 . A power supply system, comprising:
 a first array of serially coupled fuel cell systems, operable to produce a first voltage there across;   a second array of serially coupled fuel cell systems, operable to produce a first voltage there across;   a third array of serially coupled fuel cell systems, operable to produce a second voltage there across; and   a fourth array of serially coupled fuel cell systems, operable to produce a third voltage there across, wherein at least one of fuel cell systems from each of the first, the second, the third and the fourth arrays are electrically coupled in parallel with one another, at least another one of fuel cell systems from each of the first, the second and the third arrays are electrically coupled in parallel with one another, and at least a further one of the fuel cell systems from each of the first and the second arrays are electrically coupled in parallel with one another.   
   
   
       2 . The power supply system of  claim 1  wherein the number of fuel cell systems in each of the two arrays of the first, the second, the third and the fourth arrays having the most number of fuel cell systems is the same. 
   
   
       3 . The power supply system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first tap electrically coupled between a first and a second end of the first and the second arrays of fuel cell systems to provide a reference potential;   a second tap electrically coupled to the first end of the first and the second arrays of fuel cell systems to provide a first potential, the first potential above the reference potential;   a third tap electrically coupled to the second end of the first and the second arrays of fuel cell systems to provide a second potential, the second potential below the reference potential;   a fourth tap electrically coupled to a first end of the third array of fuel cell systems to provide a third potential, the third potential above the reference potential and below the first potential;   a fifth tap electrically coupled to a first end of the fourth array of fuel cell systems to provide a fourth potential, the fourth potential above the reference potential and below the third potential; and   a sixth tap electrically coupled to a second end of the fourth array of fuel cell systems to provide a fifth potential, the fifth potential below the reference potential and above the second potential.