A fuel cell system having first and second fuel cells that each receive anode reactant flows and cathode reactant flows. Each of the fuel cells uses the reactant flows to produce electricity. The electricity production by the fuel cells produces respective first and second anode and cathode effluent
A fuel cell system having first and second fuel cells that each receive anode reactant flows and cathode reactant flows. Each of the fuel cells uses the reactant flows to produce electricity. The electricity production by the fuel cells produces respective first and second anode and cathode effluents that are exhausted from the respective fuel cells. The second fuel cell is connected to and downstream from the first fuel cell so that the anode reactant flow to the second fuel cell is formed from a portion of the anode effluent exhausted from the first fuel cell.
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What is claimed is: 1. A fuel cell system comprising: a first fuel cell having a first anode inlet receiving a first anode reactant flow and a first cathode inlet receiving a first cathode reactant flow, said first fuel cell reacting said first anode and cathode reactant flows to produce electricit
What is claimed is: 1. A fuel cell system comprising: a first fuel cell having a first anode inlet receiving a first anode reactant flow and a first cathode inlet receiving a first cathode reactant flow, said first fuel cell reacting said first anode and cathode reactant flows to produce electricity, a first anode effluent exhausted from a first anode outlet and a first cathode effluent exhausted from a first cathode outlet; and a second fuel cell having a second anode inlet receiving a second anode reactant flow and a second cathode inlet receiving a second cathode reactant flow, said second fuel cell reacting said second anode and cathode reactant flows to produce electricity, a second anode effluent exhausted from a second anode outlet and a second cathode effluent exhausted from a second cathode outlet, wherein said first and second fuel cells are a same type of fuel cell, said first anode outlet is in fluid communication with said second anode inlet so that a portion of said second anode reactant flow received in said second fuel cell is formed from a portion of said first anode effluent exhausted from said first fuel cell, and wherein said second fuel cell is a lower power fuel cell than said first fuel cell, and said first cathode outlet is in fluid communication with said second cathode inlet so that a portion of said second cathode reactant flow received in said second fuel cell is formed from a portion of said first cathode effluent exhausted from said first fuel cell. 2. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising a control valve interposed between said first anode outlet and said second anode inlet. 3. The fuel cell of system of claim 2, wherein said control valve is selectively operable between open and closed positions so that said first anode effluent can be selectively exhausted from said first fuel cell. 4. The fuel cell system of claim 2, wherein said control valve is selectively adjustable between a fully closed position and a fully open position for regulating said portion of said first anode effluent that forms said portion of said second anode reactant flow. 5. The fuel cell system of claim 1, further comprising a check valve in fluid communication with said second anode outlet and disposed downstream from said second fuel cell with said second anode effluent flowing therethrough, said check valve preventing back flow contamination of said second and first fuel cells. 6. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said second anode reactant flow consists essentially of said first anode effluent. 7. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said second anode reactant flow comprises an entire portion of said first anode effluent. 8. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said first fuel cell is a PEM fuel cell. 9. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said first and second cathode reactant flows originate from a common cathode reactant flow. 10. The fuel cell system of claim 1, wherein said second cathode reactant flow is ambient air. 11. A fuel cell system comprising: an anode reactant flow having a hydrogen concentration; a cathode reactant flow having an oxygen concentration; a primary fuel cell that receives a primary anode reactant flow and a primary cathode reactant flow, said primary anode and cathode reactant flows originating from said anode and cathode reactant flows respectively, said primary fuel cell converting said primary reactant flows into electricity, a primary anode effluent having a first hydrogen concentration and a primary cathode effluent that are exhausted from said primary fuel cell; and a secondary fuel cell receiving said primary anode effluent exhausted from said primary fuel cell and a secondary cathode reactant flow, said secondary fuel cell converting said primary anode effluent and said secondary cathode reactant flow into electricity, a secondary anode effluent having a second hydrogen concentration and a secondary cathode effluent that are exhausted from said secondary fuel cell, wherein said second hydrogen concentration is less than said first hydrogen concentration. 12. The fuel cell system of claim 11, further comprising a control valve disposed between said primary fuel cell and said secondary fuel cell, said control valve controlling the flow of said primary anode effluent from said primary fuel cell to said secondary fuel cell. 13. The fuel cell system of claim 11, further comprising a check valve disposed downstream from said secondary fuel cell with said secondary anode effluent flowing therethrough, said check valve preventing back flow contamination of said secondary fuel cell and said primary fuel cell. 14. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein said primary fuel cell and said secondary fuel cells are a same type of fuel cell. 15. A fuel cell system comprising: an anode reactant flow having a hydrogen concentration; a cathode reactant flow having an oxygen concentration; a primary fuel cell that receives a primary anode reactant flow and a primary cathode reactant flow, said primary anode and cathode reactant flows originating from said anode and cathode reactant flows respectively, said primary fuel cell converting said primary reactant flows into electricity, a primary anode effluent and a primary cathode effluent that are exhausted from said primary fuel cell; a secondary fuel cell receiving said primary anode effluent exhausted from said primary fuel cell and a secondary cathode reactant flow, said secondary fuel cell converting said primary anode effluent and said secondary cathode reactant flow into electricity, a secondary anode effluent and a secondary cathode effluent that are exhausted from said secondary fuel cell to the environment within which the fuel cell system is operating, wherein said secondary fuel cell is a lower power fuel cell than said primary fuel cell. 16. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein a portion of said secondary cathode reactant flow is formed from a portion of said primary cathode effluent exhausted from said primary fuel cell. 17. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein said secondary cathode reactant flow originates from said cathode reactant flow. 18. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein said secondary cathode reactant flow is ambient air. 19. A method of converting an anode effluent produced in a primary fuel cell in a fuel cell system into an electrical current, the method comprising: producing a first anode effluent having a first hydrogen concentration in a primary fuel cell; routing a portion of the first anode effluent from the primary fuel cell to a secondary fuel cell; supplying said secondary fuel cell with a cathode reactant flow; and converting said portion of the first anode effluent and said cathode reactant flow into electricity and a second anode effluent having a second hydrogen concentration less than said first hydrogen concentration in said secondary fuel cell. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein, prior to routing a portion of the first anode effluent to said secondary fuel cell, the method further comprises: routing all of the first anode effluent produced by the primary fuel cell through a control valve; and controlling the flow of the first anode effluent from the primary fuel cell by selectively operating said control valve. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein routing a portion of the first anode effluent includes routing an entire portIon of the first anode effluent to said secondary fuel cell. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein supplying said secondary fuel cell with a cathode reactant flow includes routing a portion of a cathode effluent exhausted from said primary fuel cell to said secondary fuel cell. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein supplying said secondary fuel cell with a cathode reactant flow includes supplying said secondary fuel cell with said cathode reactant flow from a common cathode source that is used to provide a cathode reactant flow to said primary fuel cell. 24. The fuel cell system of claim 11, wherein said secondary anode effluent is vented to the environment. 25. The method of claim 19, further comprising venting said second anode effluent to the environment. 26. A method of operating a fuel cell system, the method comprising: (a) powering a primary electrical load with a first fuel cell operable to produce a first voltage; (b) routing anode effluent from said first fuel cell to a second fuel cell operable to produce a second voltage less than said first voltage; (c) powering a secondary electrical load with the second fuel cell, said secondary electrical load being lower than said primary electrical load; and (d) venting anode effluent produced by said second fuel cell to the environment within which the fuel cell system is operating. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein (a) comprises supplying a first anode reactant stream and a first cathode reactant stream to said first fuel cell and (c) comprises supplying a second cathode reactant stream to said second fuel cell. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein (a) comprises producing a first anode effluent having a first hydrogen concentration with said first fuel cell, (b) comprises routing said first anode effluent to said second fuel cell, and (c) comprises producing a second anode effluent having a second hydrogen concentration with said second fuel cell, said second hydrogen concentration being less than said first hydrogen concentration.
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