Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly 21 and a bipolar plate 24 disposed outside the membrane electrode assembly 21. The bipolar plate 24 is porous, and has first gas passages 33 formed on the top surface through which gas is passed, second gas passages 35 formed on the undersurface through which gas is passed, communicating passages 34 which allow the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 to communicate, a gas inlet 31 connected to one of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for supplying gas, and a gas outlet 37 connected to the other of the first gas passages 33 and second gas passages 35 for discharging gas.

Abstract: A fuel reforming system, comprising a reformer (2, 3, 4) which produces reformate gas from rich raw fuel gas, and supplies the reformate gas to the fuel cell (28) during a reforming operation, a burner (1) which produces lean combustion gas, and supplies the lean combustion gas to the reformer (2, 3, 4) during a warmup operation of the reformer (2, 3, 4), and a nonflammable fluid supply apparatus which supplies a nonflammable fluid other than fuel and air to the reformer (2, 3, 4). During the warmup operation of the reformer (2, 3, 4), the lean combustion gas is supplied from the burner (1) to the reformer (2, 3, 4), and when warmup of the reformer (2, 3, 4) is complete, the nonflammable fluid is supplied from the nonflammable fluid supply apparatus to the reformer (2, 3, 4), and the reforming operation of the reformer (2, 3, 4) then starts.

Abstract: A reformer (3) supplies a reformate gas to a fuel cell stack (4). The reformer (3) generates a reformate gas by reforming gaseous fuel vaporized by a vaporizer (2). When current supply from the fuel cell stack (4) to the electric motor (21) undergoes a sharp decrease, unnecessary consumption of gaseous fuel is prevented by closing a first valve (11) which supplies gaseous fuel from the vaporizer (2) to the reformer (3) and by opening a second valve (13) which returns gaseous fuel in the vaporizer (2) to the fuel tank (6).

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) contains a first solid electrolyte layer of LaGa-based perovskite, an air electrode, a fuel electrode and a second solid electrolyte layer (having a hole transport number smaller than that of the first solid electrolyte layer), which is provided between the first solid electrolyte layer and an air electrode. Also, another SOFC contains a first solid electrolyte layer of LaGa-based perovskite, an air electrode, a fuel electrode and a third solid electrolyte layer (having electron and proton conductivity lower than that of the first solid electrolyte layer), which is provided between the first solid electrolyte layer and the fuel electrode. Still another SOFC contains the second solid electrolyte layer provided between a first solid electrolyte layer and an air electrode and the third solid electrolyte layer provided between the first solid electrolyte layer and a fuel electrode.

Abstract: The hydrogen permeating to a post-separation side (11B) of the membrane hydrogen separator (11) is supplied to an anode chamber (2A) of a fuel cell stack (2) via a hydrogen supply passage (25). A hydrogen recirculation passage (8) recirculates hydrogen from the anode chamber (2A) to the post-separation side (11B). When the hydrogen partial pressure on the post-separation side (11B) increases, air is introduced into the hydrogen recirculation passage (8) from an intake valve (30). When the hydrogen partial pressure decreases, gas in the hydrogen recirculation passage (8) is discharged from an exhaust valve (60). The rate of hydrogen permeation through the membrane hydrogen separator (11) is thereby maintained to a preferred level.

Abstract: A fuel cell system cooperating with a rechargeable battery (18) mounts a fuel cell (12) as a source of motive power in an electric vehicle with an electric motor. The fuel cell system and the rechargeable battery (18) supplies the electric motor with electrical power. The fuel cell system also includes a reformer (11) as a source of hydrogen hydrogen-containing gas supplied to the fuel cell (12). The fuel cell system comprises a temperature sensor (19) for measuring the temperature (Tb) of the rechargeable battery and a controller (16) for controlling the response characteristics (mainly the response characteristics of the reformer) of the fuel cell system based on the measured temperature (Tb). The controller (16) calculates a response time of the fuel cell system based on the measured temperature, and controls the supply of hydrogen-containing gas to the fuel cell in response to the calculated response time.

Abstract: A fuel cell power plant comprises plural fuel cell stacks (10A-10B) capable of generating power independently, and a warm-up circuit (33) which can independently warm up the fuel cell stacks (10A-10C). A controller (14) estimates a required output power of the power plant within a predetermined time from when the vehicle starts running (S121-S127), and determines the number of fuel cell stacks satisfying the required output power (S106). The controller (14) economizes energy required for warm-up of the fuel cell stacks while providing the required output power by warming up only the determined number of fuel cell stacks before the vehicle starts running.

Abstract: A fuel cell power plant system for a moving body includes a drive device (2) for driving the moving body by receiving power,-a power plant (10) having a fuel cell (1) for supplying power to the drive device (2) and a fuel supply device (3) which supplies fuel required by the fuel cell (1) to generate power, and a controller (6). When the moving body has stopped, the controller (6) selects one operating mode from plural operating modes according to the running state of the power plant (10), the fuel cell (1) not generating power to be supplied to the drive device in the plural operating modes, and controls the power plant (10) based on the selected operating mode.

Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes a power generation device (150) which generates power using fuel, a battery (112) which stores the power generated by the power generation device, and a rotating machine (113) which drives the vehicle using the power supplied from the power generation device or the battery, and regenerates power when the vehicle is decelerating. A controller (115) computes a smoothed value of the electrical load of the vehicle, computes a running load command value supplied to the power generation device (150) based on the smoothed electrical load value, computes the power regenerated by the rotating machine (113), corrects the running load command value based on the regenerated power, and controls the power generation device (150) based on the corrected running load command value.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell (29) supplied with gas including hydrogen and gas including oxygen, a humidifying mechanism (73, 31) humidifying either one of the gas including the hydrogen and the gas including the oxygen or both of such gases using water from a water tank (19), a water collection mechanism (73, 31) collecting water from the fuel cell to return the water collected with the water collection mechanism to the water tank, an atmospheric temperature sensor (69) sensing an atmospheric temperature, and a controller (57) performing a high temperature control to increase an exhaust including steam to be expelled outside the fuel cell system when the atmospheric temperature sensed by the atmospheric temperature sensor exceeds a given temperature.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a heater (10,11) for heating water in the fuel cell system; and a controller (100) for controlling the heater. The controller (100) executes a stop mode having the smaller energy consumption of a temperature maintenance mode where water in the fuel cell system is maintained to a temperature greater than freezing point in a period after a shutdown the fuel cell system until a scheduled start-up date-time and a defrost start-up mode where frozen water in the fuel cell system is melted when the fuel cell system undergoes a start-up operation. The controller (100) stores a historical external temperature data for a period prior to the shutdown of the fuel cell system. The historical external temperature data is used for predicting the external temperature for the scheduled start-up date-time. The controller (100) calculates the energy consumption in the defrost start-up mode based on the predicted external temperature.

Abstract: A reformer (2) produces a reformate gas by partial oxidation of vaporized fuel with air supplied through a first air supply passage (10A). A hydrogen-rich gas is produced by removing carbon monoxide from the reformate gas with a carbon monoxide oxidizer (3) and thereafter is supplied to the fuel cell stack (1). A second air supply passage (8A) which has a smaller cross sectional area than the first air supply passage (10A) is also provided to supply air to the reformer (2). When substantially no load is applied to the fuel cell stack (1), the first air supply passage (10A) is cut off with a valve (7A) and a minute amount of air is supplied to the reformer (2) from the second air supply passage (8A) to maintain a standby operation of the power plant in order to prevent reductions in the temperature of the fuel cell stack (1).

Abstract: A fuel cell power plant comprises a fuel reforming system (1). The fuel reforming system (1) comprises a vaporizer (7) which vaporizes liquid fuel and supplies fuel vapor to a reformer (9). The vaporizer (7) heats injected fuel so as to vaporize it by a heating elements (7A), and supplies it to the reformer (9) via a fuel vapor supply passage (32) comprising a first valve (17). In a standby mode of the vaporizer (7) when the first valve (17) is closed, surplus fuel and heat energy in the standby state are recovered by providing a recovery passage (19, 20) which recovers fuel in the vicinity of the heating elements (7A) to the fuel tank (6) without allowing it to flowing into the vapor supply passage (32).

Abstract: High temperature reducing gas is supplied to a reforming catalyst (51) of a reformer (13) and a CO removal catalyst (52) of a CO removal device (15) from a start-up combustor (11). By supplying the high temperature reducing gas from the start-up combustor (11), there is no need to provide an additional device for supplying reducing gas, and the heat required for the reaction may be supplied simultaneously.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel cell system comprising a fuel tank 11 for storing fuel; an evaporator 12 for evaporating the fuel to generate fuel gas; a reforming reactor 13 for generating reforming gas containing hydrogen from the fuel gas; a combustor 14 for burning any one of the fuel and the reforming gas to supply heat to the evaporator 12; and a fuel cell portion 15 for generating electricity by use of the hydrogen contained in the reforming gas generated in the reforming reactor 13, wherein a boiling point temperature of the fuel in the evaporator 12 is estimated based on an operation pressure of the evaporator 12, a vapor temperature of the fuel gas in the evaporator 12 is measured, and when a value obtained by subtracting the boiling point temperature from the vapor temperature becomes below a predetermined value, a flow rate of any one of the fuel and the reforming gas burnt in the combustor 14 is increased.

Abstract: A fuel cell power plant is provided for a mobile unit. The mobile unit is provided with a drive device (29) driving the mobile unit when supplied with electrical power. The power plant comprises a fuel cell (21) generating power when supplied with fuel, a battery (27) charged with power generated by the fuel cell, a power regulation device (31) selectively distributing power from the fuel cell (21) and the battery (27) to the drive device (29), and a controller (33) for controlling running operations. The controller (33) estimates the energy required to activate the fuel cell (21), and controls the power regulation device (31) when the energy required to activate the fuel cell is greater than or equal to a determination value so that the fuel cell is not activated and power from the battery (27) is supplied to the drive device (29). In this manner, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption during startup operations.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided which performs simple control of the time until warm-up of the reformer (1) is completed. This fuel cell system comprises a reformer (1) which generates a reformate gas, and a fuel cell (2) which generates power from an oxidizing agent and the reformate gas supplied from the reformer (1). The fuel cell system is provided with a temperature sensor (7) which performs a detection at one position of the temperature immediately before starting or re-starting the reformer (1) and a controller (6) estimating the time to warm-up the reformer (1) based on the detected temperature of the reformer (1).

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an evaporator 80 composed of a cross type heat exchanger 16 adapted to produce fuel containing steam and methanol vapor that are evaporated with heating gas 18 exhausted from a combustor 20. The evaporator 80 has first and second heat exchanger sections 88 and 89 having respective evaporating heat transfer surfaces, and first and second liquid sump sections 82a and 84a formed in the vicinities of the respective heat transfer surfaces and having variable volumes, respectively. The evaporator 80 includes first and second volume control devices 90 and 92 that control the volumes of the liquid sump sections 82a and 84a such that fuel vapor is produced at a demanded amount to meet load variations of a vehicle.

Abstract: The hydrogen permeating to a post-separation side (11B) of the membrane hydrogen separator (11) is supplied to an anode chamber (2A) of a fuel cell stack (2) via a hydrogen supply passage (25). A hydrogen recirculation passage (8) recirculates hydrogen from the anode chamber (2A) to the post-separation side (11B). When the hydrogen partial pressure on the post-separation side (11B) increases, air is introduced into the hydrogen recirculation passage (8) from an intake valve (30). When the hydrogen partial pressure decreases, gas in the hydrogen recirculation passage (8) is discharged from an exhaust valve (60). The rate of hydrogen permeation through the membrane hydrogen separator (11) is thereby maintained to a preferred level.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell body, a hydrogen supply system supplying hydrogen containing gas to the fuel cell body, an oxygen supply system supplying oxygen containing gas to the fuel cell body, a cooling system adjusting the temperature of the fuel cell body, a water circulation system supplying water to humidify the fuel cell body and collecting water discharged from the fuel cell body, a generated heat amount calculating section calculating a generated heat amount of the fuel cell body, a cooling performance calculating section calculating a cooling performance of the cooling system, a temperature calculating section calculating a fuel cell temperature of the fuel cell body on the basis of the generated heat amount and the cooling performance, a collected water amount calculating section calculating an amount of water collected from the water circulation system on the basis of the fuel cell temperature, and a collected water amount controlling section controlling the amount of collected