Abstract: A fuel cell system (100) comprising: a fuel cell (1) for generating electric power using a fuel gas; a fuel gas generator section (2) for generating the fuel gas using a raw material gas; a combustor section (2a) for generating heat energy to be used for generating the fuel gas; an air feeder section (2b) for feeding aft when the heat energy is generated; and a controller section (101); wherein the fuel cell is filled with the raw material gas before the fuel gas is fed, and wherein the controller section (101) performs a control operation such that the feed rate of air supplied from the air feeder section (2b) to the combustor section (2a) increases when the fuel gas generated in the fuel gas generator section (2) is supplied to the fuel cell (1).

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus includes: a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a recycle passage through which the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydrodesulfurizer; a condenser provided on the recycle passage or on a gas passage upstream from the recycle passage; a drain passage through which water condensed in the condenser is drained; a heating medium passage through which a heating medium that recovers heat from the condenser flows; a delivery device configured to cause the heating medium to flow through the heating medium passage; and a controller configured to cause the delivery device to operate when the hydrogen-containing gas is not flowing through the recycle passage at at least one of start-up and stopping of the hydrogen generation apparatus.

Abstract: A cogeneration system including a power generator, a first circulation passage, a first heat medium circulator, a first heater, a first temperature detector, a first tank, a first valve, and a controller. The first heat medium circulator is configured to cause a first heat medium to flow from the first heater toward the first temperature detector. The controller performs a first heating operation of heating the first heat medium by the first heater and activating the first heat medium circulator. In a case where a temperature detected by the first temperature detector after the first heating operation is lower than a preset first predetermined temperature or in a case where a temperature difference between the temperatures detected by the first temperature detector before and after the first heating operation is a temperature change smaller than a preset first temperature difference, the controller determines that the cogeneration system is abnormal.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus includes: a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a recycle passage through which the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydrodesulfurizer; a condenser provided on the recycle passage or on a gas passage upstream from the recycle passage; a drain passage through which water condensed in the condenser is drained; a heating medium passage through which a heating medium that recovers heat from the condenser flows; a delivery device configured to cause the heating medium to flow through the heating medium passage; and a controller configured to cause the delivery device to operate when the hydrogen-containing gas is not flowing through the recycle passage at at least one of start-up and stopping of the hydrogen generation apparatus.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing fuel gas from a material gas and steam; a fuel cell (101) configured to generate electric power by using a fuel gas supplied from the reformer (1); a water tank (3) configured to store water; a water utilizing device configured to utilize the water supplied from the water tank (3); a first water supply unit (5) disposed on a water passage (30) extending from the water tank (3) to the water utilizing device and configured to supply the water in the water tank (3) to the water utilizing device; and a purifier (4) disposed on the water passage (30) and configured to purify the water flowing through the water passage (30), and the purifier (4) is provided such that when a water level of the water tank (3) is a full water level, the purifier (4) is filled with the water by the weight of the water.

Abstract: The possibility of carbon deposition from a raw material gas is made lower than before in a pressure compensating operation carried out after stopping the stop process of a hydrogen generator and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell; a fuel gas supplying unit supplying the fuel gas into the fuel cell on the anode side thereof; an oxidizing agent gas supplying unit supplying the oxidizing agent gas into the fuel cell on the cathode side thereof; a raw material gas supplying unit supplying the raw material gas into the fuel cell; and a controlling unit controlling the supply of the fuel gas, the oxidizing agent gas and the raw material gas. After switching the output of electric power or the fuel cell off, the fuel gas supplying unit suspends the supply of the fuel gas, the oxidizing agent gas supplying unit suspends the supply of the oxidizing agent gas and the raw material gas supplying unit supplies the raw material gas into the fuel cell to purge the fuel cell on the cathode side.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is disclosed in which the oxidative degradation of an anode of a fuel cell during an operation stop period is restrained. The fuel cell system (39) of the invention comprises a fuel cell (1) configured to generate electric power by use of hydrogen contained in a fuel gas supplied to an anode (1a) and oxygen contained in an oxidizing gas supplied to a cathode (1c); and a combustor (4) configured to combust flammable gas, and is formed such that after stopping the power generation, the flammable gas is introduced into and kept in the cathode (1c) and when discharging the flammable gas from the cathode (1c), the flammable gas is combusted by the combustor (4).

Abstract: A hydrogen generator of the present invention includes: a reformer (1) including a reforming catalyst (1A) containing nickel and configured to generate a hydrogen-rich fuel gas by using a raw material and steam; a temperature detector (12) configured to detect a temperature of the reforming catalyst (1A); a purge gas supplying device (7) configured to supply a purge gas to the reformer (1); and a controller (13). When the temperature detected by the temperature detector (12) is a first predetermined temperature or higher, the controller (13) purges the reformer (1) with the purge gas supplied from the purge gas supplying device (7).

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a fuel gas supply unit; an oxidizing gas supply unit; an oxidizing gas supply passage; an oxidizing gas discharge passage; an oxidizing gas branch passage; an on-off valve disposed on at least one of the oxidizing gas discharge passage and a portion of the oxidizing gas supply passage; an oxidizing gas supply amount measuring unit disposed on the oxidizing gas branch passage; and a controller configured to determine that the on-off valve is normal in a case where a supply amount of the oxidizing gas measured by the oxidizing gas supply amount measuring unit is equal to or larger than a first threshold and determines that the on-off valve is abnormal in a case where the supply amount of the oxidizing gas measured by the oxidizing gas supply amount measuring unit is smaller than the first threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a cooling water passage for cooling the fuel cell; a cooling water tank; a recovered water tank configured to store water produced in the fuel cell system; a water circulating passage configured to allow water circulating between the recovered water tank and the cooling water tank to flow therethrough; a power supply detection unit; a temperature detector provided in at least one of the cooling water passage, the cooling water tank, the recovered water tank, and the water circulating passage; and a controller configured to execute a temperature increasing process for increasing the temperature detected by the temperature detector if the power supply detection unit detects a change from a state in which electric power is not supplied to a state in which the electric power is supplied.

Abstract: A gas instrument determiner section included in a flow meter device determines whether or not a gas instrument in use is a fuel cell, by comparing an actual measurement value of a gas flow measured at first measurement time intervals in a first determination operation period from when inflowing of the gas starts until a predetermined time lapses, to determination flow data, and by comparing an actual measurement value measured at second measurement time intervals longer than the first measurement time interval in a second determination operation period which ends after the first determination operation period ends, to determination flow data. This makes it possible to accurately determine the gas instrument in use even when the gas instrument in use is the fuel cell.

Abstract: A gas instrument determiner section (12) included in a flow meter device (10A) determines a kind of a gas instrument (20) in use by utilizing a flow pattern in which a range of increase/decrease in a gas flow is within a flow zone set in a fuel cell (21) as a flow pattern which is a pattern of a gas flow which changes over time when the fuel cell (21) is included in the gas instrument (20) in use. This makes it possible to accurately determine whether or not the gas instrument in use is the fuel cell while effectively suppressing unnecessary gas consumption.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system including stopping power generation of a fuel cell which generates electric power using a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, filling and keeping a combustible gas in a cathode of the fuel cell after said step, supplying the oxidizing gas to the cathode, supplying the combustible gas discharged from the cathode in response to the previous step to a combustor capable of heating a fuel generator for generating the fuel gas or an exhaust pipe connected to the combustor via a branch passage branching from an oxidizing gas passage located downstream of the cathode, diluting the combustible gas supplied to the combustor or the exhaust pipe with air supplied to the combustor or exhaust gas supplied to the exhaust pipe such that the combustible gas has a concentration lower than a combustion lower limit, and discharging the diluted combustible gas to atmosphere.

Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system includes a fuel gas generating means for generating a hydrogen-rich fuel gas from a source material having, as a main ingredient, a compound containing carbon and hydrogen; a source material supply source for supplying a source material to the fuel gas generating means; a fuel gas supply means for supplying the fuel gas from the fuel gas generating means to a fuel gas flow channel of a fuel cell at which channel a fuel electrode is placed; and a bypass means for supplying the source material from the source material supply source to the fuel gas flow channel, bypassing the fuel gas generating means. At least at one of time periods before start of and after end of power generation, the source material, as a displacement gas, is injected into the fuel gas flow channel of the fuel cell via the bypass means.

Abstract: A fuel cell system and an operation method thereof are provided, which are capable of properly executing special shutdown of the fuel cell system in the event of a trouble in purge operation by use of material gas. In the fuel cell system (100), if an abnormality occurs in a purge process by use of material gas during shutdown of the fuel cell system (100), the controller (11) brings, according to the contents of the abnormality, the opening/closing state of fuel electrode opening/closing devices (26, 23, 24) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of a fuel electrode (13a), oxidant electrode opening/closing devices (25, 28, 20, 27) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of an oxidant electrode (13c) or hydrogen generator opening/closing devices (21, 23, 22) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of a hydrogen generator (12) into a state that is different from their opening/closing state when the purge process by use of the material gas is performed.

Abstract: The fuel cell power generation system includes a fuel cell, a reformer, a carbon monoxide decreasing unit, a first raw material supply source, a first valve which is provided to a first raw material flow passage, a second valve which is provided downstream of the carbon monoxide decreasing unit, a second raw material supply source which supplies a raw material to the inside of a flow passage which is closed by the first valve and the second valve from downstream of the carbon monoxide decreasing unit, and a control unit which controls the first valve and the second valve, wherein the control unit, after the first valve and the second valve are closed, supplies the raw material fed from the second raw material supply source to the inside of the flow passage closed by the first valve and the second valve at the time of stopping the system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1); an accessory device; a sensor configured to detect an operation state of the fuel cell system; an accessory device abnormality detector (44) configured to detect an abnormality in the accessory device; a sensor abnormality detector (45) configured to detect an abnormality in the operation state of the fuel cell system; and a controller (47).

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus of the present invention includes a controller (20) configured to, during a stop period, control a material gas feeding device (10) to feed a material gas to a gas passage which is located between the material gas feeding device (10) and a valve (16) to perform a maintaining process for maintaining a pressure in an interior of the gas passage at value which is not smaller than a first threshold which is an atmospheric pressure or larger. When the controller (20) detects there is an abnormality in the maintaining process, the controller (20) controls the material gas feeding device (10) and an ignition device (5A) to feed the material gas with an amount which is larger than an amount in a case where the controller detects there is no abnormality in the maintaining process, during a period which lapses from when the controller detects the abnormality until the ignition device starts an ignition operation in a start-up process.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit 50; a first water tank 41 configured to store at least one of condensation water, cooling water, and stored hot water; a second water tank 43 configured to store at least one of the condensation water, the cooling water, and the stored hot water; a first water amount sensor 42 configured to detect the amount of water in the first water tank; a second water amount sensor 44 configured to detect the amount of water in the second water tank; a first water moving mechanism 60 configured to move water in the first water tank to the second water tank; and a controller 40 configured to perform control of the first water moving mechanism.