Abstract: A hydrogen generator (1) includes: a reformer which generates a hydrogen-containing gas from a raw material and steam; a combustor (4) which heats the reformer; an evaporator (2) which generates the steam by utilizing heat of a combustion gas after the reformer is heated by the combustion gas; and a control unit (20), the hydrogen generator (1) is controlled such that ON and OFF of a combustion operation of the combustor (4) are repeated in a start-up operation of the hydrogen generator (1) and a temperature of the reformer is kept to a predetermined temperature or lower, and the control unit (20) controls the combustion operation such that a heat amount per unit time by the combustor (4) in a first combustion operation is larger than the heat amount per unit time in k-th (k>1) and following combustion operations.

Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (3); a fuel gas supply mechanism (10); an oxidizing gas supply mechanism (11); an electric power output unit (18); a cooling mechanism (12); and a controller (20) configured to carry out a first step in which the controller controls the electric power supplied from the electric power output unit (18) to at least one of an internal load (21) and an external load (17) such that a voltage of the fuel cell (3) temporarily becomes equal to or higher than a first voltage by which a sulfur compound adhered to a cathode (2b) oxidizes, and then, carry out a second step in which the controller causes the cooling mechanism (12) to cool the fuel cell (3) to condense steam in the fuel cell (3) and stops supplying the oxidizing gas from the oxidizing gas supply mechanism (11).

Abstract: Problems of acceleration of drying of electrolyte membrane and local reaction, etc. can be properly coped with to attain the stabilization of performance of fuel cell.

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 stable and high reliability fuel cell electricity-generating device capable of generating electricity even in the case of sudden drop of load power. A fuel cell generating electric power from a fuel and an oxidizer, a fuel processor producing fuel to be supplied into the fuel cell from an electricity-generating material, a combustion device combusting a residual fuel gas unconsumed in the fuel cell to raise the temperature of the fuel processor, and an electric power generation instructing means of determining the electric power generated by the fuel cell, wherein when the electric power generation instructing means decreases the electric power generated by the fuel cell depending on the decrease of load power to be supplied, the rate at which the generated electric power is decreased is made different depending on the change of the temperature of the fuel processor.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator of the present invention comprises a reformer (1) including a reforming catalyst (1A) which allows a hydrogen-containing gas to be generated using a raw material and steam; a water evaporator (3) for generating the steam; a raw material supply passage (2) which supplies the raw material to the reforming catalyst (1A) of the reformer (1); a steam supply passage (4) which supplies the steam generated in the water evaporator (3) to the reforming catalyst (1A) of the reformer (1); a pressure releasing device (6) provided at the raw material supply passage (2) or the steam supply passage (4); an exhaust passage (7) which flows a gas exhausted from the pressure releasing device (6) and containing the steam; and a cooler (8) provided at the exhaust passage and configured to cool the gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell (13), a load value detecting means (16) configured to detect a load value of a load of electric power or heat which is generated by equipment (14) supplied with the electric power or the heat from the fuel cell system, a load value storage means (17) configured to store a history of the load value which is detected by the load value detecting means (16), a load value predicting means (18) configured to predict a load value which is going to be generated, based on the history of the load value, and to store the predicted load value as load value data, and scheduled start-up time of a fuel cell (13) is decided based on the load value data.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation device or a fuel cell system of the present invention can prevent deterioration or breakage of portions of the hydrogen generation device, which is caused by thermal stress attributable to repeated operation and halt. Thus, it is possible to increase the life and enhance the stability of the device and the system. A hydrogen generation device 76 of a fuel cell system 100 includes a hydrogen generation device main body 78 including a combustor 4 provided therein for combusting a predetermined medium capable of generating hydrogen and a plurality of pipes which are connected to the hydrogen generation device main body 78 for allowing the predetermined medium flow into or out of the hydrogen generation device main body 78. A temperature gradient is formed in the hydrogen generation device main body 78 by operation of the combustor 4, whereby a high temperature portion and a low temperature portion are formed in the hydrogen generation device main body 78.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fuel cell system according to the invention comprising; a material gas feeder (1); a reformer (3); a fuel cell (4); a combustor (5); communication passages (6A-6E); and a controller (20), wherein during a shutdown period of the fuel cell (4), the controller (20) determines whether the fuel cell system is in a normal condition where a shutdown operation of the fuel cell (4) is performed; and wherein if the controller (20) determines that the fuel cell system is not in the normal condition, the controller (20) controls the material gas feeder (1) to execute a material gas feed process before a next ignition of the combustor (5), the material gas feed process being performed such that the material gas is supplied to a hydrogen-containing gas flow path constituted by the reformer (3) and the communication passages (6A-6E) located between the reformer (3) and the combustor (5).

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell configured to generate electric power using a fuel; a fuel processor configured to generate the fuel from a power generation material and supply the fuel to the fuel cell; composition-related information acquiring means (22) for acquiring composition-related information related to the composition of the power generation material; and control parameter setting means (111) for setting control parameters for the fuel cell system based on the acquired composition-related information, the control parameters being related to a composition of the power generation material.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell (1) configured to generate electric power by a reaction between fuel and an oxidizing agent; a cooling passage (3) through which a first heat medium for cooling down the fuel cell (1) flows; a heat exchanger (5) disposed on the cooling passage (3); and an exhaust heat recovery passage (7) through which a second heat medium which exchanges heat with the first heat medium by the heat exchanger (5) flows, wherein a deceleration portion (7c) configured to reduce a flow velocity of the second heat medium and a bubble release portion (7d) configured to discharge bubbles in the deceleration portion (7c) to an outside of the exhaust heat recovery passage (7) are disposed on the exhaust heat recovery passage (7).

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes step a) of providing a package accommodating a fuel cell stack and a hydrogen-rich gas supply configured to supply hydrogen-rich gas, step b) of detecting leakage of a combustible gas, comprised of the hydrogen-rich gas or a raw fuel gas, using a combustible gas detector, step c) of injecting the combustible gas intermittently into the package through a combustible gas guide pipe, and step d) of determining whether or not detection sensitivity of the combustible gas is proper based on an output value of the combustible gas detector when step c) is preformed.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell (1) configured to generate electric power using a fuel gas, a fuel gas generator (2) configured to generate a fuel gas containing hydrogen using a raw material, a combustion burner (2a) configured to heat the fuel gas generator, a combustion fan (2b) configured to supply air to a combustion burner (2a), and a controller (101). The raw material is filled inside the fuel cell (1) before the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell. The controller (101) controls on-off valves (8, 9) to cause the fuel gas to branch to flow to a second path (R2) and to a fourth path (R4) when the fuel gas generated in the fuel gas generator (2) starts to be supplied to the fuel cell (1).

Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas from a material gas; a combustor (2) configured to heat the reformer (1); a first gas supplying passage through which a gas discharged from the reformer (1) is supplied to the combustor (2) or a second gas supplying passage through which the material gas is supplied to the combustor (2); an ignitor (4) configured to carry out an ignition operation in the combustor (2); a pressure increasing device (17) configured to increase pressure of the material gas supplied to the reformer (1) or the combustor (2); a flow rate control valve (18) configured to control a flow rate of the material gas supplied to the reformer (1) or the combustor (2); and a controller (25), and in an ignition operation period of the ignitor (4), the controller (25) causes the pressure increasing device (17) to operate to supply the material gas to the combustor (2), and causes an opening degree of the flow rate control valve (18) to increase from

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (101); a gas passage through which an electric power generating gas used for electric power generation in the fuel cell (101) flows; a cooling water passage through which cooling water for cooling down the fuel cell (101) flows; a cooling water tank (106) disposed on the cooling water passage to store the cooling water; a humidifier having a moisture permeable membrane (61) and configured to carry out moisture exchange between the cooling water flowing through the cooling water passage and the electric power generating gas flowing through the gas passage via the moisture permeable membrane (61); and a pressure compensating gas supplier (110) configured to supply a pressure compensating gas to a specific section including the humidifier on the gas passage when a pressure in the gas passage lowers, and a water surface of the cooling water tank (106) is higher than an upper end of the moisture permeable membrane (61) of the humidifier.

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 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 system includes a fuel cell configured to generate power by consuming a fuel gas and having an outlet port through which the fuel gas flows out; a moisture removal unit configured to remove moisture contained in the fuel gas that has been sent through the outlet port; a burner located downstream of the moisture removal unit to combust the fuel gas; and a gas pipe on-off valve configured to open and close a pipe that makes the moisture removal unit and the burner communicate with each other, and the fuel cell system is designed such that the gas pipe on-off valve closes when the power generation stops.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes step a) of providing a package accommodating a fuel cell stack and a hydrogen-rich gas supply configured to supply hydrogen-rich gas, step b) of detecting leakage of a combustible gas, comprised of the hydrogen-rich gas or a raw fuel gas, using a combustible gas detector, step c) of injecting the combustible gas intermittently into the package through a combustible gas guide pipe, and step d) of determining whether or not detection sensitivity of the combustible gas is proper based on an output value of the combustible gas detector when step c) is preformed.

Abstract: A stable and high reliability fuel cell electricity-generating device capable of generating electricity even in the case of sudden drop of load power. A fuel cell generating electric power from a fuel and an oxidizer, a fuel processor producing fuel to be supplied into the fuel cell from an electricity-generating material, a combustion device combusting a residual fuel gas unconsumed in the fuel cell to raise the temperature of the fuel processor, and an electric power generation instructing means of determining the electric power generated by the fuel cell, wherein when the electric power generation instructing means decreases the electric power generated by the fuel cell depending on the decrease of load power to be supplied, the rate at which the generated electric power is decreased is made different depending on the change of the temperature of the fuel processor.