Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system including a fuel cell, a fuel generator, an oxidizing gas supply device, an output controller, an open-close mechanism, and a controller. The controller is configured such that in a stop process, the controller controls the output controller to stop supplying the electric power to an external load; controls the oxidizing gas supply device to stop supplying an oxidizing gas and controls the open-close mechanism to close a passage upstream from an oxidizing gas channel; after the passage upstream from the oxidizing gas channel is closed, stops a raw material gas supply device and a water supply device when a predetermined period has elapsed, during which period a gas in the oxidizing gas channel is replaced by a fuel gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) having an electrolyte membrane (2), an anode (3) and a cathode (4) sandwiching the electrolyte membrane (2), a cathode gas passage (98) through which an oxidizing gas is supplied to and discharged from the cathode (4), and an anode gas passage (97) through which a fuel gas is supplied to and discharged from the anode (3); a fuel gas channel having an anode gas passage (97) and through which the fuel gas is supplied to and discharged from the anode (3); and an oxidizing gas channel having the cathode gas passage (98) and through which the oxidizing gas is supplied to and discharged from the cathode (4).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell including a reaction gas supply path which makes it difficult to cause water condensation in a region near an end plate. A fuel cell of the present invention comprises a cell stack 2 having a reaction gas passage 13a inside thereof and having on one end surface thereof a reaction gas supply inlet 17 from which a reaction gas is supplied to the reaction gas passage 13a, a joint 5 connecting the reaction gas supply inlet 17 to an external pipe P for supplying the reaction gas, plate-shaped end members 3, 4 which are disposed on one end surface of the cell stack 2 and have through-holes 21, 23 into which the joint 5 is inserted so as not to contact inner wall surfaces thereof, and a closing member 9 for substantially closing a space formed between the joint 5 and the inner wall surfaces of the through-holes 21, 23.

Abstract: A preservation assembly of a PEFC stack which is capable of sufficiently inhibiting degradation of performance of the PEFC stack particularly during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in the uninstalled state until it is placed in the installation position and is practically used. The PEFC stack is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode. The PEFC stack is preserved in an uninstalled state in such a manner that an interior of the oxidizing agent passage and an interior of the reducing agent passage are set in a pressure-reduced state.

Abstract: A controller (15) performs a stop operation of stopping electric power generation by a fuel cell (3); then performs an activity recovery operation of stopping the supply of a fuel gas by a fuel gas supply unit (10) to an anode (2a), causing an anode inert gas supply unit (13) to supply an inert gas to the anode (2a), and causing an oxidizing gas supply unit (11) to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode (2b); and performs control such that the fuel gas supply unit (10) resumes supplying the fuel gas to the anode (2a) to resume the electric power generation by the fuel cell (3) after the cell voltage of the fuel cell (3) which is detected by a voltage detector (14) has decreased to a first voltage or lower.

Abstract: A preservation assembly of a PEFC stack which is capable of sufficiently inhibiting degradation of performance of the PEFC stack particularly during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in the uninstalled state until it is placed in the installation position and is practically used. The PEFC stack is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode. The PEFC stack is preserved in an uninstalled state in such a manner that an interior of the oxidizing agent passage and an interior of the reducing agent passage are set in a pressure-reduced state.

Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system including a fuel cell, a fuel generator, an oxidizing gas supply device, an output controller, an open-close mechanism, and a controller. The controller is configured such that in a stop process, the controller controls the output controller to stop supplying the electric power to an external load; controls the oxidizing gas supply device to stop supplying an oxidizing gas and controls the open-close mechanism to close a passage upstream from an oxidizing gas channel; after the passage upstream from the oxidizing gas channel is closed, stops a raw material gas supply device and a water supply device when a predetermined period has elapsed, during which period a gas in the oxidizing gas channel is replaced by a fuel gas.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preserving a PEFC stack, which is capable of controlling degradation of performance of the PEFC stack during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in an uninstalled state until it is placed in an installation position and is practically used. Provided is a preservation assembly of the PEFC stack which is capable of sufficiently inhibiting degradation of performance of the PEFC stack particularly during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in the uninstalled state until it is placed in the installation position and is practically used.

Abstract: A preservation assembly of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is provided. The assembly includes an uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and sealing units. The uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode. The sealing units include sealing plugs or containers and are configured to seal the inlet and the outlet of the oxidizing agent passage within which an oxygen concentration has been decreased and to seal the inlet and the outlet of the reducing agent passage within which the oxygen concentration has been decreased. The uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is in a state before an assembled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is incorporated into a fuel cell system.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preserving a PEFC stack, which is capable of controlling degradation of performance of the PEFC stack during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in an uninstalled state until it is placed in an installation position and is practically used. Provided is a preservation assembly of the PEFC stack which is capable of sufficiently inhibiting degradation of performance of the PEFC stack particularly during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in the uninstalled state until it is placed in the installation position and is practically used.

Abstract: A method of preserving a PEFC stack of the present invention is a method of preserving a PEFC stack that is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode. The method comprises preserving the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack in an uninstalled state under a condition in which an oxygen concentration within the oxidizing agent passage and within the reducing agent passage is lower than an oxygen concentration in atmospheric air.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell power generation system that exhibits superior efficiency of power generation and durability. The fuel cell power generation system includes: a fuel cell 4 including a fuel electrode 2, an oxidant electrode 3, and an electrolyte 1 on which the fuel electrode 2 and the oxidant electrode 3 are formed; an output control unit 11 that controls an output of the fuel cell 4; and a determination unit 12 that determines, based on an integrated amount of impurities contained in an oxidant gas and supplied to the oxidant electrode 3, a time at which the fuel cell 4 is brought into an open circuit state. The output control unit 11 halts power generation of the fuel cell 4 for a predetermined period of time every time determined by the determination unit 12, thereby bringing the fuel cell 4 into the open circuit state.

Abstract: Provided is a method of preserving a PEFC stack, which is capable of controlling degradation of performance of the PEFC stack during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in an uninstalled state until it is placed in an installation position and is practically used. Provided is a preservation assembly of the PEFC stack which is capable of sufficiently inhibiting degradation of performance of the PEFC stack particularly during a time period that elapses from when the stack is placed in the uninstalled state until it is placed in the installation position and is practically used.

Abstract: A fuel cell (10) of the present invention includes: two end plates (18) respectively disposed on both sides of a cell stack (12) in a stack direction; a fastening band (22) configured to fasten the cell stack (12) and the end plates (18) in the stack direction; a connecting portion (24) configured to connect one end portion (22e) and the other end portion (22f) of the fastening band (22); and a displacement restricting portion (26) disposed on at least one of the end plates (18) to restrict displacement of the fastening band (22) in a direction away from a surface (18c) of the end plate (18).

Abstract: A preservation assembly of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is provided. The assembly includes an uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and sealing units. The uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode. The sealing units include sealing plugs or containers and are configured to seal the inlet and the outlet of the oxidizing agent passage within which an oxygen concentration has been decreased and to seal the inlet and the outlet of the reducing agent passage within which the oxygen concentration has been decreased. The uninstalled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is in a state before an assembled polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack is incorporated into a fuel cell system.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (10) having a fuel gas internal channel (11) and an oxidizing gas internal channel (12); oxidizing gas supplying passages (62) and (64); an oxidizing gas supplying device (31); oxidizing gas discharging passages (65) and (66) each having an upstream end communicated with the oxidizing gas internal channel (12) and a downstream end connected to the oxidizing gas supplying passage (64); a moisture exchanger (32) disposed on both the oxidizing gas supplying passage (62) and the oxidizing gas discharging passage (65); a gas circulating passage forming/canceling device (34) disposed on the oxidizing gas discharging passage (66); an air blower (35) configured to circulate a gas in a gas circulating passage; and an atmosphere communicating/closing device (33) disposed on the oxidizing gas supplying passage (62).

Abstract: The invention relates to a separator plate for use in a fuel cell and to a fuel cell. The separator plate has: a passage groove group including a plurality of gas passage grooves 35 formed so as to extend in serpentine form; and a communicating groove 33 configured to provide fluid communication between adjacent portions of the gas passage grooves. Various separator plates have heretofore been disclosed in public by many documents and the blockage of the gas passage grooves caused by condensed water droplets formed therein is deemed to be properly prevented. However, the inventors think that those separator plates have a critical oversight in the behavior of a gas-liquid two phase fluid including a reaction gas and condensed water. That is, the condensed water is likely to concentrate in the vicinity of the gas passage grooves located in the downstream side of such separator plates and therefore these separator plates are liable to blockage.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell including a reaction gas supply path which makes it difficult to cause water condensation in a region near an end plate. A fuel cell of the present invention comprises a cell stack 2 having a reaction gas passage 13a inside thereof and having on one end surface thereof a reaction gas supply inlet 17 from which a reaction gas is supplied to the reaction gas passage 13a, a joint 5 connecting the reaction gas supply inlet 17 to an external pipe P for supplying the reaction gas, plate-shaped end members 3, 4 which are disposed on one end surface of the cell stack 2 and have through-holes 21, 23 into which the joint 5 is inserted so as not to contact inner wall surfaces thereof, and a closing member 9 for substantially closing a space formed between the joint 5 and the inner wall surfaces of the through-holes 21, 23.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) having an electrolyte membrane (2), an anode (3) and a cathode (4) sandwiching the electrolyte membrane (2), a cathode gas passage (98) through which an oxidizing gas is supplied to and discharged from the cathode (4), and an anode gas passage (97) through which a fuel gas is supplied to and discharged from the anode (3); a fuel gas channel having an anode gas passage (97) and through which the fuel gas is supplied to and discharged from the anode (3); and an oxidizing gas channel having the cathode gas passage (98) and through which the oxidizing gas is supplied to and discharged from the cathode (4).