Abstract: The invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell generation system and a start up method thereof which heat up a reformer and a cell main body without any water and nitrogen gas, and start up for a short time until a power generation and without deteriorating a reliability of the cell. In a solid oxide fuel cell generation system having a power generation cell including an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte membrane, a mixing portion for obtaining a mixed gas by mixing a used fuel gas discharged from the anode with a raw fuel, a reducing combustion gas generating apparatus, and a reforming portion, the reducing combustion gas generating apparatus has a starting burner generating a reducing combustion gas, and the mixing portion, the reducing combustion gas generating apparatus, the reforming portion and the anode are coupled alphabetically from an upstream side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell power system, in which a combustion exhaust gas having a high temperature and generated by the combustion reaction of unreacted fuel gas and oxidizer gas which are not utilized in a power-generating reaction is introduced into a gas header for distributing the fuel gas or the oxidizer gas to a plurality of fuel cells contained in a fuel cell body, in such a way that a larger amount of heat is transferred to the gas which is to be supplied to the cells disposed in a peripheral area of the fuel cell body by heat exchange, and a smaller amount of the heat is transferred to the gas which is to be supplied to the cells disposed in a central area of the fuel cell body.

Abstract: A temperature adjustment member is arranged to control temperature of a reformer independently of temperature of a fuel cell module. The reformer is structured as a three-fluid heat exchanger into which a fluid is introducible whose temperature is higher or lower than exhaust-gas temperature of the fuel cell module. Then, the temperature of the reformer is controlled independently of operation temperature of the fuel cell by introducing the higher-temperature or lower-temperature fluid into the reformer. Also, a high-temperature or low-temperature gas is mixed with the module's exhaust gas, thereby adjusting temperature of the exhaust gas itself. This also controls the temperature of the reformer independently of the operation temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell provided with a reforming catalyst is located in a high-temperature portion on the anode side to cool the high-temperature portion by means of heat absorption of reforming reaction, or a combustion catalyst is provided in a low-temperature portion on the anode side to heat the low-temperature portion by means of heat generation of combustion reaction, or both of the catalysts are provided, by which the occurrence of variations in temperature in a cell reaction region of anode is prevented.

Abstract: A flat tube double-sided power generation type fuel cell is comprised of the combination of one or more of the following means (1) and (2). That is, means (1) for optimizing the constitution of an current-collecting electrode thereby making the flow of fuel or air uniform over the entire region, and means (2) for dividing the current-collecting electrode into two regions thereby shunting the flow of the fuel into a flow directing to the anode of the cell and a flow directly directing to the downstream, for increasing the power generation amount in the cell, the means being applicable also to a cell of a cylindrical shape.

Abstract: In a fuel cells power generation system provided with a power generation module having a plurality of fuel cells, the structure is made such that a cross sectional area of at least one of a fuel flow path and an air flow path is larger in an inner portion of the power generation module and smaller in an outer portion thereof. Accordingly, gas tends to flow through the inner portion of the power generation module, a gas flow rate is quickened, and it is possible to uniformize a molar flow rate of the fuel and the air supplied to the fuel cell, even in a state in which a temperature distribution of the module is not uniform within the power generation module.

Abstract: A temperature adjustment member is arranged to control temperature of a reformer independently of temperature of a fuel cell module. The reformer is structured as a three-fluid heat exchanger into which a fluid is introducible whose temperature is higher or lower than exhaust-gas temperature of the fuel cell module. Then, the temperature of the reformer is controlled independently of operation temperature of the fuel cell by introducing the higher-temperature or lower-temperature fluid into the reformer. Also, a high-temperature or low-temperature gas is mixed with the module's exhaust gas, thereby adjusting temperature of the exhaust gas itself. This also controls the temperature of the reformer independently of the operation temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A temperature adjustment member is arranged to control temperature of a reformer independently of temperature of a fuel cell module. The reformer is structured as a three-fluid heat exchanger into which a fluid is introducible whose temperature is higher or lower than exhaust-gas temperature of the fuel cell module. Then, the temperature of the reformer is controlled independently of operation temperature of the fuel cell by introducing the higher-temperature or lower-temperature fluid into the reformer. Also, a high-temperature or low-temperature gas is mixed with the module's exhaust gas, thereby adjusting temperature of the exhaust gas itself. This also controls the temperature of the reformer independently of the operation temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: It is an object to shorten current path between an anode and a cathode in a tube type SOFC and thereby to decrease resistance. The tube type fuel cell contains a tube type electrolyte placed between an anode and a cathode, wherein an auxiliary electrode is provided over the entire region of a cell reaction region on at least one of the anode and cathode. The current path is shortened and resistance is decreased, because the anode auxiliary electrode or cathode auxiliary electrode is provided over the entire peripheral surface of the anode or cathode, and the current path in the auxiliary electrode has a greatly increased cross-sectional area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell power system and a power generating method in which the rise of concentration of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the direction of the anode gas flow is controlled to enhance the electromotive force in the downstream region of the anode gas flow, thereby improving the power generating efficiency. A mixed gas of a hydrocarbon and water vapor and/or carbon dioxide or a reformed version of said mixed gas having an oxygen atom/carbon atom ratio (O/C ratio) of 2 or higher is supplied from a spot upstream in the direction of the anode gas flow while a hydrocarbon or a mixed gas of a hydrocarbon and water vapor and/or carbon dioxide having an O/C ratio of lower than 2 is supplied supplementally from a spot downstream, and the gas supplied supplementally from the downstream side is reformed by making use of water vapor and carbon dioxide generated by the electrochemical reactions upstream of the anode gas flow and is utilized for power generation.

Abstract: The invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell generation system and a start up method thereof which heat up a reformer and a cell main body without any water and nitrogen gas, and start up for a short time until a power generation and without deteriorating a reliability of the cell. In a solid oxide fuel cell generation system having a power generation cell including an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte membrane, a mixing portion for obtaining a mixed gas by mixing a used fuel gas discharged from the anode with a raw fuel, a reducing combustion gas generating apparatus, and a reforming portion, the reducing combustion gas generating apparatus has a starting burner generating a reducing combustion gas, and the mixing portion, the reducing combustion gas generating apparatus, the reforming portion and the anode are coupled alphabetically from an upstream side.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell power generation apparatus, wherein cathode gas lines used for activation and used for power generation line are separated from each other, wherein a burner used for activation is disposed close to a header above a generator chamber inside a module, and a preheater used for power generation is also disposed at a position further away from the generator chamber (including fuel cells) inside the module than the burner used for activation is.

Abstract: A heat pipe is installed in a generating chamber of a module being comprised of a solid oxide fuel cell or a bundle of a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells connected in parallel or series. Preferably, the heat pipe is installed across the generating chamber and a combustion chamber for burning residual fuel unused as electrochemical reaction. By installing the heat pipe as described above, the heat transfer between both the chambers are executed smoothly, and thereby it is possible to make heat uniform in the module, in starting state, normal generating state, high power output state or abnormal state of the module.

Abstract: In a fuel cells power generation system provided with a power generation module having a plurality of fuel cells, the structure is made such that a cross sectional area of at least one of a fuel flow path and an air flow path is larger in an inner portion of the power generation module and smaller in an outer portion thereof. Accordingly, gas tends to flow through the inner portion of the power generation module, a gas flow rate is quickened, and it is possible to uniformize a molar flow rate of the fuel and the air supplied to the fuel cell, even in a state in which a temperature distribution of the module is not uniform within the power generation module.

Abstract: In a solid oxide fuel cell module (1) incorporating a burner (6) not only in an oxidizer side burner (5) of the module (1) but also in a fuel side, directly heating from both sides by a combustion gas, and starting for a short time, a combustion state of the fuel side burner is kept well, and a short-time start is securely achieved. A cooling piping (17) is provided in a burner main body (61) and a premixing chamber (62) of the fuel side burner (6), and is connected to a heat recovery system (16) so as to supply a cooling medium, thereby cooling the fuel side burner (6). Further, a heat held by the cooling medium is recovered by a heat exchanger (18) connected to an outlet side of the heat recovery system (16). A back fire (an abnormal combustion) of the burner is prevented, the module is uniformly heated, and a secure short-time start is achieved, by cooling the fuel side burner (6) so as to adjust temperature. Further, a combined efficiency of the module is improved by utilizing the recovered surplus heat.

Abstract: A temperature adjustment member is arranged to control temperature of a reformer independently of temperature of a fuel cell module. The reformer is structured as a three-fluid heat exchanger into which a fluid is introducible whose temperature is higher or lower than exhaust-gas temperature of the fuel cell module. Then, the temperature of the reformer is controlled independently of operation temperature of the fuel cell by introducing the higher-temperature or lower-temperature fluid into the reformer. Also, a high-temperature or low-temperature gas is mixed with the module's exhaust gas, thereby adjusting temperature of the exhaust gas itself. This also controls the temperature of the reformer independently of the operation temperature of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A module of solid oxide fuel cells, which is capable of making a temperature distribution of the module uniform, is composed of a plurality of fuel cells which are assembled together, and is adapted to be capable of controlling gas temperatures and/or gas flow rates of gasses fed into a center part and a peripheral part of the module, independent from each other. With this configuration, when the temperature of the center part of the module becomes higher than that of the peripheral part of the module during a temperature rise, the temperature or the flow rate of the gas fed into the center part of the module is controlled so as to restrain the temperature of the center part of the module from being increasing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell power system, in which a combustion exhaust gas having a high temperature and generated by the combustion reaction of unreacted fuel gas and oxidizer gas which are not utilized in a power-generating reaction is introduced into a gas header for distributing the fuel gas or the oxidizer gas to a plurality of fuel cells contained in a fuel cell body, in such a way that a larger amount of heat is transferred to the gas which is to be supplied to the cells disposed in a peripheral area of the fuel cell body by heat exchange, and a smaller amount of the heat is transferred to the gas which is to be supplied to the cells disposed in a central area of the fuel cell body.

Abstract: A flattened tube double-sided power generation type fuel cell is comprised of the combination of one or more of the following means (1) and (2). That is, means (1) for optimizing the constitution of an current-collecting electrode thereby making the flow of fuel or air uniform over the entire region, and means (2) for dividing the current-collecting electrode into two regions thereby shunting the flow of the fuel into a flow directing to the anode of the cell and a flow directly directing to the downstream, for increasing the power generation amount in the cell, the means being applicable also to a cell of a cylindrical shape.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell power system and a power generating method in which the rise of concentration of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the direction of the anode gas flow is controlled to enhance the electromotive force in the downstream region of the anode gas flow, thereby improving the power generating efficiency. A mixed gas of a hydrocarbon and water vapor and/or carbon dioxide or a reformed version of said mixed gas having an oxygen atom/carbon atom ratio (O/C ratio) of 2 or higher is supplied from a spot upstream in the direction of the anode gas flow while a hydrocarbon or a mixed gas of a hydrocarbon and water vapor and/or carbon dioxide having an O/C ratio of lower than 2 is supplied supplementally from a spot downstream, and the gas supplied supplementally from the downstream side is reformed by making use of water vapor and carbon dioxide generated by the electrochemical reactions upstream of the anode gas flow and is utilized for power generation.