Abstract: Provided is a supply-and-demand management apparatus including: a result management unit that manages a power supply result indicating a result of power supplied among a plurality of customers of a community; and a deriving unit that derives, based on power supply results from a first customer to other customers from among the plurality of customers, an incentive to supply power from the first customer to a second customer from among the other customers.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a fuel cell and a controller. The controller controls an oxygen purge valve and a hydrogen purge valve so that a valve-opening period of the oxygen purge valve provided in an oxygen purge channel and a valve opening period of the hydrogen purge valve provided in a hydrogen purge path do not overlap with each other.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system, a first rubber seal is interposed between a top part of a first seal bead portion that is formed to protrude toward a first separator main body, and a membrane electrode assembly member. A method of low temperature starting of the fuel cell system includes: a warm-up step of warming up a fuel cell stack by introducing an oxygen containing gas discharged from a compressor, into a case interior space in a state in which a temperature of the oxygen containing gas is raised by causing the oxygen containing gas to flow through a pressure loss member; and an electrical power generating step of initiating generation of electrical power after completion of the warm-up step.

Abstract: In a fuel cell system, a first rubber seal is interposed between a top part of a first seal bead portion that is formed to protrude toward a first separator main body, and a membrane electrode assembly member. A method of low temperature starting of the fuel cell system includes: a warm-up step of warming up a fuel cell stack by introducing an oxygen containing gas discharged from a compressor, into a case interior space in a state in which a temperature of the oxygen containing gas is raised by causing the oxygen containing gas to flow through a pressure loss member; and an electrical power generating step of initiating generation of electrical power after completion of the warm-up step.

Abstract: A separator for a fuel cell forms a stacked unit of a power generating cell stacked body. The separator is made up from a connected body of a first bipolar plate and a second bipolar plate that are stacked on each other, and is provided with positioning parts. The positioning parts are disposed at positions overlapping in the stacking direction with respect to each of the first bipolar plate and the second bipolar plate. A first positioning edge portion of the first bipolar plate and a second positioning edge portion of the second bipolar plate are at different positions from each other in a separator surface direction.

Abstract: In a power generation cell, a first bypass stop protrusion is integrally formed on a first separator main body so as to protrude from the first separator main body. A second bypass stop protrusion is integrally formed on a second separator main body so as to project from the second separator main body. A first bypass seal member is provided on a protruding end surface of the first bypass stop protrusion so as to be positioned outside the cathode. A second bypass seal member is provided on a protruding end surface of the second bypass stop protrusion so as to be positioned outside the anode.

Abstract: In a hydrogen production apparatus, a front end of a housing is closed by an opening/closing door. In a closed state of the opening/closing door, the upper end of the upper rod and the lower end of the lower rod in the opening/closing switching mechanism are disposed behind the first front frame piece and the second front frame piece of the housing, respectively. The axial distance between the upper end of the lower collar member and the second stopper is greater than the axial distance between the upper end of the upper collar member and the first stopper.

Abstract: An energy management device comprises a first supply/demand information acquisition unit, a second supply/demand information acquisition unit, and a supply/demand management unit configured to determine, based on the first supply/demand information and the second supply/demand information, at least one of (i) an upper limit value of a power amount that the hydrogen generation system can receive from a power grid during a certain period, (ii) a target value of an amount of hydrogen that the hydrogen generation system generates during the certain period, (iii) an upper limit value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems can transmit to the power grid during the certain period, and (iv) a target value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems generates during the certain period.

Abstract: An energy management device comprises a first supply/demand information acquisition unit, a second supply/demand information acquisition unit, and a supply/demand management unit configured to determine, based on the first supply/demand information and the second supply/demand information, at least one of (i) an upper limit value of a power amount that the hydrogen generation system can receive from a power grid during a certain period, (ii) a target value of an amount of hydrogen that the hydrogen generation system generates during the certain period, (iii) an upper limit value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems can transmit to the power grid during the certain period, and (iv) a target value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems generates during the certain period.

Abstract: Provided is a supply-and-demand management apparatus including: a result management unit that manages a power supply result indicating a result of power supplied among a plurality of customers of a community; and a deriving unit that derives, based on power supply results from a first customer to other customers from among the plurality of customers, an incentive to supply power from the first customer to a second customer from among the other customers.

Abstract: A power interchange condition is determined between: (i) a first user that requires for power interchange in a first time period prior to a second time period under a condition that it provides power in the second time period; and (ii) a second user that can provide power to the first user in the first time period. (i) Information for identifying the first time period; and (ii) information indicating a first target value related to a power amount provided to the first user from the second user in the first time period are obtained. Information indicating a condition for providing power by the second user in the first time period is obtained. At least one of: (i) a second target value related to a power amount provided to the second user from the first user in the second time period, and (ii) a parameter that indicates a relationship between the first target value and the second target value is determined.

Abstract: Included are: a performance information obtaining unit that obtains, for each of a plurality of first power customers that configure a first community, information about a power interchange performance between the first power customer and the first community; a contribution degree determination unit that determines a contribution degree of at least one of the plurality of first power customers to a surplus power amount of the first community in a certain time period, based on information about the performance obtained by the performance information obtaining unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body, a fluid manifold, a first terminal plate, a first insulator, a first end plate, a terminal electrode, and a heat pipe assembly. The first terminal plate is provided on a first end of the stacked body in a stacking direction. The first insulator is provided on the first terminal plate in the stacking direction. The first end plate is provided on the first insulator in the stacking direction. The terminal electrode is connected to the first terminal plate and protrudes from the first end plate in the stacking direction. The heat pipe assembly includes a heat receiving portion and a heat dissipation portion. The heat receiving portion is disposed in the fluid manifold to receive heat from a fluid. The heat dissipation portion is connected to the terminal electrode to release heat received at the heat receiving portion to the terminal electrode.

Abstract: A method of starting a fuel cell system for a vehicle includes determining whether or not an activation signal of a fuel cell provided in the fuel cell system has been inputted, operating, if it is determined that the activation signal has been inputted, a cooling medium circulation pump to supply a cooling medium to an impurity removal mechanism for reducing a conductivity of the cooling medium, and driving an oxidant gas supply device and a fuel gas supply device in the fuel cell system to start activation of the fuel cell if it is determined that the conductivity of the cooling medium is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuel cell system mounted in a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a collision prediction device, a discharge device, and a controller. The fuel cell includes a gas channel to which a reactant gas is to be supplied to generate electricity. The collision prediction device is configured to predict probability of collision of the vehicle. The discharge device is configured to discharge the electricity from the fuel cell. The controller is configured to control the discharge device to discharge the electricity from the fuel cell in a case where the collision prediction device predicts that the probability of collision of the vehicle is higher than a predetermined probability.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body, a fluid manifold, a first terminal plate, a first insulator, a first end plate, a terminal electrode, and a heat pipe assembly. The first terminal plate is provided on a first end of the stacked body in a stacking direction. The first insulator is provided on the first terminal plate in the stacking direction. The first end plate is provided on the first insulator in the stacking direction. The terminal electrode is connected to the first terminal plate and protrudes from the first end plate in the stacking direction. The heat pipe assembly includes a heat receiving portion and a heat dissipation portion. The heat receiving portion is disposed in the fluid manifold to receive heat from a fluid. The heat dissipation portion is connected to the terminal electrode to release heat received at the heat receiving portion to the terminal electrode.

Abstract: An end plate of a fuel cell stack is directly fixed to a humidifier. A resin pipe is attached to an oxygen-containing gas outlet of an end plate through a resin coupling pipe. The resin pipe includes one end having a large diameter and the other end having a small diameter. The other end is provided at an off gas supply channel of the humidifier. The off gas supply channel includes an inclined channel. The other end extends up to an end of the inclined channel where inclination of the inclined channel is started. An off gas ejection port is formed at the other end. The off gas ejection port is opened to the end of the inclined channel where inclination is started. Condensed water returned along the inclined channel flows from the off gas ejection port into the resin pipe.

Abstract: A fuel cell system mounted in a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a collision prediction device, a discharge device, and a controller. The fuel cell includes a gas channel to which a reactant gas is to be supplied to generate electricity. The collision prediction device is configured to predict probability of collision of the vehicle. The discharge device is configured to discharge the electricity from the fuel cell. The controller is configured to control the discharge device to discharge the electricity from the fuel cell in a case where the collision prediction device predicts that the probability of collision of the vehicle is higher than a predetermined probability.

Abstract: A method of starting a fuel cell system for a vehicle includes determining whether or not an activation signal of a fuel cell provided in the fuel cell system has been inputted, operating, if it is determined that the activation signal has been inputted, a cooling medium circulation pump to supply a cooling medium to an impurity removal mechanism for reducing a conductivity of the cooling medium, and driving an oxidant gas supply device and a fuel gas supply device in the fuel cell system to start activation of the fuel cell if it is determined that the conductivity of the cooling medium is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: The fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack which is supplied with reaction gas, and performs electricity generation; a reaction gas supplier which supplies the reaction gas to the fuel cell stack; a ground fault detector which detects a ground fault from the fuel cell stack; and a reaction gas increasing member which increases an amount of a reaction gas supply to the fuel cell stack, when the ground fault is detected by the ground fault detector.