Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack; a first cooling medium circuit through which a cooling medium for cooling the fuel cell stack flows; an ion exchanger that removes ions in the cooling medium; a second cooling medium circuit in which the average ion concentration of the cooling medium is lower than that of the cooling medium in the first cooling medium circuit; a switching valve that switches between a flow state and a low flow state; a pump configured to cause the cooling medium in the second cooling medium circuit to flow into the first cooling medium circuit; and a control unit that, when a stop period of the fuel cell system is longer than a reference period, drives the pump with the switching valve switched to the flow state after the instruction to start the fuel cell system is input.

Abstract: An FC (fuel cell) system includes: an FC; a radiator configured to cool a CL (cooling liquid); an ion exchanger provided in a BFP (bypass flow path) branched off from a CFP (circulation flow path) for allowing the CL to circulate between the FC and the radiator; a multi-way valve provided in a branching point at which the BFP is branched off from the CFP; and a pump which circulates the CL. A percentage of the CL that is made to flow through the BFP can be controlled by the multi-way valve. In a case in which a stop time is longer than a threshold time when the FC system is started up, after the CL is circulated through the radiator, the CL is circulated through the BFP at the percentage of 80% or more until electrical conductivity of the CL becomes smaller than a threshold electrical conductivity.

Abstract: When a time period from a stop to a start of a fuel cell system exceeds a predetermined time period, a controller of the fuel cell system obtains a first electrical conductivity of a cooling medium that is placed from a radiator to before a connecting location of one end portion in a cooling medium circulation flow path and a second electrical conductivity of the cooling medium that is placed on a downstream side of an ion exchanger in a bypass flow path, and uses the obtained first electrical conductivity and second electrical conductivity and a predetermined target electrical conductivity of a supply cooling medium to control the operation of a flow dividing valve such that the electrical conductivity of the supply cooling medium becomes equal to or less than the target electrical conductivity and thereby regulate a flow rate ratio.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle capable of generating electric power in an optimum wet state is provided. A fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell, a radiator configured to cool a coolant which has been warmed by cooling the fuel cell and send it back to the fuel cell, a grille shutter configured to adjust a flow rate of air taken into the radiator from an air intake, a sensor configured to measure an impedance of the fuel cell, and a control unit configured to control the grille shutter to open and close. The control unit controls the grille shutter to open when a measured value of the impedance becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack; a first cooling medium circuit through which a cooling medium for cooling the fuel cell stack flows; an ion exchanger that removes ions in the cooling medium; a second cooling medium circuit in which the average ion concentration of the cooling medium is lower than that of the cooling medium in the first cooling medium circuit; a switching valve that switches between a flow state and a low flow state; a pump configured to cause the cooling medium in the second cooling medium circuit to flow into the first cooling medium circuit; and a control unit that, when a stop period of the fuel cell system is longer than a reference period, drives the pump with the switching valve switched to the flow state after the instruction to start the fuel cell system is input.

Abstract: When a time period from a stop to a start of a fuel cell system exceeds a predetermined time period, a controller of the fuel cell system obtains a first electrical conductivity of a cooling medium that is placed from a radiator to before a connecting location of one end portion in a cooling medium circulation flow path and a second electrical conductivity of the cooling medium that is placed on a downstream side of an ion exchanger in a bypass flow path, and uses the obtained first electrical conductivity and second electrical conductivity and a predetermined target electrical conductivity of a supply cooling medium to control the operation of a flow dividing valve such that the electrical conductivity of the supply cooling medium becomes equal to or less than the target electrical conductivity and thereby regulate a flow rate ratio.

Abstract: An FC (fuel cell) system includes: an FC; a radiator configured to cool a CL (cooling liquid); an ion exchanger provided in a BFP (bypass flow path) branched off from a CFP (circulation flow path) for allowing the CL to circulate between the FC and the radiator; a multi-way valve provided in a branching point at which the BFP is branched off from the CFP; and a pump which circulates the CL. A percentage of the CL that is made to flow through the BFP can be controlled by the multi-way valve. In a case in which a stop time is longer than a threshold time when the FC system is started up, after the CL is circulated through the radiator, the CL is circulated through the BFP at the percentage of 80% or more until electrical conductivity of the CL becomes smaller than a threshold electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle capable of generating electric power in an optimum wet state is provided. A fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell, a radiator configured to cool a coolant which has been warmed by cooling the fuel cell and send it back to the fuel cell, a grille shutter configured to adjust a flow rate of air taken into the radiator from an air intake, a sensor configured to measure an impedance of the fuel battery, and a control unit configured to control the grille shutter to open and close. The control unit controls the grille shutter to open when a measured value of the impedance becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A first representative value is acquired representing an amount of liquid water in a hydrogen gas passage (30) when a fuel cell stack (10) is to be started up. Based on the first representative value, a first purge gas amount is calculated. A second representative value is acquired representing a concentration of hydrogen gas in a hydrogen gas passage when the fuel cell stack is to be started up. Based on the second representative value, a second purge gas amount is calculated. The greater of the first purge gas amount and the second purge gas amount is set as a startup purge gas amount. When the fuel cell stack is to be started up, hydrogen gas is fed to the fuel cell stack while the purge control valve 38 is temporally opened to purge the gas by the startup purge gas amount.

Abstract: In order to make a power generation quantity of a cell for fuel cell increase in a short time when a drop in moistness of the cell causes the power generation quantity of the cell to decrease, a cathode of the cell includes a conductive material, catalyst, and ionomer which covers the conductive material and catalyst. If an output voltage value of the cell is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage value and an electrical resistance value of the cell is higher than a predetermined threshold resistance value, control for increasing an oxidizing gas amount which increases an amount of oxidizing gas sent to the cell is performed.

Abstract: A first representative value is acquired representing an amount of liquid water in a hydrogen gas passage (30) when a fuel cell stack (10) is to be started up. Based on the first representative value, a first purge gas amount is calculated. A second representative value is acquired representing a concentration of hydrogen gas in a hydrogen gas passage when the fuel cell stack is to be started up. Based on the second representative value, a second purge gas amount is calculated. The greater of the first purge gas amount and the second purge gas amount is set as a startup purge gas amount. When the fuel cell stack is to be started up, hydrogen gas is fed to the fuel cell stack while the purge control valve 38 is temporally opened to purge the gas by the startup purge gas amount.

Abstract: In order to make a power generation quantity of a cell for fuel cell increase in a short time when a drop in moistness of the cell causes the power generation quantity of the cell to decrease, a cathode of the cell includes a conductive material, catalyst, and ionomer which covers the conductive material and catalyst. If an output voltage value of the cell is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage value and an electrical resistance value of the cell is higher than a predetermined threshold resistance value, control for increasing an oxidizing gas amount which increases an amount of oxidizing gas sent to the cell is performed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly with excellent electrode transfer ability to electrolyte membrane. Disclosed is a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, the assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane and an electrode which are attached to each other, the method comprising: a hot pressing step in which an electrolyte membrane and an electrode, the electrode comprising an electroconductive material and an electrolyte resin and being formed on a flexible substrate, are hot pressed to produce a laminate in which the electrolyte membrane, the electrode and the flexible substrate are laminated in this order, and a bending step in which the laminate is bent so that the flexible substrate side becomes concave, thereby removing the flexible substrate from the electrode.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly with excellent electrode transfer ability to electrolyte membrane. Disclosed is a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly, the assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane and an electrode which are attached to each other, the method comprising: a hot pressing step in which an electrolyte membrane and an electrode, the electrode comprising an electroconductive material and an electrolyte resin and being formed on a flexible substrate, are hot pressed to produce a laminate in which the electrolyte membrane, the electrode and the flexible substrate are laminated in this order, and a bending step in which the laminate is bent so that the flexible substrate side becomes concave, thereby removing the flexible substrate from the electrode.