Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: an electrochemical hydrogen pump including a proton-conductive electrolyte membrane, an anode provided to a first and second main surfaces of the proton-conductive electrolyte membrane, respectively, an anode flow path and cathode flow path through which hydrogen flows, and a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the anode and cathode, pressurizing and sending hydrogen supplied to the anode to the cathode by applying a voltage by the voltage applicator, and supplying the pressurized hydrogen in the cathode flow path to a hydrogen reservoir; a humidity adjuster adjusting humidity of at least one of the anode and cathode flow paths; and a controller controlling the humidity adjuster to increase the humidity of at least one of the anode and cathode flow paths in supplying hydrogen with relative humidity of less than 100% to the anode flow path and driving the electrochemical hydrogen pump.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: an electrochemical hydrogen pump including an electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode provided to a first and second main surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, respectively, an anode flow path and cathode flow path through which hydrogen flows, and a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the anode and cathode, pressurizing and sending hydrogen supplied to the anode via the anode flow path to the cathode by applying a voltage by the voltage applicator, and supplying the pressurized hydrogen in the cathode flow path to a hydrogen reservoir; a pressure adjuster adjusting a cathode flow path pressure; and a controller controlling the pressure adjuster and making the cathode flow path pressure higher than an anode flow path pressure before starting a hydrogen pressurization action for pressurizing and supplying hydrogen supplied to the anode flow path to the cathode flow path.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes: an electrolyte membrane that includes a pair of main surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer that is provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer that is provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the cathode catalyst layer; and an anode gas diffusion layer that is provided to the anode catalyst layer. The anode gas diffusion layer includes a metal steel plate that includes a plurality of vent holes through which gas passes, unevenness is provided to a main surface of the metal steel plate that neighbors the anode catalyst layer, and a difference in a height of the unevenness in a thickness direction of the metal steel plate is less than a thickness of the electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: an electrochemical hydrogen pump which includes: an electrolyte membrane; a pair of anode and cathode provided on both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane; and a current adjuster which adjusts a current flowing between the anode and the cathode and which generates hydrogen boosted at a cathode side from an anode fluid supplied to an anode side when the current is allowed to flow between the anode and the cathode by the current adjuster; and a controller which controls the current adjuster to decrease the current flowing between the anode and the cathode when the pressure of a cathode gas containing the boosted hydrogen is increased.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a reformer, a raw-material supplier, a desulfurizer, a flow controller, a vapor supplier, a fuel cell, a combustor, and a controller. After the raw-material supplier supplies a raw material at the startup of the fuel cell system, the controller causes the combustor to combust the raw material exhausted as off-gas from the fuel cell, subsequently causes the flow controller to allow gas exhausted from the reformer to flow through a recycle gas passage, and thereafter causes the vapor supplier to supply vapor, or the controller causes the flow controller to allow the gas exhausted from the reformer to flow through the recycle gas passage, subsequently causes the combustor to combust the raw material exhausted as the off-gas from the fuel cell, and thereafter causes the vapor supplier to supply the vapor.

Abstract: A high-temperature fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that includes an anode and a cathode and that generates power by using a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, a fuel-gas path along which the fuel gas flows, an oxidant-gas path along which the oxidant gas flows, an anode-off-gas path along which an anode off-gas flows, a cathode-off-gas path along which a cathode off-gas flows, a combustion space in communication with the anode-off-gas path and the cathode-off-gas path and in which the anode off-gas and the cathode off-gas are burned, a flue-gas path along which a flue gas flows, a cathode-off-gas branch portion disposed on the cathode-off-gas path between the combustion space and the cathode and at which some of the cathode off-gas is branched from the cathode-off-gas path, and a first heat exchanger that enables heat exchange between the oxidant gas, the flue gas, and the cathode off-gas.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump which includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode provided on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode provided on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane opposite to the first surface; and a current adjuster adjusting a current amount flowing between the anode and the cathode, and which performs a hydrogen supply operation by allowing a current to flow between the anode and the cathode using the current adjuster so as to boost the pressure of hydrogen which is supplied to an anode side at a cathode side and to supply the pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander; and a dew point adjuster adjusting a dew point of a mixed gas in which a hydrogen-containing gas which is discharged from the anode side and a hydrogen-containing gas which is supplied from an outside are mixed together.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the cathode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a separator including a recess through which cathode gas flows; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the anode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a fastener fastening a laminated body. The cathode gas diffusion layer is accommodated in the recess, projects from the recess in a thickness direction before fastening of the laminated body, and includes an elastic member between side surfaces of the cathode gas diffusion layer and of the recess.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus includes a reformer that reforms fuel and generates reformed gas containing hydrogen, a combustor that heats the reformer, an exhaust gas path which covers the surroundings of an outer wall of the reformer and through which combustion exhaust gas from the combustor flows, and a reformed gas path through which the reformed gas sent from the reformer toward the combustor flows. The reformer is arranged on a flame forming side of the combustor, and a gas flow within the reformer in a portion thereof where the gas flow contacts the outer wall of the reformer is opposed to a flow of the combustion exhaust gas in the exhaust gas path in a portion thereof where the combustion exhaust gas contacts the outer wall of the reformer.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: a controller; and an electrochemical hydrogen pump including: an electrolyte membrane; a pair of electrodes provided on two surfaces of the electrolyte membrane; and a current adjuster adjusting a current flowing between the electrodes, the electrochemical hydrogen pump performs a hydrogen supply operation supplying pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander by allowing a current to flow between the electrodes by the current adjuster; and when a cumulative hydrogen supply amount which is supplied to the hydrogen demander from start to completion of the hydrogen supply operation to the hydrogen demander from the electrochemical hydrogen pump is smaller than a cumulative hydrogen supply amount in another hydrogen supply operation, the controller controls the current adjuster so that the current flowing between the electrodes is decreased to be smaller than that in the another hydrogen supply operation.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hydrodesulfurizer configured to remove a sulfur compound in a raw material; a fuel cell configured to generate power by electrochemical reaction using a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, the fuel gas being obtained by reforming the raw material desulfurized with the hydrodesulfurizer; a heater configured to heat the hydrodesulfurizer by utilizing the heat of an exhaust gas circulated in the fuel cell system including the fuel cell; an introduction passage disposed to guide the exhaust gas to the heater; and a gas supply unit configured to supply a cooling gas to the exhaust gas, the cooling gas being not utilized in the power generation in the fuel cell system, wherein a mixture gas of the exhaust gas and the cooling gas supplied from the gas supply unit is passed through the inside of the heater.

Abstract: A high-temperature operating fuel-cell module includes a fuel-cell stack; a fuel-cell stack container in which the fuel-cell stack is contained and cathode off-gas discharged from the fuel-cell stack flows; a cathode off-gas collector that is provided in the fuel-cell stack container and in which the cathode off-gas is collected; an anode off-gas passage through which anode off-gas discharged from the fuel-cell stack flows; and a combustor that combusts the cathode off-gas collected in the cathode off-gas collector and the anode off-gas flowing through the anode off-gas passage, the combustor comprising: a combustion chamber in which the anode and cathode off-gas are mixed and combusted, an ejector that is connected to the anode off-gas passage and ejects the anode off-gas into the combustion chamber, and a diffusion plate that surrounds the ejector so that the ejector is located at the center of the diffusion plate, and ejects the cathode off-gas into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high-temperature operating fuel cell system including: a fuel cell stack; a combustor that combusts a cathode off-gas and an anode off-gas; a heat insulator that covers at least part of the fuel cell stack and at least part of the combustor; a first preheater that covers at least part of the heat insulator and preheats an oxidant gas; an oxidant gas feeder that supplies the oxidant gas to the first preheater; a vacuum heat insulator that covers at least part of the first preheater; a sensor that detects information indicating stopping of a power generation operation; and a controller. When a determination is made that the power generation has stopped, the controller controls the oxidant gas feeder to supply the oxidant gas to the first preheater so that the temperature of the vacuum heat insulator is equal to or lower than a prescribed temperature.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit including a solid oxide fuel cell and a mixer, the solid oxide fuel cell including an anode gas passage and a cathode gas passage, the mixer mixing an anode off gas discharged from the anode gas passage and a cathode off gas discharged from the cathode gas passage; a power-generating raw material supply device operative to supply a power-generating raw material to the fuel cell unit; a combustible gas passage, which extends from the power-generating raw material supply device to a downstream end of the anode gas passage; an oxidizing gas supply device operative to supply an oxidizing gas to the cathode gas passage; and a controller operative to, after electric power generation by the fuel cell unit is stopped, control the power-generating raw material supply device to supply the power-generating raw material in a volume more than or equal to a volume of the combustible gas passage to the combustible gas passage, and concurrently control the oxidizing g

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a desulfurizer that removes a sulfur compound in a raw material, a fuel cell unit that performs electric-power generation using fuel obtained by reforming a raw material from which the sulfur compound is removed and electric-power generation air supplied, a combustion exhaust gas passage through which combustion exhaust gas generated by combusting fuel not utilized for the electric-power generation in the fuel cell unit is emitted, a combustion exhaust gas container that is connected to the combustion exhaust gas passage and accommodates the desulfurizer inside the combustion exhaust gas container, a purifier that removes carbon monoxide included in the combustion exhaust gas, and an air heat exchanger that performs heat exchange of the combustion exhaust gas and the electric-power generation air supplied to the fuel cell unit.

Abstract: A solid-oxide fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit including a solid-oxide fuel cell including an anode gas channel and a cathode gas channel and a mixer; an electric power generation raw material supplier; a combustible gas channel extending from the electric power generation raw material supplier to a downstream end of the anode gas channel; an oxidizing gas supplier; and a controller operative to, after electric power generation of the fuel cell unit is stopped, control the electric power generation raw material supplier to supply to the combustible gas channel the electric power generation raw material, the amount of which compensates for contraction of gas in the combustible gas channel due to temperature decrease of the fuel cell unit and also control the oxidizing gas supplier to supply the oxidizing gas to the cathode gas channel in accordance with the supply of the electric power generation raw material.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell system including a fuel feeder supplying fuel, a reformer producing a hydrogen-containing gas by a reforming reaction, a fuel cell which includes a cathode and an anode, a combustor which combusts an anode off-gas discharged from the anode to produce a combustion gas, a temperature detector detecting the temperature of the combustion gas, and a storage device storing a preset target temperature profile, the target temperature profile including the temporal change in target temperature of the combustion gas in the operation of the fuel cell system, includes controlling the flow rate of the fuel supplied from the fuel feeder to the reformer in the operation such that the temperature detected by the temperature detector becomes equal to a target temperature determined on the basis of the target temperature profile.

Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an electrolyte membrane having a pair of primary surfaces; a cathode catalyst layer provided on one primary surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided on the other primary surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on the cathode catalyst layer; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on the anode catalyst layer; and a voltage application device applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer, The anode gas diffusion layer includes a laminate of metal sheets which are provided with vents, and among the metal sheets, the maximum diameter of vents provided in a first metal sheet adjacent to the anode catalyst layer is smaller than the maximum diameter of vents provided in a second metal sheet adjacent to the first metal sheet.