Patent ID: 8445158
Filing Date: 2013-05-21
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a fuel cell system, comprising the steps of: during an electric power generating operation of a fuel cell, recovering water to a recovered water tank from at least one of an oxidizing gas and fuel gas discharged from said fuel cell; and in a stop period of said fuel cell system, that is, in a period from when a stop operation period of said fuel cell terminates until when a start-up operation period of said fuel cell starts, causing a pump, disposed on a water feed flow path through which the water is supplied from said recovered water tank to a purified water tank, to periodically operate in such a cycle that propagation of bacteria in a total organic carbon (TOC) absorber incorporated in a water purifier disposed on said water feed flow path is able to be restrained, wherein: said fuel cell system includes, as said purified water tank, a cooling water tank for storing cooling water; and said fuel cell system includes a second water feed flow path through which the water in said cooling water tank is supplied to said recovered water tank; and in the stop period of said fuel cell system, said pump operates to circulate the water between said cooling water tank and said recovered water tank through said water feed flow path and said second water feed flow path.