Patent ID: 6497972
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: B60L,H01M,Y02E,Y02T

Abstract:
A fuel cell system, comprising:a water tank; a reformer obtaining reformed gas by reforming fuel using water from the water tank; a fuel cell generating electric power using reformed gas from the reformer and gas that includes oxygen; a condenser reclaiming water from exhaust gas from the fuel cell, the exhaust gas reclaimed by the condenser being returned to the water tank; an exhaust gas temperature detector detecting temperature of exhaust gas from the condenser; and an operating pressure controller controlling the operating pressure of the fuel cell system, wherein the operating pressure controller, in response to the temperature of the exhaust gas from the condenser detected by the exhaust gas temperature detector, calculates equilibrium operating pressure of the fuel cell system at which inflow and outflow of the water within the fuel cell system is balanced, in response to operating load on the fuel cell system, calculates maximum efficiency operating pressure at which operating efficiency of the fuel cell system is maximum, and performs control of the operating pressure of the fuel cell system in which higher pressure of the equilibrium operating pressure and the maximum efficiency operating pressure is set as the operating pressure.