Patent ID: 8241804
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling a fuel cell system having a fuel cell to generate power according to an electrochemical reaction of an oxide gas supplied to a cathode side with a fuel gas supplied to an anode side, an oxide-gas supply apparatus to supply the oxide gas to the fuel cell, a fuel-gas supply apparatus to supply the fuel gas to the fuel cell, and a scavenging apparatus to execute a diluting process of diluting a concentration of the fuel gas in the anode of the fuel cell, the scavenging apparatus being configured to supply a scavenging gas into the anode for scavenging when an outside temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature at a time of stopping an operation of the fuel cell, the method comprising: determining, if an instruction to stop the operation of the fuel cell is detected, whether an in-stop-mode power generating process, in which the fuel gas is no longer supplied and the oxide gas is supplied to the fuel cell to generate power from the oxide-gas supply apparatus, has been executed; and shortening a time for the diluting process to be executed by the scavenging apparatus when it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, as compared with a case where it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has not been executed.