Patent ID: 7150928
Filing Date: 2006-12-19
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a drive system for a fuel cell, comprising: generating reformate gas containing hydrogen by reforming a fuel gas with a reformer; supplying the reformate gas to the fuel cell; supplying a mixture of the fuel gas and air to the reformer from a gas supply device provided upstream of the reformer when the system is in a normal running state; generating a high temperature gas containing a fuel component for a reforming reaction with the gas supply device; and supplying the high temperature gas containing the fuel component for the reforming reaction to the reformer continuously until warm-up of the system completes when the system starts up, wherein the drive system is configured to operate in accordance with the method and comprises: a first fuel supply mechanism which supplies fuel to the gas supply device; a second fuel supply mechanism which supplies fuel at downstream of the first fuel supply mechanism; and a first air supply mechanism which supplies air at downstream of the first fuel supply mechanism, wherein the gas supply device generates the high temperature gas containing the fuel component for the reforming reaction by mixing the high temperature gas generated by burning the fuel supplied from the first fuel supply mechanism with fuel supplied from the second fuel supply mechanism and air supplied from the first air supply mechanism, the first air supply mechanism supplies air at downstream of the second fuel supply mechanism, and the second fuel supply mechanism injects fuel opposite the flow of the high temperature gas generated by burning the fuel supplied from the first fuel supply mechanism.