Patent ID: 8790837
Filing Date: 2014-07-29
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A shutdown method for shutting down an indirect internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell comprising a reformer for reforming a hydrocarbon-based fuel to produce a reformed gas, said reformer including a reforming catalyst layer, a solid oxide fuel cell for generating electric power using the reformed gas, a combustion region for combusting an anode off-gas discharged from the solid oxide fuel cell, and an enclosure for housing the reformer, the solid oxide fuel cell, and the combustion region, i) an anode temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell is steady, ii) the anode temperature is less than an oxidative degradation temperature, iii) in the reformer, the hydrocarbon-based fuel is reformed, and a reformed gas having a composition suitable to be supplied to an anode is produced, and iv) an amount of the reformed gas produced is equal to or more than a requisite minimum flow rate FrMin for preventing oxidative degradation of the anode when the anode temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell is a temperature that is equal to or more than the oxidative degradation temperature, A) measuring a reforming catalyst layer temperature T, calculating FkCALC using this measured temperature T, and comparing values of this FkCALC and FkE; B) when FkCALC<FkE in step A, performing the following steps B1 to B4 in order: C) when FkCALC≧FkE in step A, performing the following steps C1 to C5 in order: D) waiting for the anode temperature to fall below the oxidative degradation temperature.