Patent ID: 8481219
Filing Date: 2013-07-09
Classification: C01B,H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell for generating electric power, using hydrogen gas at a fuel electrode and oxidizing gas at an oxidant electrode; a hydrogen generator for generating the hydrogen gas from a material gas to feed to the fuel electrode; an oxidizing gas feeder for feeding the oxidizing gas to the oxidant electrode; a first material gas feed passage for guiding the material gas into said hydrogen generator; a hydrogen generator opening/closing device for opening and closing the outlet and inlet of said hydrogen generator; and a controller for controlling opening and closing of said hydrogen generator opening/closing device, wherein, during shutdown operation of said fuel cell system, said controller is configured to bring the opening/closing state of said hydrogen generator opening/closing device into a first state where the inside of said hydrogen generator is communicated with said first material gas feed passage through the inlet thereof and the atmosphere through the outlet thereof so as to allow a through-flow of the material gas, such that the inside of said hydrogen generator in the first state is purged with the material gas of said first material gas feed passage; and said controller is configured to bring the opening/closing state of said hydrogen generator opening/closing device into a second state where the inside of said hydrogen generator is not communicated with the atmosphere through the outlet thereof but communicated with said first material gas feed passage through the inlet thereof, such that the inside of said hydrogen generator in the second state is maintained at a positive pressure or atmospheric pressure by injecting the material gas of said first material gas feed passage thereinto, and wherein when an abnormality occurs in the purging process with the material gas, said controller is configured to bring the opening/closing state of said hydrogen generator opening/closing device into a state different from the first state according to the contents of the abnormality, such that the inside of said hydrogen generator is maintained at a positive pressure or atmospheric pressure.