Patent ID: 7816884
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell for performing power generation by electrochemical reactions of reactant gases supplied to said fuel cell; an energy storage capable of storing and discharging electrical energy generated by power generation of said fuel cell, and capable of being directly coupled to said fuel cell such that a terminal voltage of the energy storage is equal to an output voltage of the fuel cell; a group of loads consuming at least electrical energy generated by said fuel cell or I electrical energy discharged from said energy storage; a remaining electrical energy amount reduction device for reducing an amount of electrical energy remaining in said energy storage to a predetermined value by any of said group of loads to achieve a state in which at least the terminal voltage of said energy storage becomes equal to a lower limit output voltage of said fuel cell, before starting power generation of said fuel cell; a power generation state determining device for determining before starting operation of said fuel cell that said fuel cell is not brought into a steady state if operation of said fuel cell is started at a temperature below a freezing point, wherein the fuel cell system is capable of collecting electrical current from the fuel cell until the output voltage of the fuel cell becomes equal to the terminal voltage of the energy storage, and wherein if it is determined that said fuel cell is not brought into the steady state, the electrical energy amount remaining in said energy storage is reduced by said remaining electrical energy amount reduction device.