Patent ID: 6312843
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel cell apparatus, comprising:a fuel cell provided with an air supply tube through which an air is supplied to said fuel cell and a gas discharge tube through which a gas is discharged from said fuel cell;a compressor disposed on the air supply tube for compressing the air supplied therethrough to said fuel cell;an electric motor for driving said compressor;an expander disposed on the gas discharge tube to be coaxial with said electric motor, for expanding the discharge gas discharged from said fuel cell after an oxygen contained therein is consumed at said fuel cell down to about an atmospheric pressure;a clutch disposed between said electric motor and said expander for connecting/interrupting said expander with/from said electric motor; anda control means for controlling said clutch, said control means detecting a pressure in the gas discharge tube between said fuel cell and said expander, to interrupt said clutch as long as a detected pressure is lower than a value and to connect said clutch when the detected pressure becomes higher than the value.