Patent ID: 7588848
Filing Date: 2009-09-15
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell controller comprising: a fuel cell; fuel gas supply means for supplying a fuel gas to an anode of the fuel cell; fuel gas emission means which is disposed downstream of the anode and which emits a fuel gas released from the anode to the outside of the fuel cell; a dilution section which is disposed downstream of the fuel gas emission means and which dilutes the emitted fuel gas with an oxidant gas released from a cathode of the fuel cell, a control section having requested power input means for inputting requested power to the fuel cell and target oxidant gas flow rate setting means for setting a target flow rate of oxidant gas; and oxidant gas flow rate regulation means which is disposed downstream of the cathode and which regulates a flow rate of oxidant gas in accordance with a value obtained by the target oxidant gas flow rate setting means, wherein the control section closes the fuel gas emission means when a predetermined amount of fuel gas has been emitted; wherein the fuel cell controller is arranged such that, during a start of anode cleaning while the fuel cell starts up, the control section computes a flow rate of oxidant gas required for diluting the fuel gas, and an external output on the basis of a flow rate of the oxidant gas required for an external output a basis of diluting the fuel gas and the requested power level obtained by the requested power input means, and the target oxidant gas flow rate setting means compares the flow rate required for dilution and the flow rate required for an external output, thereby adopting a larger value as a set value; and the fuel cell controller is further arranged such that, after a predetermined time after an end of fuel gas emission, the oxidant gas flow rate setting means sets a target value of oxidant gas flow rate exclusively from said flow rate required for an external output.