Patent ID: 7976999

Claim:
A fuel cell system, comprising: a fuel cell; a gas supply-discharge portion for supplying the fuel cell with a gas used in the fuel cell; a defroster that, when a predetermined portion of the gas supply-discharge portion is frozen, defrosts a portion of the fuel cell system; a controller that determines the presence/absence of a freeze among specific portions or components of the fuel cell system including the gas supply-discharge portion, wherein a freeze in the gas supply-discharge portion is detected by the controller before starting operation of the fuel cell system; a discharge valve disposed in the gas supply-discharge portion to discharge the gas that has passed through the fuel cell; at least one temperature detector for detecting a temperature in at least one of portions or components of the fuel cell system; and a pressure detector for detecting a pressure adjacent the discharge valve, wherein the controller determines the presence/absence of the freeze among specific portions or components of the fuel cell system including the gas supply-discharge portion and the discharge valve, wherein, when a detected pressure increases when the discharge valve is operated and a detected temperature is below a predetermined reference value, the controller performs power generation to defrost the discharge valve.