Patent ID: 6887604

Claim:
A fuel cell power system comprising: a fuel cell; a first hydrogen storage vessel having a first hydrogen absorbing material (MH 1 ) that can store and release hydrogen; a catalytic combustor that heats the first hydrogen storage vessel so as to release hydrogen in order to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell; and a second hydrogen storage vessel having a second hydrogen absorbing material (MH 2 ) that can store and release hydrogen and has a hydrogen release temperature that is lower than that of the first hydrogen absorbing material (MH 1 ), the second hydrogen storage vessel releasing hydrogen as a fuel for the catalytic combustor under heating by waste heat from the fuel cell; wherein, the system is configured such that, when the fuel cell is starting operation, the first hydrogen storage vessel supplies hydrogen to the second hydrogen storage vessel, and the fuel cell is preheated by heat generated as the second hydrogen absorbing material (MH 2 ) stores hydrogen.