Patent ID: 7078119

Claim:
A method of generating electricity from a fuel cell system comprising: providing a fuel cell system, said fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack divided into an anode-side sub-stack, central sub-stack, and cathode-side sub-stack by current collectors positioned at each end of the fuel cell stack and two current collectors positioned at intermediate positions of the fuel cell stack, a collector switch that connects said current collectors positioned at each end of the fuel cell stack and said current collectors at intermediate positions to a load, a means of controlling the collector switch, and a means of measuring the temperature of the fuel cell stack; controlling said collector switch with said means of controlling the collector switch so that said central sub-stack generates electricity before said anode-side sub-stack and said cathode-side sub-stack start to generate electricity; measuring the temperature of said fuel cell stack using said means of measuring the temperature; and controlling said collector switch with said means of controlling the collector switch so that electricity is generated by the anode-side sub-stack, cathode-side sub-stack, and central sub-stack when said means of measuring the temperature of the fuel cell stack measures a temperature greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature.