Patent ID: 8367263

Claim:
A solid oxide fuel cell apparatus comprising a solid oxide fuel cell for generating electric power by cell reacting a fuel gas on an anode side with oxygen on a cathode side, wherein the solid oxide fuel cell includes a solid electrolyte allowing a part of the fuel gas or the oxygen to permeate therethrough as gaseous permeation between the anode side and the cathode side, and wherein the solid electrolyte is heated by combustion reaction effected by the fuel gas or the oxygen permeated through the solid electrolyte and mixed with the oxygen or the fuel gas, the solid oxide fuel cell allowing oxygen on the cathode side to be ionized to oxygen ions and conducted through the solid electrolyte to the anode, thereby cell reacting the oxygen ions with the fuel gas on the anode side for generating electric power, the heat from the combustion reaction used for quickly heating the solid electrolyte to a power generation temperature at which the solid electrolyte is able to attain effective ion conductivity, wherein the solid oxide fuel cell apparatus further comprises a control means for controlling an intensity of the combustion by regulating the differential pressure between the anode side and the cathode side to adjust the amount of fuel gas or oxygen permeated through the solid electrolyte.