Patent ID: 8431274

Claim:
A solid oxide fuel cell device for generating electricity by causing an electro-chemical reaction of fuel gas and oxidant gas, comprising: solid oxide fuel cells disposed within a solid oxide fuel cell module; a reformer for reforming fuel gas and supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cells, by executing any one of a reforming reaction POX, wherein fuel gas is partial oxidation-reformed by causing a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas in a predetermined temperature band, a reforming reaction SR, wherein fuel gas is steam reformed by chemically reacting a fuel gas and steam, and a reforming reaction ATR, wherein fuel gas is auto-thermally reformed by the combined use of POX and SR; a reforming state temperature detector for detecting a reforming state temperature in order to change a reforming state induced by the reformer; and a controller for controlling an operation of the fuel cell module; wherein the controller has a startup control device for controlling a startup of the operation of the fuel cell module, and a stop control device for controlling a stopping of the fuel cell module; wherein the startup control device executes a combustion operation to rise a temperature of the reformer by a combustion heat of the fuel gas when after the fuel gas is ignited and caused to combust, the reforming state temperature detected by the reforming state temperature detector is lower than a POX starting temperature at which POX starts; the startup control device executes a normal startup POX to raise the temperature of the reformer when the reforming state temperature is equal to or greater than the POX starting temperature and within a POX temperature band below the temperature at which steam reforming is possible; the startup control device executes a normal startup ATR to raise the temperature of the reformer when the reforming state temperature is equal to or greater than the temperature at which steam reforming is possible, and is within the ATR temperature band below a predetermined steady state temperature; and the startup control device executes a normal startup SR to raise the temperature of the reformer when the reforming state temperature is equal to or greater than a predetermined steady-state temperature; wherein the startup control device further executes a restart control by the ATR, skipping a normal startup POX, if stop processing by a stop control device is executed in association with stopping of the fuel cell module from a high temperature state, and a restart of operation is executed when the reforming state temperature is within the POX temperature band.