Patent ID: 8415061

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell that has an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode side catalyst layer and an anode side catalyst layer that have a plurality of pores and are arranged contacting the electrolyte membrane; a cathode inflow water amount determining portion that determines a cathode inflow water amount that is an amount of water produced with power generation of the fuel cell that flows into the cathode side catalyst layer via the electrolyte membrane after activation of the fuel cell; a pore volume obtaining portion that obtains a pore total volume that is a volume of the plurality of pores in the cathode side catalyst layer; an operating condition determining portion that determines, based on the determined cathode inflow water amount and the obtained pore total volume, an operating condition of the fuel cell that includes a current value of current that flows through the fuel cell and an upper limit value of a period of time for which the current flows through the fuel cell, for bringing the cathode inflow water amount within a range that is equal to or less than the pore total volume; a current adjusting portion that adjusts the current value and the period of time for which current of the current value flows, such that the determined operating condition is realized; and a temperature obtaining portion that obtains a temperature of the fuel cell, wherein the current adjusting portion adjusts the current value and the period of time for which the current flows, such that the determined operating condition is realized, when the obtained temperature is below 0 ° C.