Patent ID: 7794888

Claim:
A fuel cell system that is characterized in comprising: a fuel cell that uses odorized gas; a fuel offgas passage that lets fuel offgas from the fuel cell go therethrough; a discharge control unit that is disposed on the fuel offgas passage and controls discharge of the fuel offgas; an odor removal unit that is disposed downstream from the discharge control unit on the fuel offgas passage and removes odor from the discharged fuel offgas; and an odor removal control unit that facilitates the removal of odor from the discharged fuel offgas when the discharge control unit starts discharge of the fuel offgas, and suppresses removal of odor when the discharge control unit stops the discharge of the fuel offgas wherein the odor removal control unit comprises: a branch passage that diverts the fuel offgas away from the odor removal unit; and a branch valve that is disposed on the branch passage and controls opening and closing of the branch passage; and wherein the branch valve is closed in conjunction with the discharge control unit starting the discharge of the fuel offgas, and wherein the branch valve is opened in conjunction with the discharge control unit stopping the discharge of the fuel offgas, thereby controlling facilitation of the removal of odor and suppression of the removal of odor from the discharged fuel offgas.