Patent ID: 8211581

Claim:
A control method for a fuel cell comprising an oxidizing gas supplying unit configured to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode via an oxidizing gas supply line of the fuel cell, and a hydrogen supplying unit configured to supply hydrogen to an anode via a hydrogen supply line of the fuel cell, the anode having a buildup of impurities over time causing a presence of residual gas, the method comprising: detecting a cathode-side gas pressure within at least one of the oxidizing gas supply line and the cathode with a pressure detecting device; dynamically calculating a target hydrogen partial pressure regarding a hydrogen pressure among a gas mixture in the anode, the dynamic calculation being based on the detected cathode-side gas pressure and a required electricity generation amount; setting a hydrogen supply pressure of hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell to a value that is calculated based on a value that is obtained by adding the calculated target hydrogen partial pressure to the detected cathode-side gas pressure; and controlling a hydrogen supply control device to regulate the supply of hydrogen from the hydrogen supplying unit to the fuel cell at the set hydrogen supply pressure.