A fuel cell system is provided and the fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a fuel processing unit configured to process a raw fuel to produce a fuel gas for the fuel cell; an oxidant gas heating unit configured to heat an oxidant gas for the fuel cell; a combustor configured to combust the raw fuel to produce a combustion gas for use in heating the fuel processing unit and the oxidant gas heating unit; a supply control unit configured to, during a warm-up of the fuel cell, control supply of the raw fuel to the fuel processing unit and the combustor; and a power generation control unit configured to control a power generation state during the warm-up of the fuel cell. When the fuel cell has reached a power generation available temperature, the power generation control unit is configured to cause the fuel cell to perform power generation, and the supply control unit is configured to supply the raw fuel to both the fuel processing unit and the combustor.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circuit, a pump, a pressure regulating valve, and a control apparatus. The fuel cell includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies and a separator. The separator has a gas channel and a coolant channel. The circuit is coupled to the coolant channel and allows a coolant to circulate therethrough. The pump delivers the coolant toward the coolant channel. The pressure regulating valve adjusts a pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel. The control apparatus controls a flow rate of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a rotational speed of the pump on the basis of a temperature of the fuel cell, and controls the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a position of the pressure regulating valve on the basis of a pressure of gas in the gas channel.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circuit, a pump, a pressure regulating valve, and a control apparatus. The fuel cell includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies and a separator. The separator has a gas channel and a coolant channel. The circuit is coupled to the coolant channel and allows a coolant to circulate therethrough. The pump delivers the coolant toward the coolant channel. The pressure regulating valve adjusts a pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel. The control apparatus controls a flow rate of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a rotational speed of the pump on the basis of a temperature of the fuel cell, and controls the pressure of the coolant in the coolant channel by controlling a position of the pressure regulating valve on the basis of a pressure of gas in the gas channel.

The control device is configured so that when a temperature of the fuel cell at the time of start of power generation of the fuel cell is less than a standard temperature, it makes the fuel cell generate power so that the amount of heat generation of the fuel cell accompanying the power generation loss becomes a first amount of heat generation and so that when a cumulative value of current of a time period during which the fuel cell is made to generate power so that the amount of heat generation becomes the first amount of heat generation is equal to or greater than a predetermined cumulative value, it makes the fuel cell generate power so that the amount of heat generation becomes a second amount of heat generation larger than the first amount of heat generation.

The control device is configured so that when a temperature of the fuel cell at the time of start of power generation of the fuel cell is less than a standard temperature, it makes the fuel cell generate power so that the amount of heat generation of the fuel cell accompanying the power generation loss becomes a first amount of heat generation and so that when a cumulative value of current of a time period during which the fuel cell is made to generate power so that the amount of heat generation becomes the first amount of heat generation is equal to or greater than a predetermined cumulative value, it makes the fuel cell generate power so that the amount of heat generation becomes a second amount of heat generation larger than the first amount of heat generation.

Methods and systems are described for optimizing water discharge in fuel cell vehicles. The system includes a fuel cell stack, a blower for purging water from the fuel cell stack and a controller. The controller detects that an ambient temperature satisfies a threshold temperature. The controller determines the fuel cell vehicle is approaching a stopping location. The controller calculates a water discharge time prediction necessary to purge excess water from the fuel cell stack while the fuel cell vehicle is operating in response to detecting that the ambient temperature satisfies the threshold temperature and the fuel cell vehicle is approaching the stopping location. The water discharge time prediction is calculated based on the blower operating while the fuel cell stack is in at least one of an idle state and a stopped state as the fuel cell vehicle approaches the stopping location.

Methods and systems are described for optimizing water discharge in fuel cell vehicles. The system includes a fuel cell stack, a blower for purging water from the fuel cell stack and a controller. The controller detects that an ambient temperature satisfies a threshold temperature. The controller determines the fuel cell vehicle is approaching a stopping location. The controller calculates a water discharge time prediction necessary to purge excess water from the fuel cell stack while the fuel cell vehicle is operating in response to detecting that the ambient temperature satisfies the threshold temperature and the fuel cell vehicle is approaching the stopping location. The water discharge time prediction is calculated based on the blower operating while the fuel cell stack is in at least one of an idle state and a stopped state as the fuel cell vehicle approaches the stopping location.

A fuel cell system including: a fuel cell group; a refrigerant distribution passage; a pre-distribution refrigerant flow rate acquiring unit configured to acquire a first outlet temperature flow rate; a first outlet temperature detecting unit that is configured to detect a first outlet temperature; a voltage acquiring unit configured to acquire at least a first voltage that is a voltage of the first fuel cell; a current acquiring unit configured to acquire at least a first current; and a controller that calculates a first individual supply flow rate of the first fuel cell on the basis of the first voltage, the first current, and the first outlet temperature, and calculates a second individual supply flow rate of at least one second fuel cell other than the first fuel cell on the basis of the first individual supply flow rate and the pre-distribution refrigerant flow rate.

A system for capturing carbon dioxide in flue gas includes a fuel cell assembly including at least one fuel cell including a cathode portion configured to receive, as cathode inlet gas, the flue gas generated by the flue gas generating device or a derivative thereof, and to output cathode exhaust gas and an anode portion configure to receive an anode inlet gas and to output anode exhaust gas, a fuel cell assembly voltage monitor configured to measure a voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and a controller configured to receive the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly from the fuel cell assembly voltage monitor, determine an estimated carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly based on the measured voltage across the fuel cell assembly, and reduce the carbon dioxide utilization of the fuel cell assembly when the determined estimated carbon dioxide utilization is above a predetermined threshold utilization.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide fuel cell system capable of stable start-up and method for starting the fuel cell system. Fuel cell system includes SOFC, a turbocharger, oxidizing gas supply line, a control valve, oxidizing gas blow line, start-up air line for supplying the start-up air to the oxidizing gas supply line with a blower, and a control unit that, in state in which the control valve is closed and the blow valve is opened to supply the start-up air to the oxidizing gas supply line with the blower when the turbocharger is started, decreases the opening of the blow valve and, after the timing at which the opening of the blow valve starts to decrease, increases the opening of the control valve and then stops the supply of the starting air.