The fuel cell includes a power generation unit, a plurality of storage containers that are detachable and house hydrogen absorbing alloy, a heat medium passage through which a heat medium flows, and a temperature control unit for heating the storage containers by controlling the temperature of the heat medium and causing the heat medium to flow. The temperature control unit can carry out a first temperature control mode of controlling the temperature of the heat medium to be equal to or higher than a first temperature, and a second temperature control mode of controlling the temperature of the heat medium to be equal to or higher than a second temperature. The temperature control unit determines whether the second temperature mode is to be carried out or not based on the pressure or the temperature of an attached storage container when a new storage container is attached.

A fuel cell system for a mobile body includes a fuel cell, an oxidant gas supply system, and a controller. The oxidant gas supply system includes an air compressor. The air compressor includes a rotor, an air bearing, and a housing. The controller includes a movement speed detector configured to measure a movement speed of the mobile body, and an acceleration detector configured to predict an acceleration to be applied to the mobile body. The controller is configured to determine whether the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined acceleration threshold, and control a rotation speed of the air compressor to be equal to or higher than a predetermined first rotation speed when determination is made that the acceleration predicted by the acceleration detector is equal to or higher than the acceleration threshold.

A gas sensor includes: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer including a first region having a first thickness and a second region having a second thickness larger than the first thickness; a metal oxide layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the metal oxide layer including a bulk region and a local region surrounded by the bulk region, a degree of oxygen deficiency of the local region being higher than that of the bulk region; and an insulation layer covering the first conductive layer, the second region of the second conductive layer, and the metal oxide layer and not covering the first region of the second conductive layer.

A method for controlling a fuel cell vehicle including a fuel cell to generate electric power via an electrochemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas, the method includes determining whether the fuel cell vehicle is in a fuel supply state in which the fuel gas is supplied from an outside of the fuel cell vehicle into a fuel storage chamber via a filling lid box of the fuel cell vehicle. It is determined that the fuel gas does not leak, even if a fuel gas detector provided in the filling lid box detects the fuel gas when the fuel cell vehicle is in the fuel supply state.

A data signal accurately reflecting the actual state of a storage vessel is sent to a station side. A fuel cell system (1) includes a hydrogen supply line (32) that connects a tank main body (311) and a fuel cell stack (2), and a main stop valve provided to the hydrogen supply line (32). A communicative filling system (6) generates a data signal based on the state of a hydrogen tank (31), and sends the generated data signal to a station (9). A vehicle (V) includes an FCV-ECU (11) that assumes processing related to control of the fuel cell system (1), and a communicative filling ECU (61) that assumes processing related to control of the communicative filling system (6). Then, the communicative filling ECU inhibits start of communication with the station (9) at least when determined that a main stop valve (312) is in a completely closed state.

There is provided a high pressure container including (i) a plurality of container bodies, each of the container bodies housing a fluid in a high pressure state and being able to release the fluid through a release portion, (ii) an opening section that is linked to the container bodies, and that opens at or above a predetermined opening temperature to release the fluid inside the container bodies, and (iii) a cover member that straddles the plurality of container bodies, that covers at least a portion of the plurality of container bodies, that is able to withstand a temperature of no less than the opening temperature, that is linked to the opening section, and that is capable of transmitting heat to the opening section.

A fuel cell system according to the present invention includes a cell stack, a combustion part, a reformed water carburetor, a gas mixer, and a reformer. The cell stack is a cell stack that is configured by stacking fuel cells and generates electric power by using hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas. The combustion part burns the hydrogen-containing gas and the oxygen-containing gas that have not been consumed in the cell stack. A reformed water carburetor is communicated with the combustion part via an exhaust gas passage and generates steam. The gas mixer, placed on the top of the combustion part. The reformer, placed on the top of the combustion part in contact with the gas mixer, is a reformer, generates the hydrogen-containing gas by reforming the mixed gas, and supplies the hydrogen-containing gas to the cell stack via the hydrogen gas passage.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply line, an oxidizing agent gas supply line, a fuel gas discharge line, and a reformer provided in the fuel gas supply line. A first circulating line circulates the fuel gas from the fuel gas discharge line to an upstream side of the reformer in the fuel gas supply line as a first circulating gas. The circulation device is provided in the fuel gas supply line, and suctions the first circulating gas by using the flow of the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas supply line as a driving flow. A second circulating line circulates the fuel gas from a downstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line or the fuel gas discharge line to the upstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line as a second circulating gas.

A fuel cell system includes a cathode gas supply passage through which cathode gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack, a cathode gas discharge passage through which the cathode gas is discharged from the fuel cell stack, a turbo compressor provided in the cathode gas supply passage for delivering the cathode gas to the fuel cell stack, a valve provided in the cathode gas supply passage or the cathode gas discharge passage, and a controller that controls constituent components of the fuel cell system including the turbo compressor and the valve. The controller performs cathode-gas flow rate change control to alternately open and close the valve, in a condition where the turbo compressor is driven, when the fuel cell stack is not required to generate electric power.

A method of fuel desulfurization comprises receiving fuel from a source of fuel in a gaseous phase and condensing the fuel in the gaseous phase in a fuel condenser to convert at least a portion of the fuel into a liquid phase. The method further comprises delivering the fuel in the liquid phase directly to a reformer and returning the uncondensed portion of the fuel in the gaseous phase to the source of fuel to inert the source of fuel.