A controller for a fuel cell based power generator includes a memory and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive a pressure in an anode loop of the fuel cell based power generator, wherein the anode loop includes a hydrogen generator and an anode loop blower, and control the anode loop blower such that the hydrogen generator provides hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell via the blower and the anode loop at a controlled pressure. In further embodiments, the temperatures of the fuel cell and hydrogen generator are independently controlled.

According to an embodiment, a control system includes a fuel cell configured to generate electric power using an anode and a cathode, a power storage device capable of storing the electric power generated by the fuel cell, auxiliary equipment to which the electric power is able to be supplied, and a controller configured to control operations of the fuel cell and the auxiliary equipment. The controller performs control so that the electric power is consumed by the auxiliary equipment in accordance with a power storage state of the power storage device at the time of power generation of the fuel cell and adjusts one or both of a timing and a degree at which electric power to be consumed by the auxiliary equipment is limited on the basis of temperature information associated with the auxiliary equipment.

A high-temperature operating fuel cell system includes a reformer that produces a reformed gas from air and a raw material, an air supplier that supplies the air to the reformer, a fuel cell that generates electricity with the reformed gas and air, a combustor in which unutilized portions of the reformed gas and the air burn, a combustion exhaust gas path of a combustion exhaust gas, a depurator including a combustion catalyst for freeing the combustion exhaust gas of toxic substances, a heater that heats the combustion catalyst, and a controller. At start-up in a case of having detected an abnormal stoppage in which a purge operation is impossible, the controller first controls the heater so that the combustion catalyst is heated to a predetermined temperature and then controls the air supplier so that the high-temperature operating fuel cell system is purged by supplying the air to the reformer.

An apparatus of power generation is provided. The apparatus uses a stack of dense solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The exhaust gas generated by a burner of the apparatus enters into the SOFC stack for heating. At the same time, the SOFC stack is heated by the thermal radiation and heat transfer of the burner as well as the thermal convection of gases between the anode and the cathode. Thus, the SOFC stack is heated to reach an operating temperature for generating power without any additional electroheat device. The present invention has a simple structure, flexible operation. Moreover, it increased efficiency, reduced pollutant emission with lowered costs of equipment and operation.

The present disclosure relates generally to new forms of portable energy generation devices and methods. The devices are designed to covert formic acid into released hydrogen, alleviating the need for a hydrogen tank as a hydrogen source for fuel cell power.

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 SOFC system having a fuel reformer for reforming a gaseous hydrocarbon stream and steam into a hydrogen rich gas, a solid oxide fuel cell stack including an anode and a cathode for electrochemically reacting the hydrogen rich gas and a cathode air stream to produce electricity, an anode exhaust stream and a cathode depleted air stream. The anode exhaust stream and the cathode depleted air stream are kept separate, a burner for combusting a mixture of the anode exhaust stream and a fresh air stream to complete combustion and produce heat for the reformer control unit and a blower are also provided. The control unit controlling the blower for controlling the mass flow rate of the fresh air stream to provide heat to the reformer to reform the gaseous hydrocarbon stream and to produce a burner exhaust stream.

A fuel cell power generation module includes a fuel cell stack body combined with a reformer, a burner, and a plate-type evaporator that are sequentially top-down stacked and assembled into a detachable power generation module, a gas-water separator to recycle mixed fuel that is not completely reacted with the fuel cell stack body, and a part of the recycled fuel is introduced into the burner for burning, and the burner thermal thus produced is used for heating the fuel cell stack body and the plate-type evaporator through thermal radiation and heat conduction, meanwhile, hot air produced by the burner can be used for heating air that enters the fuel cell stack body, and the plate-type evaporator converts the water into steam that feeds into the fuel cell stack body with fuel for reaction.

A high-temperature operating fuel-cell module includes a fuel-cell stack; a fuel-cell stack container in which the fuel-cell stack is contained and cathode off-gas discharged from the fuel-cell stack flows; a cathode off-gas collector that is provided in the fuel-cell stack container and in which the cathode off-gas is collected; an anode off-gas passage through which anode off-gas discharged from the fuel-cell stack flows; and a combustor that combusts the cathode off-gas collected in the cathode off-gas collector and the anode off-gas flowing through the anode off-gas passage, the combustor comprising: a combustion chamber in which the anode and cathode off-gas are mixed and combusted, an ejector that is connected to the anode off-gas passage and ejects the anode off-gas into the combustion chamber, and a diffusion plate that surrounds the ejector so that the ejector is located at the center of the diffusion plate, and ejects the cathode off-gas into the combustion chamber.

A fuel cell system including a fuel cell, an off-gas reprocessing unit that is provided downstream of the fuel cell and that at least partially removes at least one of steam or carbon dioxide from an off-gas discharged from the fuel cell, a flow passage that is provided downstream of the off-gas reprocessing unit and that allows a reprocessed off-gas discharged from the off-gas reprocessing unit to flow therethrough, and a controlling unit that modulates the reaction constant K.sub.pa of a reaction A with respect to the reprocessed off-gas discharged from the off-gas reprocessing unit, to 1.22 or more.