A metal support for an electrochemical element has a plate shape as a whole, and is provided with a plurality of penetration spaces that pass through the metal support from a front face to a back face. The front face is a face to be provided with an electrode layer. Each of front-side openings that are openings of the penetration spaces formed in the front face has an area of 3.0×10.sup.−4 mm.sup.2 or more and 3.0×10.sup.−3 mm.sup.2 or less.

A power supply apparatus configured to control output power from a fuel cell module that generates power using combustion gas includes a controller that, during operation in parallel with other power supply apparatuses that supply output power from other fuel cell modules to a load, controls the output power from one fuel cell module among the fuel cell module and the other fuel cell modules until the one fuel cell module reaches rated power output, while suppressing the output power from each fuel cell module, other than the one fuel cell module, that has not reached the rated power output.

According to an embodiment, a power supply control system includes a state acquirer configured to acquire states of a plurality of fuel cell systems mounted in an electric device that operates using electric power, a power acquirer configured to acquire a required amount of electric power from the electric device, and a power generation controller configured to control power generation of one or more fuel cell systems among the plurality of fuel cell systems so that the required amount of electric power acquired by the power acquirer is satisfied on the basis of the state of each of the plurality of fuel cell systems acquired by the state acquirer.

A power converter for a fuel cell is provided. The power converter includes a boost converter connected to the fuel cell and configured to control a load voltage at a predetermined magnitude in a normal operation mode and to induce an output response by applying a predetermined perturbation current to the fuel cell in a diagnosis mode, and a digital signal processor configured to extract an impedance parameter by detecting the output response of the fuel cell in the diagnosis mode, and predict a lifespan of the fuel cell according to the impedance parameter. The normal operation mode is configured to supply a voltage in response to a change of a load and the diagnosis mode is configured to predict the lifespan of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell system to be installed on a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, an SOC detector that detects a temperature and a state of charge of the secondary battery, an accelerator position detector that detects an accelerator depressed amount, and a controller that controls power to be generated by the fuel cell. The controller includes: a required generation power calculator that calculates required generation power based on the accelerator depressed amount and the temperature and the state of charge of the secondary battery; and a maximum required power calculator that calculates maximum required power based on the accelerator depressed amount and the temperature and the state of charge of the secondary battery. The maximum required power includes allowable charging power correlated with a maximum value of charging power. If determining that a condition for rapid reduction in consumption power of a motor is satisfied, the controller sets the allowable charging power to zero and calculates the maximum required power. If the required generation power exceeds the maximum required power, the controller makes the fuel cell generate power responsive to the maximum required power.

An apparatus of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is provided. The SOFCs generate power and are grid-tied. The apparatus comprises a power-generating side; and a grid-connecting side using an elementary household power management. The apparatus solves problems like low voltage, high current, voltage oscillation, voltage dips, long generator-starting time, etc. The apparatus is not only used as a stable power supply (base load), but also helps adjust the regional peak electricity demands. The features include the following: 1. A grid is tied, where output power does not pass through a direct-current boost converter and, thus, has no loss from it. 2. Injures, including voltage oscillation and sudden unloading after dumping, are reduced for avoiding further damages to cell sheets. 3. With the coordination of elementary power management and the integration of grid, the limitation of long-awaiting generator-starting time is crossed out and convenience of immediate power use is achieved.

A method and apparatus for maintaining or establishing a readiness state in a fuel cell backup system of a nuclear reactor system are disclosed. A method includes maintaining a readiness state of a fuel cell system within a set of readiness parameters, the readiness parameters a function of a characteristic of the nuclear reactor system. Another method includes monitoring a nuclear reactor system characteristic and, responsive to the monitored nuclear reactor system characteristic, establishing a readiness state of a fuel cell system. An apparatus includes a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system and a fuel cell control system configured to maintain a readiness state of the fuel cell system. Another apparatus includes a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, a nuclear reactor characteristic monitoring system, and a fuel cell control system configured to establish a readiness state of the fuel cell system.

A second flange is separated from at least one of ribs located at one end and the other end out of a plurality of ribs of a plurality of first cases which are located next to each other in a second direction, and is fixed to one of the ribs except for the at least one of the ribs.

A power management server controls a fuel cell system including a power generator. The power management server includes at least one processor. The processor is configured to execute a reception process and control process. The reception process incudes a reception process of receiving a massage including an information element indicating an operation state of the fuel cell system. The control process includes a control process of controlling the fuel cell system which the operation state is a power generating state, in preference to the fuel cell system which the operation state is a starting up state, stopping state, and stop operating state, in a control target period.

A vehicle includes: a power storage device; a rotary electric machine; a power generation device; a heat radiation unit configured to radiate exhaust heat from the rotary electric machine and the power generation device; and a control device configured to control power generation by the power generation device so as to increase an amount of power generated by the power generation device when vehicle required power due to drive of the vehicle is smaller than predetermined power compared to when the vehicle required power is larger than the predetermined power. An amount of power generated by the rotary electric machine and the power generation device is equal to or less than allowable generated electric power calculated from the amount of heat that is able to radiated by the heat radiation unit.