The present invention relates to a protective reformer device (10) for the protection of an anode section (112) of a fuel cell stack (110) against oxidizing damage during a heating-up process, having a gas duct (20) with a gas inlet (22) and a gas outlet (24) for conducting fuel gas from an anode feed section (120) of the fuel cell stack (110), wherein a catalytic converter section (30) is arranged in the gas duct (20) for a catalytic oxidation of at least part of the fuel gas into a protective gas for feeding to the anode section (112), wherein, furthermore, the gas duct (20) has a temperature control device (40) in thermally transmitting contact with the catalytic converter section (30) for an active temperature control of the catalytic converter section (30).

A fuel cell cooling system mounted on a vehicle includes a flow path for a coolant; a cooling unit that cools the coolant in a cooling unit flow path; a fuel cell to be cooled through heat exchange with the coolant in a fuel cell flow path; a heat generating body to be cooled through heat exchange with the coolant in a heat generating body flow path; first and second pumps that pump the coolant in the fuel cell and heat generating body flow paths, respectively; and a control circuit. When the vehicle is started, the control circuit performs a first process of actuating the first pump with the second pump stopped, and a second process of actuating the first and second pumps when the temperature of the coolant in the fuel cell or cooling unit flow path exceeds a first reference value during the first process.

A fuel cell system includes a fuel feeder that supplies fuel, a fuel cell stack that generates power through an electrochemical reaction using air and a hydrogen-containing gas generated from the fuel, a temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the fuel cell stack, and a controller. The fuel cell stack has a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane through which protons can pass, a cathode on one side of the electrolyte membrane, and an anode on the other side of the electrolyte membrane. The controller defines an upper limit of current output from the fuel cell stack on the basis of the temperature of the fuel cell stack and the supply of the fuel and keeps the current output from the fuel cell stack at or below the upper limit.

A method of maintaining a thermal balance in a solid oxide reversible fuel cell system comprising a solid oxide reversible fuel cell, an air intake for providing air to the solid oxide reversible fuel cell, and a steam reformer fluidly coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell for providing fuel to the solid oxide reversible fuel cell. The method comprising operating the solid oxide reversible fuel cell system in a forward mode in which the steam former receives natural gas and produces hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide to be provided to the solid oxide reversible fuel cell, and operating the solid oxide reversible fuel cell system in a reverse mode in which the steam reformer receives hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide from the solid oxide reversible fuel cell and produces natural gas and water.

Provided is an end cell heater for a fuel cell capable of preventing water existing in reaction cells of a fuel cell stack from being frozen to improve initial start ability and initial driving performance of the fuel cell at the time of cold-starting the fuel cell during winter by disposing heaters on end cells disposed at both ends of the fuel cell stack and capable of securing air-tightness and pressure resistance properties of air passages and fuel passages formed in the end cell.

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 that includes an installation port and a discharge port for a reactant gas; a first injection device that intermittently injects the reactant gas; second and third injection devices that continuously inject the reactant gas; an ejector that includes an ejection port for the reactant gas from the first or second injection device and the discharge port; a first flow passage that connects the installation port and the ejection port; a second flow passage through which the reactant gas from the third injection device is led to the first flow passage without the ejector; and a control device that performs a warm-up operation by executing the injection of the third injection device, executes the injection of the second injection device, and executes the injection of the first injection device after completion of the warm-up operation.

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.

A cooling and gas dehumidifying system comprising a cooling circuit in which a thermal fluid is circulated. The system further comprises a cooling arrangement arranged in the cooling circuit and configured to cool the thermal fluid flowing therethrough. A consumer gives up heat energy to the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit. A gas dehumidifier having a heat exchanger arrangement is configured to be thermally coupled in a gas dehumidifying operating state with the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit downstream of the cooling arrangement and having a first temperature, and thereby give up heat energy to the thermal fluid, and to be thermally coupled in a de-icing operating state with the thermal fluid flowing through the cooling circuit downstream of the consumer and having a second temperature, and thereby absorb heat energy from the thermal fluid, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature.

In a fuel cell system, for example HTPEM fuel cells, especially for automobiles, a multi-stream heat exchange unit is employed in order to save space.