Fuel-cells generator system and method of generating electricity from fuel cells
First Claim
1. A fuel-cells generator system using fuel cells, which receive a supply of a reaction gas fed to an electrode with a catalyst carried thereon and generate an electromotive force through a chemical reaction of said reaction gas, said fuel-cells generator system comprising:
- lowered output detection means for detecting a decrease in output of said fuel cells;
poisoned state detection means for detecting a poisoned state of said catalyst;
temperature control means for, when said poisoned state detection means detects the poisoned state of said catalyst and said lowered output detection means detects a decrease in output of said fuel cells, increasing temperature of said fuel cells; and
gas pressure control means for regulating pressure of said reaction gas supplied to said electrode in response to the temperature control by said temperature control means, thereby enabling partial vapor pressure in said reaction gas to be kept within a predetermined range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel-cells generator system of the present invention carries out an appropriate control to ensure a high output even when a catalyst carried on an electrode is poisoned. An electronic control unit of the fuel-cells generator system measures an output voltage E of fuel cells, a concentration D of carbon monoxide included in a gaseous fuel, a temperature T of the fuel cells, and a pressure P of the gaseous fuel at steps S100 through S130. When the output voltage E has been lowered by the amount of change that is not less than a predetermined voltage E0 at step S140 and when the concentration D of carbon monoxide measured by a carbon monoxide sensor represents the poisoned state of a catalyst carried on the anodes of the fuel cells at step S150, the temperature T of the fuel cells is gradually increased at step S180. The pressure P of the gaseous fuel is also gradually increased at step S190, in order to enable a partial vapor pressure in the gaseous fuel to be kept at a constant value even under the condition of the increased temperature of the fuel cells. This structure keeps the partial vapor pressure in the gaseous fuel at a constant level, thus preventing the partial pressure of hydrogen in the gaseous fuel from being lowered and ensuring a continuous supply of hydrogen to the anodes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fuel-cells generator system using fuel cells, which receive a supply of a reaction gas fed to an electrode with a catalyst carried thereon and generate an electromotive force through a chemical reaction of said reaction gas, said fuel-cells generator system comprising:
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lowered output detection means for detecting a decrease in output of said fuel cells; poisoned state detection means for detecting a poisoned state of said catalyst; temperature control means for, when said poisoned state detection means detects the poisoned state of said catalyst and said lowered output detection means detects a decrease in output of said fuel cells, increasing temperature of said fuel cells; and gas pressure control means for regulating pressure of said reaction gas supplied to said electrode in response to the temperature control by said temperature control means, thereby enabling partial vapor pressure in said reaction gas to be kept within a predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of generating electricity from fuel cells, which receive a supply of a reaction gas fed to an electrode with a catalyst carried thereon and generate an electromotive force through a chemical reaction of said reaction gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) controlling temperature of said fuel cells to be higher than an optimum operating temperature; and (b) regulating pressure of said reaction gas supplied to said electrode in response to the temperature control carried out in said step (a), thereby enabling partial vapor pressure in said reaction gas to be kept within a predetermined range.
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15. A method of generating electricity from fuel cells, which receive a supply of a reaction gas fed to an electrode with a catalyst carried thereon and generate an electromotive force through a chemical reaction of said reaction gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a decrease in output of said fuel cells; (b) detecting a poisoned state of said catalyst; (c) when the poisoned state of said catalyst is detected in said step (b) and a decrease in output of said fuel cells is detected in said step (a), increasing temperature of said fuel cells; and (d) regulating pressure of said reaction gas supplied to said electrode in response to the temperature control carried out in said step (c), thereby enabling partial vapor pressure in said reaction gas to be kept within a predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification