Fuel-circulating fuel cell system
First Claim
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1. A fuel-circulating fuel cell system comprising:
- a fuel cell that is supplied with fuel and an oxidizing agent, and generates electricity;
a fuel-circulating passage that supplies fuel discharged from the fuel cell to the fuel cell again;
a high-pressure hydrogen tank that supplies new fuel to the fuel cell;
a fuel-forwarding device disposed in the fuel-circulating passage and provided with;
a fuel pump that is powered from an outside source to circulate the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage at a predetermined circulation rate, andan ejector that forwards the new fuel from the high-pressure hydrogen tank to the fuel-circulating passage and circulates the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage at the predetermined circulation rate in combination with the fuel pump,wherein the fuel pump is disposed in the fuel-circulating passage at a location where the fuel discharged from the fuel cell flows away from the fuel cell and toward the ejector;
means for monitoring a cell voltage of the fuel cell;
means for determining an output instruction value based on the cell voltage of the fuel cell;
means for transmitting the output instruction value to the fuel pump of the fuel-forwarding device to control the output of the fuel cell by controlling the fuel-forwarding device according to the output instruction value, thereby regulating a circulation rate of the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage; and
means for increasing a rotation speed of the fuel pump based upon the output instruction value during operation of the fuel cell, wherein during operation the means for increasing comprises;
means for rotating the fuel pump at a first rotation speed greater than zero when the cell voltage of the fuel cell falls within a predetermined range; and
means for increasing the first rotation speed to a second rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed when the cell voltage of the fuel cell falls below the predetermined range.
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Abstract
A fuel cell stack 1 in a fuel-circulating fuel cell system is supplied with fuel and an oxidizing agent to generate electricity. The fuel discharged from the fuel cell stack 1 is supplied to the fuel cell stack 1 again through a fuel-circulating passage 6. In the fuel-circulating passage 6 is provided a fuel pump 3 powered from an outside source to circulate the fuel through the fuel-circulating passage 6 at a predetermined circulation rate. An ECU 4 transmits an output instruction value to the fuel cell stack 1 and regulates a circulation rate of the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage 6 according to the output instruction value.
9 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A fuel-circulating fuel cell system comprising:
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a fuel cell that is supplied with fuel and an oxidizing agent, and generates electricity; a fuel-circulating passage that supplies fuel discharged from the fuel cell to the fuel cell again; a high-pressure hydrogen tank that supplies new fuel to the fuel cell; a fuel-forwarding device disposed in the fuel-circulating passage and provided with; a fuel pump that is powered from an outside source to circulate the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage at a predetermined circulation rate, and an ejector that forwards the new fuel from the high-pressure hydrogen tank to the fuel-circulating passage and circulates the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage at the predetermined circulation rate in combination with the fuel pump, wherein the fuel pump is disposed in the fuel-circulating passage at a location where the fuel discharged from the fuel cell flows away from the fuel cell and toward the ejector; means for monitoring a cell voltage of the fuel cell; means for determining an output instruction value based on the cell voltage of the fuel cell; means for transmitting the output instruction value to the fuel pump of the fuel-forwarding device to control the output of the fuel cell by controlling the fuel-forwarding device according to the output instruction value, thereby regulating a circulation rate of the fuel in the fuel-circulating passage; and means for increasing a rotation speed of the fuel pump based upon the output instruction value during operation of the fuel cell, wherein during operation the means for increasing comprises; means for rotating the fuel pump at a first rotation speed greater than zero when the cell voltage of the fuel cell falls within a predetermined range; and means for increasing the first rotation speed to a second rotation speed greater than the first rotation speed when the cell voltage of the fuel cell falls below the predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification