FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND SHUTOFF VALVE FOR FUEL OFF GAS DISCHARGE USED IN FUEL CELL SYSTEM

• Main Authors: SAWADA KAZUNOBU, ONO KIYOSHI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.04.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel cell system having a shutoff valve improved so as to favorably perform a gas leak inspection on a treatment flow path by means of inspection gas, and a shutoff valve for fuel off gas discharge used in the fuel cell system. SOLUTION: This system has the shutoff valve 3 provided in a fuel off gas flow path 15 and the treatment flow path 17 provided downstream of the shutoff valve 3 for treating a fuel off gas after power generation. The shutoff valve 3 has a body 32 having a main valve port 30 through which the off gas flows after power generation, a main valve part 33 capable of opening/closing the valve port 30, a biasing spring 34 for biasing the valve part 33 in a valve closing direction in which the valve part 33 closes the valve port 30, and a drive part 35 for actuating the valve part 33 in the valve closing direction or in the valve opening direction. The biasing force of the biasing spring 34 of the valve 3 is set to exceed the valve opening force of the valve part 33 based on the internal pressure of the inspection gas and to keep the valve part 33 in a closed valve state when the internal pressure is applied to the flow path 17 by loading the inspection gas in the flow path 17 with the flow path 17 shut tight. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO