Fuel Cell, Fuel Cell Apparatus, Vehicle and Co-Generation System Including the Same and Fuel Cell Operation Method

• Main Authors: NAKANISHI YASUFUMI, YOSHIHARA YOSHINOBU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.02.2009
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRICITY; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

A fuel cell apparatus is capable of quickly heating a solid electrolyte to a proper temperature in order to perform effective electric power generation. The apparatus includes a fuel cell (1) for generating electric power by cell reacting a fuel gas on an anode-(3) side with oxygen on a cathode-(4) side. The fuel cell (1) includes a solid electrolyte (2) formed of a porous mass and uses a differential pressure to cause the fuel gas on the anode-(3) side to permeate through the solid electrolyte to the cathode-(4) side. The solid electrolyte (2) is heated by combustion reaction of the fuel gas permeated through the solid electrolyte (2) and mixed with the oxygen.