Control apparatus and control method for fuel cell

A control method for a fuel cell comprising oxidizing gas supplying means for supplying an oxidizing gas to a cathode via an oxidizing gas supply line of the fuel cell, and hydrogen supplying means for supplying hydrogen to an anode via a hydrogen supply line of the fuel cell, characterized by comprising the following steps of:

• detecting a gas pressure within at least one of the oxidizing gas supply line and the cathode;
• determining a target hydrogen partial pressure regarding a hydrogen pressure among a gas pressure within at least one of the hydrogen supply line and the anode;
• calculating a hydrogen supply pressure of hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell, based upon the target hydrogen partial pressure and the detected gas pressure;
• and
• controlling hydrogen so as to be supplied from the hydrogen supplying means to the fuel cell at the hydrogen supply pressure.

The control method for a fuel cell according to claim, characterized by further comprising the following steps of:

• detecting a temperature of the fuel cell;
• correcting the target hydrogen partial pressure based upon the temperature of the fuel cell;
• and
• calculating the hydrogen supply pressure of hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell based upon the corrected target hydrogen partial pressure and the detected gas pressure.

A control apparatus for a fuel cell comprising an oxidizing gas supply device for supplying an oxidizing gas to a cathode via an oxidizing gas supply line of the fuel cell, and a hydrogen supplying device for supplying hydrogen to an anode via a hydrogen supply line of the fuel cell, comprising:

• a controller that detects gas pressure within at least one of the oxidizing gas supply line and the cathode,
• determines a target hydrogen partial pressure regarding a hydrogen pressure among a gas pressure within at least one of the hydrogen supply line and the anode,
• calculates a hydrogen supply pressure of hydrogen to be supplied to the fuel cell, based upon the target hydrogen partial pressure and the detected gas pressure, and
• controls hydrogen so as to be supplied from the hydrogen supplying device to the fuel cell at the hydrogen supply pressure.