# US 2010/0167153 A1 · Fuel cell apparatus

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- Number: US 2010/0167153 A1
- Document ID: US20100167153A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/600,379
- Filed: 2008-07-29
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2007-07-31
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Jun Yamamoto; Satoshi Mogi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167153A1

## CPC

- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 8/04171: {using adsorbents, wicks or hydrophilic material}
- H01M 8/04753: {of fuel cell reactants}
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Provided is a fuel cell apparatus having a gas permeation mechanism for spontaneously controlling the supply amount of oxidizer from a reduced amount to an amount sufficient for normal operation after a reduction process at the time of activation. The fuel cell apparatus includes a control portion for controlling a potential difference between a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode to such a value as to reduce an oxide film of a catalyst used in the oxidizer electrode, and a gas permeation mechanism provided in a flow path through which supplied air flows, wherein the gas permeation mechanism includes a member which allows a gas permeation rate to be controlled depending on surrounding environment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell apparatus, comprising:
a fuel cell for generating electric power by supplying fuel to a fuel electrode provided on one surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane and by supplying air to an oxidizer electrode provided on another surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane through an air hole; and
a control portion for controlling a potential difference between the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode to such a value as to reduce an oxide film of a catalyst used in the oxidizer electrode,
wherein a gas permeation mechanism is provided in a flow path through which air supplied from the air hole flows, and
wherein the gas permeation mechanism comprises a member which allows a gas permeation rate to be controlled depending on surrounding environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member which allows the gas permeation rate to be controlled is a member which responds to temperature to thereby spontaneously act to make gas permeability greater at a higher temperature than at a lower temperature.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the member which makes the gas permeability greater is formed of a bimetal or a shape memory alloy, a shape of which changes so as to increase the gas permeability by corresponding to a temperature rise.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member which allows the gas permeation rate to be controlled is a member which responds to moisture or water to thereby spontaneously act to make gas permeability greater in a wetter state than in a drier state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the member which makes the gas permeability greater is formed of a water absorbing and swelling material, a shape of which changes so as to increase the gas permeability by corresponding to wetting.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control portion is structured such that in a state where the fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode, the potential difference between the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode is controllable to such a value as to cause a hydrogen generation reaction at the oxidizer electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a combustion catalyst is disposed close to the gas permeation mechanism such that gas permeability is increasable by responding to heat generated by a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen at the combustion catalyst.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a combustion catalyst is disposed close to the gas permeation mechanism such that gas permeability is increasable by responding to water generated by a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen at the combustion catalyst.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a water supply mechanism of supplying water generated by the fuel cell is provided to the gas permeation mechanism.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, which is an open-air fuel cell in which air is taken as an oxidizer into the oxidizer electrode by natural diffusion.