Solid oxide fuel cell device

A solid oxide fuel cell device for reacting fuel with an electrical generating oxidant gas to generate electrical power in an amount corresponding to a required power, comprising:

• a fuel cell module furnished with multiple solid oxide fuel cell units;
• a reformer for supplying reformed fuel to the solid oxide fuel cell units;
• a fuel supply device for supplying fuel to be reformed to the reformer;
• a water supply device for supplying water to the reformer;
• a generating oxidant gas supply device for supplying generating oxidant gas to the solid oxide fuel cell units;
• and
• a controller for controlling the fuel supply device and the water supply device during startup procedure wherein the solid oxide fuel cell units of the fuel cell module are raised to a temperature at which electricity can be generated, carrying out within the reformer a SR in which only the steam reforming reaction occurs, then starting electrical generation;
• wherein the controller controls the fuel supply device so that the fuel supply flow rate in the SR immediately prior to electrical generation is maintained at an electrical generation standby fuel supply flow rate which is determined according to the fuel cell module usage conditions, and is less than the fuel supply flow rate at the time of SR startup.