Fuel cell system and control method therefor
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorShinji MIYAGAWA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The fuel cell system includes a reforming unit configured to reform a fuel gas containing a hydrocarbon to generate a reformed gas. The reforming unit contains a reforming catalyst, and a fuel cell stack configured to generate electricity by using the reformed gas as an anode gas. The control method includes a normal operation step of causing the fuel cell stack to generate electricity while supplying the fuel gas to the reforming unit, and a carbon removal step of removing carbon deposited on the reforming catalyst. The carbon removal step includes a step of supplying air to the reforming unit. A flow rate of the air to be supplied to the reforming unit in the carbon removal step is larger than a flow rate of the hydrocarbon to be supplied to the reforming unit in the normal operation step.
Claims14
A method for controlling a fuel cell system,
- the fuel cell system including
- a reforming unit configured to reform a fuel gas containing a hydrocarbon to generate a reformed gas, the reforming unit containing a reforming catalyst, and
- a fuel cell stack configured to generate electricity by using the reformed gas as an anode gas,
- the control method comprising:
- a normal operation step of causing the fuel cell stack to generate electricity while supplying the fuel gas to the reforming unit;
- and
- a carbon removal step of removing carbon deposited on the reforming catalyst, wherein the carbon removal step includes a step of supplying air to the reforming unit, and
- a flow rate of the air to be supplied to the reforming unit in the carbon removal step is larger than a flow rate of the hydrocarbon to be supplied to the reforming unit in the normal operation step.
A fuel cell system, comprising:
- a reforming unit configured to reform a fuel gas containing a hydrocarbon to generate a reformed gas, the reforming unit containing a reforming catalyst;
- a fuel cell stack configured to generate electricity by using the reformed gas as an anode gas;
- and
- a control device, wherein
- the control device executes a normal operation step and a carbon removal step,
- in the normal operation step, the control device causes the fuel cell stack to generate electricity while supplying the fuel gas to the reforming unit,
- in the carbon removal step, the control device supplies air to the reforming unit, and
- a flow rate of the air to be supplied to the reforming unit in the carbon removal step is larger than a flow rate of the hydrocarbon to be supplied to the reforming unit in the normal operation step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.