JP2002329517A - Warm-up device for reforming device used in fuel cell system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To favorably control and rapidly carry out a warm-up or the like of a fuel cell system having a reformer. SOLUTION: In the fuel cell system 1, raw fuel is vaporized by a fuel vaporizer 8, it is reformed by the reformer 2, and it is fed to a fuel cell 4 after removing carbon monoxide by a CO remover 9. In the warm-up, hydrogen is respectively fed to a catalytic combustor 8a of the fuel vaporizer 8, the reformer 2 and the CO remover 9 from a hydrogen feeding means 10 and they are warmed up by catalytic combustion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a warm-up device for warming up a reformer for supplying a reformed gas to a fuel cell system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automobiles using electric power generated by a fuel cell as a power source have been developed from the viewpoint of environmental friendliness. Some fuel cell systems mounted on such automobiles generate electric power using hydrogen obtained by reforming gasoline, methanol, or the like in a reformer. Hydrogen is produced by carbon monoxide (CO) generated by the reforming reaction. CO) is supplied to the fuel cell after being removed by a CO remover. Here, the reformer, CO
Since the remover cannot exhibit sufficient performance until the temperature is raised to a predetermined temperature, for example, 300 to 900 ° C., such a fuel cell system requires a warm-up of the reformer and the CO remover. Various devices have been devised for quick operation.

As a conventional example of such a fuel cell system, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-315802 and
-191304. JP-A-7-315
In the fuel cell system described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 802, an electric heater is embedded in a catalyst of the reformer to warm up the reformer. A storage battery is used as the power source for the electric heater.
This storage battery is charged by a fuel cell. JP 200
The fuel cell system described in Japanese Patent Application No. 0-191304 warms the reformer by catalytically burning the liquid fuel sprayed upstream of the reformer also serving as a fuel evaporator. When the supply amount of the liquid fuel to be sprayed is increased, the liquid fuel that cannot be completely burned by the catalyst evaporates to become fuel vapor.

[0004]

However, when an electric heater is used for warming up a reformer, a large-capacity storage battery for storing a large amount of electric power required for heating is required.
The entire fuel cell system becomes larger. Further, there is a problem that the configuration of the reformer is complicated because an electric heater is embedded in the catalyst. When the liquid fuel is directly sprayed to warm up the reformer, the amount of heat required to burn the liquid is larger than that of gas, so it is necessary to provide a separate extra heat mechanism. There is. Further, since it is difficult to spray the liquid uniformly, warm-up may be performed locally, and there is a possibility that the catalyst is deactivated or the catalyst carrier is melted. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to quickly warm up a reformer used in a fuel cell system with better controllability.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuel for generating electricity by supplying a reformed gas obtained by reforming a raw fuel by a reformer. Batteries and
It has hydrogen supply means including a hydrogen storage alloy capable of supplying hydrogen for catalytic combustion in the reformer when the reformer is warmed up, and is obtained by a reforming reaction in the reformer after the reformer is warmed up. A reformer warm-up device used in a fuel cell system that fills the hydrogen supply means with the reformed gas obtained. The warm-up device of the reformer used in this fuel cell system is:
When the temperature of the reformer is low and the raw fuel cannot be sufficiently reformed, the hydrogen released from the hydrogen storage alloy of the hydrogen supply means is supplied to the reformer, and the reformer is catalyzed and burned. To warm up quickly. After warming up,
Using the reformed gas formed in the reformer, the hydrogen supply means is filled with hydrogen to prepare for the next warm-up.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the fuel cell system according to the first aspect, when the reformer is warmed up, the fuel cell generates power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply means. It was configured. This fuel cell system has a configuration in which a fuel cell can generate power using hydrogen supplied from a hydrogen supply unit. Therefore, even when the reformed gas of the raw fuel cannot be supplied to the fuel cell during the warm-up of the reformer, the power generation by the fuel cell becomes possible.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in the block diagram showing the entire configuration of the fuel cell power generation system of the present invention in FIG. 1, a fuel cell system 1 is obtained by reforming a liquid raw fuel by a reforming device including a reformer 2 and the like. Hydrogen and oxygen contained in air supplied from the air compressor 3 and the like are subjected to an electrochemical reaction in the fuel cell 4 to extract electric energy and supply the electric energy to a load 5 composed of a motor and accessories. It is.

The fuel cell 4 has a structure (not shown) in which a number of cells in which a solid electrolyte membrane such as a perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid membrane is sandwiched between an anode and a cathode are arranged. Hydrogen supplied to each anode of each cell is protonated (ionized) by a platinum-based catalyst, moves through the solid electrolyte, reaches the cathode, and reacts with oxygen to generate water. Electrons generated during the protonation of hydrogen are extracted as an electric current, and the generated water and unreacted gas are discharged as off-gas.

The load 5 is a motor for driving wheels, an in-vehicle air conditioner, lighting, and auxiliary devices such as a meter, and is electrically connected to a current extraction port of the fuel cell 4.

After the air is sucked from the atmosphere, the air is pressurized to a predetermined pressure by the air compressor 3, humidified by the humidifier 6, and then supplied to the fuel cell 4. In FIG. 1, the humidifier 6 is configured to humidify the air using moisture contained in the cathode offgas discharged from the fuel cell 4.

Hydrogen is obtained from raw fuel which is a mixture of water and methanol stored in a fuel tank 7 shown in FIG. The raw fuel is vaporized in the fuel evaporator 8,
It is mixed with air supplied from a pipe (not shown) and introduced into the reformer 2. The reformer 2 includes a catalyst, and generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen by causing a catalytic reaction of the fuel vapor. Since the reformed gas contains carbon monoxide (CO), the reformed gas is supplied to the fuel cell 4 after the carbon monoxide is removed by the CO remover 9. In the present embodiment, the fuel evaporator 8, the reformer 2, and the CO remover 9 correspond to a reformer described in the claims.

The hydrogen obtained by the reforming can be filled in the MH tank 10 as a hydrogen supply means. The MH tank 10 has an AB ₂ type alloy such as TiFe ₂ therein,
And a hydrogen storage alloy consisting of AB ₅ type alloys of the LaNi ₅ or the like. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the MH tank 10
Filling hydrogen into the hydrogen storage alloy means storing hydrogen in the hydrogen storage alloy, and supplying hydrogen from the MH tank 10 means releasing hydrogen from the hydrogen storage alloy. M
The hydrogen charged in the H tank 10 is mainly used when the fuel cell system 1 is warmed up. The piping connected to the MH tank 10 in FIG. 1 is only schematically shown, and is shown in detail in the piping diagram of FIG.

Since the present embodiment is characterized in that the warm-up from the fuel evaporator 8 to the CO remover 9 is performed quickly, the piping configuration of this portion will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 also shows the flow of gas at the time of warm-up, and the dashed-dotted arrow indicates the flow of air, and the dotted-line arrow indicates the flow of hydrogen or a mixed gas. First, a line through which the raw fuel and the reformed hydrogen flow, that is, a pipe connecting the fuel tank 7 and the fuel cell 4 is a pipe FL1 connecting the fuel tank 7 and the fuel evaporator 8, and a pipe FL1 connecting the fuel evaporator 8 and the reforming pipe. FL2 connecting reformer 2, reformer 2 and CO
A pipe FL3 connecting the remover 9 and a three-way valve 3V2
The pipe FL4 is connected to the pipe FL3 through the valve and communicates with the fuel cell 4.

A pipe OL1, which is a pipe through which the anode off-gas discharged from the fuel cell 4 passes, is connected to a pipe ML1 at a terminal end thereof, and to a pipe OL2 and a pipe VL1 in the middle thereof. The pipe ML1 is connected to the catalytic combustor 8a of the fuel evaporator 8, and the pipe OL
2 is connected to the MH tank 10. Furthermore, piping V
L <b> 1 is a pipe used when the gas flowing through the CO remover 9 is supplied to the catalytic combustor 8 a without passing through the fuel cell 4. A pipe EL1, which is a pipe through which the combustion gas discharged from the catalytic combustor 8a passes, is connected by a three-way valve 3V1 to a pipe EL2,
Alternatively, it is selectively connected to an exhaust line. After flowing through the outside of the MH tank 10, the pipe EL2 is discharged from the pipe EL3.

The piping connected to the MH tank 10 is as follows:
Pipe FL5 for filling MH tank 10 with hydrogen
And a pipe OL2. Further, the MH tank 10
HL1 and HL2 for supplying hydrogen from. The pipe HL1 is branched into three at the tip thereof, and is connected to the pipe ML1 via the valve VH1, the pipe ML2 via the valve VH2, and the valve M via the valve VH3.
L3. Therefore, the MH tank 1
The hydrogen flowing from 0 to the pipe HL1 supplies the catalytic combustor 8a through the valve VH1 and the pipe ML1, the reformer 2 through the valve VH2 and the pipe ML2, and the CO remover 9 through the valve VH3 and the pipe ML3. Is done.

The air used for catalytic combustion in the reformer 2 and the like is:
It is supplied from the blower 11 after being sucked from the outside air. The piping connected to the blower 11 supplies air to the catalytic combustor 8.
a pipe AL1 for supplying air to the reformer 2, a pipe AL3 for supplying air to the CO remover 9, and a pipe AL4.

These components are controlled by a control device (not shown). The control device is a CPU, R
It has an OM and a predetermined electric / electronic circuit, and various processing is performed by loading a predetermined program into them. In the present embodiment, the control device includes valves VF1, VF2, VF3 for controlling the operation of equipment such as the fuel evaporator 8 and the supply of raw fuel and hydrogen, and valves VA1, VA2, VA3, and VA4 for controlling the flow of air. , VA5, valves VH1, VH2, VH3, VH4 for controlling the flow of hydrogen,
It also controls the opening and closing of the three-way valves 3V1, 3V2. Further, the control device monitors the temperature of the fuel evaporator 8, the reformer 2, the CO remover 9, the fuel cell 4, the reformed gas carbon monoxide content, and the like using a sensor (not shown).

Next, supply of hydrogen and the like in the fuel cell system 1 and warm-up of the reformer 2 and the like will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process at the time of starting the fuel cell system.
4 is a flowchart showing a part of the flowchart of FIG. 3 in detail. First, as step S1 in FIG. 3, the control device (not shown) includes the fuel evaporator 8, the reformer 2, and
The temperature of the CO remover 9 is detected, and in step S2, it is determined whether the raw fuel can be reformed based on the detected temperature. For example, if the temperature of the reformer 2 is lower than 300 ° C. and it is determined that reforming is not possible (No), step S3
And then proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, when it is determined that the reforming is possible (Yes), the process directly proceeds to step S4.

Here, the warm-up in step S3 is performed according to a flowchart shown in FIG. That is, in step S21, the control device detects the outside air temperature and the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy, and determines in step S22 whether hydrogen can be released from the hydrogen storage alloy. When the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy is low and hydrogen cannot be released (No), the heater 1
2 to heat the MH tank 10 (step S2
3). If the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy is high and hydrogen can be released (Yes in step S22), the process proceeds to step S24, and the air supply blower 11 is started.

Next, from step S24 to step S31
Each valve is adjusted to allow gas to flow through each element other than the fuel cell 4 as shown in FIG. The processing from step S24 to step S31 is performed almost simultaneously. First, in step S24, the three-way valve 3V1 is switched to make the pipes EL1 and EL2 communicate with each other, and the combustion gas of the catalytic combustor 8a flows outside the MH tank 10. Further, the pipe AL connected to the blower 11 in step S25
1, AL2, AL3 valves VA1, VA
2. Open VA3 and let air flow through catalytic combustor 8a, reformer 2, and CO remover 9. In addition, as step S26, the three-way valve 3V2 at the subsequent stage of the CO remover 9 is switched to send the air flowing through the CO remover 9 to the catalytic combustor 8a. On the other hand, in step S27, the valves VH1, VH2, and VH3 are opened, and hydrogen released from the hydrogen storage alloy in the MH tank 10 flows through the catalytic combustor 8a, the reformer 2, and the CO remover 9, respectively.

When the mixed gas composed of hydrogen and air flows through the catalytic combustor 8a, the reformer 2, and the CO remover 9 in this manner, catalytic combustion of hydrogen and oxygen (air) occurs in each of them. Then, the warming up of the catalytic combustor 8a, the reformer 2, and the CO remover 9 is started by the generated heat. The relatively high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the CO remover 9 passes through the pipe VL1 and the pipe OL1 without passing through the fuel cell 4, and is mixed with hydrogen supplied from the MH tank 10 in the pipe ML1. The fuel is supplied to the catalytic combustor 8 a and used for warming up the fuel evaporator 8. Further, the high-temperature exhaust gas from the catalytic combustor 8a is supplied to the outside of the MH tank 10, and contributes to the release of hydrogen. The hydrogen released in this way further warms up the reformer 2 and the like.

Catalytic combustor 8a, reformer 2, CO remover 9
Is started, the controller detects the temperatures of the reformer 2 and the CO remover 9 (step S28), and adjusts the opening of the valves VH1, VH2, and VH3 based on the detection result. (Step S29), the supply amount of hydrogen is controlled. Further, the control device detects the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy in the MH tank 10 (Step S30), and adjusts the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy (Step S31). The temperature adjustment in step S31 is performed by controlling the amount of heat generated by the heater 12 provided in the MH tank 10 and the flow rate of each gas flowing outside the MH tank 10, as shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. .
When the calorific value of the heater 12 is increased or when a high-temperature fuel gas flows from the pipe EL1, the MH tank 10 is heated. On the other hand, when the flow rate of the outside air or the cool air from the cooler is increased, the MH tank 10 is cooled. As described above, by controlling the amount of heat generated by the heater 12 and the amount of high-temperature fuel gas, the amount of cold air from the outside air or the cooler, and the amount of air from the blower 11, the MH tank 10
Temperature can be fine-tuned.

On the other hand, the control device as step 32 opens the valve VH4 of the pipe HL2 connecting the MH tank 10 and the fuel cell 4 (step S32), and releases a part of the hydrogen released from the hydrogen storage alloy into the fuel cell. 4 to start power generation with the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage alloy and the humidified air supplied from the air compressor 3 and the like (step S3).
3). The anode off-gas discharged from the fuel cell 4 is:
It is supplied to the catalytic combustor 8a through the pipe OL1. Steps S32 and S33 can be started at any timing after step S23.

When the fuel cell 4 starts power generation, in step S34, the fuel evaporator 8, the reformer 2, and the C
The temperature of the O remover 9 is detected. Then, step S35
It is determined whether or not reforming by the reformer 2 or the like is possible. When the reformer 2 etc. are sufficiently warmed up (Yes)
Returns to step S4 in FIG. On the other hand, if the warm-up is not sufficient (No), the warm-up of the reformer 2 and the like is continued (proceed to step S36).

When the warm-up of the reformer 2 or the like is continued, the opening degree of the valves VA1 to VA3 is adjusted to increase or decrease the air amount (step S36), and the valves VH1 to VH3 are adjusted to increase or decrease the hydrogen amount. Is adjusted (step S37). Further, the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy is detected (step S38), the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy is adjusted (step S39), and the supply amounts of the respective gases are controlled so that the warm-up can be performed efficiently. While warming up in this way,
After the temperature of the reformer 2 and the like is detected (step S34), and the reforming is enabled (Yes in step S35), FIG.
Return to step S4.

Since the warming-up of the reformer 2 and the like has been completed by the processing up to this point, prior to the power generation using hydrogen obtained by reforming the raw fuel, the raw fuel is removed in steps S4 to S8 in FIG. A process for stably evaporating and reforming the water is performed. First, in step S4, the valves VH2 and VH3 of the pipe HL1 are closed to stop supplying hydrogen from the MH tank 10 to the reformer 2 and the CO remover 9. Further, in step S5, the valve VF1 is opened to supply the raw fuel in the fuel tank 7 to the fuel evaporator 8. As a result, the evaporation and reforming of the raw fuel are started, and the reformed gas containing hydrogen is discharged from the CO remover 9, and the reformed gas is supplied to the catalytic combustor 8a through the pipes FL3, OL1, and ML1. Is done. This eliminates the need to supply hydrogen from the MH tank 10 to the catalytic combustor 8a. Therefore, the valve VH1 is closed (step S6), and thereafter, the catalytic combustor uses the hydrogen in the reformed gas and the anode off-gas from the fuel cell 4 8a is burned.

Since the reformer 2 is of the so-called auto-thermal type, it is necessary to keep supplying a predetermined amount of air (oxygen) in order to cause the reforming reaction to occur stably.
Similarly, air (oxygen) needs to be supplied for CO removal in the CO remover 9. Further, air (oxygen) is also required for evaporating the raw fuel in the fuel evaporator 8. Therefore, in step S7, the control device adjusts the air supply amount as follows. First, while detecting the temperature and the like of the reformer 2, the opening degree of the valve VA2 is adjusted in order to control the air supplied from the blower 11 to the reformer 2 to an appropriate amount. Further, while detecting the concentration of CO in the reformed gas, the opening of the valve VA3 is adjusted in order to control the air supplied from the blower 11 to the CO remover 9 to an appropriate amount. Further, the amount of heat for stably evaporating the raw fuel is converted into the catalytic combustor 8.
Therefore, the opening degree of the valve VA1 is adjusted in order to control the amount of air supplied from the blower 11 to the catalytic combustor 8a.

Then, in step S8, when the temperature, flow rate, CO concentration, etc. of the reformed gas have reached predetermined standards (Ye
s) Then, the process proceeds to step S9 to generate power using the reformed gas. If the reformed gas does not satisfy the predetermined reference (No), the adjustment of the air supply amount (step S7) is repeated.

Steps S9 and S10 switch from power generation using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen storage alloy to power generation using reformed gas. That is, the three-way valve 3V2
Is switched, the pipe FL3 of the CO remover 9 and the fuel cell 4
(Step S9), and the valve V of the pipe HL2 that connects the MH tank 10 and the fuel cell 4 is connected.
H4 is closed (step S10).

Thus, power generation by the reformed gas is started in accordance with the flow of the liquid and the gas as shown in the piping diagram of FIG. Thereafter, since the MH tank 10 is not used, the heater 12 that has been controlling the temperature of the MH tank 10 is stopped in step S11, and the supply of each gas flowing outside the MH tank 10 is stopped. The combustion gas of the catalytic combustor 8a is released to the outside air by switching the three-way valve 3V1.

The fuel cell system 1 uses the hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage alloy to warm up the reformer 2 and the like, so that quick warm-up is possible. In addition, by supplying hydrogen from the hydrogen storage alloy to the fuel cell 4 during the warm-up to independently generate power, the time from the start of the fuel cell system 1 to the start of power generation can be significantly reduced. In addition, since the temperature of the hydrogen storage alloy is controlled by high-temperature combustion gas or the like after combustion in the catalytic combustor 8a, there is also an advantage that a large-capacity power source is not required.

Next, the process of filling the MH tank 10 with hydrogen will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This filling operation is performed in a state where the fuel cell system 1 is operated in a steady state. First, the control device determines in step S4
It is determined whether the hydrogen storage alloy can be cooled at the outside air temperature detected in step 1 (step S42). This is because the hydrogen storage alloy of the present embodiment has a characteristic of storing hydrogen by cooling.

If the outside air temperature is low and the hydrogen storage alloy can be cooled by outside air (Yes in step S42), the process proceeds to step S42.
At 43, the valve V of the pipe AL4 connected to the blower 11
A4 is opened, and outside air, that is, air is passed through the MH tank 10 through the pipe EL2 (see FIG. 5) to cool the hydrogen storage alloy. On the other hand, when the hydrogen storage alloy cannot be cooled in the outside air (No in step S42), the process proceeds to step S42.
Proceeding to 44, the cooler is activated, then the valve VA5 is opened, and cool air is allowed to flow through the MH tank 10 to cool the hydrogen storage alloy.

When the cooling of the hydrogen storage alloy is started in step S43 or S44, hydrogen is caused to flow into the MH tank 10 in step S45. That is, while the liquid and the gas are flowing as shown in FIG.
2, the reformed gas is introduced from the pipe FL5, and hydrogen in the reformed gas is stored in the hydrogen storage alloy. Also, the valve V
F3 is opened to introduce the anode off-gas from the pipe OL2, and the unused hydrogen in the anode off-gas is stored in the hydrogen storage alloy. Only one of the valves VF2 and VF3 may be opened, or the opening of both valves VF2 and VF3 may be independently adjusted. When the hydrogen from the CO remover 9 is to be stored in the hydrogen storage alloy, it is desirable that the required power be small and the hydrogen generated by the reformer 2 or the like be excessive. The pipe OL2 is provided with a condenser (not shown) for removing moisture in the anode off-gas, thereby preventing poisoning of the hydrogen storage alloy.

Then, while the fuel cell system 1 is operating (No in step S46), the filling of the MH tank 10 with hydrogen is continued (until Yes in step S47, a loop from step S45 to step S47 is looped). If the MH tank 10 is filled with a predetermined amount of hydrogen (Yes in step S46), the filling operation is terminated.

On the other hand, when the operation of the fuel cell system 1 is stopped while filling the MH tank 10 with hydrogen (step S4).
6 is Yes), since there is no need to supply the reformed gas to the fuel cell 4, the three-way valve 3V2 between the CO remover 9 and the fuel cell 4 is switched in step S48, as shown in the piping diagram of FIG. According to the flows of the liquid and the gas, the reformed gas from the CO remover 9 is supplied to the catalytic combustor 8a. Then, in step S49, a part of the reformed gas is caused to flow through the MH tank 10 while adjusting the opening degree of the valve VF2, and hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen storage alloy. When the operation of the fuel cell system 1 is stopped, the raw fuel remaining in the fuel evaporator 8 is evaporated to fill the MH tank 10 with a sufficient amount of hydrogen (Yes in step S50), and then all the reformers 2 and the like are turned off. Stop the operation of. If the remaining amount of hydrogen is not sufficient only by reforming the raw fuel (No in step S50), a new raw fuel is supplied to generate a reformed gas, and a required amount of hydrogen is supplied to the MH tank 10. To be filled.

As described above, the MH tank 10 is filled with unused hydrogen during normal operation or when the fuel cell system 1 is stopped, and the filled hydrogen is used for warming-up. The energy use efficiency of the battery system 1 as a whole can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be widely applied and modified. For example, a pipe for supplying the air heated by the catalytic combustion 8 a to the upstream side of the fuel evaporator 8 may be provided. In this way, even when the temperatures of the reformer 2 and the CO remover 9 are so low that catalytic combustion cannot be performed, the reformer 2 and the CO remover 9 are heated by the heated air supplied from the catalytic combustor 8a. The catalyst can be heated to a temperature at which catalytic combustion can be performed, and the warm-up time at a low temperature is further reduced. In addition, if a heater is provided in the catalytic combustor 8a, the warm-up time can be further reduced. The blower 11 is connected to the air compressor 3 shown in FIG.
It is also possible to use them together.

When filling the MH tank 10 with hydrogen,
It may be performed only when the fuel cell system 1 stops. In this case, steps S48 to S48 in FIG.
Only 50 processes will be performed. Further, during the low-temperature operation of the fuel cell system 1, power may be generated by using the hydrogen in the MH tank 10 and the reformed gas together. This is effective when the evaporation efficiency of raw fuel is low at low temperatures.

[0040]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the reformer is warmed up by using the hydrogen released from the hydrogen storage alloy. The time until the start of power generation can be shortened. Further, since the hydrogen supply means is filled with the surplus hydrogen of the reformer to prepare for the next warm-up, the hydrogen supply means can be reliably filled with hydrogen and the hydrogen can be effectively used. . According to the second aspect of the present invention, during the warm-up of the reformer, the fuel cell is caused to generate power by the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply means, so that the time from startup to the start of power generation can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a fuel cell system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a piping diagram showing a gas flow when warming up a reformer and the like.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process when warming up is performed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of a warm-up process.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining temperature control of an MH tank.

FIG. 6 is a piping diagram showing a gas flow during normal operation.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart when filling the MH tank with hydrogen.

FIG. 8 is a piping diagram showing a gas flow when filling the MH tank with hydrogen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel cell system 2 Reformer 5 Load 7 Fuel tank 8 Fuel evaporator 8a Catalyst combustor 9 CO remover 10 MH tank (hydrogen supply means) 11 Blower 12 Heater

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) // F23C 11/00 306 F23C 11/00 306 H01M 8/10 H01M 8/10 (72) Inventor Kuriiwa Takahiro 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama F-term in Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (reference)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fuel cell for supplying a reformed gas obtained by reforming a raw fuel by a reformer to generate electric power, and for performing catalytic combustion in the reformer when the reformer is warmed up. A hydrogen supply unit including a hydrogen storage alloy capable of supplying hydrogen, wherein after the reformer is warmed up, the hydrogen supply unit is filled with the reformed gas obtained by a reforming reaction in the reformer. A warm-up device for a reformer used in a fuel cell system, comprising: 2. The reformer used in the fuel cell system according to claim 1, wherein when the reformer is warmed up, the fuel cell generates power using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply means. Equipment warm-up device.