JP4745314B2 - Ion pump system and operation method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ion pump system including at least a reformer and an ion pump that transfers hydrogen in a reformed gas supplied from the reformer to the anode side to the cathode side, and an operation method thereof.

  A fuel cell supplies a fuel gas (mainly hydrogen-containing gas) and an oxidant gas (mainly oxygen-containing gas) to the anode-side electrode and the cathode-side electrode and causes them to react electrochemically. It is a system that obtains electrical energy.

  For example, in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure (MEA) provided with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode on both sides of an electrolyte membrane made of a polymer ion exchange membrane is sandwiched by separators. Has a cell. This type of power generation cell is normally used as a fuel cell stack mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, for example, by laminating a predetermined number of electrolyte membrane / electrode structures and separators.

  In this case, as a fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell, a hydrogen gas generated from a hydrocarbon-based raw fuel by a reformer is usually used. In a reformer, generally, a reforming raw material gas is obtained from a hydrocarbon-based raw fuel such as methane or LNG, and then steam reforming, partial oxidation reforming, or autothermal reforming is performed on the reforming raw material gas. As a result, reformed gas (fuel gas) is generated.

  The fuel gas generated by the reformer needs to be converted to a higher purity hydrogen gas (hydrogen rich gas) and may be compressed for storage. For this reason, for example, a fuel cell-ion pump combination disclosed in Patent Document 1 is employed.

  The fuel cell-ion pump assembly includes an anode inlet for receiving fuel, an anode outlet for discharging fuel, a cathode inlet for receiving an oxidant, an oxidant, purified oxygen, and purified An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode side outlet for discharging at least one of hydrogen, a first connector, and a second connector; and applying an electric charge to the first and second connectors, The cell acts as a fuel cell for generating electricity, applies a potential to the first and second connectors, and the electrochemical cell acts as at least one of a hydrogen pump for purifying hydrogen and an oxygen pump for purifying oxygen. A control device.

Special table 2007-505472

  The fuel cell-ion pump assembly has a hydrogen production (hydrogen pump) mode and a power generation (fuel cell) mode. In the hydrogen production mode, the reformed gas supplied to the anode side inlet is provided. The hydrogen obtained from the above is boosted to the cathode side outlet and sent out. At that time, in particular, when the system is urgently stopped during the operation in the hydrogen production mode, the shutoff valves arranged in various pipes are closed to prevent hydrogen gas from leaking.

  The present invention relates to a countermeasure for this kind of system emergency stop, and in particular, an ion pump system capable of preventing the occurrence of an abnormality in the system as much as possible during an emergency stop in the hydrogen production mode, and its The purpose is to provide a driving method.

  The present invention includes a reformer for reforming raw fuel mainly composed of hydrocarbons to generate a reformed gas, and an electrolyte / electrode structure in which a pair of electrodes are disposed on both sides of the electrolyte, An ion pump in which hydrogen in the reformed gas passes through the electrolyte and is transferred to the cathode side by supplying the reformed gas to the anode side with a potential applied between a pair of electrodes; A normally closed cathode side outlet channel blocking mechanism, an anode side outlet channel blocking mechanism and an anode side inlet channel blocking mechanism respectively communicating with at least the cathode side outlet, the anode side outlet and the anode side inlet of the ion pump; A cathode-side outlet branch channel that branches from between the cathode-side outlet of the pump and the cathode-side outlet channel shut-off mechanism, and a relief bar disposed in the cathode-side outlet branch channel And blanking, in the cathode-side outlet branch channel, and a normally-open solenoid valve disposed upstream of the relief valve.

  In addition, the ion pump preferably has a power generation mode in which electric power is generated by supplying a reformed gas to the anode side and an oxidant gas to the cathode side while an electric charge is applied between the pair of electrodes.

  Further, the ion pump system preferably includes a cathode-side inlet channel blocking mechanism communicating with the cathode-side inlet of the ion pump, and an oxidant gas supply source disposed upstream of the cathode-side inlet channel blocking mechanism. .

  Furthermore, the supply pressure of the oxidant gas supplied from the oxidant gas supply source to the ion pump is preferably set to a pressure lower than the pressure at which the relief valve is opened.

  Further, the ion pump system energizes the solenoid valve to keep the solenoid valve closed when hydrogen is obtained from the ion pump, while shuts off the energization to the solenoid valve when power is generated by the ion pump. It is preferable to provide a controller that keeps the electromagnetic valve open.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the anode side outlet of the ion pump is connected to a combustor constituting the reforming apparatus via an anode side outlet flow path blocking mechanism.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a reformer that reforms a raw fuel mainly composed of hydrocarbons to generate a reformed gas, and an electrolyte / electrode structure in which a pair of electrodes are disposed on both sides of the electrolyte. Then, by supplying the reformed gas to the anode side with a potential applied between the pair of electrodes, hydrogen in the reformed gas passes through the electrolyte and is transferred to the cathode side. An ion pump having a mode and a power generation mode for generating electricity by supplying the reformed gas to the anode side and supplying an oxidant gas to the cathode side while an electric charge is applied between the pair of electrodes. The cathode side outlet of the ion pump, the anode side outlet, the cathode side inlet, and the anode side inlet respectively communicating with the normally closed cathode side outlet channel blocking mechanism and the anode side outlet channel blocking A cathode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism and an anode-side inlet channel blocking mechanism; a cathode-side outlet branch channel that branches from between the cathode-side outlet and the cathode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism of the ion pump; The present invention relates to a method for operating an ion pump system comprising a relief valve arranged in the cathode side outlet branch flow path, and a normally open type electromagnetic valve arranged in the cathode side outlet branch flow path upstream of the relief valve. It is.

  When the ion pump is operated in the hydrogen production mode, the solenoid valve is energized to maintain the solenoid valve in a closed state, while when the ion pump is operated in the power generation mode, The energization is cut off to keep the solenoid valve open.

  In the present invention, when the ion pump system is brought to an emergency stop in a so-called hydrogen production mode in which a potential is applied to the ion pump and hydrogen is transferred to the cathode side, While the outlet channel blocking mechanism and the anode side inlet channel blocking mechanism are closed, the normally open type electromagnetic valve is opened.

  At that time, hydrogen having a higher pressure than that on the anode side is held on the cathode side. Since this relatively high-pressure hydrogen is discharged through a relief valve disposed downstream of the opened electromagnetic valve, the cathode side is depressurized to a predetermined pressure.

  For this reason, it is possible to prevent the hydrogen on the cathode side from diffusing the electrolyte and moving to the anode side, and the pressure of the combustible gas, which is the hydrogen, on the anode side can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the combustible gas from passing through the anode side outlet flow path blocking mechanism or the anode side inlet flow path blocking mechanism and affecting the upstream equipment.

  For example, if combustible gas is introduced into the combustor disposed on the downstream side of the anode side outlet flow path blocking mechanism, the temperature of the combustor may be abnormally increased. As a result, it is possible to prevent as much as possible the occurrence of an abnormality in the system, particularly during an emergency stop in the hydrogen production mode.

  Further, in the present invention, when the ion pump is operated in the power generation mode, the energization to the solenoid valve is cut off, so that it is possible to favorably suppress the power consumption by the solenoid valve. For this reason, the power saving of the whole ion pump system is achieved easily.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ion pump system 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The ion pump system 10 is used as a home energy station, for example.

  The ion pump system 10 includes a reformer 12 that generates a reformed gas by reforming a fuel mixture of raw fuel (for example, city gas) mainly composed of hydrocarbons and steam, and a power generation mode and hydrogen production described later. An FC-ion pump 14 having a mode and a controller (control unit) 16 that is connected to the FC-ion pump 14 and controls the ion pump system 10 as a whole. The controller 16 has a function of applying a potential to the FC-ion pump 14 in the hydrogen production mode while applying a charge to the FC-ion pump 14 in the power generation mode.

The reformer 12 mixes steam with hydrocarbons such as methane (CH ₄ ), ethane (C ₂ H ₆ ), propane (C ₃ H ₆ ) and butane (C ₄ H ₁₀ ) contained in the city gas. A heat exchanger 18 for obtaining mixed fuel, a catalytic combustor 20 for applying heat for generating steam to the heat exchanger 18, and steam reforming the mixed fuel to obtain a reformed gas. A reformer 22, a CO converter (shift reactor) 24 for converting carbon monoxide and water vapor in the reformed gas into carbon dioxide and hydrogen by a shift reaction, and a small amount of air added to the reformed gas. And a CO remover (selective oxidation reactor) 26 that reacts selectively absorbed carbon monoxide with oxygen in the air to convert it into carbon dioxide.

  The FC-ion pump 14 includes an electrolyte membrane / electrode structure in which a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 28 is sandwiched between an anode-side electrode 30 and a cathode-side electrode 32. The electrolyte membrane / electrode structure is not shown, but a separator. Stacks are alternately stacked to form a stack. As the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 28, for example, a hydrocarbon electrolyte membrane or a fluorine electrolyte membrane such as perfluorocarbon is used.

  The FC-ion pump 14 includes an anode-side inlet 34a for supplying reformed gas to the anode-side electrode 30, an anode-side outlet 34b for discharging used reformed gas from the anode-side electrode 30, a cathode A cathode side inlet 36a for supplying air as an oxidant gas to the side electrode 32, exhausted used air from the cathode side electrode 32, and purified hydrogen gas taken out from the reformed gas in the hydrogen production mode A cathode side outlet 36b for discharging is provided.

  The anode side inlet 34a and the CO remover 26 constituting the reformer 12 are connected by an anode side inlet channel 38, and the anode side outlet 34b and the catalytic combustor 20 constituting the reformer 12 are anodes. They are connected by a side outlet channel 40.

  The anode-side inlet channel 38 is provided with a normally closed electromagnetic valve (shut-off mechanism) 42. A normally closed electromagnetic valve (shut-off mechanism) 46 is provided in the middle of the anode side outlet channel 40.

  A cathode side inlet channel 48 is connected to the cathode side inlet 36a. The cathode-side inlet channel 48 is provided with a normally closed electromagnetic valve (shut-off mechanism) 50 and a blower (compressor) 52 located upstream of the electromagnetic valve 50. A cathode-side outlet channel 54 is connected to the cathode-side outlet 36b. A normally closed electromagnetic valve (blocking mechanism) 56 is provided on the downstream side of the cathode-side outlet channel 54. Downstream of the electromagnetic valve 56, although not shown, a hydrogen storage station for storing purified hydrogen gas, a hydrogen supply station for supplying the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell vehicle, and the like are provided.

  In the cathode side outlet channel 54, a cathode side outlet branch channel 58 branches from between the cathode side outlet 36 b and the electromagnetic valve 56. The cathode side outlet branch flow path 58 is provided with a normally open type electromagnetic valve 60 and a relief valve 62 located downstream of the electromagnetic valve 60. The supply pressure of the air supplied to the FC-ion pump 14 from the blower 52 which is an oxidant gas supply source is set to a pressure smaller than the pressure at which the relief valve 62 is opened.

  In the FC-ion pump 14, for example, since the anode side is a reformed gas atmosphere of about 10 kPa · G, small and inexpensive low-pressure shut-off valves are used as the electromagnetic valves 42 and 46. On the other hand, the pressure on the cathode side is increased to, for example, about 800 kPa · G, and a relatively high pressure shut-off valve is used as the electromagnetic valves 50 and 56.

  The operation of the ion pump system 10 configured as described above will be described below.

  First, in the reformer 12, for example, raw fuel (reformed raw material) such as city gas and reformed water are supplied to the heat exchanger 18, and in the heat exchanger 18, combustion by the catalytic combustor 20 is performed. Heat is applied. For this reason, the reformed water evaporates to obtain steam, and the mixed fuel of the raw fuel and the steam is supplied to the reformer 22.

  In the reformer 22, steam reforming is performed to obtain a reformed gas, and this reformed gas is supplied to the CO converter 24 to perform a shift reaction. Further, the reformed gas is sent to the CO remover 26 and subjected to a selective oxidation reaction, and then introduced into the anode side inlet channel 38.

  Here, when the FC-ion pump 14 is in the power generation mode, the energization to the electromagnetic valve 60 is interrupted via the controller 16 to keep the electromagnetic valve 60 open, and the anode-side electrode 30 and A charge is applied to the cathode side electrode 32. In this state, the reformed gas is supplied to the anode-side electrode 30 via the anode-side inlet channel 38, and air (oxidant gas) passes through the cathode-side inlet channel 48 under the action of the blower 52. To the cathode side electrode 32. Therefore, in the FC-ion pump 14, power generation is performed by an electrochemical reaction via hydrogen in the reformed gas supplied to the anode side electrode 30 and oxygen in the air supplied to the cathode side electrode 32.

  The reformed gas (including unburned hydrogen gas) used in the anode-side electrode 30 is sent from the anode-side outlet 34b to the catalytic combustor 20 through the anode-side outlet flow path 40. It is burned by the supplied combustion air. On the other hand, the air used in the cathode side electrode 32 is discharged outside through the cathode side outlet channel 54 from the cathode side outlet 36b.

  Next, when the FC-ion pump 14 is operated in the hydrogen production mode, as shown in FIG. 2, the energization of the solenoid valve 50 is interrupted via the controller 16 so that the solenoid valve 50 is closed. At the same time, a potential is applied to the anode side electrode 30 and the cathode side electrode 32.

  As described above, the reformed gas is supplied from the reformer 12 to the anode-side inlet channel 38, and this reformed gas is supplied from the anode-side inlet 34a to the anode-side electrode 30. On the other hand, air is not supplied from the blower 52 to the cathode side electrode 32.

Here, a positive electrode potential is applied to the anode side electrode 30 and a negative electrode potential is applied to the cathode side electrode 32. Therefore, the reaction of H ₂ → 2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻ occurs in the anode side electrode 30, and hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) move through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 28 and move to the cathode side electrode 32. The cathode side electrode 32 causes a reaction of 2H ⁺ + 2e ⁻ → H ₂ , and the pressure is increased.

  Accordingly, protons (hydrogen ions) move from the anode side electrode 30 to the cathode side electrode 32, and high purity hydrogen gas is purified to the cathode side electrode 32. This hydrogen gas is introduced into the cathode-side outlet channel 54 and sent to a hydrogen storage station or a hydrogen supply station (not shown).

  In this case, in the operation method according to the present embodiment, when the FC-ion pump 14 is operated in the hydrogen production mode (see FIG. 2), the solenoid valve 60 is energized by energizing the normally open solenoid valve 60. On the other hand, when the FC-ion pump 14 is operated in the power generation mode (see FIG. 1), the energization of the electromagnetic valve 60 is cut off.

  For this reason, in the power generation mode, the electromagnetic valve 60 is maintained in the open state, but the supply pressure of the air supplied from the blower 52 to the FC-ion pump 14 is smaller than the pressure at which the relief valve 62 is opened. Is set to Therefore, the exhaust gas (used air) discharged from the cathode side outlet 36b is not discharged from the cathode side outlet branch flow path 58 to the outside.

  As described above, when the FC-ion pump 14 is operated in the power generation mode, it is not necessary to energize the electromagnetic valve 60, and an effect that power saving of the entire ion pump system 10 can be achieved is obtained. In addition, it is only necessary to provide a relief valve 62 and set the relationship between the pressure at which the relief valve 62 is opened and the supply pressure of air from the blower 52, and it is possible to satisfactorily suppress an increase in cost. .

  By the way, the ion pump system 10 may stop urgently during the operation in the hydrogen production mode. For example, when the controller 16 detects that the temperature of the reformer 22 and the temperature of the catalytic combustor 20 are abnormally increased, or when a leak of reformed gas is detected by a gas leak sensor (not shown), the ion pump The system 10 is urgently stopped and the power supply is cut off. For this reason, the electromagnetic valves 42, 46, 50 and 56 are closed, while the electromagnetic valve 60 is opened.

  In this case, when the FC-ion pump 14 is operated in the hydrogen production mode, the reformed gas atmosphere on the anode side has a low pressure of about 10 kPa · G, whereas the cathode side boosts the purified hydrogen gas. Therefore, the pressure is about 800 kPa · G. Therefore, when the ion pump system 10 is urgently stopped, there is a large pressure difference between the anode side and the cathode side of the FC-ion pump 14, and hydrogen on the cathode side passes through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 28. There is a risk of moving to the anode side.

  When hydrogen is diffused from the cathode side to the anode side, the hydrogen gas leaked from the solenoid valves 42 and 46 that are the pressure-reducing valves for the low pressure is increased in the anode side, and the CO remover 26 and the catalytic combustor 20 of the reformer 12 To be introduced. At this time, in particular, when excessive combustible gas is supplied to the catalytic combustor 20, the temperature of the catalytic combustor 20 may rise abnormally.

  Therefore, in the first embodiment, a cathode-side outlet branch channel 58 is provided that branches from the cathode-side outlet channel 54, and the cathode-side outlet branch channel 58 includes a normally open electromagnetic valve 60 and A relief valve 62 is arranged along the flow direction. For this reason, when the ion pump system 10 is urgently stopped, the solenoid valve 60 is opened, so that the pressurized hydrogen gas on the cathode side is discharged through the cathode side outlet branch flow path 58 (FIG. 3).

  Accordingly, the relatively high-pressure hydrogen gas on the cathode side is discharged through the relief valve 62 disposed downstream of the electromagnetic valve 60 and is reduced to the set pressure of the relief valve 62. The set pressure of the relief valve 62 is preferably set to a pressure at which the pressure on the anode side and the pressure on the cathode side are approximately balanced, for example.

  Thereby, the relatively high-pressure hydrogen gas on the cathode side diffuses through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 28 and moves to the anode side, and the combustible gas that is the hydrogen gas is prevented from being boosted on the anode side. Can do. For this reason, it becomes possible to prevent the combustible gas from passing through the low-pressure electromagnetic valves 42 and 46 and affecting the reformer 12 which is the upstream equipment.

  In particular, the combustible gas more than necessary is not introduced into the catalytic combustor 20 disposed on the downstream side of the electromagnetic valve 46. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the catalytic combustor 20 from rising abnormally and to prevent the occurrence of abnormality in the ion pump system 10 as much as possible.

  Moreover, the solenoid valves 42 and 46, which are anode side shut-off valves, can use low-pressure shut-off valves. Thereby, the interruption | blocking mechanism itself does not enlarge, and can suppress the increase in installation cost. In addition, when the ion pump system 10 is normally stopped, the depressurization process is performed in the cathode side outlet flow path 54, and after adjusting the anode side and the cathode side to substantially the same pressure, the ion pump system 10 whole The power supply is stopped.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ion pump system 70 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the same referential mark is attached | subjected to the component same as the ion pump system 10 which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted. Similarly, in the third and fourth embodiments described below, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  In the ion pump system 70, a normally closed three-way electromagnetic valve 72 is disposed in the anode side inlet channel 38. One end of a bypass flow path 74 is connected to the three-way electromagnetic valve 72, and the other end of the bypass flow path 74 is connected to a position downstream of the electromagnetic valve 46 in the middle of the anode side outlet flow path 40. The three-way solenoid valve 72 opens the bypass flow path 74 when not energized.

  In the second embodiment configured as described above, the catalytic combustion temperature and the temperature of the reformer 22 are particularly low, such as when the reformer 12 is started, and the reformer 12 can achieve good reforming. Before the gas is supplied, the reformed gas can be supplied from the bypass flow path 74 to the catalytic combustor 20 via the three-way solenoid valve 72.

  For this reason, unnecessary gas components (particularly, CO) are not supplied to the anode-side electrode 30 of the FC-ion pump 14, and deterioration of the FC-ion pump 14 can be prevented.

  After the temperature stability during the operation of the reformer 12 is confirmed, the three-way solenoid valve 72 is switched to supply the reformed gas to the anode side electrode 30, and the same processing as in the first embodiment is performed. Done.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ion pump system 80 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In this ion pump system 80, a check valve 82 is disposed in the anode side inlet flow path 38 instead of the electromagnetic valve. The check valve 82 supplies the reformed gas obtained from the reformer 12 toward the anode side electrode 30. By using the check valve 82, there is an effect that the entire ion pump system 80 can be configured more economically.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ion pump system 90 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  The ion pump system 90 includes an ion pump 92 having only a hydrogen production mode. The ion pump 92 is subjected to the same operation process in the hydrogen production mode in the FC-ion pump 14 described above.

  Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, when the ion pump system 90 is urgently stopped and the power supply is shut off during the hydrogen production operation by the ion pump 92, the high-pressure hydrogen gas on the cathode side is separated from the solenoid valve 60 and the relief valve. Surely released via 62. For this reason, it is possible to satisfactorily prevent hydrogen from diffusing from the cathode side to the anode side.

  Thereby, in 4th Embodiment, the effect similar to said 1st-3rd embodiment is acquired.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ion pump system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the hydrogen production mode of the said ion pump system. It is explanatory drawing at the time of an emergency stop of the said ion pump system. It is a schematic block diagram of the ion pump system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the ion pump system which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the ion pump system which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 70, 80, 90 ... Ion pump system 12 ... Reformer 14 ... FC-ion pump 16 ... Controller 18 ... Heat exchanger 20 ... Catalytic combustor 22 ... Reformer 24 ... CO converter 26 ... CO remover 28 ... Solid polymer electrolyte membrane 30 ... Anode side electrode 32 ... Cathode side electrode 34a ... Anode side inlet 34b ... Anode side outlet 36a ... Cathode side inlet 36b ... Cathode side outlet 38 ... Anode side inlet channel 40 ... Anode side outlet flow Channels 42, 46, 50, 56, 60 ... Solenoid valve 48 ... Cathode side inlet channel 54 ... Cathode side outlet channel 58 ... Cathode side outlet branch channel 62 ... Relief valve 72 ... Three-way solenoid valve 74 ... Bypass channel 82 ... Check valve 92 ... Ion pump

Claims (7)

A reformer that reforms raw fuel mainly composed of hydrocarbons to generate reformed gas;
The reforming is performed by supplying the reformed gas to the anode side with an electrolyte / electrode structure in which a pair of electrodes are disposed on both sides of the electrolyte, and a potential is applied between the pair of electrodes. An ion pump in which hydrogen in the gas passes through the electrolyte and is transferred to the cathode side;
A normally closed cathode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism, an anode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism, and an anode-side inlet channel blocking mechanism respectively communicating with at least the cathode-side outlet, the anode-side outlet, and the anode-side inlet of the ion pump;
A cathode-side outlet branch channel that branches from between the cathode-side outlet of the ion pump and the cathode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism;
A relief valve disposed in the cathode side outlet branch flow path;
A normally open solenoid valve disposed upstream of the relief valve in the cathode-side outlet branch flow path;
An ion pump system comprising:   2. The ion pump system according to claim 1, wherein the ion pump supplies the reformed gas to the anode side and supplies an oxidant gas to the cathode side in a state where a charge is applied between the pair of electrodes. An ion pump system characterized by having a power generation mode for generating electric power by doing. The ion pump system according to claim 2, wherein a cathode side inlet flow path blocking mechanism communicating with a cathode side inlet of the ion pump;
An oxidant gas supply source disposed upstream of the cathode-side inlet channel blocking mechanism;
An ion pump system comprising:   4. The ion pump system according to claim 3, wherein a supply pressure of the oxidant gas supplied from the oxidant gas supply source to the ion pump is set to a pressure smaller than a pressure at which the relief valve is opened. A featured ion pump system.   The ion pump system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein when the hydrogen is obtained from the ion pump, the solenoid valve is energized to maintain the solenoid valve in a closed state. An ion pump system comprising: a control unit that interrupts energization of the solenoid valve and maintains the solenoid valve in an open state when power is generated by the generator.   The ion pump system of any one of Claims 1-5 WHEREIN: The said anode side exit of the said ion pump is a combustor which comprises the said reformer by interposing the said anode side exit flow-path cutoff mechanism. Ion pump system characterized by being connected to A reformer for reforming raw fuel mainly composed of hydrocarbons to generate reformed gas;
The reforming is performed by supplying the reformed gas to the anode side with an electrolyte / electrode structure in which a pair of electrodes are disposed on both sides of the electrolyte, and a potential is applied between the pair of electrodes. In the hydrogen production mode in which hydrogen in the gas passes through the electrolyte and is transferred to the cathode side, and the charge is applied between the pair of electrodes, the reformed gas is supplied to the anode side, and the cathode An ion pump having a power generation mode for generating power by supplying an oxidant gas to the side;
Normally closed type cathode side outlet channel blocking mechanism, anode side outlet channel blocking mechanism, cathode side inlet channel blocking mechanism communicating with the cathode side outlet, anode side outlet, cathode side inlet and anode side inlet of the ion pump, respectively. And an anode side inlet channel blocking mechanism;
A cathode-side outlet branch channel that branches from between the cathode-side outlet of the ion pump and the cathode-side outlet channel blocking mechanism;
A relief valve disposed in the cathode side outlet branch flow path;
A normally open solenoid valve disposed upstream of the relief valve in the cathode-side outlet branch flow path;
An ion pump system operating method comprising:
When the ion pump is operated in the hydrogen production mode, the solenoid valve is energized to keep the solenoid valve closed,
An operation method of an ion pump system, wherein when the ion pump is operated in the power generation mode, the energization to the electromagnetic valve is cut off and the electromagnetic valve is maintained in an open state.

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