Method of running-in operation of fuel cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017338499-A1
Application number	US-201715420998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Nov 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

First, a reaction gas is supplied to a fuel cell stack including a laminate of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells and power generation is performed so that a temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches 65° C. or higher (heating power generation step). Next, the reaction gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack and the power generation is performed under a condition in which relative humidity is 100% or more (cleaning power generation step). Cooling water of room temperature may be supplied to the fuel cell stack from the outside before the cleaning power generation step is performed after the heating power generation step is completed, or after the cleaning power generation step is completed (quenching step).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of running-in operation of a fuel cell, comprising:
a heating power generation step of supplying a reaction gas to a fuel cell stack including a laminate of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells and performing power generation so that a temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches 65° C. or higher; and a cleaning power generation step of supplying the reaction gas to the fuel cell stack and performing power generation under a condition in which relative humidity is 100% or more.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating power generation step performs power generation so that the temperature of the fuel cell stack reaches 80° C. or higher.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a quenching step of supplying cooling water of room temperature to the fuel cell stack from the outside (a) before the cleaning power generation step is performed after the heating power generation step is completed, or (b) after the cleaning power generation step is completed.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating power generation step includes at least one step selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a step of performing power generation under a condition in which a stoichiometric ratio of air becomes lower than that in steady operation; (b) a step of performing power generation under a condition in which an air utilization factor becomes higher than that in the steady operation; and (c) a step of performing power generation under a condition in which a cell voltage becomes a desorption potential of a poisonous substance.

5 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the heating power generation step and the cleaning power generation step includes a step of performing power generation while circulating cooling water between the fuel cell stack and a heat exchanger, and the amount of the cooling water in the heating power generation step is smaller than the amount of the cooling water in the cleaning power generation step.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating power generation step includes a step of performing power generation without allowing the cooling water to flow in the fuel cell stack.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating power generation step includes a cooling water reversing step of alternately repeating normal circulation for circulating the cooling water in one direction between the fuel cell stack and a heat exchanger and reverse circulation for reversing a flow direction of the cooling water.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning power generation step includes a step of performing power generation under a condition in which a current density is 1 A/cm 2 or more.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning power generation step includes an oxidant gas reversing step of alternately repeating normal supply for allowing an oxidant gas supplied to the fuel cell stack to flow in one direction and reverse supply for reversing a flow direction of the oxidant gas.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning power generation step includes a step of performing power generation under a condition in which a back pressure of a cathode gas channel is higher than that in steady operation.

Assignees

• Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Kk
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Murata Hajime
• Kodama Kensaku
• Kato Manabu
• Kusakari Toshiaki

Classifications

• H01M8/04701 Primary

  Temperature · CPC title

• H01M8/04291

  Arrangements for managing water in solid electrolyte fuel cell systems (H01M8/04119 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04029

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title

• H01M8/04828

  Humidity; Water content · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title