燃料電池発電装置作動システムおよび氷点下周囲条件での使用方法

摘要

The fuel cell power plant operating system (10) includes an on/off switching device by-pass circuit (60) to sustain operation of a fuel cell (12) whenever the fuel cell (12) on/off switching device (58) is turned off while a fuel cell operating temperature is below a predetermined freeze-safe operating temperature. The by-pass circuit (60) operates the fuel cell (12) until the fuel cell (12) temperature reaches or exceeds the freeze-safe temperature to thereby prevent fuel cell (12) product water from becoming ice in and adjacent fuel cell catalysts (26, 40).