| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promptly raise the temperature of a fuel cell while suppressing overheat of an electrolyte membrane in a warmup operation of the fuel cell. <P>SOLUTION: In each of end cells 40e arranged at both ends in the stacking direction of a stack structure in a fuel cell stack, a hydrogen oxidation catalyst layer 42c having a hydrogen oxidation catalyst is formed on a surface of a cathode-side gas diffusion layer 42. In a warm-up operation of this fuel cell system provided with the fuel cell stack, a fuel (hydrogen gas) or anode off-gas is supplied along with air to the cathode side of the fuel cell stack, and hydrogen included in the anode off-gas is oxidized in the hydrogen oxidation catalyst layer 42c. The temperature of the end cell 40 is promptly raised by heat generated by the oxidation of hydrogen. Since heat generated in the hydrogen oxidation catalyst layer 42 is indirectly transmitted to an electrolyte membrane 410 through the cathode-side diffusion layer 42 and a cathode-side catalyst layer 420, deterioration due to overheat of the electrolyte membrane 410 is suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT |
