Denso Corporation

Hiroyasu Kudou

Toshiyuki Kawai

Kunio Okamoto

Tomohiro Saito

Akimasa Osaki

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell constructed by plural stacked cells, a circulation path through which a thermal medium is circulated into each cell, a heater for heating the thermal medium, a bypass path through which the thermal medium is circulated into a part of each cell while bypassing the other part thereof, and a flow control valve for controlling a flow amount of the thermal medium circulated in the bypass path. The thermal medium can be circulated into only the part of each cell in a warm-up operation, so that the part of each cell is collectively heated. An amount of the thermal medium circulated into the other part of each cell is controlled, so that all of each cell is finally warmed up in the warm-up operation.

Fuel cell system with partial heating of each individual fuel cell

In a fuel cell system, a fuel cell includes plural stacked cells, a circulation passage for circulating a thermal medium to the fuel cell. The fuel cell has therein a plurality of thermal medium passages through which the thermal medium flows, and the thermal medium passages are provided such that the thermal medium from the circulation passage independently flows through the thermal medium passages. The thermal medium passages in the fuel cell have inlet portions from which the thermal medium is introduced, and outlet portions from which the thermal medium is discharged. In the fuel cell system, at least one-side portions among the inlet portions and the outlet portions are provided independently. Accordingly, a circulation area of the thermal medium in the fuel cell can be selectively changed, and a part of the fuel cell can be effectively heated to generate electrical power in this part.

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Kariya, Japan

Hiroyasu Kudou