(19)
(11) EP 1 892 783 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC

(15) Correction information:
Corrected version no 1 (W1 A1)

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
14.10.2009 Bulletin 2009/42

(43) Date of publication:
27.02.2008 Bulletin 2008/09

(21) Application number: 06713847.9

(22) Date of filing: 16.02.2006
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H01M 8/04(2006.01)
 C01B 3/38(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/JP2006/302706
(87) International publication number:
WO 2006/088077 (24.08.2006 Gazette 2006/34)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 18.02.2005 JP 2005043261

(71) Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
Kadoma-shi Osaka 571-8501 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • OHARA, Hideo c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,Ltd.
    Osaka 540-6319 (JP)
  • NAKAMURA, Akinari c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Osaka 540-6319 (JP)
  • OZEKI, Masataka c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Osaka 540-6319 (JP)
  • TANAKA, Yoshikazu c/o Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Osaka 540-6319 (JP)
  • YUKIMASA, Akinori c/o Matushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Osaka 540-6319 (JP)

(74) Representative: Leinweber & Zimmermann 
European Patent Attorneys Patentanwälte Rosental 7
80331 München
80331 München (DE)

   


(54) FUEL CELL SYSTEM AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF


(57) A fuel cell system and an operation method thereof are provided, which are capable of properly executing special shutdown of the fuel cell system in the event of a trouble in purge operation by use of material gas. In the fuel cell system (100), if an abnormality occurs in a purge process by use of material gas during shutdown of the fuel cell system (100), the controller (11) brings, according to the contents of the abnormality, the opening/closing state of fuel electrode opening/closing devices (26, 23, 24) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of a fuel electrode (13a), oxidant electrode opening/closing devices (25, 28, 20, 27) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of an oxidant electrode (13c) or hydrogen generator opening/closing devices (21, 23, 22) for opening and closing the outlet/inlet of a hydrogen generator (12) into a state that is different from their opening/closing state when the purge process by use of the material gas is performed.