Solid oxide fuel cell apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell apparatus which can release the uneven temperature of a fuel cell module, can ensure the evaporating performance of water in a steam generator, improve the heat exchanging performance of a heat exchanger, and can effectively raise the temperature during starting. A solid oxide fuel cell apparatus has: multiple fuel cell units; a module case housing multiple fuel cell units; a heat insulating material disposed to cover the area around the module case; a reformerfor reforming raw fuel gas using steam, thereby producing fuel gas; a combustion chamber for combusting residual fuel gas and heating the reformer; a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between oxidant gas and exhaust gas; and a steam generator, disposed within the heat insulating material and on the outside of the module case, for exchanging heat between exhaust gas and water immediately after heat is exchanged in the heat exchanger, thereby producing steam.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell device, in particular to a solid oxide fuel cell device in which an evaporator is provided outside a module case for accommodating a plurality of fuel cell cells. Background technique [0002] A solid oxide fuel cell (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: hereinafter also referred to as "SOFC") device uses an oxide ion conductive solid electrolyte as an electrolyte, installs electrodes on both sides, supplies fuel gas to one side, and supplies gas to the other side. Oxidant gas (air, oxygen, etc.), and a fuel cell that operates at a relatively high temperature. [0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-221659 (Patent Document 1) describes a single-cell burner type solid oxide fuel cell device in which a plurality of fuel cell cells are arranged in a module case, and these Above the plurality of fuel cells, the remaining fuel gas (surplus gas) that is not used for power generation is ...

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Problems solved by technology

[0006] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1 in which the heat exchanger is provided downstream of the evaporator, since a large amount of heat of the exhaust gas is taken away from the upstream evaporator, the heat exchanger on the downstream side The heat exchange performance (heat recovery performance) of the heat exchanger is reduced, so that the temperature of the oxidant gas cannot be properly raised in the heat exchanger

Therefore, the operating temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell device at the time of start-up cannot be raised rapidly, and it takes time to raise the temperature at the time of start-up.

In addition, when trying to speed up the temperature rise at the time of starting, it is necessary to introduce more surplus gas for heat self-sufficiency, etc., and there is a tendency to increase the operating cost of the solid oxide fuel cell device.

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