Fuel cell module and fuel cell device

Abstract

To provide a fuel cell module that can be stably handled.SOLUTION: A fuel cell module 10 has a reformer 12, a fuel cell stack 13, a combustor 14, and a housing 11. The reformer 12 reforms a raw fuel gas to generate a fuel gas. The fuel cell stack 13 has a plurality of fuel cells. The fuel cells generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction of the fuel gas and an oxidizing agent. The combustor 14 combusts an unreacted fuel gas in the fuel cell stack 13 to heat the reformer 12. The housing 11 has a first chamber part R1 and a second chamber part R2. The first chamber part R1 accommodates the fuel cell stack 13. The second chamber part R2 accommodates the reformer 12 and the combustor 14. A channel CH for the oxidizing agent is formed between an outer wall and an inner wall of the second chamber part R2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device. [Background technology]

[0002] A fuel cell module including a reformer, a combustor, and a fuel cell stack is known (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-098742 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is preferable that the fuel cell module be handled stably during the manufacture of the fuel cell device.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure, which has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, is to provide a fuel cell module and a fuel cell device that can be handled stably. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a fuel cell module according to a first aspect comprises: a reformer that reforms the raw fuel gas to generate a fuel gas containing hydrogen; a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units that generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas produced by the reformer and an oxidant; a combustor that heats the reformer by combusting unreacted fuel gas in the fuel cell stack; The fuel cell stack is provided with a housing having a first chamber portion that houses the fuel cell stack, and a second chamber portion that houses the reformer and the combustor and in which a flow path for an oxidant supplied to the fuel cell stack is formed between an outer wall and an inner wall.

[0007] A fuel cell device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: The fuel cell module includes a reformer that reforms raw fuel gas to produce fuel gas containing hydrogen, a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units that generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas produced by the reformer and an oxidant, a combustor that heats the reformer by burning unreacted fuel gas in the fuel cell stack, and a housing that has a first chamber that accommodates the fuel cell stack and a second chamber that accommodates the reformer and the combustor and has an outer wall and an inner wall between which a flow path for an oxidant to be supplied to the fuel cell stack is formed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The fuel cell module and fuel cell device according to the present disclosure configured as described above can be handled stably. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a fuel cell module according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell module taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell module taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel cell module taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view of the fuel cell module of FIG. 1 as seen from above. [Figure 6] 2 is a view of the box-shaped housing seen from a first direction to explain the step of forming a reformer and a combustor in the method of manufacturing the fuel cell module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a view of the box-shaped housing seen from a first direction to illustrate the step of arranging a fuel cell stack in the method of manufacturing the fuel cell module of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reformer, a combustor, a fuel cell stack, a housing box-shaped portion, and a lid-shaped portion along a plane perpendicular to the second direction to explain the step of sealing the housing box-shaped portion in the manufacturing method of the fuel cell module of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of the lid part of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction, showing the shape of a reformer in a fuel cell module of a reference example in which the side of the housing parallel to the second direction is the short side. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel cell module according to a modified example, taken along a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel cell module according to another modified example, taken along a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel cell module according to another modified example, taken along a plane perpendicular to the arrangement direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a fuel cell module to which the present disclosure is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 1, a fuel cell module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a housing 11. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel cell module 10 includes a reformer 12, a fuel cell stack 13, and a combustor 14.

[0012] A fuel cell device including a fuel cell module 10 has a fixed orientation relative to the ground surface when installed. In this specification, the direction of the fuel cell module 10 in the fuel cell device that is vertically upward in the orientation fixed relative to the ground surface is referred to as the upward direction. In this specification, the direction of the fuel cell module 10 in the fuel cell device that is vertically downward in the orientation fixed relative to the ground surface is referred to as the downward direction. In this specification, two directions that are perpendicular to the up-down direction of the fuel cell module 10 and that are perpendicular to each other are referred to as the first direction and the second direction.

[0013] 1, the housing 11 may be, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The rectangular parallelepiped housing 11 may be formed by a substantially square face perpendicular to the up-down direction, a substantially rectangular face perpendicular to the first direction, and a substantially rectangular face parallel to the second direction.

[0014] The housing 11 may be provided with at least one of a bus bar 15 and a pipe 16 on the surface S1 on the first direction side. The bus bar 15 penetrates the wall on the first direction side of the housing 11 and is connected to the fuel cell stack 13. The bus bar 15 outputs the electric power generated by the fuel cell stack 13 from the fuel cell module 10. The pipe 16 may be, for example, a supply pipe 17 for raw fuel gas and water or an exhaust pipe 18. The supply pipe 17 for raw fuel gas and water penetrates the wall on the first direction side of the housing 11 and is connected to the reformer 12. The supply pipe 17 for raw fuel gas and water supplies the raw fuel gas and water to the reformer 12. The interior of the exhaust pipe 18 is in communication with the interior of the housing 11. The exhaust pipe 18 exhausts exhaust gas produced by combustion in the combustor 14.

[0015] The housing 11 may be provided with a thermocouple 19 and an ignition heater 20 extending from the surface S1 on the first direction side into the housing 11. The thermocouple 19 detects the temperature of a combustion chamber, which will be described later. The ignition heater 20 ignites a combustor 14, which will be described later. The housing 11 may be provided with an oxidizer gas supply pipe 21 on the top surface US. The oxidizer gas supply pipe 21 penetrates the outer wall on the upper side of the housing 11 and is connected to an oxidizer gas supply path in the housing 11.

[0016] The housing 11 has a first chamber R1 and a second chamber R2. The first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2 may be aligned along an arrangement direction. In this embodiment, the arrangement direction is parallel to the vertical direction. The first chamber R1 and the second chamber R2 may be defined within the housing 11 by a partition wall 22 that divides the interior of the housing 11 in the vertical direction.

[0017] The housing 11 accommodates the fuel cell stack 13 in the first chamber R1. A heat insulating material 23 may be interposed between the inner wall of the first chamber R1 and the fuel cell stack 13. A heat insulating material 23 may also be interposed below the fuel cell stack 13. The housing 11 accommodates the reformer 12 and the combustor 14 in the second chamber R2. A heat insulating material 23 does not have to be interposed between the inner wall of the second chamber R2 and the reformer 12 or the combustor 14.

[0018] 2 and 3, an oxidant flow path CH is formed between the outer wall and inner wall of the second chamber R2 of the housing 11. The flow path CH connects the oxidant gas supply pipe 21 to the oxidant gas supply port of the fuel cell stack 13. The flow path CH may be formed, for example, by an internal space defined by the outer and inner walls of the upper surface US of the housing 11 and the side and bottom surfaces of the second chamber R2. The side surfaces of the second chamber R2 on which the flow path CH is formed may be two surfaces perpendicular to the second direction. The bottom surface of the second chamber R2 on which the flow path CH is formed may be the bottom surface of the partition wall 22. The flow path CH supplies a gas (e.g., air) containing an oxidant such as oxygen delivered from the oxidant gas supply pipe 21 to the fuel cell stack 13.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the reformer 12 receives raw fuel gas and water via a raw fuel gas and water supply pipe 17. The reformer 12 contains a reforming catalyst and generates fuel gas containing hydrogen by reforming the raw fuel gas using water. The reformer 12 may be supplied with raw fuel gas and water vapor vaporized in a vaporizer external to the fuel cell module 10. Alternatively, the reformer 12 may include a vaporizer, and raw fuel gas and liquid water may be supplied to the reformer 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the reformer 12 may be substantially rectangular when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction) with long and short sides parallel to the first and second directions. The reformer 12 may be substantially rectangular with a hollow interior.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, an oxidant gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack 13 from a flow path CH via an oxidant gas pipe 24. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, a fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack 13 from a reformer 12 via a fuel gas pipe 25. The fuel cell stack 13 includes a plurality of fuel cell units. The fuel cell units generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas and the oxidant gas. In the fuel cell units, not all of the supplied fuel gas and oxidant gas undergo an electrochemical reaction, and unreacted fuel gas and oxidant gas are discharged.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, unreacted oxidant gas is discharged from the fuel cell stack 13 to the combustor 14 via an oxidant off-gas pipe 26. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, unreacted fuel gas is discharged from the fuel cell stack 13 to the combustor 14 via a fuel off-gas pipe 27. The combustor 14 heats the reformer 12 by burning the unreacted combustion gas in the fuel cell stack 13 using the unreacted oxidant gas. By heating the reformer 12, the combustor 14 provides the heat necessary for the steam reforming reaction in the reformer 12. do.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the combustor 14 may include an oxidant off-gas combustor 30 and a fuel off-gas combustor 31 .

[0023] 2 and 3, the combustor 14 may be provided below the reformer 12 in the second chamber R2. The combustor 14 may abut against the inner surface of the second chamber R2 on the side of the partition wall 22. More specifically, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 may abut against this inner surface. The fuel off-gas combustor 31 may abut against the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 from above.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, an oxidant off-gas injection port 28 and a fuel off-gas injection port 29 may be formed on the upper surface of the combustor 14. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the oxidant off-gas injection port 28 may inject unreacted oxidant gas into an indoor space IS in which the reformer 12 and the combustor 14 are housed. The fuel off-gas injection port 29 may inject unreacted fuel gas into the indoor space IS. A plurality of oxidant off-gas injection ports 28 and a plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 may be formed in the combustor 14. More specifically, the oxidant off-gas injection port 28 may be formed in the oxidant off-gas combustor 30. Furthermore, the fuel off-gas injection port 29 may be formed in the fuel off-gas combustor 31.

[0025] 4, the combustor 14 may be larger than the reformer 12 when viewed in the arrangement direction (vertical direction). When viewed in the arrangement direction, the combustor 14 may extend beyond the outer edge of the reformer 12 in at least a portion of the periphery of the reformer 12. More specifically, when viewed in the arrangement direction, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 and the fuel off-gas combustor 31 may extend beyond the outer edge of the reformer 12 in at least a portion of the periphery of the reformer 12. Furthermore, when viewed in the arrangement direction, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 may extend beyond the outer edge of the fuel off-gas combustor 31 in at least a portion of the periphery of the reformer 12.

[0026] The combustor 14 may be arranged, for example, in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction) with the sides constituting the outer edge parallel to the first direction or the second direction. More specifically, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 and the fuel off-gas combustor 31 may be arranged in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction) with the sides constituting the outer edge parallel to the first direction or the second direction.

[0027] The combustor 14 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a hollow interior. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a hollow interior. The fuel off-gas combustor 31 may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a hollow interior. Furthermore, the fuel off-gas combustor 31 may have a recessed portion at the top, and the wall of the recessed portion may be shared with the reformer 12.

[0028] The combustor 14 may have the vicinity of two sides parallel to the first direction and the vicinity of one side parallel to the second direction protruding from the reformer 12 when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). More specifically, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 may have the vicinity of two sides parallel to the first direction protruding from the fuel off-gas combustor 31 when viewed from the arrangement direction. Furthermore, the fuel off-gas combustor 31 may have the vicinity of two sides parallel to the first direction and the vicinity of one side parallel to the second direction protruding from the reformer 12 when viewed from the arrangement direction.

[0029] In the oxidant off-gas combustor 30, a plurality of oxidant off-gas nozzles 28 may be arranged along each of two sides parallel to the first direction that protrude from the fuel off-gas combustor 31 when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). The oxidant off-gas nozzles 28 may be provided from end to end along each of the sides. A plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 may be arranged along each of the sides near two sides parallel to the first direction and near one side parallel to the second direction that protrude from the reformer 12 when viewed from the front. The fuel off-gas injection ports 29 may be provided from end to end along each of the sides. The plurality of oxidant off-gas injection ports 28 and the plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 may be arranged at equal intervals.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the combustor 14 may be connected to the oxidant off-gas pipe 26 in the oxidant off-gas combustor 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the combustor 14 may be connected to the fuel off-gas pipe 27 in the fuel off-gas combustor 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the pipes connecting the fuel cell stack 13 to the reformer 12 or the combustor 14, in other words, at least one of the oxidant gas pipe 24, the fuel gas pipe 25, the oxidant off-gas pipe 26, and the fuel off-gas pipe 27, may be located on the first direction side of the center of gravity of the housing 11 as viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). In this embodiment, the oxidant off-gas pipe 26 is located on the first direction side of the center of gravity of the housing 11 as viewed from the arrangement direction. The fuel gas pipe 25 and the fuel off-gas pipe 27 may be located at the same position in the first direction near the side of the reformer 12 opposite to the first direction. Furthermore, the fuel gas pipe 25 and the fuel off-gas pipe 27 may be located at different positions in the second direction. The oxidant gas pipe 24 may be located at the center of the housing 11 in the first direction and the second direction when viewed from the arrangement direction.

[0031] The fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, configured as described above, includes a first chamber R1 that houses the fuel cell stack 13, and a housing 11 that houses the reformer 12 and combustor 14. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 can be stably handled because the reformer 12, fuel cell stack 13, and combustor 14 are housed in a single housing 11. Furthermore, the fuel cell module 10 allows for easy positioning of the reformer 12, fuel cell stack 13, and combustor 14, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, while using a single housing 11, the fuel cell module 10 has a flow path CH between the outer and inner walls only in the second chamber R2, which can be heated from the inside. This allows for sufficient heating of the oxidant gas supplied to the fuel cell stack 13. Therefore, the fuel cell module 10 can improve the efficiency of power generation in the fuel cell stack 13.

[0032] Furthermore, in the fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, a heat insulating material 23 is interposed between the inner wall of the first chamber R1 and the fuel cell stack 13. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 suppresses heat transfer from the combustor 14 to the fuel cell stack 13, thereby reducing temperature unevenness in the fuel cell stack 13 caused by radiant heat from the combustor 14. Furthermore, in the fuel cell module 10, no heat insulating material is interposed between the second chamber R2 and the reformer 12 or the combustor 14. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 does not have a heat insulating material interposed on the entire inner wall of the housing 11, and the oxidant flow path CH can be heated by combustion in the combustor 14.

[0033] Furthermore, in the fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, at least one of the bus bar 15 and the pipe 16 is provided on the surface S1 on the first direction side, and at least one of the pipes 24, 25, 26, and 27 connecting the fuel cell stack 13 to the reformer 12 or the combustor 14 is located on the first direction side of the center of gravity of the housing 11 when viewed from the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 can be easily manufactured, as will be described below, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 6, in a housing box-shaped portion 32 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one surface on the first direction side open, the reformer 12 and the combustor 14 are formed in a second chamber R2 defined by a partition wall 22 from the first direction side. When forming the reformer 12, the partition wall 22 is inserted into the piping 33 on the reformer 12 side. When forming the oxidant off-gas combustor 30, the partition wall 22 is The partition wall 22 is inserted into a pipe 34 on the fuel offgas combustor 30 side. When the fuel offgas combustor 31 is formed, the partition wall 22 is inserted into a pipe 35 on the fuel offgas combustor 31 side.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 7, the fuel cell stack 13 is placed in the first chamber R1 from the first direction side in the housing box-shaped portion 32. When the fuel cell stack 13 is placed, the piping on the fuel cell stack 13 side is connected to the piping on the reformer 12 or combustor 14 side. The piping is connected from the side opposite to the first direction that is open in the housing box-shaped portion 32. The fuel cell stack 13 may be placed in the first chamber R1 first, and then the reformer 12 and combustor 14 may be placed in the second chamber R2.

[0036] In this embodiment, when the fuel cell stack 13 is placed, the pipe 36 for supplying fuel gas in the fuel cell stack 13 is connected to the pipe 33 on the reformer 12 side, thereby forming the fuel gas pipe 25. Furthermore, when the fuel cell stack 13 is placed, the pipe 38 for discharging fuel off-gas in the fuel cell stack 13 is connected to the pipe 35 on the fuel off-gas combustor 31 side, thereby forming the fuel off-gas pipe 27. Next, when the fuel cell stack 13 is placed, the pipe for supplying oxidant in the fuel cell stack 13 is connected to the pipe on the flow path CH side, thereby forming the oxidant gas pipe 24. Next, when the fuel cell stack 13 is placed, the pipe 37 for discharging oxidant off-gas in the fuel cell stack 13 is connected to the pipe 34 on the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 side, thereby forming the oxidant off-gas pipe 26. Furthermore, a heat insulating material 23 may be disposed between the inner wall of the first chamber R1 and the fuel cell stack 13.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 8, the open portion of the box-shaped housing portion 32 is sealed by the lid-shaped portion 39 from the first direction side. As shown in Fig. 9, the lid-shaped portion 39 is rectangular and covers the open portion of the box-shaped housing portion 32. The lid-shaped portion 39 is formed with a first hole HL1 through which the supply pipes 17 for raw fuel gas and water are inserted, and a second hole HL2 through which the bus bar 15 is inserted. The lid-shaped portion 39 is provided with an exhaust pipe 18 that penetrates to the back surface. The lid-shaped portion 39 is provided with a thermocouple 19 and an ignition heater 20 that are inserted into the interior of the back surface.

[0038] In the manufacturing method described above, the process of connecting the piping on the fuel cell stack 13 side to the piping on the reformer 12 or combustor 14 side becomes easier the closer it is to the open side of the housing box-shaped portion 32. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, the fuel cell module 10 can be easily manufactured.

[0039] Furthermore, in the fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, the housing 11 is substantially square when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). This configuration allows for greater flexibility in the shape of the reformer 12 in the fuel cell module 10, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. For example, in a configuration in which the fuel gas pipes 25 and the fuel off-gas pipes 27 are arranged side by side along the second direction, the fuel gas pipes 25 and the fuel off-gas pipes 27 need to be spaced apart to a certain extent. In a housing 11′ whose short side is in the second direction, if the fuel gas pipes 25 and the fuel off-gas pipes 27 are arranged side by side along the second direction, it may be necessary to form the reformer 12′ in a T-shape, as shown in FIG. 10 . On the other hand, with the above-described configuration, the reformer 12 can be formed into a rectangular shape, which may make it easier to manufacture than a T-shaped reformer 12′.

[0040] Furthermore, in the fuel cell module 10 of this embodiment, the combustor 14, when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction), is a substantially rectangular shape parallel to the four sides of the outer edge of the housing 11, and a plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 are arranged along each side near at least three sides. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 improves the uniformity of the arrangement of the fuel off-gas injection ports 29 along the periphery of the reformer 12. Therefore, the fuel cell module 10 improves the heating efficiency of the combustor 14. This can improve the efficiency.

[0041] Although the present invention has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that various modifications and alterations can be easily made by those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure, and therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0042] For example, in the present embodiment, a plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 are arranged end to end along each of two sides of the fuel off-gas combustor 31 parallel to the first direction and one side parallel to the second direction, but the arrangement of the fuel off-gas injection ports 29 is not limited to this configuration. As shown in FIG. 11 , the combustor 14, in other words, the oxidant off-gas combustor 30 and the fuel off-gas combustor 31, may have areas near their four sides extending beyond the reformer 12 when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). Furthermore, a plurality of fuel off-gas injection ports 29 may be arranged end to end along each of the four sides of the fuel off-gas combustor 31 extending beyond the reformer 12 when viewed from the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 improves the uniformity of the arrangement of the fuel off-gas injection ports 29 along the periphery of the reformer 120. Therefore, the fuel cell module 10 can improve the heating efficiency of the combustor 14.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fuel gas pipe 25 and the fuel off-gas pipe 27 are located at the same position in the first direction near the side of the reformer 12 opposite to the first direction, but are not limited to such an arrangement. As shown in Fig. 12, the fuel gas pipe 25 may be located near one side of the rectangle of the reformer 12 when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction), and the fuel off-gas pipe 27 may be located near the side opposite to the side near which the fuel gas pipe 25 is located when viewed from the arrangement direction. More specifically, the fuel gas pipe 25 may be located near one side of the reformer 12 opposite to the first direction, and the fuel off-gas pipe 27 may be located near one side of the reformer 12 in the first direction.

[0044] In this embodiment, the reformer 12 is entirely hollow and has only an internal flow path facing in a single direction, but the configuration is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 13 , the reformer 12 may have a U-shaped internal flow path when viewed from the arrangement direction (vertical direction). More specifically, the reformer 12 may have a partition wall 40 extending from the end on the first direction side to the end on the opposite side of the first direction within the hollow interior. Furthermore, the raw fuel gas and water supply pipe 17 and the fuel gas pipe 25 may be located near both ends of the internal flow path when viewed from the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the fuel cell module 10 can lengthen the flow paths of the raw fuel gas and water in the reformer 12, thereby enabling more efficient reforming reactions and preventing unreformed raw fuel gas from being supplied to the fuel cell stack 13. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10 Fuel Cell Module 11, 11' housing 12, 12' reformer 13 Fuel cell stack 14 Combustor 15 Busbar 16 Piping 17 Raw fuel gas and water supply pipes 18 Discharge pipe 19 Thermocouple 20 Ignition heater 21 Oxidant gas supply pipe 22 Bulkhead 23 Insulation 24 Oxidant gas piping 25 Fuel gas piping 26 Oxidant off-gas piping 27 Fuel off-gas piping 28 Oxidant off-gas nozzle 29 Fuel off-gas nozzle 30 Oxidizer off-gas combustor 31 Fuel off-gas combustor 32 Housing box 33 Reformer side piping 34 Piping on the oxidizer off-gas combustor side 35 Fuel off-gas combustor side piping 36 Fuel gas supply piping 37 Piping for exhausting oxidant off-gas 38 Fuel off-gas discharge piping 39 Cap-shaped part 402 Bulkhead HL1 First hole IS indoor space R1 First Room R2 2nd chamber S1 First direction side US top

Claims

1. a reformer that reforms the raw fuel gas to generate a fuel gas containing hydrogen; a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units that generate electricity through an electrochemical reaction between the fuel gas produced by the reformer and an oxidant; a combustor that heats the reformer by combusting unreacted fuel gas in the fuel cell stack; and a housing that accommodates the combustor, the system comprises four pipes: a fuel gas pipe that supplies the fuel gas from the reformer to the fuel cell stack; a fuel off-gas pipe that discharges the unreacted fuel gas from the fuel cell stack to the combustor; an oxidant pipe that supplies an oxidant to the fuel cell stack; and an oxidant off-gas pipe that discharges the oxidant off-gas from the fuel cell stack to the combustor; In at least three of the four pipes, the fuel gas pipe and the oxidant pipe are adjacent to each other and are aligned in a row when viewed from above. Fuel cell module.

2. In the fuel cell module according to claim 1, The four pipes are arranged in a row in the order of fuel gas pipe, oxidant pipe, oxidant off-gas pipe, and fuel off-gas pipe when viewed from above. Fuel cell module.

3. 3. The fuel cell module according to claim 1, the housing has a first chamber that houses the fuel cell stack and a second chamber that houses the reformer and the combustor, The fuel gas pipe, the fuel off-gas pipe, the oxidant pipe, and the oxidant off-gas pipe are arranged in a line when viewed from above at portions passing through between the first chamber and the second chamber. Fuel cell module.

4. 4. The fuel cell module according to claim 3, a heat insulating material is interposed between an inner wall of the first chamber and the fuel cell stack; No heat insulating material is interposed between the inner wall of the second chamber and the reformer or the combustor. Fuel cell module.

5. 5. The fuel cell module according to claim 3, At least one of a bus bar and a pipe is provided on a surface of the housing on a first direction side perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion, At least one of the pipes connecting the fuel cell stack to the reformer or the combustor is located on the first direction side of the center of gravity of the housing as viewed from the arrangement direction. Fuel cell module.

6. 6. The fuel cell module according to claim 3, The housing has a substantially square shape when viewed in the direction in which the first chamber and the second chamber are arranged. Fuel cell module.

7. 7. The fuel cell module according to claim 6, When viewed from the arrangement direction, the combustor has a substantially rectangular shape parallel to four sides of an outer edge of a housing, The combustor has a plurality of injection ports arranged along at least three sides in the direction of arrangement, for injecting the unreacted fuel gas. Fuel cell module.

8. 8. The fuel cell module according to claim 7, The combustor has a plurality of injection ports arranged along each of four sides in the vicinity of the four sides as viewed from the arrangement direction. Fuel cell module.

9. 9. The fuel cell module according to claim 6, the reformer is included in the combustor when viewed from the arrangement direction, and has a substantially rectangular shape having four sides parallel to the combustor; When viewed from the arrangement direction, a fuel gas pipe that supplies the fuel gas from the reformer to the fuel cell stack is located near one side of the rectangle of the reformer, and a fuel off-gas pipe that discharges the unreacted fuel gas from the fuel cell stack to the combustor is located near the opposite side of the one side. Fuel cell module.

10. 10. The fuel cell module according to claim 6, the reformer has a U-shaped internal flow path when viewed from the arrangement direction, When viewed from the arrangement direction, a supply pipe for the raw fuel gas to the reformer and a fuel gas pipe for supplying the fuel gas from the reformer to the fuel cell stack are located near both ends of the internal flow path. Fuel cell module.

11. A fuel cell module according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is provided. Fuel cell device.

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