Method and program for determining the lifespan of fuel cell devices and ion exchange resins.

Abstract

To appropriately determine an exchange timing of an ion exchange resin without providing a conductivity sensor or the like.SOLUTION: A fuel cell device includes a water treatment unit WTU including condensed water recovered from exhaust gas and an ion exchange resin 109 for treating water supplied from outside, a water tank 110 for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit X, and a control unit 114 for determining the life of the ion exchange resin 109, wherein the control unit 114 determines the life of the ion exchange resin 109 from an ion exchange resin amount obtained by aggregating an ion exchange resin amount for treating the condensed water into pure water and an ion exchange resin amount for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water, and an ion exchange resin amount of the ion exchange resin 109 provided on the water treatment unit WTU.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel cell device, a method for determining the life of an ion exchange resin, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, as a next-generation energy, a fuel cell device in which a fuel cell capable of obtaining electric power using hydrogen gas and an oxygen-containing gas and auxiliary equipment for operating the fuel cell are housed in an exterior case, and an operation method thereof have been proposed.

[0003] Here, as one of the methods for generating hydrogen required for power generation of a fuel cell, a steam reforming method is known. In a fuel cell device using this steam reforming, a reformer for generating fuel gas, water treatment for treating water supplied from the outside to generate pure water A device, a water storage tank for temporarily storing the treated water, a water supply pipe for connecting the water treatment device or the water storage tank, the reformer, etc. are provided.

[0004] By the way, when supplying condensed water to the reformer, in order to suppress the deposition of impurities contained in the condensed water in the reformer and the resulting failure of the reformer or deterioration of the reforming catalyst, etc., it is necessary to supply the condensed water treated in a water treatment device containing an ion exchange resin or the like to the reformer.

[0005] And when treating condensed water and supplying it to the reformer, it is conceivable to provide a condensed water tank for storing condensed water and a condensed water treatment section such as an ion exchange resin.

[0006] However, in the condensed water treatment section for treating condensed water, since deterioration occurs due to use, depending on the treatment capacity of the condensed water treatment section, etc., for example, once every few months or once every few years, etc., appropriately, There may be a need to perform maintenance for replacing an ion exchange resin or the like. Also, the above situation is the same for a water treatment device when using water supplied from the outside.

[0007] Furthermore, if the timing for replacing or the malfunction of these condensate treatment and water treatment systems cannot be properly determined, using deteriorated or malfunctioning condensate treatment or water treatment systems may lead to a decrease in water purity. This could result in the precipitation of impurities in the reduced-purity water, potentially causing the reformer to malfunction or the reforming catalyst to deteriorate.

[0008] To address these problems, a technology has been disclosed that provides a water treatment device comprising a condensate tank for storing condensate produced by heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by fuel cell power generation and water, a condensate treatment means for treating the condensate, an ion exchange resin device for treating water supplied from an external source, and a water tank for storing the water treated by the water treatment device, and provides conductivity sensors for measuring the conductivity of the water treated by the condensate treatment means and conductivity sensors for measuring the conductivity of the water treated by the ion exchange resin device, thereby enabling appropriate determination of the lifespan of the water treatment device such as the condensate treatment means and the ion exchange resin device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-276947 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 had the problem of increasing the cost of the fuel cell device because it required the provision of two conductivity sensors: one for measuring the conductivity of water treated by a condensate treatment means and another for measuring the conductivity of water treated by an ion exchange resin device.

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a fuel cell device, a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin, and a program that appropriately determine the replacement timing of the ion exchange resin being used without providing conductivity sensors or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] Embodiment 1; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a fuel cell device comprising: a fuel cell; a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell; and a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water, the device comprising: a water treatment unit that includes an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source; a water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit; and a control unit for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, wherein the control unit determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used from a sum obtained by adding a first amount of ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water and a second amount of ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from an external source into pure water, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit.

[0013] Embodiment 2; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a fuel cell device characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensate into pure water based on a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable.

[0014] Embodiment 3; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a fuel cell device characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the externally supplied water into pure water based on a second relational expression in which the number of water replenishments is a variable.

[0015] Embodiment 4; One or more embodiments of the present invention are a fuel cell device comprising: a fuel cell; a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water; a water treatment unit that includes an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source; a water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit; and a control unit for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, wherein the method for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin in a fuel cell device comprises: a first step of the control unit calculating a first amount of ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water; and a second step of the control unit calculating a second amount of ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from an external source into pure water. A method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin is proposed, comprising: a second step of calculating the amount of ion exchange resin; a third step in which the control unit adds up the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the condensed water into pure water, calculated in the first step, and the amount of the second ion exchange resin used to treat the externally supplied water into pure water, calculated in the second step; and a fourth step in which the control unit determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used from the sum of the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the condensed water into pure water and the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the externally supplied water into pure water, obtained in the third step, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit.

[0016] Embodiment 5; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water in the first step using a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable.

[0017] Embodiment 6; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the externally supplied water into pure water in the second step by using a second relational expression in which the number of water replenishments is a variable.

[0018] Embodiment 7; One or more embodiments of the present invention are a program for a computer to execute a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin in a fuel cell device, the device comprising: a fuel cell; a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water; a water treatment unit that includes an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source; a water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit; and a control unit that determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, wherein the control unit performs a first step of calculating a first amount of ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water; and the control unit performs a second step of treating the water supplied from an external source into pure water. The present invention proposes a program to cause a computer to execute the following steps: a second step of calculating a second amount of ion exchange resin for the purpose of treating the condensed water into pure water, a third step of the control unit adding up the first amount of ion exchange resin for treating the externally supplied water into pure water, which was calculated in the first step, and the second amount of ion exchange resin for treating the externally supplied water into pure water, which was calculated in the second step; and a fourth step of the control unit determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used from the sum of the first amount of ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water and the externally supplied water into pure water, obtained in the third step, and the unused amount of ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit.

[0019] Embodiment 8; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a program characterized in that, in the first step, the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water using a first relational expression in which the integrated flow rate of the reformed gas is a variable.

[0020] Embodiment 9; One or more embodiments of the present invention propose a program characterized in that, in the second step, the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water using a second relational expression in which the number of make-up water times is a variable.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, there is an effect that the replacement timing of the ion exchange resin in use can be appropriately determined without providing a conductivity sensor or the like.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the fuel cell device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the processing of the control unit according to the present embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] <Embodiment> The fuel cell device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0024] <Configuration of the fuel cell device 1> As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel cell device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a power generation unit 100 and a hot water storage unit 200.

[0025] The power generation unit 100 supplies oxygen-containing gas and the gas to be reformed to a fuel cell, which will be described later, and generates electricity by causing a chemical reaction between the oxygen-containing gas and the gas to be reformed within the fuel cell. Furthermore, it utilizes the heat and water generated during the chemical reaction between the oxygen-containing gas and the gas to be reformed to produce hot water, which is then used for hot water supply.

[0026] The hot water storage unit 200 is a device for storing hot water generated in the power generation unit 100, and includes a hot water storage tank 210. Furthermore, a circulation pipe 117 is provided between the hot water storage tank 210 and the heat exchanger 113 in the power generation unit 100, which will be described later. By circulating water as a heat transfer medium through the circulation pipe 117, the temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 210 is controlled.

[0027] <Configuration of power generation unit 100> As shown in Figure 1, the power generation unit 100 is composed of a fuel cell 101, a reformed gas supply unit 102, an oxygen-containing gas supply unit 103, a reformer 104, a water supply valve 106, an ion exchange resin 109, a water tank 110, a water pump 111, an inverter 112, a heat exchanger 113, a control unit 114, an outlet water temperature sensor 115, a circulation pump 116, and a circulation pipe 117.

[0028] The fuel cell 101 has a stacked structure in which multiple fuel cell cells are stacked on top of each other. Fuel cell cells of known types, such as flat plate type, hollow flat plate type, cylindrical type, and horizontal stripe type, can be used. A fuel cell cell stack is constructed, for example, by arranging hollow flat plate type fuel cell cells, each having a fuel gas flow path (not shown) through which fuel gas flows longitudinally (up and down during operation), in a row in an upright position, with adjacent fuel cell cells electrically connected in series via current collectors.

[0029] The reformed gas supply unit 102 receives the reformed gas from an external source. Examples of gases to be reformed include natural gas, LPG, and kerosene. The oxygen-containing gas supply unit 103 receives oxygen-containing gas from an external source.

[0030] The reformer 104 performs steam reforming on the gas to be reformed, such as natural gas or LPG, to produce fuel gas to be supplied to the fuel cell 101. The reformer 104 is connected to a gas to be reformed supply unit 102 and a water pump 111 that supplies reformed water (pure water). The gas to be reformed and the reformed water undergo a reforming reaction in the heated reformer 104, producing a fuel gas containing hydrogen.

[0031] The water supply valve 106 adjusts the amount of water supplied to the water treatment unit WTU (including the ion exchange resin 109).

[0032] Ion exchange resin 109 is a type of synthetic resin that has a structure in its molecular structure that ionizes as an ion exchange group, and has the function of removing cations such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium, and anions such as chlorine and carbonic acid contained in water such as tap water, to produce pure water.

[0033] Furthermore, the water treatment unit (WTU) may be configured to include treatment devices such as activated carbon filters and RO membranes, as needed.

[0034] The water tank 110 is a tank that stores purified water obtained by treating tap water with a water treatment unit WTU, and purified water obtained by passing condensate recovered from exhaust gas through an ion exchange resin 109.

[0035] The water pump 111 supplies water stored in the water tank 110 to the reformer 104 in the amount of water required by the reformer 104.

[0036] The inverter 112 converts the DC power generated by the fuel cell 101 into AC power and supplies it to the commercial power grid.

[0037] The exhaust gas generated in the fuel cell 101 is supplied to the heat exchanger 113, and heat exchange takes place between the supplied exhaust gas and the heat transfer medium, which is water introduced via the circulation pipe 117, thereby heating the heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium heated by the heat exchanger 113 is stored in the hot water storage tank 210 within the hot water storage unit 200. In the hot water storage tank 210, a temperature stratification is formed, with a high-temperature heat transfer medium at the top and a low-temperature heat transfer medium at the bottom.

[0038] The control unit 114 controls the operation of the entire power generation unit 100 using a control program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) or the like (not shown). In this embodiment, the control unit 114 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used based on the flow rate information of the gas to be reformed and the number of times the water supply valve 106, which supplies tap water from an external source, has been opened. Specifically, the control unit 114 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used by combining the amount of a first ion exchange resin used to treat condensed water into pure water and the amount of a second ion exchange resin used to treat water supplied from an external source into pure water, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin 109 installed in the water treatment unit WTU.

[0039] The outlet water temperature sensor 115 detects the temperature of the heat transfer medium, which is water flowing through the circulation pipe 117 after passing through the heat exchanger 113.

[0040] The circulation pump 116 circulates the heat transfer medium stored in the hot water storage tank 210 through the circulation piping 117.

[0041] <Configuration of control unit 114> As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 114 according to this embodiment includes a first ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1141, a second ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1142, a summing unit 1143, a determination unit 1144, and a storage unit 1145.

[0042] The first ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1141 calculates the first amount of ion exchange resin needed to treat condensed water into pure water. Specifically, the first ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1141 calculates the first amount of ion exchange resin needed to treat condensed water into pure water, using the following equation 1 (first relational expression), with the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed as variable X. The flow rate of the gas to be reformed can be obtained using an existing flow meter. Furthermore, the cumulative flow rate of the reformed gas is the cumulative flow rate of the reformed gas since the installation of the fuel cell device 1 or since the replacement of the ion exchange resin 109 with a new ion exchange resin 109.

[0043]

number

[0044] The second ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1142 calculates the amount of second ion exchange resin needed to treat water supplied from an external source into pure water. Specifically, the second ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1142 calculates the amount of second ion exchange resin needed to treat externally supplied water into pure water, using the following equation 2 (second relational expression), with variable Y1 being the number of water replenishments during startup and variable Y2 being the number of water replenishments during power generation. The number of water replenishment cycles is determined by the number of control signals output from the control unit 114 to the water replenishment valve 106. Furthermore, the number of water replenishments refers to the number of times water has been replenished since the installation of the fuel cell device 1, or since the ion exchange resin 109 was replaced with a new ion exchange resin 109.

[0045]

number

[0046] The summing unit 1143 calculates a total ion exchange resin amount by adding the first ion exchange resin amount calculated by the first ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1141 and the second ion exchange resin amount calculated by the second ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1142. The summing unit 1143 outputs the calculated total amount of ion exchange resin to the determination unit 1144, which will be described later.

[0047] The determination unit 1144 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used. Specifically, the determination unit 1144 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used based on the total amount of ion exchange resin input from the summing unit 1143 and the amount of ion exchange resin stored in the water treatment unit when not in use in the storage unit 1145. The determination unit 1144 outputs the determination result to a notification unit (not shown in the diagram).

[0048] The memory unit 1145 stores the amount of ion exchange resin in the water treatment unit when it is not in use, etc. The amount of ion exchange resin stored in the water treatment unit when not in use, which is stored in the memory unit 1145, is read out by the determination unit 1144.

[0049] <Processing by control unit 114> The processing of the control unit 114 according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 3.

[0050] The first ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1141 calculates the first amount of ion exchange resin needed to treat condensed water into pure water (step S110). The calculation result from the first ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1141 is sent to the summing unit 1143.

[0051] The second ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1142 calculates the amount of second ion exchange resin needed to treat the water supplied from the outside into pure water (step S120). The calculation result from the second ion exchange resin quantity calculation unit 1142 is sent to the summing unit 1143.

[0052] The summing unit 1143 calculates the total amount of ion exchange resin by adding the first amount of ion exchange resin calculated by the first ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1141 and the second amount of ion exchange resin calculated by the second ion exchange resin amount calculation unit 1142 (step S130). The calculation result from the summing unit 1143 is sent to the determination unit 1144.

[0053] The determination unit 1144 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used based on the total amount of ion exchange resin input from the summing unit 1143 and the amount of ion exchange resin stored in the storage unit 1145 when it is not in use, and then terminates the process (step S140).

[0054] <Effects and Actions> As described above, the fuel cell device 1 according to this embodiment includes a water treatment unit WTU containing an ion exchange resin 109 for treating condensed water recovered from exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source, a water tank 110 for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit WTU, and a control unit 114 for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109. The control unit 114 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used based on the total amount of ion exchange resin, which is the sum of a first amount of ion exchange resin for treating condensed water into pure water and a second amount of ion exchange resin for treating water supplied from an external source into pure water, and the amount of ion exchange resin in the unused ion exchange resin 109 provided in the water treatment unit WTU. In other words, the cumulative amount of condensed water can be obtained using known sensors, and the cumulative amount of water supplied from an external source can also be obtained by the number of valve operation controls. Therefore, the control unit 114 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used by estimating the amount of first ion exchange resin needed to treat the cumulative amount of condensed water into pure water and the amount of second ion exchange resin needed to treat the cumulative amount of externally supplied water into pure water. Therefore, the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used can be determined without using new sensors or devices specifically designed to determine the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used. Therefore, the timing for replacing the ion exchange resin being used can be appropriately determined without the need to install conductivity sensors or the like.

[0055] Furthermore, the control unit 114 of the fuel cell device 1 according to this embodiment calculates the amount of first ion exchange resin for treating condensed water into pure water based on a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable. In other words, the control unit 114 can estimate the amount of first ion exchange resin needed to treat condensate into pure water by obtaining only the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed, using a first relational expression devised that uses the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed as a variable. Therefore, the timing for replacing the ion exchange resin being used can be appropriately determined without the need to install conductivity sensors or the like.

[0056] Furthermore, the control unit 114 of the fuel cell device 1 according to this embodiment calculates the amount of second ion exchange resin for treating water supplied from an external source into pure water, based on a second relational expression, with the number of water replenishment cycles as a variable. In other words, the control unit 114 can estimate the amount of second ion exchange resin needed to treat the externally supplied water into pure water by obtaining only the number of water replenishments, using a second relational expression devised that uses the number of water replenishments as a variable. Therefore, the timing for replacing the ion exchange resin being used can be appropriately determined without the need to install conductivity sensors or the like.

[0057] <Example 1> The control unit 114 of the fuel cell device 1 according to this embodiment may determine the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used at predetermined intervals, but it is preferable to determine the lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used at, for example, the timing of supplying the reformed gas or the timing of adding water. By making the determination at the timing described above, it is possible to appropriately determine the timing for replacing the ion exchange resin being used.

[0058] <Modification 2> In this embodiment, the control unit 114 of the fuel cell device 1 preferably notifies the user of the determined lifespan of the ion exchange resin 109 being used by voice, text, or illustration. By providing the above-mentioned notifications, users can be informed at the appropriate time about when to replace the ion exchange resin being used, thereby preventing serious incidents caused by the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used.

[0059] <Variation 3> In this embodiment, the control unit 114 of the fuel cell device 1 determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used. When a used ion exchange resin is replaced, the degree of deterioration of the used ion exchange resin is determined, and if there is a discrepancy between this determination and the lifespan determination of the ion exchange resin being used, this information may be used as learning data to correct the first relational expression, the second relational expression, or the sum of the values ​​each time. Furthermore, if the above data is available for other fuel cell devices 1, that information may also be used to determine a correction amount that takes into account the effects of individual differences.

[0060] <Modification 4> Furthermore, the determination unit 1144 may notify the user when the ion exchange resin being used is nearing the end of its lifespan (or before its lifespan expires). Furthermore, it is preferable for the control unit 114 to shut down the fuel cell device 1 when the ion exchange resin being used reaches the end of its lifespan.

[0061] Furthermore, the fuel cell device 1 of the present invention can be realized by recording the processing of the control unit 114, etc., on a recording medium readable by a computer system, and then having the control unit 114, etc., read and execute the program recorded on this recording medium. The computer system referred to here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices.

[0062] Furthermore, "computer system" includes the homepage provisioning environment (or display environment) if the WWW (World Wide Web) system is being used. The above program may also be transmitted from the computer system in which the program is stored to another computer system via a transmission medium or by transmission waves within the transmission medium. Here, "transmission medium" for transmitting the program refers to a medium that has the function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line.

[0063] Furthermore, the above program may be intended to implement some of the functions described above. It may also be a so-called differential file (differential program) that can implement the aforementioned functions in combination with programs already recorded in the computer system.

[0064] While embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the spirit of this invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1;Fuel cell device 100; power generation unit 101;Fuel cell 102; Reformed Gas Supply Section 103; Oxygen-containing gas supply unit 104; Modifier 106; Water supply valve 109; Ion exchange resin 110; Water tank 111; water pump 112; Inverter 113;heat exchanger 114; Control Unit 115; Outlet water temperature sensor 116; Circulation pump 117;Circulation piping 200; Hot water storage unit 210; Hot water storage tank WTU; Water Treatment Unit

Claims

1. A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell, a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell, and a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water, A water treatment unit including an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source, A water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit, A control unit for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, Equipped with, The fuel cell device is characterized in that the control unit determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used from the sum of the amount of a first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water and the amount of a second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit.

2. The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water based on a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable.

3. The fuel cell apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the externally supplied water into pure water based on a second relational expression in which the number of water replenishments is a variable.

4. A method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin in a fuel cell device, comprising: a fuel cell; a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water; a water treatment unit containing an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source; a water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit; and a control unit for determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, wherein The control unit performs a first step of calculating the amount of a first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water, The control unit performs a second step of calculating the amount of a second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water, The control unit performs a third step of adding together the first ion exchange resin amount for treating the condensed water into pure water, calculated in the first step, and the second ion exchange resin amount for treating the externally supplied water into pure water, calculated in the second step. The control unit performs a fourth step of determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used based on the sum of the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the condensed water obtained in the third step into pure water, the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the water supplied from the outside into pure water, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit. A method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin containing [specific components].

5. The method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water in the first step using a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable.

6. The method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water in the second step by using a second relational expression in which the number of water replenishments is a variable.

7. A program for causing a computer to execute a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin in a fuel cell device, the device comprising: a fuel cell; a reformer that performs steam reforming to generate reformed gas supplied to the fuel cell; a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas generated by the power generation of the fuel cell and water; a water treatment unit that includes an ion exchange resin for treating condensed water recovered from the exhaust gas and water supplied from an external source; a water tank for storing the water treated in the water treatment unit; and a control unit that determines the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used, wherein the program causes a computer to execute a method for determining the lifespan of an ion exchange resin in a fuel cell device, The control unit performs a first step of calculating the amount of a first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water, The control unit performs a second step of calculating the amount of a second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water, The control unit performs a third step of adding together the first ion exchange resin amount for treating the condensed water into pure water, calculated in the first step, and the second ion exchange resin amount for treating the externally supplied water into pure water, calculated in the second step. The control unit performs a fourth step of determining the lifespan of the ion exchange resin being used based on the sum of the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the condensed water obtained in the third step into pure water, the amount of the first ion exchange resin used to treat the water supplied from the outside into pure water, and the amount of unused ion exchange resin provided in the water treatment unit. A program that causes a computer to execute something.

8. The program according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the first ion exchange resin for treating the condensed water into pure water in the first step using a first relational expression in which the cumulative flow rate of the gas to be reformed is a variable.

9. The program according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit calculates the amount of the second ion exchange resin for treating the water supplied from the outside into pure water in the second step by using a second relational expression in which the number of water replenishments is a variable.

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