Power generation system

Abstract

A power generation system includes: a hot water storage tank; a fuel cell apparatus configured to generate electric power; a heat supply apparatus provided separately from the fuel cell apparatus and configured to supply heat to the hot water storage tank; and a controller configured to operate the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with a predetermined first operation plan, and to operate the heat supply apparatus in accordance with a predetermined second operation plan. The controller is configured to perform, based on the first operation plan, second operation plan change control to operate the heat supply apparatus in a manner different from the predetermined second operation plan. The second operation plan change control is to reduce an output of the heat supply apparatus in accordance with an operation of the fuel cell apparatus, the operation being performed in accordance with the first operation plan.

1 . A power generation system comprising:
 a hot water storage tank configured to store hot water;   a fuel cell apparatus configured to generate electric power with use of a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, and to supply heat to the hot water storage tank and output the electric power;   a heat supply apparatus provided separately from the fuel cell apparatus and configured to supply heat to the hot water storage tank; and   a controller configured to operate the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with a predetermined first operation plan, and to operate the heat supply apparatus in accordance with a predetermined second operation plan, such that an operation of the heat supply apparatus is independent of an operation of the fuel cell apparatus, wherein   in accordance with the operation of the fuel cell apparatus, the operation being performed in accordance with the first operation plan, the controller performs second operation plan change control to reduce an output of the heat supply apparatus to be less than an output determined by the second operation plan in such a manner as to:
 prevent the hot water storage tank from becoming a state of being unable to absorb heat supplied from the fuel cell apparatus due to receiving heat that the heat supply apparatus supplies to the hot water storage tank through the operation of the heat supply apparatus in accordance with the second operation plan; and 
 allow heat to be supplied from the fuel cell apparatus to the hot water storage tank through the operation of the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with the first operation plan. 
   
     
     
         2 . The power generation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second operation plan change control is to reduce the output of the heat supply apparatus when the fuel cell apparatus starts up. 
     
     
         3 . The power generation system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller includes:
 a first controller configured to store the first operation plan and to start up and stop the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with the stored first operation plan; and 
 a second controller configured to store the second operation plan and to operate the heat supply apparatus in accordance with the stored second operation plan, 
   the first controller is configured to transmit a signal indicating that the fuel cell apparatus starts up, and   the second operation plan change control is that, in a case where the second controller has received the signal indicating that the fuel cell apparatus starts up, the second controller reduces the output of the heat supply apparatus.   
     
     
         4 . The power generation system according to  claim 3 , wherein the signal indicating that the fuel cell apparatus starts up is transmitted at a point that is a first time before the fuel cell apparatus starts up. 
     
     
         5 . The power generation system according to  claim 3 , wherein the signal indicating that the fuel cell apparatus starts up is transmitted when the fuel cell apparatus starts up. 
     
     
         6 . The power generation system according to  claim 2 , comprising a detector configured to detect a start-up of the fuel cell apparatus and to transmit a signal indicating that the start-up of the fuel cell apparatus has been detected, wherein
 the controller includes:
 a first controller configured to store the first operation plan and to start up and stop the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with the stored first operation plan; and 
 a second controller configured to store the second operation plan and to operate the heat supply apparatus in accordance with the stored second operation plan, and 
   the second operation plan change control is that, in a case where the second controller has received the signal indicating that the start-up of the fuel cell apparatus has been detected, the second controller reduces the output of the heat supply apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . The power generation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second operation plan change control is that, in a case where the first operation plan has been changed, the controller changes the second operation plan based on the changed first operation plan. 
     
     
         8 . The power generation system according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the controller includes:
 a first controller configured to store the first operation plan and to start up and stop the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with the stored first operation plan; 
 a second controller configured to store the second operation plan and to operate the heat supply apparatus in accordance with the stored second operation plan, 
   the first controller is configured to transmit information about the changed first operation plan in the case where the first operation plan has been changed, and   the second operation plan change control is that the second controller changes the second operation plan when the second controller has received the information about the changed first operation plan.   
     
     
         9 . The power generation system according to  claim 1 , comprising a load measuring unit configured to measure an amount of electric power and an amount of heat that are consumed by a user of the power generation system, wherein
 the controller:
 creates the first operation plan based on the amount of electric power and the amount of heat that have been measured by the load measuring unit, and stores the first operation plan; and 
 creates the second operation plan based on an operation period of the heat supply apparatus, the operation period being set by the user, and stores the second operation plan. 
   
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a power generation system, comprising:
 generating electric power with use of a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas by operating a fuel cell apparatus in accordance with a predetermined first operation plan, and supplying heat to a hot water storage tank and outputting the electric power;   supplying heat to the hot water storage tank by operating, in accordance with a predetermined second operation plan, a heat supply apparatus provided separately from the fuel cell apparatus, such that an operation of the heat supply apparatus is independent of an operation of the fuel cell apparatus; and   in accordance with the operation of the fuel cell apparatus, the operation being performed in accordance with the first operation plan, performing second operation plan change control to reduce an output of the heat supply apparatus to be less than an output determined by the second operation plan in such a manner as to:
 prevent the hot water storage tank from becoming a state of being unable to absorb heat supplied from the fuel cell apparatus due to receiving heat that the heat supply apparatus supplies to the hot water storage tank through the operation of the heat supply apparatus in accordance with the second operation plan; and 
 allow heat to be supplied from the fuel cell apparatus to the hot water storage tank through the operation of the fuel cell apparatus in accordance with the first operation plan.