A procedure for starting up a fuel cell system that is disconnected from its
primary
load and has both its cathode and anode flow fields filled with air includes initiating
a flow of air through the cathode flow field and rapidly displacing the air in
the anode flow field by delivering a flow of fresh hydrogen containing fuel into
the anode flow field, and thereafter connecting the primary load across the cell.
Sufficiently fast purging of the anode flow field with hydrogen prior to connecting
the cells to the load eliminates the need for purging the anode flow field with
an inert gas, such as nitrogen, upon start-up.
