NOVELTY - The anode protection system (APS) (100) comprises a reductant supply and safety subsystem (200) having a unit for generating a reducing gas, a unit for passing the reducing gas over an anode layer of a solid oxide fuel cell of a stack during the shutdown or standby operation of the fuel cell stack and unit for controlling a flow of the reducing gas over the anode layer. The reducing gas generating unit decomposes an ammonia containing material into ammonia gas and a carbon dioxide gas, and comprises a double walled storage cylinder.    USE - The anode protection system is useful for a solid oxide fuel cell system (claimed), where the solid oxide fuel cell is useful as a highly efficient electrical power generator used in Auxiliary Power Units to convert hydrocarbon fuels into electrical energy to provide electrical power for stationary or on-board vehicles.    ADVANTAGE - The anode protection system prevents oxidation of nickel in the anode layer of the fuel cell during periods of prolong shut down, and is portable and economical to install and operate.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The anode protection system (APS) (100) comprises a reductant supply and safety subsystem (200) having a unit for generating a reducing gas, a unit for passing the reducing gas over an anode layer of a solid oxide fuel cell of a stack during the shutdown or standby operation of the fuel cell stack and unit for controlling a flow of the reducing gas over the anode layer. The reducing gas generating unit decomposes an ammonia containing material into ammonia gas and a carbon dioxide gas, and comprises a double walled storage cylinder. The ammonia absorption material surrounds the double walled storage cylinder. The system further comprises a container housing the storage cylinder and ammonia absorption material, a heater to heat the ammonia gas and the carbon dioxide gas to prevent re-solidification of the ammonia gas and the carbon dioxide, a unit for providing the reducing gas to the anode layer to produce an internal pressure of 0.2-10 kPa in the stack, and a post combustion and anode slip control subsystem (400) having a catalyst converter configured to treat any residual reducing gas in a slip stream gas exiting from the stack. The control unit includes an electrically actuated valve configured for opening and closing a gas outlet of the double walled storage cylinder, a flow control valve configured to control the flow rate of the ammonia gas from the double walled storage cylinder to the anode layer, and a pressure regulator configured to regulate the pressure of the ammonia gas from the double walled storage cylinder to the anode layer. The ammonia containing material includes a metal ammine salt complex having an alkali earth or transition metal. The metal ammine salt complex is formulated to reversibly store and release ammonia with a change in temperature or pressure. The ammonia containing material is compressed into a solid cartridge having an effective density such that the ammonia containing material sublimates at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees C to produce the ammonia gas and carbon dioxide gas. The reducing gas generating unit further comprises an electric resistance heater configured to heat the solid cartridge to a temperature of greater than 60 degrees C, a heated container to vaporize a liquid based hydrogen containing material, and a pump to meter the vaporized liquid based hydrogen containing material flow through a catalytic converter configured to produce a hydrogen gas for the anode layer. The ammonia containing material further comprises a compound formulated to store ammonia by absorption. The post combustion and anode slip control subsystem includes an air pump configured to deliver air to the fuel cell to accelerate cooling of the fuel cell and to increase oxygen into the slip stream gas to heat and dilute the slip stream gas for preventing re-solidification of any residual reducing gas.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view of subsystems for an anode protection system.    Anode protection systems (100)    Reductant supply and safety subsystem (200)    Anode protection subsystem (300)    Post combustion and anode slip control subsystem. (400)