Abstract: A humidity controller apparatus comprises: a first heat exchange chamber (69) for accommodating a first heat exchanger (3), an adsorbent material being supported on a surface of said first heat exchanger (3); and a second heat exchange chamber (73), formed adjacently to said first heat exchange chamber (69), for accommodating a second heat exchanger (5), an adsorbent material being supported on a surface of said second heat exchanger (5). A first air inflow passage (63) and a first air outflow passage (65) are formed along one end surface in a thickness direction in which respective one surfaces of said two heat exchange chambers (69, 73) continue and which are arranged in a superimposed manner in the thickness direction of both said heat exchange chambers (69, 73).

Abstract: Placed in a fuel reformer (5) is a catalyst (27) which exhibits an activity to the partial oxidation reaction of a source fuel. The source fuel, oxygen, and steam are supplied to the fuel reformer (5) such that the ratio O2/C, i.e., the ratio of the number of moles of the oxygen to the number of moles of carbon of the source fuel, is not less than 0.9 times the O2/C theoretical mixture ratio in the partial oxidation reaction, and the H2O/C ratio, i.e., the ratio of the number of moles of the steam to the number of the source fuel carbon moles is not less than 0.5, wherein the partial oxidation reaction occurs in the catalyst (27) to cause a water gas shift reaction to take place in which CO produced by the partial oxidation reaction is a reactant, for generation of hydrogen.

Abstract: A composition containing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid at a high concentration is obtained by intracellularly and extracellularly producing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid using a bacterium belonging to the genus Propionibacterium and collecting it. This composition is efficacious in improving intestinal flora, alleviating abdominal ailments in association with the intake of milk, and preventing metabolic bone diseases.

Abstract: Shift conversion of hydrogen-rich reformed gas produced by reaction including partial oxidation of feed gas in a reforming reaction section (6) is made by its water gas shift reaction with shift conversion catalyst in a shift reaction section (10) in order to reduce CO contained in the reformed gas and enhance the yield of hydrogen. In this case, for the purpose of enabling high-temperature reformed gas from the reforming reaction section (6) to undergo the shift conversion as it is and thereby simplifying the construction of a shift conversion unit, the reformed gas from the reforming reaction section (6) is introduced directly into a reformed gas passage (11) of the shift reaction section (10) and thereby undergoes the shift reaction while heat-exchanging with the feed gas.

Abstract: When humidifying, almost to water vapor saturation, reformed gas that is supplied to a hydrogen electrode of a solid polymer type fuel cell (1) and air that is supplied to an oxygen electrode of the fuel cell (1), heating for obtaining water vapor to establish such saturation is not required. For the purpose of improving the thermal efficiency of a fuel cell system, water vapor contained in hydrogen electrode exhaust gas exhausted from the hydrogen electrode of the fuel cell (1) is let to penetrate through a water vapor permeable membrane (34), whereas water vapor contained either in air that is introduced into a partial oxidation reformation section (6) or in oxygen electrode exhaust gas exhausted from the oxygen electrode is let to penetrate through the water vapor permeable membrane (34) so that the water vapor is supplied to air that is supplied to the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell (1).

Abstract: Hydrogen-rich reformed gas is produced by reaction including partial oxidation of feed gas in a reforming reaction section (6). In this case, for the purpose of reducing temperature variations in the reforming reaction section (6), improving the thermal efficiency thereof and providing a reformer (A) with a simple and compact construction, the reformer (A) is formed in a double-wall structure consisting of a housing (1) and partitions (2), (2) inside of the housing (1), the reforming reaction section (6) is contained between the partitions (2), (2), and a feed gas passage (3) is provided by the space between the housing (1) and the partition (2). In this manner, the feed gas passage (3) is provided in the surrounding area of the reforming reaction section (6). The reforming reaction section (6) is thermally insulated by the feed gas passage (3) so that temperature variations in the reforming reaction section (6) can be reduced.

Abstract: When humidifying, almost to water vapor saturation, reformed gas that is supplied to a hydrogen electrode of a solid polymer type fuel cell (1) and air that is supplied to an oxygen electrode of the fuel cell (1), heating for obtaining water vapor to establish such saturation is not required. For the purpose of improving the thermal efficiency of a fuel cell system, water vapor contained in hydrogen electrode exhaust gas exhausted from the hydrogen electrode of the fuel cell (1) is let to penetrate through a water vapor permeable membrane (34), whereas water vapor contained either in air that is introduced into a partial oxidation reformation section (6) or in oxygen electrode exhaust gas exhausted from the oxygen electrode is let to penetrate through the water vapor permeable membrane (34) so that the water vapor is supplied to air that is supplied to the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell (1).