Abstract: A hydrogen generator that can be operated in a broad temperature range is disclosed, which comprises a first ammonia conversion part having a hydrogen-generating material which reacts with ammonia in a first temperature range so as to generate hydrogen; a second ammonia conversion part having an ammonia-decomposing catalyst which decomposes ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen in a second temperature range; an ammonia supply part which supplies ammonia; and an ammonia supply passage which supplies ammonia from said ammonia supply part to the first and second ammonia conversion parts. The first temperature range includes temperatures lower than the second temperature range, and hydrogen is generated from ammonia by selectively using the first and second ammonia conversion parts. An ammonia-burning internal combustion engine and a fuel cell having the hydrogen generator are also disclosed.

Abstract: An ammonia-engine system is capable of supplying an ammonia cracking catalyst with a temperature necessary to promote a reaction even during low load operation in which a temperature of an exhaust gas from an ammonia engine is lower than an operating temperature of the ammonia cracking catalyst. In an ammonia-engine system provided with an ammonia engine (2) using ammonia as fuel and an ammonia cracking device (5) including an ammonia cracking catalyst that cracks ammonia and cracking ammonia to produce hydrogen, an ammonia oxidizing device (4) is provided between the ammonia engine (2) and the ammonia cracking device (5).

Abstract: A fuel cell system whose fuel loss caused by the crossover of the fuel is small and which can be operated economically. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell 10, a primary feeding system 12 for feeding a primary fuel which is a liquid fuel to the fuel cell 10, a secondary feeding system 13 for feeding a secondary fuel which is a liquid fuel whose saturation vapor pressure is lower than that of the primary fuel to the fuel cell 10, a ECU 30 for controlling each part so that the primary fuel in the fuel cell is replaced with the secondary fuel when terminating the operation of the fuel cell 10.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus for effectively generating hydrogen from ammonia and relates to the hydrogen generating apparatus for generating hydrogen from ammonia. The apparatus comprises an ammonia oxidation part having ammonia oxidation catalysts which oxidizes ammonia, and an ammonia decomposition part having an ammonia decomposition catalyst which decomposes ammonia to generate nitrogen and hydrogen. The decomposition part is located downstream of the oxidation part in a direction of feed gas flow.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator that can be operated in a broad temperature range is disclosed, which comprises a first ammonia conversion part having a hydrogen-generating material which reacts with ammonia in a first temperature range so as to generate hydrogen; a second ammonia conversion part having an ammonia-decomposing catalyst which decomposes ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen in a second temperature range; an ammonia supply part which supplies ammonia; and an ammonia supply passage which supplies ammonia from said ammonia supply part to the first and second ammonia conversion parts. The first temperature range includes temperatures lower than the second temperature range, and hydrogen is generated from ammonia by selectively using the first and second ammonia conversion parts. An ammonia-burning internal combustion engine and a fuel cell having the hydrogen generator are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method purify hydrogen from a mixed fluid containing gaseous hydrogen, gaseous oxygen, and liquid water. The apparatus has a mixed fluid channel through which the mixed fluid flows; a first gas channel through which a mixed gas containing gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen flows; a second gas channel through which gaseous hydrogen or oxygen flows; a gas-liquid separating membrane forming a wall between the mixed fluid channel and the first gas channel, separating the mixed gas from the mixed fluid of the mixed fluid channel, and providing the separated mixed gas to the first gas channel; and a hydrogen or oxygen separating membrane forming a wall between the first gas channel and the second gas channel, separating gaseous hydrogen or oxygen from the mixed gas of the first gas channel, and providing the separated gaseous hydrogen or oxygen to the second gas channel.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for efficient synthesis of ammonia. The process includes a water-splitting step in which water is decomposed to obtain a first source gas comprising hydrogen and oxygen, a first oxygen removal step in which the oxygen contained in the first source gas is at least partially separated and removed by an oxygen separating membrane or hydrogen separating membrane to obtain a second source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the first source gas, a second oxygen removal step in which the oxygen in the second source gas is reacted with hydrogen to produce water for removal, or is adsorbed onto an adsorption medium for removal, to obtain a third source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the second source gas, and an ammonia synthesis step in which the hydrogen in the third source gas is reacted with nitrogen to synthesize ammonia.

Abstract: An ammonia synthesis apparatus includes: a first gas channel; a second gas channel disposed outside the first gas channel; a third gas channel disposed outside the second gas channel; an air supply unit that supplies air to the second or third gas channel; a water supply unit that supplies water to the first gas channel; and a heat supply unit that supplies heat to the first gas channel. A metal or a metal oxide that reduces water to produce hydrogen is placed in the first gas channel. An ammonia synthesis catalyst is placed in the second gas channel located downstream of the downstream end portion of the first gas channel. The second and third gas channels are at least partially partitioned by an oxygen permeation membrane, or a nitrogen permeation membrane, so that oxygen is supplied to the third gas channel, and nitrogen is supplied to the second gas channel.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for efficient synthesis of ammonia. The process includes a water-splitting step in which water is decomposed to obtain a first source gas comprising hydrogen and oxygen, a first oxygen removal step in which the oxygen contained in the first source gas is at least partially separated and removed by an oxygen separating membrane or hydrogen separating membrane to obtain a second source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the first source gas, a second oxygen removal step in which the oxygen in the second source gas is reacted with hydrogen to produce water for removal, or is adsorbed onto an adsorption medium for removal, to obtain a third source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the second source gas, and an ammonia synthesis step in which the hydrogen in the third source gas is reacted with nitrogen to synthesize ammonia.

Abstract: A water-splitting apparatus and method generating hydrogen and oxygen at separate electrodes have a structure enabling a photo catalytic reaction to be efficiently performed. The apparatus includes a photolysis element having an N-type water-splitting electrode surface and a P-type water-splitting electrode surface at the opposite side surface to the N-type water-splitting electrode surface, a hydrogen generating cell holding the N-type water-splitting electrode surface and collecting the hydrogen generated at that water-splitting electrode surface, and an oxygen generating cell holding the P-type water-splitting electrode surface, collecting the oxygen generated at that water-splitting electrode surface, and adjoining the hydrogen generating cell across the photolysis element. The photolysis element has through holes enabling circulation of water between the hydrogen and oxygen generating cells.

Abstract: Provided is a microphase-separated structure membrane including a block copolymer in which a hydrophilic polymer component and a hydrophobic polymer component are coupled to each other via a structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye. In the microphase-separated structure membrane, a cylinder structure composed of the hydrophilic polymer component lies in a matrix composed of the hydrophobic polymer component and is oriented in the direction perpendicular to the membrane surface, and the structural unit having a reactive group, an electron acceptor or electron donor, or a dye lies between the matrix and the cylinder structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydrogen generation device using a photocatalyst to generate hydrogen from liquid water or water vapor and a method of using the same. The hydrogen generation device of the present invention has a water channel through which liquid water or water vapor flows, and which has an outer circumferential wall made at least in part of a transparent material; a hydrogen channel through which hydrogen flows and which is located at the inner circumference side of the water channel; a hydrogen separating membrane forming at least part of a wall between the water channel and hydrogen channel, separating hydrogen from the liquid water or water vapor in the water channel, and providing the hydrogen to the hydrogen channel; and a photocatalyst layer arranged on least at part of the water channel-side surface of the hydrogen separating membrane.

Abstract: A main object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a carbon nanofiber supporting a metal fine particle in which the metal fine particles are supported in high dispersion and sintering of the metal fine particles is restrained. The present invention attains the object by providing a method for producing a carbon nanofiber supporting a metal fine particle comprising a step of: spinning a material composition which contains a nitrogen-containing polymer, including a nitrogen element and capable of forming a carbon nanofiber, and an organometallic compound by an electro spinning process, and the spinning is conducted under a condition which keeps the nitrogen element remained to the carbon nanofiber and allows the formation of the carbon nanofiber.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus for effectively generating hydrogen from ammonia and relates to the hydrogen generating apparatus for generating hydrogen from ammonia. The apparatus comprises an ammonia oxidation part having ammonia oxidation catalysts which oxidizes ammonia, and an ammonia decomposition part having an ammonia decomposition catalyst which decomposes ammonia to generate nitrogen and hydrogen. The decomposition part is located downstream of the oxidation part in a direction of feed gas flow.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ammonia decomposition catalyst which is obtained by heat-treating a complex at a temperature of 360° C. to 900° C. in a reducing atmosphere, wherein the complex containing a polymer having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 500,000 represented by the formula [I], a transition metal coordinated with the polymer, and an activated carbon or a carbon nanotube added thereto. In a case of using the carbon nanotube, an alkali metal compound or an alkaline earth metal compound is added to the heat-treated complex. R1 represents H or hydrocarbon having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 each represent H, halogen, nitro, acyl, ester, carboxyl, formyl, nitrile, sulfone, aryl, or alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, X and Y each represent H or OH, Z represents CH or N, R4 and R5 each represent H, OH, ether, amino, aryl, or alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, x represents a real number of 1 to 2, y represents a real number of 1 to 3, and n represents a real number of 2 to 120.

Abstract: An apparatus and method purify hydrogen from a mixed fluid containing gaseous hydrogen, gaseous oxygen, and liquid water. The apparatus has a mixed fluid channel through which the mixed fluid flows; a first gas channel through which a mixed gas containing gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen flows; a second gas channel through which gaseous hydrogen or oxygen flows; a gas-liquid separating membrane forming a wall between the mixed fluid channel and the first gas channel, separating the mixed gas from the mixed fluid of the mixed fluid channel, and providing the separated mixed gas to the first gas channel; and a hydrogen or oxygen separating membrane forming a wall between the first gas channel and the second gas channel, separating gaseous hydrogen or oxygen from the mixed gas of the first gas channel, and providing the separated gaseous hydrogen or oxygen to the second gas channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydrogen generation device using a photocatalyst to generate hydrogen from liquid water or water vapor and a method of using the same. The hydrogen generation device of the present invention has a water channel through which liquid water or water vapor flows, and which has an outer circumferential wall made at least in part of a transparent material; a hydrogen channel through which hydrogen flows and which is located at the inner circumference side of the water channel; a hydrogen separating membrane forming at least part of a wall between the water channel and hydrogen channel, separating hydrogen from the liquid water or water vapor in the water channel, and providing the hydrogen to the hydrogen channel; and a photocatalyst layer arranged on least at part of the water channel-side surface of the hydrogen separating membrane.

Abstract: An ammonia-engine system is capable of supplying an ammonia cracking catalyst with a temperature necessary to promote a reaction even during low load operation in which a temperature of an exhaust gas from an ammonia engine is lower than an operating temperature of the ammonia cracking catalyst. In an ammonia-engine system provided with an ammonia engine (2) using ammonia as fuel and an ammonia cracking device (5) including an ammonia cracking catalyst that cracks ammonia and cracking ammonia to produce hydrogen, an ammonia oxidizing device (4) is provided between the ammonia engine (2) and the ammonia cracking device (5).

Abstract: The invention provides a process for efficient synthesis of ammonia. The process includes a water-splitting step in which water is decomposed to obtain a first source gas comprising hydrogen and oxygen, a first oxygen removal step in which the oxygen contained in the first source gas is at least partially separated and removed by an oxygen separating membrane or hydrogen separating membrane to obtain a second source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the first source gas, a second oxygen removal step in which the oxygen in the second source gas is reacted with hydrogen to produce water for removal, or is adsorbed onto an adsorption medium for removal, to obtain a third source gas having a lower oxygen concentration than the second source gas, and an ammonia synthesis step in which the hydrogen in the third source gas is reacted with nitrogen to synthesize ammonia.

Abstract: The power generation performance of a fuel cell is improved by reducing a concentration overvoltage of an anode, without increasing the cost thereof. A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell that generates electricity by means of electrochemical reactions between a fuel containing liquefied ammonia and an oxidizing agent, a fuel supply unit that supplies the fuel to the fuel cell, an oxidizing agent supply unit that supplies the oxidizing agent to the fuel cell, a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of the fuel cell, and a control unit that controls the pressure of the fuel to be supplied from the fuel supply unit to the fuel cell in accordance with the temperature of the fuel cell.