Abstract: A hydrogen generation system including: a reformer generating hydrogen-containing gas using a raw material and reforming water; a combustor combusting hydrogen-containing gas and air and generating exhaust gas; a first channel passing cooling water; a condenser generating condensed water by heat exchange between exhaust gas and cooling water; a tank storing condensed water as cooling water; a pump supplying cooling water from the tank to the condenser; a second channel branching at a branch between the pump and condenser in the first channel, and passing some cooling water to the reformer as reforming water; a heater provided downstream of the branch, and heating the first channel; a temperature detector detecting the temperature of the first channel; and a controller, in an activation operation mode, determining whether the second channel is filled with reforming water, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the heater has operated.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes at least a solid oxide fuel cell that generates, through an electrochemical reaction, electric power from anode gas and cathode gas containing oxygen, a combustor that burns anode off-gas and cathode off-gas both discharged from the solid oxide fuel cell, and that produces exhaust gas, a purifier that is heated by heat of the exhaust gas produced by the combustor, and that includes a purification catalyst to remove substances to be cleaned up, those substances being contained in the exhaust gas, and a controller. The controller raises the temperature of the purifier to 300° C. or higher for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump which includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode provided on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode provided on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane opposite to the first surface; and a current adjuster adjusting a current amount flowing between the anode and the cathode, and which performs a hydrogen supply operation by allowing a current to flow between the anode and the cathode using the current adjuster so as to boost the pressure of hydrogen which is supplied to an anode side at a cathode side and to supply the pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander; and a dew point adjuster adjusting a dew point of a mixed gas in which a hydrogen-containing gas which is discharged from the anode side and a hydrogen-containing gas which is supplied from an outside are mixed together.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the cathode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a separator including a recess through which cathode gas flows; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the anode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a fastener fastening a laminated body. The cathode gas diffusion layer is accommodated in the recess, projects from the recess in a thickness direction before fastening of the laminated body, and includes an elastic member between side surfaces of the cathode gas diffusion layer and of the recess.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes an electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive polymer, an anode having an anode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, a separator which has a fluid channel and through which carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode, and a power supply that energizes the anode and the cathode, the anode catalyst layer including Pt, the cathode catalyst layer including Pt and Ru.

Abstract: Provided is an electromechanical hydrogen pump, including: (i) an electrolyte membrane; (ii) an anode electrode layer and an anode diffusion layer that are provided at one side of the electrolyte membrane; (iii) a cathode electrode layer and a cathode diffusion layer that are provided at the other side of the electrolyte membrane; (iv) an anode seal that has openings each surrounding the anode diffusion layer; (v) a cathode seal that has openings each surrounding the cathode diffusion layer; (vi) an anode separator that is placed on an outer side of the anode diffusion layer; and (vii) a cathode separator that is placed on an outer side of the cathode diffusion layer, wherein no spaces are provided between the anode diffusion layer and the anode seal or between the cathode diffusion layer and the cathode seal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a proton-conducting electrolyte membrane, an anode, a cathode, a first flow path which is disposed on the anode and through which an anode fluid containing hydrogen as a constituent element flows, a second flow path which is disposed on the cathode and through which hydrogen flows, a voltage applicator, a detector which detects a hydrogen cross leak amount passing through the membrane, where the detector detects the hydrogen cross leak amount from, a natural potential of one electrode of the cathode and the anode after forming a state where hydrogen is present at the one electrode and hydrogen is not present at the other electrode of the cathode and the anode, or a current flowing between the anode and the cathode when the voltage is applied from the voltage applicator in a state where the first flow path and the second flow path are both sealed off.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the cathode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a separator including a recess through which cathode gas flows; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the anode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a fastener fastening a laminated body. The cathode gas diffusion layer is accommodated in the recess, projects from the recess in a thickness direction before fastening of the laminated body, and includes an elastic member between side surfaces of the cathode gas diffusion layer and of the recess.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation system including: a reformer generating hydrogen-containing gas using a raw material and reforming water; a combustor combusting hydrogen-containing gas and air and generating exhaust gas; a first channel passing cooling water; a condenser generating condensed water by heat exchange between exhaust gas and cooling water; a tank storing condensed water as cooling water; a pump supplying cooling water from the tank to the condenser; a second channel branching at a branch between the pump and condenser in the first channel, and passing some cooling water to the reformer as reforming water; a heater provided downstream of the branch, and heating the first channel; a temperature detector detecting the temperature of the first channel; and a controller, in an activation operation mode, determining whether the second channel is filled with reforming water, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the heater has operated.

Abstract: Provided is an electromechanical hydrogen pump, including: (i) an electrolyte membrane; (ii) an anode electrode layer and an anode diffusion layer that are provided at one side of the electrolyte membrane; (iii) a cathode electrode layer and a cathode diffusion layer that are provided at the other side of the electrolyte membrane; (iv) an anode seal that has openings each surrounding the anode diffusion layer; (v) a cathode seal that has openings each surrounding the cathode diffusion layer; (vi) an anode separator that is placed on an outer side of the anode diffusion layer; and (vii) a cathode separator that is placed on an outer side of the cathode diffusion layer, wherein no spaces are provided between the anode diffusion layer and the anode seal or between the cathode diffusion layer and the cathode seal.

Abstract: A high-temperature operating fuel cell system includes a reformer that produces a reformed gas from air and a raw material, an air supplier that supplies the air to the reformer, a fuel cell that generates electricity with the reformed gas and air, a combustor in which unutilized portions of the reformed gas and the air burn, a combustion exhaust gas path of a combustion exhaust gas, a depurator including a combustion catalyst for freeing the combustion exhaust gas of toxic substances, a heater that heats the combustion catalyst, and a controller. At start-up in a case of having detected an abnormal stoppage in which a purge operation is impossible, the controller first controls the heater so that the combustion catalyst is heated to a predetermined temperature and then controls the air supplier so that the high-temperature operating fuel cell system is purged by supplying the air to the reformer.

Abstract: A method of operating a hydrogen generator includes: a step (a) of generating a hydrogen-containing gas by a hydrogen generation unit by using a raw material in the hydrogen generation unit; a step (b) of removing a sulfur compound from the raw material by a hydrodesulfurizer which is heated by heat transferred from the hydrogen generation unit; and a step (c) of performing an operation of supplying the raw material to the hydrogen generation unit after stopping the generating of the hydrogen-containing gas by the hydrogen generation unit. The step (c) is not performed unless, at least, a temperature of the hydrodesulfurizer is such a temperature at which carbon deposition from the raw material is suppressed.

Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes at least a solid oxide fuel cell that generates, through an electrochemical reaction, electric power from anode gas and cathode gas containing oxygen, a combustor that burns anode off-gas and cathode off-gas both discharged from the solid oxide fuel cell, and that produces exhaust gas, a purifier that is heated by heat of the exhaust gas produced by the combustor, and that includes a purification catalyst to remove substances to be cleaned up, those substances being contained in the exhaust gas, and a controller. The controller raises the temperature of the purifier to 300° C. or higher for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes: a CO remover configured to reduce carbon monoxide in a hydrogen-containing gas through an oxidation reaction, the hydrogen-containing gas containing ammonia and carbon monoxide; and an ammonia remover provided upstream from the CO remover, the ammonia remover being configured to cause a reaction between ammonia in the hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen by using a catalyst to decompose the ammonia.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier (100) includes: a shift conversion catalyst (5a) which reduces, through a shift reaction, carbon monoxide contained in a hydrogen-containing gas; and a methanation catalyst (6a) which reduces, through a methanation reaction, carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas that has passed through the shift conversion catalyst (5a). The shift conversion catalyst (5a) and the methanation catalyst (6a) are heat exchangeable with each other via a first partition wall (8), and a flow direction of the hydrogen-containing gas that passes through the shift conversion catalyst (5a) is opposite to a flow direction of the hydrogen-containing gas that passes through the methanation catalyst (6a).

Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes an electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive polymer, an anode having an anode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, a separator which has a fluid channel and through which carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode, and a power supply that energizes the anode and the cathode, the anode catalyst layer including Pt, the cathode catalyst layer including Pt and Ru.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes a reformer configured to cause a reforming reaction using a material and steam to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; a shift converter configured to reduce CO in the hydrogen-containing gas by a shift reaction; an evaporator provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with an upstream side of the shift converter and configured to evaporate water; and a hydro-desulfurizer provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with a downstream side of the shift converter and configured to remove a sulfur compound in the material by a hydrodesulfurization reaction.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation device of the present invention comprises a first path (31) used to supply a raw material to a reformer (1) through at least a first desulfurization unit (2); a second path (32) used to supply the raw material to the reformer (1) through only the second desulfurization unit (3); a switch unit (6); a flow control unit (8) which selectively enables or inhibits a flow of the hydrogen-containing gas generated in the reformer 1 toward the second desulfurization unit (3); and a controller (12) configured to execute processing in such a manner that in at least either a time point before generation of the hydrogen-containing gas is stopped, or start-up, the switch unit 6 performs switching to select the first path (31), and the flow control unit (8) enables the flow of the hydrogen-containing gas, while the reformer 1 is generating the hydrogen-containing gas.

Abstract: A desulfurization process includes desulfurizing a hydrocarbon fuel using a desulfurizing agent including a support, nickel sulfide on the support, and zinc oxide. The desulfurizing agent is heated to 250° C. or more.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator (100) includes: a hydrogen generating unit (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using a raw material gas; a hydro-desulfurizer (7) configured to remove a sulfur compound in the raw material gas supplied to the hydrogen generating unit (1); a first gas channel (5) through which the raw material gas supplied through the hydro-desulfurizer (7) to the hydrogen generating unit (1) flows; a recycle channel (10) through which the hydrogen-containing gas from the hydrogen generating unit (1) is supplied to the raw material gas in the first gas channel (5) located upstream of the hydro-desulfurizer (7); a raw material gas supply unit (6) disposed between the hydro-desulfurizer (7) and a meeting point where the first gas channel (5) and the recycle channel (10) meet; and a first on-off valve (8) disposed between the raw material gas supply unit (6) and the hydro-desulfurizer (7) to close when the hydrogen generator (100) stops.