Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus (150) includes: a first desulfurizer (13) configured to remove, through adsorption, a sulfur compound in a raw material gas that is to be supplied to a reformer; a second desulfurizer (21) configured to hydrodesulfurize a sulfur compound in the raw material gas that is to be supplied to the reformer; a first passage (16) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer (13); a second passage (17) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer (21), without passing through the first desulfurizer (13); a switch configured to switch a passage through which the raw material gas flows between the first passage (16) and the second passage (17); and a controller.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus is provided that further suppresses deterioration in capability of a converting catalyst in raw material purge in a shutdown operation.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus including: a first desulfurizer; a second desulfurizer; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing reformed gas from a raw material gas from which sulfur has been removed by at least one of the first desulfurizer and the second desulfurizer; and a recycle passage through which a part of the reformed gas generated by the reformer is mixed into the raw material gas to be supplied to the second desulfurizer. After installation or maintenance of the hydrogen generation apparatus, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer until a catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated by a mixed gas of the reformed gas supplied through the recycle passage and the raw material gas, and after the catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer.

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 fuel processing apparatus includes: a reformer; a raw material supplying unit for supplying a raw material to the reformer and blocking the supply of the raw material; a steam supplying unit for supplying steam to the reformer and blocking the supply of the steam; a closing device for blocking a gas passage located downstream of the reformer; and a controller. The controller seals the reformer by blocking the supply of the raw material from the raw material supplying unit and the supply of the steam from the steam supplying unit and closing the closing device, and performs a pressure compensation operation by using both the supply of the steam from the steam supplying unit and the supply of the raw material from the raw material unit as pressure in the reformer decreases due to a temperature decrease.

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 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 hydrogen generation apparatus 100 of the present invention includes: a reformer 4 for generating a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction using a raw material gas; a raw material gas supplier 13 for supplying the raw material gas to the reformer 4; a methanator 6 for reducing carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas through a methanation reaction; and a controller for controlling the raw material gas supplier 13 to decrease an amount of the raw material gas supplied to the reformer 4 so as to decrease an amount of generation of the hydrogen-containing gas when a temperature of the methanator 6 increases.

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 hydrogen generation apparatus including: a first desulfurizer; a second desulfurizer; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing reformed gas from a raw material gas from which sulfur has been removed by at least one of the first desulfurizer and the second desulfurizer; and a recycle passage through which a part of the reformed gas generated by the reformer is mixed into the raw material gas to be supplied to the second desulfurizer. After installation or maintenance of the hydrogen generation apparatus, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer until a catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated by a mixed gas of the reformed gas supplied through the recycle passage and the raw material gas, and after the catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator (4) includes: a reformer (5) which is supplied with a raw material to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction; a first gas supplying unit (1) which supplies a gas containing a nitrogen-containing compound to the reformer; a CO remover (7) which has an oxidation catalyst containing a metal to be poisoned by ammonia and uses the oxidation catalyst and an oxidation gas to remove carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas through an oxidation; a second gas supplying unit (3) which supplies the oxidation gas to the CO remover; and a control unit (10), wherein the gas containing the nitrogen-containing compound is supplied from the first gas supplying unit to the reformer during the reforming reaction, a fuel cell system (100) includes the hydrogen generator (4), and the control unit is configured to control to carry out a regeneration operation of the oxidation catalyst if a parameter regarding a cumulative amount of ammonia supplied to the CO remover has reached a

Abstract: A fuel processing apparatus includes a reformer, raw material supply section, moisture supply section, heating section, reforming temperature detection section, shift converter, shift temperature detection section, and control section. When the apparatus is booted, the control section activates the raw material supply section to begin supplying a raw material to the reformer, and activates the heating section to begin supplying heat to the reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus 1 includes a raw material supply unit 4 for controlling a flow rate of a raw material to be supplied from an external element and containing hydrocarbon and an odorizing component; an odorizing component removing section 5 containing an adsorbing agent for adsorbing the odorizing component contained in the raw material; a combustor 2 for combusting the raw material; a reformer 30 for generating hydrogen-containing gas from the raw material which has passed the odorizing component removing section 5 by a reforming reaction using combustion heat supplied from the combustor 2; and a controller 16 for controlling the raw material supply unit to, during driving after the adsorbing agent or the odorizing component removing section 5 is exchanged or after the adsorbing agent is regenerated, makes the flow rate of the raw material to be supplied from the external element higher than the flow rate during the driving immediately before the exchange or regeneration.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus (10) of the present invention includes a desulfurizer (7) which is supplied with a raw material and which is configured to remove sulfur compounds present in the raw material, a reformer (17) which is configured to form a hydrogen containing gas from the raw material which has passed through the desulfurizer (7), a meter device (3) which is configured to measure the amount of sulfur compounds removed by the desulfurizer (7) (which amount is hereinafter referred to as the amount of removal of sulfur compounds), and a controller (40), wherein the controller (40) is configured so as not to permit the next time start-up if the integrated value of the amount of removal of sulfur compounds measured by the meter device (3) becomes greater than or equal to a first threshold value.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator (100) includes: a desulfurizer (4) having a desulfurizing agent which removes by adsorption a sulfur compound in a raw material; a reformer (1) having a reforming catalyst which generates a hydrogen-containing gas from the raw material; a combustor (5) which heats the reformer (1); and an ignitor (103) which ignites the raw material in the combustor (5), is configured to start combustion of the combustor (5) by using the raw material passed through the desulfurizer (4), and further includes: an upper limit changing device (8) which changes an upper limit of an ignition confirmation time of the ignitor (103); and a change instruction receiving device (101) which receives a signal related to an instruction of the change.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus 100 of the present invention includes: a reformer 4 for generating a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction using a raw material gas; a raw material gas supplier 13 for supplying the raw material gas to the reformer 4; a methanator 6 for reducing carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas through a methanation reaction; and a controller for controlling the raw material gas supplier 13 to decrease an amount of the raw material gas supplied to the reformer 4 so as to decrease an amount of generation of the hydrogen-containing gas when a temperature of the methanator 6 increases.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator that is able to maintain an ability to supply a reformed gas containing less CO for a long time period while dealing with degradation of a catalytic activity of a shift reaction by a reliable and simple method, an operation method thereof, and a fuel cell system are provided. In a hydrogen generator (50) comprising a reformer (1), a shift converter (6), a water supply device (3A), a material feed device (2A), and a controller (12), the controller (12) is configured to count the number of times of start-up and/or stop of said hydrogen generator (50) and to increase a temperature or a S/C ratio of the reformed gas flowing in said shift converter (6) according to the counted number of times of start-up and/or stop.

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 generation apparatus (150) includes: a first desulfurizer (13) configured to remove, through adsorption, a sulfur compound in a raw material gas that is to be supplied to a reformer; a second desulfurizer (21) configured to hydrodesulfurize a sulfur compound in the raw material gas that is to be supplied to the reformer; a first passage (16) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer (13); a second passage (17) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer (21), without passing through the first desulfurizer (13); a switch configured to switch a passage through which the raw material gas flows between the first passage (16) and the second passage (17); and a controller.

Abstract: The present invention is a fuel cell system comprising: a hydrogen generator including a reformer which has a reforming catalyst and carries out a reforming reaction using the reforming catalyst to generate a hydrogen-containing gas from a raw material, a shift converter which has a shift catalyst and carries out a shift reaction using the shift catalyst to decrease carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas, and a first temperature detector which detects a temperature of the shift converter; a fuel cell which uses the hydrogen-containing gas delivered from the hydrogen generator, to generate electric power; and a control unit, wherein: the control unit does not start delivering the hydrogen-containing gas from the hydrogen generator to the fuel cell when at least the temperature of the shift converter detected by the first temperature detector is not a stable determination temperature or higher; and the stable determination temperature is lower than a control temperature of the shift converter at the tim