Abstract: In a hydrogen generator according to the invention, a reformer temperature sensor detects the temperature of a reformer at a start of a stop operation of a hydrogen generator. In a controller, a processing and controlling portion compares the detected temperature with first to fourth reference temperatures pre-stored in a storage portion, and determines which of the following conditions is the temperature condition of the hydrogen generator at the stop; a first condition in which water condensation occurs, a second condition in which water condensation and carbon deposition are avoidable, a third condition in which carbon deposition occurs, a fourth condition in which disproportionation reaction occurs, and a fifth condition in which oxidization of catalyst occurs.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for recovering a catalyst from a catalyst body comprising a carrier having a catalyst layer formed on at least a part of the surface thereof, which comprises (a) a step of forming an overcoat layer on the surface of the catalyst layer, and (b) a step of allowing the catalyst body having the overcoat layer formed thereon to stand under the condition to result in a difference in expansibility or contractility exhibited by the overcoat layer from that exhibited by the carrier, wherein exfoliation of the catalyst layer from the carrier is permitted by means of the resulting difference in expansibility or contractility under the condition.

Abstract: A hydrogen gas station is disclosed comprising, a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-rich reformed gas through reforming reaction of an organic compound, a gas supply port configured to communicate with a gas supply pipe to supply the reformed gas to a plurality of fuel cells, and a gas recovery port configured to communicate with a gas recovery pipe to receive an off gas containing hydrogen unconsumed from the fuel cells, the hydrogen gas station being configured to consume the off gas.

Abstract: In order to provide a step capable of reliably detecting a CO concentration in a reformed gas at low cost and a hydrogen purifier capable of fully exerting a function of a CO purifying catalyst, a gas concentration detector comprising a reaction chamber which has a catalyst layer and a gas temperature detector and capable of detecting the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas by means of a signal of the temperature detector referring to a reformed gas passing along through the reaction chamber.

Abstract: It was difficult to acquire a good CO cleanup efficiency in a hydrogen refining apparatus, for instance, when the start-up and stop operations are frequently repeated. A hydrogen refining apparatus, including a shifter having a shifting catalyst body containing noble metals and metal oxides, and a reforming section for supplying hydrogen gas containing carbon monoxide to the shifter, (1) the temperature of an upstream side of the shifting catalyst body relative to the hydrogen gas flow being substantially between 300° C. and 500° C. and (2) the temperature of a downstream side of the shifting catalyst body relative to the hydrogen gas flow being substantially at 300° C. or less.

Abstract: A CO removal catalyst of inducing CO shift reaction for allowing water and carbon monoxide to react to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide, comprising a catalyst carrier having a cerium-zirconium composite oxide and a zirconium oxide and a predetermined noble metal supported on the catalyst carrier, wherein the average particle diameter of the particulate cerium-zirconium composite oxide is greater than the average particle diameter of the particulate zirconium oxide, the average particle diameter of the particulate zirconium oxide is greater than the average particle diameter of the predetermined particulate noble metal and the predetermined noble metal is supported on the catalyst carrier more in the outer part thereof.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator of the present invention is provided with: a reformer for generating a reformed gas containing hydrogen from a feed material containing an organic compound at least containing carbon and hydrogen and water; a heater for heating the reformer to a temperature required for generating the reformed gas; a carbon monoxide reducing unit having a carbon monoxide reducing catalyst for reducing carbon monoxide contained in the reformed gas generated in the reformer; and a temperature detector for detecting at least one of a temperature of the reformed gas in the carbon monoxide reducing unit and a temperature of the carbon monoxide reducing catalyst, wherein an amount of the feed material to be supplied to the reformer is controlled based on a comparison between a detected temperature detected by the temperature detector and a reference temperature set in accordance with the amount of the feed material.

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 generating apparatus or the like is able to detect an excess water state or an excess steam state in the interior of a shift converter or a selective oxidation device.

Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention comprises a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-rich gas, a shift converter (2) configured to generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide from carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-rich gas and water, a hydrogen generator (20) including a carbon monoxide removing portion (3) configured to reduce the carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-rich gas which has not been removed in said shift converter (2), a fuel cell (4) configured to generate power using the hydrogen-rich gas supplied from the hydrogen generator (20) and an oxidizing gas, an air supply portion (6, 9) configured to supply air to at least one of a position upstream of said reformer (1) and a position between said carbon monoxide removing portion (3) and said fuel cell (4) in a flow of the fuel gas; and an impurity removing means (12, 13) configured to remove an impurity gas from the air.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus has a reformer of generating a reformed gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon monoxide by making a material containing an organic compound react with water; carbon-monoxide-removing means of including at least a shifter of reducing the carbon monoxide contained in the reformed gas generated by the reformer in accordance with a shift reaction; and material-humidifying means of humidifying the material by directly or indirectly using moisture contained in the reformed gas.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation system comprises a reformer 1 that contains a reforming catalyst, an evaporator 4 that supplies steam to the reformer 1, a heater 3 that heats the reformer 1 and the evaporator 4, a material feed portion 5 that feeds a feed material containing hydrocarbon compound to the reformer 1 through the evaporator 4, and a water supply portion 6 that has a flow rate switch 6a and supplies water to the reformer 1 and the evaporator 4.

Abstract: A hydrogen generating part is provided for reacting water and a raw material composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms to generate hydrogen gas, a raw material supply part is provided for supplying a raw material to the hydrogen generating part, a water supply part is provided for supplying water to the hydrogen generating part, a catalyst combustion part is provided, an air supply part is provided for supplying air to the catalyst combustion part, a path switching part is provided for switching raw material supply paths between the raw material supply part and the hydrogen generating part, a bypass path is provided for supplying a raw material to the catalyst combustion part from the path switching part, and a combustion gas path is provided for supplying combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part to the hydrogen generating part. The control part switches the path switching part, and the inside of the hydrogen generating part is replaced with combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part.

Abstract: Conventional hydrogen purification apparatuses cannot be used satisfactorily for applications in which much time is required for startup of the apparatus, and the apparatus is repeatedly started and stopped at frequent intervals because of complicated handling. In a hydrogen purification apparatus comprising at least a catalysis body removing carbon monoxide from a reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and steam, the catalyst body is constituted by a carrier comprised of a complex oxide in which at least one of Mo, W and Re is compounded with Zr, or comprised of an oxide of one of Mo, W, Re and Zr, and at least one of Pt, Pd, Rh and Ru carried on the surface of the carrier.

Abstract: A hydrogen generator including a raw material supplying unit supplying a raw material containing a sulfur component and composed of an organic compound, a water supplying unit supplying water, a reformer producing hydrogen gas, the reformer provided with a reforming catalyst to make the raw material and water undergo a reaction, and a carbon monoxide removing unit reducing the content of carbon monoxide in hydrogen gas produced in the reformer, wherein the reforming catalyst is constituted by a carrier composed of platinum and a metal oxide is provided.

Abstract: A hydrogen purifying apparatus and method are provided for oxidizing and removing carbon monoxide (CO) in a modified gas containing CO in addition to a main component hydrogen gas. The apparatus and method use comprises a catalyst reaction segment having a catalyst layer for oxidizing CO, a material gas supplying segment for supplying the modified gas to the reaction segment via a material gas supply pathway, and an oxidant gas supplying segment for supplying an oxidant gas on the path of the material gas supply pathway. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for cooling the catalyst layer at the upstream side and means for heating the catalyst layer at the downstream side.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for recovering a catalyst from a catalyst body comprising a carrier having a catalyst layer formed on at least a part of the surface thereof, which comprises (a) a step of forming an overcoat layer on the surface of the catalyst layer, and (b) a step of allowing the catalyst body having the overcoat layer formed thereon to stand under the condition to result in a difference in expansibility or contractility exhibited by the overcoat layer from that exhibited by the carrier, wherein exfoliation of the catalyst layer from the carrier is permitted by means of the resulting difference in expansibility or contractility under the condition.

Abstract: In a hydrogen generator according to the invention, a reformer temperature sensor detects the temperature of a reformer at a start of a stop operation of a hydrogen generator. In a controller, a processing and controlling portion compares the detected temperature with first to fourth reference temperatures pre-stored in a storage portion, and determines which of the following conditions is the temperature condition of the hydrogen generator at the stop; a first condition in which water condensation occurs, a second condition in which water condensation and carbon deposition are avoidable, a third condition in which carbon deposition occurs, a fourth condition in which disproportionation reaction occurs, and a fifth condition in which oxidization of catalyst occurs.

Abstract: A hydrogen producing apparatus comprising: a reforming section having a reforming catalyst which causes a reaction between a carbon-containing organic compound as a feedstock and water; a feedstock supply section for supplying the feedstock to the reforming section; a water supply section for supplying water to the reforming section; a heating section for heating the reforming catalyst; a shifting section having a shift catalyst which causes a shift reaction between carbon monoxide and water contained in a reformed gas supplied from the reforming section; and a purifying section having a purifying catalyst which causes oxidation or methanation of carbon monoxide contained in a gas supplied from the shifting section, wherein the shift catalyst comprises a platinum group metal and a metal oxide.

Abstract: The fuel reforming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a reforming unit having a reforming catalyst for steam-reforming a raw material of a hydrocarbon and a heater for heating the reforming unit to generate a hydrogen gas by heating the reforming unit while supplying the raw material and water to the heated reforming unit. This fuel reforming apparatus can recover the activity of the reforming catalyst by heating the reforming catalyst in a reducing atmosphere and, therefore, the present invention eliminates the need for replacing the poisoned reforming catalyst and makes it possible to recover with ease the decreased activity of the reforming catalyst.