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 of the present invention includes: a raw material supplying device (4) configured to supply a raw material; a water supplying device (3) configured to supply water; an evaporator (23) configured to evaporate the water supplied from the water supplying device (3) to generate steam; a reformer (20) having a reforming catalyst which generates a hydrogen-containing gas by a reforming reaction using the raw material and the steam; a valve (12) disposed on a gas passage to cause the reformer (20) to be communicated with an atmosphere and block the reformer (20) from the atmosphere, the gas passage being located downstream of the reformer (20); and a controller (11) configured to stop supplying the water from the water supplying device (3), then continue to supply the raw material from the raw material supplying device (4) with the valve (12) open, and stop supplying the raw material from the raw material supplying device (4) and close the valve (12) before an inside of the reformer (20) is purg

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a reformer to generate a fuel gas from a raw material gas, reforming water, and air supplied to the reformer; an SOFC to generate electric power through a power-generating reaction by utilizing the fuel gas and air; a combustor to combust an anode off gas discharged from the SOFC; a hot module housing the reformer, the SOFC, and the combustor, which are covered with a heat insulating material; and a hydrodesulfurizer to remove a sulfur component from the raw material gas by hydrodesulfurization. The anode off gas is supplied to the combustor and the hydrodesulfurizer in a distributed manner. The hydrodesulfurizer performs the hydrodesulfurization of the raw material gas by utilizing the anode off gas as a hydrogen source and utilizing an exhaust gas discharged from the hot module as a heat source, the exhaust gas containing at least combustion heat from the combustor.

Abstract: An energy supply system includes: an energy supply device configured to supply electric power and/or heat; and a controller configured to set a first maximum operation time of a first specified period including a plurality of second specified periods, the first maximum operation time being an upper limit of an operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period; calculate and set a second target maximum operation time of each of the second specified periods of the first specified period such that the operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time, the second target maximum operation time being a target value of an upper limit of the operation time of the energy supply device in the second specified period; and reconfigure the second target maximum operation time of a future second specified period of a certain first specified period based on a time in which the energy supply device has been actually operated in a p

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction by using a raw material and steam; a raw material supply device configured to supply the raw material to the reformer; a steam supply device configured to supply the steam to the reformer; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the reformer; a fuel cell configured to generate electric power by using the hydrogen-containing gas; a combustor configured to combust the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the fuel cell to heat the reformer; and a controller configured to, while controlling the raw material supply device such that the temperature detected by the temperature detector becomes a target temperature, control the steam supply device such that a change rate of a steam supply amount to the reformer becomes less than a change rate of a raw material supply amount to the reformer.

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: An energy supply system includes: an energy supply device configured to supply electric power and/or heat; and a controller configured to set a first maximum operation time of a first specified period including a plurality of second specified periods, the first maximum operation time being an upper limit of an operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period; calculate and set a second target maximum operation time of each of the second specified periods of the first specified period such that the operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time, the second target maximum operation time being a target value of an upper limit of the operation time of the energy supply device in the second specified period; and reconfigure the second target maximum operation time of a future second specified period of a certain first specified period based on a time in which the energy supply device has been actually operated in a p

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: An energy supply system includes: an energy supply device (1a) configured to supply electric power and/or heat; and a controller (6) configured to set a first maximum operation time of a first specified period including a plurality of second specified periods, the first maximum operation time being an upper limit of an operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period; calculate and set a second target maximum operation time of each of the second specified periods of the first specified period such that the operation time of the energy supply device in the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time, the second target maximum operation time being a target value of an upper limit of the operation time of the energy supply device in the second specified period; and reconfigure the second target maximum operation time of a future second specified period of a certain first specified period based on a time in which the energy supply device has been actually operat

Abstract: An energy supply system comprises an energy supply device (1a) for supplying at least one of electric power and heat, and a controller (6) configured to set first maximum operation time which is an upper limit value of operation time of the energy supply device in a first specified period shorter than a guaranteed operation period of the energy supply device such that operation time of the energy supply device does not reach operation time life before the guaranteed operation period lapses, and calculate and set second maximum operation time which is an upper limit value of the operation time of the energy supply device in a second specified period shorter than the first specified period based on the set first maximum operation time such that the operation time of the energy supply device within the first specified period does not exceed the first maximum operation time.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus and a fuel cell system including: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by causing a reforming reaction of a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer (4) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; an adsorption desulfurizer (3) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a first raw material passage (15) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer not through the adsorption desulfurizer but through the hydrodesulfurizer flows; a second raw material passage (16) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer through the adsorption desulfurizer flows; a switch (17, 18) configured to switch, between the first raw material passage and the second raw material passage, a raw material flowing passage through which the raw material flows; and a controller (12) configured such that when the reformer is generating the hydrogen-containing gas, the controller sets the raw material flowing passage t

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus (100) includes: a reformer (10) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using a raw material and steam; a raw material passage (21) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer (10) flows; a hydrodesulfurizer (13) provided downstream from a most downstream valve (11) on the raw material passage (21) and configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a sealer (15) provided on a passage (24) downstream from the reformer (10) and configured to block communication between the reformer (10) and the atmosphere; and a depressurizer (16) provided on the raw material passage (21) at a portion connecting the hydrodesulfurizer (13) and the reformer (10) and configured to release, to the atmosphere, pressure in the reformer (10) that has increased after the sealer (15) is closed.

Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus (100) includes: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by causing a reforming reaction of a raw material; a combustor (2) configured to heat the reformer; and a controller (5) configured to set a controlled temperature of the reformer to a first temperature when an oxygen concentration in the raw material is in a first state where the oxygen concentration is relatively low, and change the controlled temperature of the reformer to a second temperature higher than the first temperature when the oxygen concentration in the raw material is in a second state where the oxygen concentration is relatively higher than the oxygen concentration in the first state.

Abstract: A power supply system of the present invention includes: a power generation system (101); a power storage unit (107) configured to supply electric power to the power generation system (101) and an external electric power load (105); and a controller (110) configured to, in a case where it is predicted that at least one of the sum of activation electric power of the power generation system (101) and power consumption of the external electric power load (105) when activating the power generation system (101) and the sum of stop electric power of the power generation system (101) and the power consumption of the external electric power load (105) when stopping the power generation of the power generation system (101) exceeds the upper limit electric power receivable from an electric power system (104), supply the electric power of the power storage unit (107) to at least one of the power generation system (101) and the external electric power load (105) such that the electric power amount supplied from the elect

Abstract: The invention discloses a hydrogen generator (100A) comprising: a reformer (1) having a reforming catalyst (1a); a material gas supply device (13); an evaporator (3); a water supply device; and a controller (10) which controls the material gas supply device (13) and the water supply device to stop supplying of a material gas to the reformer (1) and supplying of water to the evaporator (3) and then controls the material gas supply device (13) to supply the material gas to the reformer (1) in a period during which residual water evaporates in at least either the evaporator (3) or the reformer (1).

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: In a fuel cell system of the present invention, a reformed gas generated in a reformer (R1) being activated is supplied to a fuel cell stack (F1), and an off-gas discharged from the fuel cell stack (F1) is supplied to a heat supply device (B2) provided for a reformer (R2) being deactivated. By activating at least one reformer (Rn), all of a plurality of reformers (Rn) can be warmed-up. Therefore, energy consumption in a standby state can be suppressed, and the fuel cell system can be started-up quickly in emergencies. The reformed gas may be supplied to the heat supply device (B2) instead of the off-gas.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system (100) comprises the steps of: generating a hydrogen-containing gas from a gas containing at least one of a nitrogen gas and a nitrogen compound, by a hydrogen generator (2); removing ammonia from the hydrogen-containing gas; detecting a temperature of the hydrogen-containing gas from which the ammonia has been removed; and starting supplying of the hydrogen-containing gas from the hydrogen generator (2) to the fuel cell (7), when the detected temperature of the hydrogen-containing gas is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.