Abstract: A control apparatus for a reformer and a method of controlling the reformer are provided. The reformer gasifies a reformate fuel by a reforming reaction, supplies the obtained reformate gas to an energy converter to convert the reformate gas into energy of another form, and heats the reformate fuel by burning emission containing unreacted flammable gas produced in the energy converter. The control apparatus comprises a reforming amount assessing device for assessing the amount of the reformate fuel to be gasified, and an emission amount assessing device for assessing the amount of emission to be supplied into the reformer on the basis of the assessed amount of reformate fuel. When using the unreacted hydrogen gas generated in a fuel cell for heating the reformate fuel, the unreacted hydrogen gas and combustion aid gas can be controlled so that the reformate fuel is heated properly.

Abstract: The invention constructs a system which vaporizes a liquid raw material in a vaporizing section and steam-reforms the vaporized raw material in a reforming section to generate hydrogen. A pressure regulating valve for regulating the pressure in the vaporizing section is disposed at anywhere from the vaporizing section to downstream of the reforming section. When a hydrogen requirement is increased, the pressure regulating valve is controlled to decrease the pressure in the vaporizing section. The pressure reduction makes it possible to promote vaporization in the vaporizing section such that the rate of generation of steam can be improved. Moreover, during start-up of the system, the control mode is changed to open the pressure regulating valve, thereby limiting the rate of increase in pressure just after the generation of reformed gas has started.

Abstract: A power output apparatus includes a planetary gear having a planetary carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear, an engine having a crankshaft linked with the planetary carrier, a first motor attached to the sun gear, and a second motor attached to the ring gear. In response to an engine operation stop instruction, the power output apparatus stops a fuel injection into the engine and controls the first motor, in order to enable a torque acting in reverse of the rotation of the crankshaft to be output to the crankshaft via the planetary gear and a carrier shaft until the revolving speed of the engine becomes close to zero. This structure allows the revolving speed of the engine to quickly approach zero.

Abstract: A control apparatus can maintain a substantially constant temperature of a reforming reaction in which a partial oxidation reaction occurs. The control apparatus can be used for a reformer that reforms reformats fuel into fuel by an endothermic reforming reaction and a partial oxidation reforming reaction. The amount of oxygen supplied for the partial oxidation reaction is determined based on an amount of the raw material and on theoretical endothermic values and exothermic values of the respective reforming reaction and partial oxidation reaction.

Abstract: In the process of starting an engine 150, the structure of the present invention lags an open and close timing of an intake valve 152 of the engine 150, thereby enabling a first motor MG1 mechanically linked with a crankshaft 156 via a damper 157 to motor the engine 150. When the revolving speed of the engine 150 exceeds a specific range that causes a resonance, the open and close timing of the intake valve 152 is returned to an ordinary level, so as to start controls of a fuel supply to the engine 150 and ignition. The lagged open and close timing of the intake valve 152 decreases the effective compression ratio of the engine 150, thus enabling smooth rotations of the engine 150 and reducing the amplitude of the torsional vibrations of the crankshaft 156. This structure enables the revolving speed of the engine 150 to swiftly pass through the specific range that causes a resonance.

Abstract: A power output apparatus 110 includes a planetary gear 120 having a planetary carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear, an engine 150 having a crankshaft 156 linked with the planetary carrier, a first motor MG1 attached to the sun gear, and a second motor MG2 attached to the ring gear. When the driver steps on an accelerator pedal 164 to change the driving point of the engine 150, the power output apparatus 110 calculates an angular acceleration of the sun gear, calculates a torque used for changing the driving point of the engine 150 by multiplying the angular acceleration by a moment of inertia seen from the first motor MG1 of an inertial system consisting of the first motor MG1 and the engine 150, and drives the second motor MG2 by taking into account the torque. This structure enables a desired torque to be output even in a transient time.