HYDROGEN PRODUCING APPARATUS AND ITS DRIVING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hydrogen producing apparatus and its driving method to reduce the time of starting operation by using a starting gas and thereby, to improve the efficiency of hydrogen production. SOLUTION: The apparatus is equipped with: a reformer 5 to make hydrocarbon gas as a source material react with steam at a high temperature to reform into hydrogen-rich gas; a modifier 6 to modify carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-rich gas from the reformer 5 into carbon dioxide; a hydrogen refining apparatus 9 to refine the hydrogen-rich gas from the modifier 6 into high-purity hydrogen; and a heat exchanger 4 to preheat the hydrocarbon gas by the hydrogen-rich gas from the reformer 5. The apparatus is also provided with a bypass passage 11 between the reformer 5 and the modifier 6 to bypass the heat exchanger 4. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI