JP2005206395A - Hydrogen producing apparatus and starting method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that a conventional hydrogen producing apparatus has poor utilization efficiency of a gas in starting up. <P>SOLUTION: The hydrogen producing apparatus is provided with a reforming part 1 for producing a reformed gas from a hydrocarbon based raw material gas and steam, a combustion part 7 for heating the reforming part 1, air blowing part 8 for supplying air to the combustion part 7, a reforming part temperature detecting means 13 for detecting the temperature of the reforming part 1, an evaporating part 3 for supplying steam to the reforming part 1, a switch valve 11 for introducing the reformed gas produced in the reforming part 1 and/or the raw material gas passed through the reforming part 1 into one of the combustion part 7 or an apparatus 12 for utilizing the reformed gas and a control means 16 for controlling the combustion part 7 so that a detected temperature by the reforming part temperature detecting means 13 becomes equal to or below a 1st prescribed temperature at which carbon deposition reaction does not proceed when the reforming part 1 is purged by the raw material gas in the starting up and the combustion part 7 is ignited by supplying the raw material gas passed through the reforming part 1 through the switching valve 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydrogen generator that reforms a hydrocarbon-based fuel to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen and supplies the reformed gas as a fuel gas for a fuel cell, a starting method thereof, and a hydrogen gas supplied from the hydrogen generator. The present invention relates to a fuel cell power generation system to be used.

  Hydrogen gas is used as a fuel for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) or a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC). Industrial production of hydrogen includes electrolysis of water, and other methods include steam reforming of hydrocarbon gas, partial oxidation, and an autothermal method combining both. In these reforming methods, methane, ethane, propane, butane, city gas, LP gas, and other hydrocarbon gases (including a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons) are reformed to produce hydrogen-rich gas. In either case, a hydrogen generator is used.

  A domestic fuel cell system is required to be routinely started and stopped, and the catalyst used in the hydrogen generator deteriorates in an oxidizing atmosphere at the time of startup. Therefore, if an inert gas such as nitrogen used in a phosphoric acid fuel cell is used, a nitrogen cylinder or the like needs to be provided separately. When a cylinder or the like is installed in this way, an extra space is required, but it is desirable that the installation space be as small as possible for use at home.

  Therefore, in order to suppress the deterioration of the catalyst, there is one that starts from a state in which on-off valves are provided on the inlet side and the outlet side of the hydrogen generator and the raw material gas is sealed inside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the conventional hydrogen generator.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the conventional hydrogen generator includes a reforming unit 103 that generates a hydrogen-rich gas from raw fuel gas and water vapor. A steam generation unit 102 that supplies steam to the reforming unit 103 and a desulfurization unit 101 that performs desulfurization of the raw fuel gas supplied to the reforming unit 103 are installed.

  The reforming unit 103 is provided with a combustion unit 104 for heating the reforming unit 103 and a reforming unit temperature detecting means 105 for detecting the internal temperature of the reforming unit 103. An air supply unit 106 that supplies air to the combustion unit 104 and a gas fuel supply pipe 107 that supplies gas fuel to the combustion unit 104 are installed. The gas fuel supply pipe 107 is provided with an on-off valve 108 for stopping the supply of gas fuel.

  Further, an on-off valve 109 for stopping the supply of the raw material gas is installed upstream of the desulfurization unit 101, and the supply of the hydrogen rich gas to the fuel cell or the like or the raw material is stopped downstream of the reforming unit 103. An on-off valve 110 is installed for gas sealing.

  Note that the flow path configuration uses a part of the reformed gas from the reforming unit 103 as a heating source for the desulfurization unit 101.

  A method for starting the conventional hydrogen generator will be described below.

  In the conventional hydrogen generator configured as described above, when stopped, the raw material gas is sealed, and both the on-off valve 109 and the on-off valve 110 are closed.

  First, the on-off valve 108 and the on-off valve 110 are opened. Gas fuel is supplied by opening the on-off valve 108, and heating of the combustion unit 104 is started by simultaneously supplying air from the air supply unit 106, and the temperature of the reforming unit 103 is raised.

  Next, when the temperature of the reforming unit 103 is raised to a temperature at which carbon deposition due to thermal decomposition of the raw material gas can be prevented and water vapor condensation can be prevented, the supply of water vapor from the water vapor generating unit 102 is started.

Next, when the temperature of the reforming unit 103 is heated to the temperature at which the reforming reaction occurs, the on-off valve 109 is opened, the supply of the raw material gas is started, the reforming reaction occurs in the reforming unit 103, and the hydrogen rich A reformed gas is generated.
JP 2002-356305 A

  As described above, in the conventional hydrogen generator, in order to avoid oxidative deterioration due to the air of the reforming catalyst when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature at the time of startup, the inside of the apparatus is filled with the raw material gas at the time of stop, Since the start-up was started and the temperature of the combustion unit 104 was raised by the gas fuel at the time of start-up, the gas utilization efficiency was poor.

  In addition, it is necessary to provide three on-off valves 108, 109, and on-off valves 110, and the cost increases, and power consumption is also generated in the on-off valves themselves, resulting in reduced power generation efficiency. There was a problem.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen generation apparatus that has better gas utilization efficiency, does not lower power generation efficiency, or is lower in cost, and a starting method thereof.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the present invention comprises a reforming unit that generates a reformed gas by a reforming reaction by circulating a hydrocarbon-based source gas and water vapor through a catalyst layer, and the reforming unit includes: A combustion unit that heats, a blower unit that supplies air to the combustion unit, a reforming unit temperature detection means that detects a temperature of the reforming unit, and a raw material supply unit that supplies the source gas to the reforming unit; An evaporator that supplies the steam to the reformer, a water supply that supplies water to the evaporator, the reformed gas generated in the reformer and / or the reformed gas A switching valve for guiding the raw material gas to either the combustion unit or the device using the reformed gas, and the reforming unit by supplying the raw material gas from the raw material supply unit at startup Purging with the raw material gas, the raw material gas flowing through the reforming section is The combustion part is ignited by supplying it to the combustion part via a switching valve so that the temperature detected by the reforming part temperature detection means is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. And a control means for controlling the combustion section.

  In addition, the second aspect of the present invention further includes an evaporating part temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the evaporating part, and the control means supplies the water gas at the same time as supplying the raw material gas from the raw material supplying part at the start-up. The water supply from the section is started, and after the temperature detected by the evaporation section temperature detecting means becomes equal to or higher than the temperature at which steam is generated, the reforming reaction proceeds to the temperature of the reforming section. It is a hydrogen generator of the 1st present invention which controls the above-mentioned combustion part so that it may raise to predetermined temperature.

  The third aspect of the present invention is the hydrogen generator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the control means controls the heating of the combustion section by adjusting the amount of the raw material supplied from the raw material supply section. .

  The fourth aspect of the present invention is the hydrogen generator according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the control means controls the heating of the combustion section by adjusting the amount of air blown from the blower section.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the case where the control means does not fall below the first predetermined temperature due to adjustment of the raw material supply amount from the raw material supply unit and adjustment of the blast amount from the air blowing unit, The heating unit is misfired by temporarily stopping the supply of raw material from the unit, and after the temperature of the reforming unit temperature detecting means becomes equal to or lower than a third predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, Control means for controlling the combustion section so that the combustion section is ignited by operating the raw material supply section, and the temperature of the reforming section temperature detection means is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. It is a certain first or second hydrogen generator of the present invention.

  The sixth aspect of the present invention is the hydrogen generator according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the evaporation section is arranged to be able to exchange heat with the reforming section.

  The seventh invention is a program for causing a computer to function as the control means of the hydrogen generator of any one of the first to sixth inventions.

  The eighth invention is a recording medium carrying the program of the seventh invention, which can be processed by a computer.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the method for starting the hydrogen generator, the step of purging the reforming unit with the source gas by supplying the source gas from the source supply unit, and the gas flowing through the reforming unit Is supplied to the combustion section installed in the reforming section, and the combustion section is ignited, and the combustion is performed so that the temperature of the reforming section is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. And a step of controlling the unit.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention includes the hydrogen generator according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, and a fuel cell that generates power using the reformed gas as a device that uses the reformed gas. Fuel cell system.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the utilization efficiency of gas can improve the generation | occurrence | production efficiency of gas, or the generation | occurrence | production efficiency is not reduced, or a cheaper cost, and its starting method.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a fuel cell system using the hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the hydrogen generator in the first embodiment includes a reforming unit 1 filled with a reforming catalyst that generates a hydrogen-rich reformed gas from a raw material gas and water vapor by a reforming reaction. Yes. The reforming unit 1 is provided with reforming unit temperature detection means 13 for detecting the temperature of the reforming unit 1.

  In addition, a raw material supply unit 2 for supplying the raw material to the reforming unit 1 is installed, and for removing sulfur components contained in the raw material gas upstream of the raw material supply unit 2 based on the supply direction of the raw material gas. A desulfurizer 14 and an on-off valve 15 for stopping the supply of the raw material gas are installed further upstream. In FIG. 1, the on-off valve 15 is painted black on the raw material supply unit 2 side, which indicates that the on-off valve 15 is closed.

  An evaporation unit 3 for supplying water vapor to the reforming unit 1 is installed outside the reforming unit 1 so that heat can be exchanged. The evaporation unit 3 includes a heater unit 5 for heating the evaporation unit 3 and Evaporator temperature detecting means 6 for detecting the temperature of the evaporator 3 is provided. Further, a water supply unit 4 for supplying water to the evaporation unit 3 is installed.

  Also, a combustion unit 7 for heating the reforming unit 1, a blower unit 8 for supplying air to the combustion unit 7, and a combustion detection means such as a thermocouple or a frame rod for detecting the combustion state of the combustion unit 7 9 is provided.

  Further, the fuel cell system using the hydrogen generator of Embodiment 1 includes a fuel cell 12 on the downstream side of the reforming unit 1 via the reformed gas flow path 10. This reformed gas flow path 10 branches and is also connected to the combustion section 7. A replacement valve 11 is provided at this branch section to supply reformed gas to the fuel cell 12 and to the fuel cell 12. Without switching, the flow path is switched to the case where the combustion section 7 is supplied. In FIG. 1, the fuel cell 12 side of the switching valve 11 is painted black. This indicates that the switching valve 11 is switched to the combustion section 8 and the fuel cell 12 side is closed. . Further, an exhaust gas passage 17 for discharging surplus gas and the like from the fuel cell 12 is installed between the reformed gas passage 10 from the switching valve 11 to the combustion section 12 and the fuel cell 12.

  Further, based on the results of the evaporation part temperature detection means 6, the combustion detection means 9, or the reforming part temperature detection means 13, the raw material supply part 2, the water supply part 4, the heater part 5, the blower part 8, and the switching valve 11 Or the control part 16 which controls the on-off valve 15 is installed.

  A method for starting the hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 having the above-described configuration will be described below. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method for starting the hydrogen generator in the first embodiment. The raw material supplied to the reforming unit includes natural gas, methanol, gasoline, and the like. Here, a case where the reformed gas is obtained by steam reforming the natural gas will be described.

  In the state immediately before the start of startup, as shown in FIG. 1, the switching valve 11 is connected to the combustion unit 8 side, and the reformed gas flows through the reformed gas channel 10 and is supplied to the combustion unit 8. It has become.

  First, the ignition operation of the combustion unit 7 will be described.

  In step 1S, the control means 16 drives the air blowing unit 8 for supplying combustion air to the combustion unit 7 at a predetermined rotational speed, and an ignition electrode (not shown) provided in the combustion unit 7 in step 2S. Discharge.

  Next, in step 3S, the on / off valve 15 is opened by the control means 16, and the natural gas that is the raw material whose flow rate is adjusted by the raw material supply unit 2 is supplied to the reforming unit 1 through the desulfurizer 14. In the desulfurizer 14, sulfur compounds added to the natural gas as odorous components are removed. The natural gas supplied to the reforming section 1 flows through the reformed gas flow path 10 while purging the interior of the reforming section 1, reaches the combustion section 7 via the switching valve 11, and discharges at the ignition electrode. Combustion is started in the combustion section 7 using as an ignition source. FIG. 2 shows this state. In addition, compared with FIG. 1, the raw material supply part 2 side of the on-off valve 15 is not painted black, which indicates that the on-off valve 15 is open.

  On the other hand, simultaneously with the supply of natural gas in step 3S, the supply of water from the water supply unit 4 to the evaporation unit 3 is started by the control means 16, and the evaporation unit 3 is moved by the heat transfer from the heater unit 5 and the reforming unit 1. Heated and generated water vapor is supplied to the reforming unit 1.

  As described above, since the reforming catalyst in the reforming unit 1 starts combustion in the combustion unit 7 after being purged with natural gas, when the temperature of the reforming catalyst is raised, it is not an oxidizing atmosphere. A natural gas atmosphere can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to prevent oxidative degradation of the reforming catalyst.

  Next, the temperature control of the reforming unit 1 during startup will be described below.

  The reforming unit 1 is heated by the combustion gas in the combustion unit 7. Here, the steam reforming reaction in the reforming catalyst starts to proceed at about 400 ° C. or more. However, when the amount of steam required for the steam reforming reaction is insufficient in a state where natural gas exists in the atmosphere of the reforming catalyst, Hydrocarbon components in natural gas are decomposed and carbon deposition occurs. When carbon deposits on the reforming section 1, the flow path is blocked and becomes unusable.

  Therefore, in step 4S, the control means 16 performs control so that the temperature of the reforming unit 1 is 350 ° C. or less, which is an example of the first predetermined temperature of the present invention. That is, by reducing the amount of natural gas supplied to the reforming unit 1, the amount of combustible gas supplied to the combustion unit 7 is reduced, and the amount of heating is reduced. That is, the amount of natural gas is adjusted by the control means 16 in order to balance the amount of heat taken out from the reforming unit 1 and the amount of heating so that a steady state is obtained at 350 ° C. or lower. Here, when the temperature in the reforming unit 1 is maintained at 350 ° C. or lower, this state is maintained. In the meantime, the temperature of the evaporation part 3 rises.

  And it can be judged that water vapor | steam has generate | occur | produced at the time of detecting that the temperature of the evaporation part temperature detection means 6 became 100 degreeC or more in step 5S.

  Thereafter, the supply of water from the raw material and the water supply unit 4 is increased in step 6S, thereby increasing the flow rate of the combustible gas supplied to the combustion unit 7 and setting the temperature of the reformer 1 to the second predetermined value of the present invention. The temperature is raised to a temperature at which a steam reforming reaction of 600 ° C. or more, which is an example of the temperature, proceeds. Since the steam reforming reaction proceeds in the range of 600 ° C. to 700 ° C., the second predetermined temperature of the present invention only needs to be in this range. Further, the control means 16 performs control so that the temperature in the reforming unit 1 is maintained within this range.

  Next, when it is detected by the control means 16 that the steam reforming reaction proceeds at step 7S, the switching valve 11 is switched so that the fuel cell 12 side is opened at step 8S. FIG. 3 shows this state. 2, the switching valve 11 is painted in black on the side where the gas advances not to the fuel cell 12 but to the combustion section 7. This indicates that the fuel cell 12 side of the switching valve 11 is closed and the combustion unit 11 side is open.

  By switching the switching valve 11 to the fuel cell 12 side, the hydrogen-rich reformed gas generated by the steam reforming reaction generated in the reforming unit is supplied to the fuel cell 12, and power generation is started. When power generation is started, surplus gas from the fuel cell 12 is supplied to the combustion unit 7 through the exhaust gas passage 17 and used as fuel for heating.

  Moreover, the flame temperature in the combustion part 7 can be lowered | hung by increasing the amount of air supplied from the ventilation part 8 so that the temperature of the reforming part 1 may become a steady state at 350 degrees C or less, and a reforming part The temperature of 1 can be lowered. Therefore, the temperature of the reforming unit 1 can be maintained below the first predetermined temperature by adjusting the amount of air blown from the air blowing unit 8.

  On the other hand, when the amount of natural gas is decreased at the time of start-up in step 4S or the amount of air from the blower unit 8 is increased so that the first predetermined temperature is not lower than 350 ° C., the control means 16 is determined in step 15S. Closes the on-off valve 15 and stops the supply of natural gas as a raw material. The combustion part 7 is misfired by stopping the supply of natural gas, thereby reducing the temperature of the reforming part 1. At this time, the states of the on-off valve 15 and the switching valve 11 are the same as those at the start of activation shown in FIG.

  Next, after it is detected in step 16S that the temperature of the reforming unit 1 has decreased to about 300 ° C. or less, which is an example of the third predetermined temperature of the present invention, the blowing unit 8 is turned on in step 17S. A device (not shown) is operated to open the on-off valve 15. And the control means 16 can operate the raw material supply part 2, can supply a raw material to the modification | reformation part 1, and can restart the combustion in the combustion part 7. FIG.

  Here, since the raw material supply from the raw material supply unit 2 and the heating by the combustion unit 7 are started after the temperature is lowered to about 300 ° C., the temperature in the reforming unit 1 is steady at 350 ° C. or less in step 18S. It can be kept in a state.

  Next, it progresses to step 5S, and when the temperature detected by the evaporation part temperature detection means 6 becomes 100 degreeC or more, it can be judged that water vapor | steam has generate | occur | produced, and supply of the raw material and the water from the water supply part 4 Increase.

  Next, in step 6S, the control means 16 increases the flow rate of the combustible gas supplied to the combustion unit 7 and raises the temperature of the reformer 1 to a second predetermined temperature at which the steam reforming reaction proceeds at 600 ° C. or higher. Let warm. Thereafter, steps 7S and 8S are executed in the same manner as described above.

  Further, since the evaporating unit 3 is provided in thermal contact with the reforming unit 1, the temperature of the reforming unit 1 rises and receives heat, and a necessary water vapor amount is obtained. Since the amount of heat transferred from the reforming unit 1 is small at the time of startup, the heater unit 5 can be energized and the evaporation unit 3 can be heated, so that the time until water vapor is obtained can be shortened and the startup time can be shortened.

  As described above, since the purged source gas is used as the fuel in the combustion unit 7 in the hydrogen generator of the first embodiment, the case where the purge and the combustion are separated as in the conventional hydrogen generator. In comparison, the fuel utilization efficiency is improved.

  In addition, the hydrogen generator of the first embodiment includes the on-off valve 15 and the switching valve 11, but the number of valves is reduced as compared with the conventional one, so that the cost is reduced and the power generation is further improved. Efficiency does not decrease.

  Although the hydrogen generator of the first embodiment is provided with only the reforming unit 1, a shift reaction unit and a CO for reducing carbon monoxide in the reformed gas generated by the reforming unit 1 are provided. A removal reaction unit may be further provided between the reforming unit 1 and the switching valve 11.

  In addition, as an example of the third predetermined temperature of the present invention, although it is 300 ° C. in the first embodiment, it may be 300 ° C. or lower. In short, at 350 ° C. or lower, which is an example of the first predetermined temperature, It is only necessary that the temperature can be kept below the first predetermined temperature by controlling the supply unit 2 and the air blowing unit 8 and the temperature of the evaporation unit 3 can be heated to a temperature at which water vapor is generated.

  Further, the set temperature is not limited to the temperature described in the first embodiment depending on the device configuration, the catalyst, and the like.

  The program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the function of the control unit of the hydrogen generator of the present invention described above, and is a program that operates in cooperation with the computer.

  The recording medium of the present invention is a recording medium carrying a program for causing a computer to execute all or a part of the functions of the control unit of the above-described hydrogen generator of the present invention. The recorded program executes the function in cooperation with the computer.

  Moreover, the function of the said control part of this invention means all or one part function.

  Further, one usage form of the program of the present invention may be an aspect in which the program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium and operates in cooperation with the computer.

  Further, one usage form of the program of the present invention may be an aspect in which the program is transmitted through a transmission medium, read by a computer, and operated in cooperation with the computer.

  The recording medium includes a ROM and the like, and the transmission medium includes a transmission medium such as the Internet, light, radio waves, sound waves, and the like.

  The computer of the present invention described above is not limited to pure hardware such as a CPU, but may include firmware, an OS, and peripheral devices.

  As described above, the configuration of the present invention may be realized by software or hardware.

  The hydrogen generator and the start-up method according to the present invention have an effect that the gas utilization efficiency is better, or the power generation efficiency is not lowered or the cost is lower, and is useful as a fuel cell power generation system and the like. is there.

Schematic of a fuel cell system using a hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 according to the present invention The figure explaining the starting method of the hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 concerning this invention The figure explaining the starting method of the hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 concerning this invention The flowchart which shows the starting method of the hydrogen generator in Embodiment 1 concerning this invention Schematic diagram of a fuel cell system using a conventional hydrogen generator

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reforming part 2 Raw material supply part 3 Evaporation part 4 Water supply part 5 Heater part 6 Evaporation part temperature detection means 7 Combustion part 8 Blower part 9 Combustion detection part 10 Reformed gas flow path 11 Switching valve 12 Fuel cell 13 Reformer part Temperature detection means 14 Desulfurizer 15 On-off valve 16 Control unit 17 Exhaust gas flow path

Claims (10)

A reforming section for producing a reformed gas by a reforming reaction by circulating a hydrocarbon-based source gas and water vapor through the catalyst layer;
A combustion section for heating the reforming section;
A blower for supplying air to the combustion part;
A reforming section temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the reforming section;
A raw material supply section for supplying the raw material gas to the reforming section;
An evaporation section for supplying the steam to the reforming section;
A water supply unit for supplying water to the evaporation unit;
A switching valve for guiding the reformed gas generated in the reforming section and / or the raw material gas flowing through the reforming section to either the combustion section or the apparatus using the reformed gas; ,
At startup, the raw material gas is supplied from the raw material supply unit to purge the reforming unit with the raw material gas, and the raw material gas flowing through the reforming unit is supplied to the combustion unit via the switching valve. Control means for controlling the combustion section so that the combustion section is ignited and the temperature detected by the reforming section temperature detection means is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. Equipped with a hydrogen generator. Further comprising an evaporating part temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the evaporating part,
The control means starts supplying water from the water supply unit at the same time as supplying the raw material gas from the raw material supply unit during the startup,
The combustion is performed so that the temperature of the reforming section is raised to a second predetermined temperature at which the reforming reaction proceeds after the temperature detected by the evaporation section temperature detecting means becomes equal to or higher than the temperature at which steam is generated. The hydrogen generator of Claim 1 which controls a part.   The hydrogen generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls heating of the combustion unit by adjusting a raw material supply amount from the raw material supply unit.   The hydrogen generator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls heating of the combustion unit by adjusting an amount of air blown from the blower unit. The control means includes
When the temperature does not fall below the first predetermined temperature by adjusting the raw material supply amount from the raw material supply unit and adjusting the blast amount from the air blowing unit,
The heating unit was misfired by temporarily stopping the material supply from the material supply unit, and the temperature of the reforming unit temperature detection means became equal to or lower than a third predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature. Thereafter, the combustion unit is ignited by operating the raw material supply unit, and the combustion unit is controlled so that the temperature of the reforming unit temperature detection means is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. The hydrogen generator according to claim 1, which is a control means.   The hydrogen generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaporation unit is arranged to be able to exchange heat with the reforming unit.   The program for functioning a computer as the said control means of the hydrogen generator in any one of Claims 1-6.   A recording medium carrying the program according to claim 7, which can be processed by a computer. In the startup method of the hydrogen generator,
Purging the reforming unit with the source gas by supplying source gas from the source supply unit;
Igniting the combustion unit by supplying the gas flowing through the reforming unit to a combustion unit installed in the reforming unit;
And a step of controlling the combustion section so that the temperature of the reforming section is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which the carbon deposition reaction does not proceed. A hydrogen generator according to any one of claims 1 to 6;
A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell that generates electricity using the reformed gas as an apparatus that uses the reformed gas.

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