JP5211566B2 - POWER GENERATION DEVICE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND POWER GENERATION METHOD - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation device, an electronic device, and a power generation method, and more particularly to a power generation device and a power generation method that generate power by an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen obtained through reforming of fuel and water, and an electronic device including the power generation device. About.

  In recent years, fuel cells have attracted attention as clean power sources with high energy conversion efficiency, and are being put to practical use in fuel cell vehicles and electrified houses. In addition, research and development for using a fuel cell as a power source are also being promoted in mobile phones and notebook personal computers that are being downsized and highly functional.

Some fuel cells generate electricity by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell is provided with a vaporizer, a reformer, and a carbon monoxide remover as peripheral devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). Liquid fuel and water are vaporized in the vaporizer, and the fuel / water mixture is sent to the reformer, where hydrogen and the like are produced, and carbon monoxide in the produced gas is oxidized. The product gas that has been preferentially removed by the carbon remover and from which carbon monoxide has been removed is sent to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell. Air is sent to the air electrode of the fuel cell, and electricity is generated by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen through the electrolyte membrane of the fuel cell. Since the fuel electrode of the fuel cell is poisoned by carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide in the product gas is removed. And such an apparatus is operated steadily so that the carbon monoxide produced in the reformer does not exceed the capacity of the carbon monoxide remover.
JP-A-8-329969 JP 2003-89502 A

  However, carbon monoxide produced in the reformer may increase for some reason. Even if the amount of carbon monoxide produced increases, the flow rate of air supplied to the carbon monoxide remover is increased in order to suppress poisoning of the fuel electrode of the fuel cell (see Patent Document 1). . This is because if the flow rate of the air supplied to the carbon monoxide remover is increased, the carbon monoxide is easily oxidized in the carbon monoxide remover.

  However, if the air flow rate supplied to the carbon monoxide remover is increased, not only carbon monoxide but also hydrogen is oxidized. Therefore, the hydrogen supplied to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell is reduced, and the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell is reduced. In addition, if hydrogen is oxidized by the carbon monoxide remover, the temperature of the carbon monoxide remover rises due to the heat of oxidation, which may exceed the temperature range in which carbon monoxide can be preferentially oxidized. Increasingly, the oxidation efficiency of carbon monoxide in the carbon monoxide remover decreases.

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to increase the flow rate of the air supplied to the carbon monoxide remover to forcibly increase the oxidation capacity of the carbon monoxide remover, and to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell. It is to stabilize the amount of carbon monoxide supplied in a low state.

In order to solve the above problems, according to the invention according to claim 1,
A fuel cell having a fuel electrode, an air electrode and an electrolyte membrane;
A reformer that produces hydrogen from fuel and water;
A carbon monoxide remover that oxidizes carbon monoxide in the product gas sent from the reformer and sends the product gas from which carbon monoxide has been removed to the fuel electrode;
A carbon monoxide concentration sensor for detecting a carbon monoxide concentration in a product gas sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel electrode;
A coagulator for condensing the product gas sent from the reformer to the carbon monoxide remover;
A gas-liquid separator that separates the product obtained by the aggregator into a product gas and a liquid, and sends the separated product gas to the carbon monoxide remover;
With
When said detected density of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the power generation device according to claim Rukoto increasing the flow rate of the water and the fuel sent to the reformer is provided.

According to the invention of claim 2 ,
A feeder for sending fuel and water to the reformer and adjusting the flow rate ;
A controller for controlling the flow rate by the feeder based on the detected concentration of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor;
The power generator according to claim 1 is provided.

According to the invention of claim 3 ,
The gas-liquid liquid separated in the separator is supplied, the power generation device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a combustor for burning the supplied liquid is provided.

According to the invention according to claim 4, in the combustor, the power generating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the unreacted gas out of the product gas delivered to the fuel electrode is further supplied Provided.

According to the invention which concerns on Claim 5 , the electronic device provided with the electric power generating apparatus in any one of Claim 1 to 4 is provided.

According to the invention of claim 6 ,
Fuel and water are supplied to the reformer to generate hydrogen, and the generated gas generated in the reformer is sent to a carbon monoxide remover to remove carbon monoxide in the generated gas, and the carbon monoxide When the generated gas from which carbon monoxide has been removed by the remover is sent to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell to generate electricity,
The coagulator condenses the product gas sent from the reformer to the carbon monoxide remover,
The gas-liquid separator separates the product obtained by the aggregator into a product gas and a liquid, and sends the separated product gas to the carbon monoxide remover.
The carbon monoxide concentration in the product gas is detected to be sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel electrode, if the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the flow rate of the water and the fuel sent to the reformer generator wherein the Rukoto increase is provided.

  According to the present invention, the carbon monoxide concentration in the product gas sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel cell is detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor, and the flow rates of the fuel and water sent to the reformer are the detected concentrations. Therefore, the concentration of carbon monoxide in the product gas sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel cell can be kept low. Therefore, prevention of poisoning of the fuel electrode of the fuel cell can be maintained for a long time.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, although various technically preferable limitations for implementing the present invention are given to the embodiments described below, the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the power generator 1. The power generation device 1 is provided in the main body of, for example, a notebook personal computer, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an electronic notebook, a wristwatch, a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a game device, a game machine, and other electronic devices. It is used as a power source for operating these electronic device bodies.

  The power generation device 1 includes a storage container 2, a supply device 3, a vaporizer 4, a reaction device 5, a coagulator 10, a gas-liquid separator 11, a carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, a fuel cell 13, and air pumps 17 to 19.

  The storage container 2 stores fuel (for example, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, butane, gasoline) and water in a mixed state. The storage container 2 is detachable from the main body of the electronic device, and includes a feeder 3, a vaporizer 4, a reaction device 5, a coagulator 10, a gas-liquid separator 11, a carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, a fuel cell 13, and The air pumps 17 to 19 are built in the electronic device main body. Then, when the storage container 2 is attached to the electronic device main body, a path from the storage container 2 to the feeder 3 is established.

The supply device 3 controls the liquid mixture stored in the storage container 2 to be sent to the vaporizer 4 and the flow rate of the liquid mixture to be sent out. For example, the supply device 3 is a combination of a variable operating speed pump and a variable opening valve, and the flow rate is adjusted by adjusting the operating speed of the pump or the opening of the valve or both the operating speed and the opening. Is to control.
The vaporizer 4 vaporizes the liquid mixture sent from the storage container 2.

  The reactor 5 reacts the fuel / water mixture sent from the vaporizer 4 to generate hydrogen. Here, the reactor 5 includes a reformer 7 that generates a hydrogen or the like by reacting a fuel / water mixture sent from the vaporizer 4 with a catalyst, and a gas generated by the reformer 7. Carbon monoxide remover 8 that preferentially oxidizes carbon monoxide contained therein to remove carbon monoxide, reformer 7 and catalytic combustor 9 that heats carbon monoxide remover 8, and reforming And a heat insulating package 6 containing the carbon monoxide remover 8 and the catalytic combustor 9.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the reaction device 5.
As shown in FIG. 2, the reformer 7, the carbon monoxide remover 8, and the catalytic combustor 9 are incorporated in the main body 31 of the reaction device 5, and the main body 31 is accommodated in the heat insulating package 6. Yes. The main body 31 is formed by laminating a plurality of substrates. Channels are recessed in the bonding surfaces of the substrates, a catalyst is supported on the wall surfaces of the channels, the substrates are bonded, and the channels are covered with the substrates. The channel becomes the flow path. In FIG. 2, the flow path 32 is a flow path of the reformer 7, and a catalyst (for example, a Pd / ZnO-based catalyst or a Cu / ZnO-based catalyst) is supported on the wall surface of the flow path 32, and heater / temperature A temperature-dependent electric resistor pattern 33 that also serves as a meter is formed on the wall surface of the flow path 32. The flow path 34 is a flow path of the carbon monoxide remover 8, and a temperature-dependent electric resistor pattern that supports a catalyst (for example, a Pt-based catalyst) on the wall surface of the flow path 34 and also serves as a heater and a thermometer. 35 is formed on the wall surface of the flow path 34. The flow path 36 is a flow path of the catalytic combustor 9, and a catalyst (for example, a Pt-based catalyst) is supported on the wall surface of the flow path 36. The temperature-dependent electric resistor patterns 33 and 35 are connected to the lead wires 37 and 38, respectively, and the lead wires 37 and 38 are routed through the heat insulating package 6 to the outside. A multi-tube member 39 is connected to the main body 31, and reactants for the reformer 7, the carbon monoxide remover 8, and the catalytic combustor 9 of the reaction device 5 as shown in FIG. And product uptake and discharge.

When the fuel is methanol, a chemical reaction such as the following formulas (1) and (2) occurs in the flow path 32 of the reformer 7 by the catalyst.
CH ₃ OH + H ₂ O → 3H ₂ + CO ₂ (1)
H ₂ + CO ₂ → H ₂ O + CO (2)

  As shown in FIG. 1, an agglomerator 10 and a gas-liquid separator 11 are provided outside the reaction apparatus 5 and between paths from the reformer 7 to the carbon monoxide remover 8. The aggregator 10 cools the air-fuel mixture delivered from the reformer 7 by heat exchange or the like, and condenses unreacted (unreformed) fuel in the air-fuel mixture. The gas-liquid separator 11 separates a gas (hydrogen gas or the like) sent from the aggregator 10 and a liquid (fuel or the like). The gas-liquid separator 11 is, for example, a gas-liquid separator described in JP-A-2005-238217, but may be another gas-liquid separator.

  The liquid separated by the gas-liquid separator 11 is sent to the catalytic combustor 9, and the liquid is sent to the flow path 36 of the catalytic combustor 9. In addition to the liquid separated by the gas-liquid separator 11, air is also sent to the catalytic combustor 9 by an air pump 19. In the catalytic combustor 9, the liquid separated by the gas-liquid separator 11 is vaporized in the flow path 36 and burned. A separate heater or the like may be installed as a heat source for vaporizing the liquid, but a simple system can be obtained by adopting a configuration in which the liquid is vaporized by the heat of the catalytic combustor 9. The air pump 19 supplies air to the catalytic combustor 9 and adjusts the flow rate of the air.

  On the other hand, the gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 11 is sent to the carbon monoxide remover 8. In addition to the gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 11, air as an oxidant is also sent to the carbon monoxide remover 8 by the air pump 17. In the carbon monoxide remover 8, when the gas separated by the gas-liquid separator 11 is mixed with air and the mixture is flowing in the flow path 34, the carbon monoxide in the mixture is converted by the catalyst. Preferentially oxidized. Here, air becomes an oxidant that oxidizes the air-fuel mixture. The oxidant may be oxygen instead of air. Thereby, carbon monoxide in the air-fuel mixture is removed. The air pump 17 supplies air to the carbon monoxide remover 8 and adjusts the flow rate of the air.

  A carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is connected to the downstream side of the carbon monoxide remover 8 outside the reaction device 5, and the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 is connected to the downstream side of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12. It is connected.

  The air-fuel mixture sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8 is sent to the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 via the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12. The carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 detects the carbon monoxide concentration in the air-fuel mixture sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8 to the fuel of the fuel cell 13 and converts the carbon monoxide concentration into an electric signal.

  The carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is a dummy power generation cell (dummy fuel cell) described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-221822, but may be another carbon monoxide concentration sensor. When the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is a dummy power generation cell, the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 generates power using hydrogen in the gas mixture sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8, and the output power is monoxide in the gas mixture. It has characteristics depending on the carbon concentration (specifically, characteristics in which output power decreases as the carbon monoxide concentration increases). Thereby, the carbon monoxide concentration in the air-fuel mixture is converted into an electric signal as output power. Specifically, the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 includes an electrolyte membrane, a fuel electrode formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, and an air electrode formed on the other surface. An air-fuel mixture is sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8 to the fuel electrode of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, and air is sent to the air electrode of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 from an air pump or the like. The fuel electrode of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is a Pt / C catalyst that is poor in CO poisoning resistance, a catalyst that reduces CO poisoning by reducing the amount of Pt supported, and a catalyst that is easily poisoned by carbon monoxide. Therefore, even if the concentration change in the air-fuel mixture sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8 to the fuel electrode of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is small, the output power of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 changes greatly. Therefore, the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 has a high detection sensitivity for the carbon monoxide concentration.

  The fuel cell 13 includes an electrolyte membrane 15, a fuel electrode 14 formed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane 15, and an air electrode 16 formed on the other surface. The fuel electrode 14 is connected from the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, and the air pump 18 is connected to the air electrode 16. The air-fuel mixture delivered from the carbon monoxide remover 8 is supplied to the fuel electrode 14 via the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, and external air is sent to the air electrode 16 by the air pump 18. Hydrogen in the gas mixture supplied to the fuel electrode 14 electrochemically reacts with oxygen in the air supplied to the air electrode 16 via the electrolyte membrane 15. Thereby, electric power is generated between the fuel electrode 14 and the air electrode 16. The electrolyte membrane 15 is a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, but may be other electrolyte membranes.

  The air pump 18 supplies air to the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 and adjusts the flow rate of the air.

  The fuel electrode 14 is connected to the catalytic combustor 9, and unreacted hydrogen or the like is sent to the catalytic combustor 9 at the fuel electrode 14. Therefore, in the catalyst combustor 9, not only the fuel sent from the gas-liquid separator 11 but also the hydrogen sent from the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 combusts. As described above, various reactants generated in the path from the storage container 2 to the catalytic combustor 9 are discharged from the catalytic combustor 9.

  The power generation apparatus 1 includes a secondary battery, a DC / DC converter, and the like, and electric energy obtained by power generation of the fuel cell 13 is charged in the secondary battery or used as a power source for the electronic device main body. The DC / DC converter converts the voltage into an appropriate voltage in the charging process from the fuel cell 13 to the secondary battery, the power supply process from the fuel cell 13 to the electronic device body, and the power supply process from the secondary battery to the electronic device body. Is.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the power generation device 1 further includes a control unit 20. The control unit 20 is a microcomputer having, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM and the like. A signal representing the carbon monoxide concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 is output from the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 and input to the control unit 20.

  The control unit 20 controls the supply unit 3 based on the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 to control the flow rate of the mixed liquid from the supply unit 3. Since the flow rate of the mixed solution by the supply device 3 is controlled based on the detected concentration by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, the concentration of carbon monoxide produced by the reformer 7 can be kept low. (Details will be described later.)

Specifically, the control unit 20 increases the flow rate of the supply device 3 when the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Thus, even if the carbon monoxide concentration in the air-fuel mixture sent to the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 suddenly increases for some reason, if the flow rate of the supply device 3 is increased, it is generated in the reformer 7. The concentration of carbon monoxide decreases. Therefore, the concentration of carbon monoxide produced by the reformer 7 can be kept low.
The specific values of the predetermined threshold are determined by the specifications of the reformer 7, the carbon monoxide remover 8, the fuel cell 13, etc., the type of catalyst, the operating temperature, and other various specifications.

  Further, the control unit 20 controls the air pump 17 based on the flow rate of the supply device 3 to control the air flow rate by the air pump 17. Since the flow rate of the supply device 3 corresponds to the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12, the control unit 20 controls the flow rate of the air pump 17 based on the flow rate of the supply device 3. This corresponds to controlling the flow rate of the air pump 17 based on the detected concentration of the carbon concentration sensor 12.

  Here, the ROM of the control unit 20 stores a data table representing the correspondence between the mixed liquid flow rate and the air flow rate. When the control unit 20 controls the flow rate of the air pump 17 based on the flow rate of the supply device 3, the control unit 20 searches the data table for the liquid mixture flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the supply device 3, and the mixed mixture thus searched. The flow rate of the air pump 17 is controlled so that the air flow rate corresponds to the liquid flow rate. The flow rate of the supply device 3 may be fed back to the control unit 20 using a flow rate sensor, and the control unit 20 may control the flow rate of the air pump 17 based on the fed back flow rate.

  As described above, the flow rate of the supply device 3 is controlled by the control unit 20, and the flow rate of the supply device 3 corresponds to the detected concentration of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12. That is, when the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the flow rate of the supply device 3 is increased by the control unit 20. When such control is performed, the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air-fuel mixture sent from the carbon monoxide remover 8 to the fuel electrode 14 of the fuel cell 13 does not increase, and poisoning of the fuel electrode 14 can be suppressed. . (Details will be described later.)

  In addition, when the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the flow rate of the mixture of fuel and water sent to the reformer 7 is increased, and the conversion rate may be decreased at that time. Yes, the amount of fuel that does not react (reform) in the reformer 7 increases. (Details will be described later.) The fuel is sent to the aggregator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11 together with the product gas (hydrogen, carbon monoxide, etc.). Since the unreacted (reformed) fuel deteriorates the catalytic performance of the monoxide remover, the fuel is separated by the agglomerator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11, and the unreacted (reformed) fuel is oxidized. It can be prevented from being sent to the carbon remover 8. In this way, it is possible to suppress a decrease in capacity due to unreacted (reformed) fuel of the carbon monoxide remover 8 due to fuel. The aggregator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11 are preferably installed outside the heat insulating package 6 so that heat can be quickly released.

  Further, since the fuel separated by the aggregator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11 is sent to the catalytic combustor 9, the fuel can be effectively used. Since the unreacted fuel in the reformer 7 and unreacted hydrogen in the fuel cell 13 are combusted by the single catalytic combustor 9, it is not necessary to provide another combustor. Therefore, an increase in the size of the apparatus can be suppressed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration including the aggregator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11 as illustrated in FIG. 1 has been described, but a configuration without these as illustrated in FIG. 4 may be used.

<Verification>
The reactor 5 in FIG. 1 was verified in order to examine the relationship between the flow rate of the supplied mixed liquid (fuel and water) and the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air-fuel mixture discharged from the reformer 7. Here, S / C = 1.2, the length of the flow path 32 of the reformer 7 is 74.2 mm, the width of the flow path 32 is 5.0 mm, and the depth (height) of the flow path 32 is set. It was set to 1.5 mm. The catalyst supported on the wall surface of the flow path 32 was a Pd / ZnO catalyst, and the supported amount was 100.8 mg.

When the temperature of the reformer 7 was 350 ° C., the relationship between the flow rate of the mixed solution and the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air-fuel mixture discharged from the reformer 7 was measured by experiments. Furthermore, the relationship between the flow rate of the liquid mixture and the methanol conversion was measured by experiments. The results are shown in Table 1 and FIG. Usually, even if the calorific value is excessive for some reason, the flow rate is in the range of the lower right region of the graph (2 to 3 ml) so as not to deviate from the normal operating temperature range of the carbon monoxide remover. It is operated at a temperature lower than 350 ° C. Table 1 and is apparent from FIG. 5, the flow rate of the mixture obtain ultra predetermined threshold, it can be seen that reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide in the mixture to be discharged from the reformer 7. Therefore, when the flow rate of the supply device 3 is increased by the control unit 20 when the detected concentration by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold as in the above embodiment, the concentration of the generated carbon monoxide is increased. It becomes low and the poisoning of the fuel electrode 14 can be suppressed.

  It can also be seen that the methanol conversion decreases as the flow rate of the mixture increases. Therefore, when the flow rate of the supply device 3 is increased by the control unit 20 when the concentration detected by the carbon monoxide concentration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold as in the above embodiment, the carbon dioxide is sent from the reformer 7. Although the methanol in the gas increases, the methanol is removed by the aggregator 10 and the gas-liquid separator 11, so that the methanol can be prevented from being sent to the carbon monoxide remover 8. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the performance deterioration of the carbon monoxide remover 8.

  When the temperature of the reformer 7 was 320 ° C., the relationship between the flow rate of the mixed solution and the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas mixture discharged from the carbon monoxide remover 8 was measured by experiments. Furthermore, the relationship between the flow rate of the liquid mixture and the methanol conversion was measured by experiments. The results are shown in Table 2 and FIG. As is apparent from Table 2 and FIG. 6, it can be seen that the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas mixture discharged from the reformer 7 decreases as the flow rate of the mixed liquid increases in the same tendency as in the case of 350 ° C. . It can also be seen that the methanol conversion decreases as the flow rate of the mixture increases.

Note that comparing Table 1 and FIG. 5 (350 ° C.) with Table 2 and FIG. 6 (320 ° C.) shows that the graph of carbon monoxide concentration shifts to the right as the reaction temperature increases. As a case where the concentration of carbon monoxide increases due to any cause, for example, the reaction temperature of the reformer may have increased.
In such a case, if the flow rate of the mixed liquid is increased, the concentration of carbon monoxide with respect to the flow rate has a downward-sloping characteristic, so that the concentration of carbon monoxide can be effectively reduced.

  In Tables 1 and 2, the methanol conversion rate exceeds 100% is based on measurement errors.

It is the block diagram which showed the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic sectional drawing which showed the reaction apparatus with which the said electric power generating apparatus is equipped. It is the block diagram which showed the control part which controls a supply device and an air pump with the signal from the carbon monoxide concentration sensor with which the said electric power generating apparatus is equipped. It is the block diagram which showed the modification of the electric power generating apparatus which concerns on this invention. At 350 ° C, the relationship between the flow rate of fuel sent to the reformer and the concentration of produced carbon monoxide and the relationship between the flow rate of fuel sent to the reformer and the conversion rate of methanol are shown. It is a graph. At 320 ° C., the relationship between the flow rate of fuel sent to the reformer and the concentration of produced carbon monoxide and the relationship between the flow rate of fuel sent to the reformer and the conversion rate of methanol are shown. It is a graph.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Power generator 4 Feeder 7 Reformer 8 Carbon monoxide remover 9 Catalytic combustor 10 Aggregator 11 Gas-liquid separator 12 Carbon monoxide concentration sensor 13 Fuel cell 14 Fuel electrode 15 Electrolyte membrane 16 Air electrode

Claims (6)

A fuel cell having a fuel electrode, an air electrode and an electrolyte membrane;
A reformer that produces hydrogen from fuel and water;
A carbon monoxide remover that oxidizes carbon monoxide in the product gas sent from the reformer and sends the product gas from which carbon monoxide has been removed to the fuel electrode;
A carbon monoxide concentration sensor for detecting a carbon monoxide concentration in a product gas sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel electrode;
A coagulator for condensing the product gas sent from the reformer to the carbon monoxide remover;
A gas-liquid separator that separates the product obtained by the aggregator into a product gas and a liquid, and sends the separated product gas to the carbon monoxide remover;
With
When said detected density of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the power generation device according to claim Rukoto increasing the flow rate of the water and the fuel sent to the reformer. A feeder for sending fuel and water to the reformer and adjusting the flow rate ;
A controller for controlling the flow rate by the feeder based on the detected concentration of the carbon monoxide concentration sensor;
The power generator according to claim 1, comprising: The power generation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a combustor that is supplied with the liquid separated by the gas-liquid separator and burns the supplied liquid. The power generator according to claim 3 , wherein unreacted gas among the generated gas sent to the fuel electrode is further supplied to the combustor. An electronic apparatus comprising: a power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Fuel and water are supplied to the reformer to generate hydrogen, and the generated gas generated in the reformer is sent to a carbon monoxide remover to remove carbon monoxide in the generated gas, and the carbon monoxide When the generated gas from which carbon monoxide has been removed by the remover is sent to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell to generate electricity,
The coagulator condenses the product gas sent from the reformer to the carbon monoxide remover,
The gas-liquid separator separates the product obtained by the aggregator into a product gas and a liquid, and sends the separated product gas to the carbon monoxide remover.
The carbon monoxide concentration in the product gas is detected to be sent from the carbon monoxide remover to the fuel electrode, if the detected concentration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the flow rate of the water and the fuel sent to the reformer generator wherein the Rukoto increasing.

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