Hydrogen generating apparatus and fuel cell system provided with hydrogen generating apparatus

A fuel cell system, comprising a fuel cell and a hydrogen generating apparatus, the hydrogen generating apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrical plasma reactor;
• a cylindrical high-voltage electrode having a first end and a second end, and including a hydrogen separation membrane, the hydrogen separation membrane being located on an inner side of the plasma reactor to form an internal chamber and connected to a high-voltage pulse power supply, wherein a disc-shaped support member is positioned at each end of the high-voltage electrode, the support members positioning the hydrogen separation membrane in concentric relationship with the plasma reactor;
• a grounding electrode located at a position on an outer side of the plasma reactor in a manner that faces the high-voltage electrode;
• a gas supply unit operable to supply an ammonia-containing gas into a discharge space formed
• between the plasma reactor and the high-voltage electrode, wherein the hydrogen separation membrane alone separates the internal chamber from the discharge space, such that one surface of the hydrogen separation membrane is exposed to the discharge space, and the opposite surface of the hydrogen separation membrane is exposed to the internal chamber, and the discharge space is empty of any solid structure;
• and
• a hydrogen flow channel connected to the internal chamber of the high-voltage electrode,
• wherein the hydrogen separation membrane functions as a high-voltage electrode with power, the hydrogen separation membrane discharges electricity between the hydrogen
• separation membrane and the grounding electrode, inducing ammonia contained in the ammonia-containing gas
• supplied from the gas supply unit to transform into plasma in the discharge space to generate hydrogen,
• the hydrogen separation membrane transmits therethrough the generated hydrogen and guides the hydrogen into the internal chamber, and
• the hydrogen guided to the internal chamber is then supplied through the hydrogen flow channel to the fuel cell.