Apparatus for reducing carbon monoxide concentration, apparatus for reducing methanol concentration, and fuel reformer utilizing the same

A fuel reformer system for reforming methanol to a hydrogen-containing gaseous fuel, said fuel reformer system comprising:

• a reformer unit for producing a reformed gas from methanol, the reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methanol;
• oxidizing gas introduction means for introducing an oxygen-containing oxidizing gas into the reformed gas;
• and
• a preferential oxidizing unit containing a platinum-ruthenium alloy catalyst for accelerating oxidation of the carbon monoxide in the reformed gas preferentially over oxidation of the hydrogen in the reformed gas.

A fuel reformer system for reforming methanol to a hydrogen-containing gaseous fuel, said fuel reformer system comprising:

• a reformer unit for producing a reformed gas from methanol, the reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methanol;
• oxidizing gas introduction means for introducing an oxygen-containing oxidizing gas into the reformed gas;
• and
• an oxidizing unit having an inlet and an outlet for the reformed gas, and containing a platinum-ruthenium alloy catalyst which catalyzes the oxidation of methanol and carbon monoxide, the catalyst accelerating the oxidation of both the methanol and the carbon monoxide in the reformed gas by the oxidizing gas preferentially over oxidation of the hydrogen in the reformed gas.

A fuel reformer system for reforming methanol to a hydrogen-containing gaseous fuel, said fuel reformer system comprising:

• a reformer unit for producing a reformed gas from methanol, the reformed gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methanol;
• oxidizing gas introduction means for introducing an oxygen-containing oxidizing gas into the reformed gas;
• and
• a preferential oxidizing unit containing a platinum-ruthenium alloy catalyst for accelerating oxidation of the methanol in the reformed gas by the oxidizing gas preferentially over oxidation of the hydrogen in the reformed gas.