Method of supplying fuel gas to a fuel cell

Abstract

A fuel gas supply device is equipped with a reformer for conducting steam reforming of methanol which is supplied from a methanol tank, and a hydrogen gas supply means for supplying hydrogen gas only, which is contained in the fuel gas derived from the reformer, to a fuel cell. By passing the fuel gas through a hydrogen permeable membrane or a pressure-swing adsorption device, a fuel gas in which any unreacted methanol is reliably removed therefrom can be supplied to the fuel cell. According to further embodiments, unreacted methanol is caused to positively react on a fuel electrode side of a fuel cell stack, so as to remove excess amounts of unreacted methanol from a fuel chamber. The method can further include a step of controlling the humidity of the fuel gas, by either removal or supply of moisture, before the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel cell.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.