Fuel-reforming apparatus comprising a plate-shaped reforming catalyst

A fuel-reforming apparatus for producing reformed gas containing hydrogen by reforming reformable fuel containing hydrocarbon, said fuel-reforming apparatus comprising:

• a plate-shaped reforming catalyst section with a central hole arranged in a it reforming chamber;
• a supply mechanism for supplying a gas including said reformable fuel, steam, and oxygen to said reforming chamber in a direction perpendicular to surfaces of said reforming catalyst section to simultaneously perform an oxidation reaction and a reforming reaction in said reforming catalyst section;
• and
• a start-up combustion mechanism arranged on an upstream side of said reforming catalyst section, for effecting combustion in a combustion chamber communicating with said reforming chamber to directly supply warming combustion gas to said reforming catalyst section upon start-up,
• wherein said gas flows into one of said surfaces of said reforming catalyst section, and flows out of another of said surfaces of said reforming catalyst section.