Hydrogen production apparatus and fuel cell system using the same

A hydrogen producing method, comprising:

• obtaining a hydrogen-containing gas from a raw material for hydrogen production by utilizing a reformer;
• reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas by a shift reactor;
• cooling the gas obtained from the shift reactor by a cooler;
• heating the cooled gas by a heat exchange structure;
• and
• reducing the concentration of carbon monoxide in the heated gas using a preferential oxidation reactor comprising a preferential oxidation catalyst bed packed with a catalyst capable of promoting a preferential oxidation reaction which preferentially oxidizes carbon monoxide,
• wherein the cooler is provided downstream of the shift reactor, and the heat exchange structure and the preferential oxidation reactor are provided separately from and downstream of the cooler, and
• wherein in the heating the cooled gas, the cooled gas is heated upstream of the preferential oxidation catalyst bed by heat exchange with the use of heat generated by the preferential oxidation reaction.

A fuel cell system comprising:

• a hydrogen production apparatus comprising:
• a reformer configured to obtain a hydrogen-containing gas from a raw material for hydrogen production by utilizing a reforming reaction,
• a shift reactor configured to reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas obtained from the reformer by a shift reaction,
• a cooler configured to cool the gas obtained from the shift reactor,
• a heat exchange structure configured to heat the gas cooled by the cooler, and
• a preferential oxidation reactor comprising a preferential oxidation catalyst bed packed with a catalyst capable of promoting a preferential oxidation reaction which preferentially oxidizes carbon monoxide, the preferential oxidation reactor being configured to reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gas heated by the heat exchange structure,
• wherein the cooler is provided downstream of the shift reactor, and the heat exchange structure and the preferential oxidation reactor are provided separately from and downstream of the cooler;
• and
• the heat exchange structure and the preferential oxidation reactor are configured so that the gas cooled by the cooler is heated upstream of the preferential oxidation catalyst bed with the use of heat generated by the preferential oxidation reaction;
• and
• a fuel cell for generating electric power using hydrogen obtained from the hydrogen production apparatus as fuel.