Apparatus for producing hydrogen

Abstract

An apparatus for producing hydrogen by a steam reforming reaction, on a catalyst, of a hydrocarbon or an oxygen-containing hydrocarbon as a raw material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a hydrogen separation type reformer which has a means for heating the catalyst and which has a hydrogen separation membrane built into a layer of the catalyst for selectively separating hydrogen; a cooling means for cooling high temperature high purity hydrogen obtained from the reformer; and a hydrogen storage/delivery means disposed downstream from the cooling means and composed of a hydrogen occluding material.

1 .- 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for producing hydrogen by a steam reforming reaction, on a catalyst, of a hydrocarbon or an oxygen-containing hydrocarbon as a raw material, comprising: 
 a hydrogen separation type reformer which has a means for heating the catalyst and which has a hydrogen separation membrane built into a layer of the catalyst for selectively separating hydrogen;    a cooling means for cooling high temperature high purity hydrogen obtained from the reformer,    wherein:    the cooling means for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen comprises an indirect heat exchanger;    wherein:    a fluid for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen via the indirect heat exchanger is one or both of a raw material gas and combustion air to be fed to the hydrogen separation type reformer; and    a hydrogen charge/discharge means disposed downstream from the cooling means and composed of a hydrogen storage material,    wherein:    the hydrogen charge/discharge means composed of the hydrogen storage material comprises at least two members of a hydrogen storing alloy incorporating a heating/cooling means.    
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for producing hydrogen by a steam reforming reaction, on a catalyst, of a hydrocarbon or an oxygen-containing hydrocarbon as a raw material, comprising: 
 a hydrogen separation type reformer which has a means for heating the catalyst and which has a hydrogen separation membrane built into a layer of the catalyst for selectively separating hydrogen;    a cooling means for cooling high temperature high purity hydrogen obtained from the reformer;    wherein:    the cooling means for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen comprises an indirect heat exchanger;    wherein:    a fluid for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen via the indirect heat exchanger is one or both of air or cooling water; and    a hydrogen charge/discharge means disposed downstream from the cooling means and composed of a hydrogen storage material;    wherein:    the hydrogen charge/discharge means composed of the hydrogen storage material comprises at least two members of a hydrogen storing alloy incorporating a heating/cooling means.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus for producing hydrogen as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 a pressure regulating means is interposed between the cooling means for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen and the hydrogen charge/discharge means disposed downstream from the cooling means and composed of the hydrogen storage material, to regulate the pressure of the high purity hydrogen to be fed to the hydrogen charge/discharge means.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus for producing hydrogen as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein: 
 a pressure regulating means is interposed between the cooling means for cooling the high temperature high purity hydrogen and the hydrogen charge/discharge means disposed downstream from the cooling means and composed of the hydrogen storage material, to regulate the pressure of the high purity hydrogen to be fed to the hydrogen charge/discharge means.