Method of controlling operation of fuel gas production apparatus

Abstract

An ECU detects various conditions of a home fuel gas refining system before starting operation of the home fuel gas refining system using pressure sensors and temperature sensors. Then, it is determined whether the detected conditions are abnormal or not. If abnormal conditions are determined, a self-repair process is performed for a predetermined abnormal condition among the conditions determined as abnormal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method of controlling operation of a fuel gas production apparatus for reforming a hydrogen-containing fuel, which contains, for example, hydrocarbon or alcohol, into a reformed gas, and refining the reformed gas to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel gas. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] For example, hydrogen production apparatuses (fuel gas production apparatuses) for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel such as natural gas or a hydrogen-containing fuel such as an alcohol (e.g., methanol) into a hydrogen-containing gas (reformed gas), and refining the hydrogen-containing gas to produce a fuel gas supplied to a fuel cell or the like are adopted conventionally. [0005] For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-20102 discloses a hydrogen production apparatus shown in FIG. 15. The hydrogen production apparatus includes a compressor 1, a hydrodesulfurization unit 2, a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] A general object of the present invention is to provide a method of controlling a fuel gas production apparatus in which conditions of the fuel gas production apparatus can be detected before starting operation of the fuel gas production apparatus to perform a process for a predetermined condition of the apparatus, and the burden of the maintenance operation on the user is reduced as much as possible.

[0016] According to the present invention, if an abnormal condition of a fuel gas production apparatus is detected before starting operation of the fuel gas production apparatus, a self-repair process is performed in correspondence with a predetermined abnormal condition. Therefore, no undue burden of the maintenance operation is imposed on the user. Therefore, even if the fuel gas production apparatus is stopped in the abnormal condition, with the simple steps, it is possible to start normal operation of the fuel gas production apparatus rapidly and reliably. Further, it is possible to reduce the burden of the user's maintenance operation as much as possible.

[0017] Further, according to the present invention, since a plurality of stop patterns are determined in advance, by stopping operation of the fuel gas production apparatus according to a stop pattern in correspondence with the detected abnormal condition, if operation of the gas production apparatus can be started again, the suitable stop process is performed. Thus, no undue burden of the maintenance operation is imposed on the user. With the simple steps, it is possible to start normal operation of the fuel gas production apparatus reliably and rapidly. Further, it is possible to reduce the burden of the user's maintenance operation as much as possible.

Problems solved by technology

Operation of the hydrogen production apparatus described above is subject to unscheduled, urgent interruption for some reasons.

For example, an abnormal condition may occur during operation of the hydrogen production apparatus, and a user may stop operation of the hydrogen production apparatus externally.

However, in some situations, it is not possible to start operation of the hydrogen production apparatus due to the condition of the hydrogen production apparatus itself or failures in some devices.

Though operation of the hydrogen production apparatus may be started if the problem can be eliminated by simple maintenance operation, it is not suitable to force the user to engage in the maintenance operation.

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