Patent ID: 8709668

Claim:
A hydrogen generation apparatus comprising: a reformer for generating a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction using a raw material gas; a raw material gas supplier for supplying the raw material gas to the reformer; a steam supplier for supplying the steam; a methanator for reducing carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas through a methanation reaction; and a controller for controlling the raw material gas supplier to decrease an amount of the raw material gas supplied to the reformer so as to decrease an amount of generation of the hydrogen-containing gas when a temperature of the methanator increases, wherein when the temperature of the methanator increases, the controller controls the steam supplier to increase an amount of the steam supplied to the reformer, in accordance with an amount of decrease in the raw material gas, so that a steam/carbon ratio of the raw material gas and the steam supplied to the reformer becomes higher than the steam/carbon ratio before decreasing the amount of generation of the hydrogen-containing gas.