Patent ID: 7132002

Claim:
A hydrogen generating device that generates a hydrogen-rich gas by reforming a raw material, comprising: a reforming portion that generates a reformed gas by reforming the raw material; a supply portion that supplies the reforming portion with a substance required for the reforming; a hydrogen separating portion that includes a hydrogen separator membrane that selectively permeates hydrogen, the hydrogen separating portion also including a reformed gas flow passage and a hydrogen flow passage, the hydrogen separator membrane is disposed between the reformed gas flow passage and the hydrogen flow passage, the hydrogen separating portion separates a hydrogen towards the hydrogen flow passage side from the reformed gas supplied to the reformed gas flow passage from the reforming portion; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the hydrogen separating portion; and a hydrogen suppressing portion that suppresses a hydrogen concentration in the reformed gas supplied to the reformed gas flow passage when, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, it is determined that a low temperature condition exists in which a temperature of the hydrogen separating portion is lower than a predetermined value which is determined based on a material of the hydrogen separator membrane, wherein the hydrogen suppressing portion includes: an oxygen supply mechanism that is able to supply oxygen between the reforming portion and the hydrogen separating portion in the low temperature condition, and that is provided between the reforming portion and the hydrogen separating portion, and a control portion that controls the hydrogen suppressing portion so as to supply the oxygen.