Patent ID: 8053118

Claim:
A hydrogen and power generation system comprising: a reforming device for producing a reformed gas by reforming a raw fuel mainly composed of hydrocarbons, the reforming device having a combustor as a heat source; a combination fuel cell and ion pump comprising a membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte and a pair of anode and cathode disposed on respective opposite sides of the electrolyte, the combination fuel cell and ion pump being operable selectively in a hydrogen generation mode for delivering hydrogen in the reformed gas through the electrolyte to the cathode by supplying the reformed gas to the anode while applying a potential between the anode and the cathode, and an electricity generation mode for generating electricity by supplying the reformed gas to the anode and supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the cathode while applying a potential between the anode and the cathode; a reformed gas passage providing fluid communication between a reformed gas outlet of the reforming device and an anode inlet of the combination fuel cell and ion pump; a PSA mechanism for removing an unwanted component from the hydrogen produced by the combination fuel cell and ion pump, the PSA mechanism having an adsorption tower held in fluid communication with the cathode, for receiving the hydrogen from the combination fuel cell and ion pump; and a PSA off-gas passage having one end connected to an off-gas outlet of the PSA mechanism and another end connected to the reformed gas passage.