Hitachi, Ltd.

Shinjiro Kimura

Susumu Horiuchi

Yoshiaki Amamo

Yumihito Kondo

Shigeru Toida

A hydrogen generating apparatus has, at least, a material gas supply system, steam generator, an air supply system, a reforming system including a reformer and a shift converter each incorporating a catalyst, a product hydrogen transporting system, and a reformer combustion gas exhaust system. The apparatus is characterized by further having a shift converter jacket surrounding the catalyst of said shift converter, a branch pipe branching from said reformer combustion gas exhaust system and leading to said shift converter jacket, and a change-over valve provided at a portion of said reformer combustion gas exhaust system where said branch pipes branches off said reformer combustion gas exhaust system. During the start-up of the apparatus, the combustion gas exhausted from the reformer is introduced into the shift converter jacket to heat the shift converter thereby realizing a quick start-up, i.e., temperature rise, of the reformer system.

Hydrogen generating apparatus

A positioning apparatus for accurately positioning an object such as a work has a guide track secured to the associated frame by a plurality of tightening devices each having a tightening force adjusting member. The guide track is also pressed laterally against a vertical face portion formed on the associated frame by means of a plurality of pressing plates which are affixed to the frame by other tightening devices each having a pressing force adjusting member. Both the tightening devices securely holds the guide track on the frame while allowing relative movement therebetween caused by a difference in the amount of thermal expansion.

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Ushiku, Japan

Shinjiro Kimura