HYDROGEN GENERATION METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stable, efficient hydrogen generation method without increasing the size of an apparatus, and to provide a hydrogen generation method which can be applied to e.g. a fuel cell system. SOLUTION: In the hydrogen generation method, hydrogen is generated by injecting an alkaline solution of a complex metal hydride serving as a hydrogen generator into an aqueous acid solution and reacting them. Specifically, a liquid prepared by dissolving sodium borohydride in an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide is used as the hydrogen generator. The hydrogen generator is injected into an aqueous solution of citric acid or phosphoric acid at a controlled injection rate or concentration while the pH of a reaction liquid is maintained at ≤4. This enables the control of the amount of hydrogen generated and retains a stable hydrogen-generating rate without requiring a large apparatus. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI