METHOD OF OPERATING FUEL CELL POWER GENERATION DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of operating a fuel cell power generation device capable of keeping the temperature of a reformer at an appropriate value without uselessly discharging part of residual gas in a hydrogen refining device, and of supplying high-purity hydrogen in a quantity responding to a request, and equipped with a hydrogen manufacturing/supplying means. SOLUTION: In the operation method of a fuel cell power generation device equipped with a fuel cell 1 using a steam reform gas and the hydrogen manufacturing/supplying means for supplying the reform gas to the hydrogen refining device 5 through a compressor 4 to produce high-purity hydrogen, wherein the hydrogen yield in the hydrogen refining device is lower than the hydrogen utilization ratio in the fuel cell, a fuel off-gas of the fuel cell and the residual gas of the hydrogen refining device are supplied to a reformer burner 2a and burnt, and then, when the temperature of the reformer rises and reaches a predetermined value, the temperature of the reformer is lowered by increasing S/C of a material fuel gas supplied to the reformer. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT