METHOD OF OPERATION OF A HYDROGEN GENERATION APPARATUS

A hydrogen generation apparatus (100) includes: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by using a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer (2) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a recycle passage (3) through which the hydrogen-containing gas is supplied to the hydrodesulfurizer (2); a condenser (4) provided on the recycle passage (3) or on a gas passage upstream from the recycle passage (3); a drain passage (4A) through which water condensed in the condenser (4) is drained; a heating medium passage (5) through which a heating medium that recovers heat from the condenser (4) flows; a delivery device (6) configured to cause the heating medium to flow through the heating medium passage (5); and a controller (7) configured to cause the delivery device to operate when the hydrogen-containing gas is not flowing through the recycle passage at at least one of start-up and stopping ofthe hydrogen generation apparatus (100).