Method and apparatus for processing discharged fuel solution from a hydrogen generator
First Claim
1. A system for generating hydrogen comprising a chamber for holding a fuel solution, said fuel solution generating hydrogen and a discharged fuel solution via a chemical reaction, first outlet and second outlets for respectively receiving said generated hydrogen, and said discharged fuel solution;
- and an element for receiving said discharged fuel solution and removing substantial amounts of the liquid therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The discharged fuel solution remaining after the generation of hydrogen gas from a chemical reaction of a fuel is processed. This processing substantially reduces the liquid content of the discharged fuel thereby substantially reducing both its weight and volume. Such weight and volume reduction provides a corresponding decrease in the costs of storing and transporting the discharged fuel. This technique can be used with virtually any system that generates hydrogen via a hydrolysis process. In the disclosed embodiment, the fuel for generating hydrogen is sodium borohydride and the discharged fuel in the form of a solution or slurry of sodium metaborate is spray dried into a sodium metaborate powder. Advantageously, the present invention may be used with any of a number of techniques that accelerate the process of evaporation.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for generating hydrogen comprising
a chamber for holding a fuel solution, said fuel solution generating hydrogen and a discharged fuel solution via a chemical reaction, first outlet and second outlets for respectively receiving said generated hydrogen, and said discharged fuel solution; - and
an element for receiving said discharged fuel solution and removing substantial amounts of the liquid therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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3. The system of 1 further including a pump for pumping said fuel solution from said chamber to said catalyst chamber.
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13. Apparatus for use with a discharged fuel solution, said discharged fuel solution being generated by a chemical reaction of a fuel solution that also generates hydrogen, said apparatus comprising
an input for receiving said discharged fuel solution; - and
an element for removing substantial amounts of the liquid content of said discharged fuel solution. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of processing a discharged fuel solution generated by a chemical reaction of a fuel solution that also generates hydrogen, said method comprising the steps of
receiving said discharged fuel solution; - and
removing substantial amounts of the liquid content of said discharged fuel by in a manner that expedites the evaporation process.
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17. A method of generating hydrogen comprising the steps of
providing a fuel solution capable of generating hydrogen along with a discharged fuel and coupling said generated hydrogen to an output; - and
receiving said discharged fuel solution and processing the same as so to remove substantial amounts of the liquid content of said discharged fuel solution, said processing being one that expedites the evaporation process.
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Specification