Hydrogen gas generation system

• US 20040148857A1
• Filed: 02/05/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protonex Technology Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Millennium Cell
• Inventors: Strizki, Michael, Mohring, Richard M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,105,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 48/127.9
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0495 the impurity being water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/501 by diffusion
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04208 Cartridges, cryogenic media or cryogenic reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0662 Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A system for generating hydrogen gas utilizes a volume exchange housing for the storage of a fuel material that reacts to generate hydrogen gas and a hydrogen separation chamber. The system includes a gas permeable membrane or membranes that allow hydrogen gas to pass through the membrane while preventing aqueous solutions from passing therethrough. The system is orientation independent. A throttle valve is also used to self regulate the reaction generating the hydrogen gas.

Claims

1. A hydrogen gas generation system, said system comprising:

(a) a housing having a hydrogen separation chamber and a fuel storage chamber and having a partition separating the hydrogen separation chamber from the fuel storage chamber, the fuel storage chamber containing a fuel material capable of reacting to generate hydrogen gas;

(b) a catalyst chamber containing a catalyst to promote the reaction of the fuel material to produce generate hydrogen and discharged fuel material,

(c) a fuel conduit for conveying the fuel material from the fuel storage chamber to the catalyst chamber and a outlet conduit to convey the discharged fuel material from the catalyst chamber to the hydrogen separation chamber,

(d) a hydrogen gas outlet in the housing for discharging hydrogen from the hydrogen separation chamber, and

(e) a gas permeable membrane located in at least one of the fuel storage chamber or the hydrogen separation chamber to allow the hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable membrane while preventing an aqueous solution to pass through the gas permeable membrane.

2. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within the hydrogen separation chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member to the hydrogen gas outlet while preventing discharged fuel from passing therethrough.

3. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within the fuel storage chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member while preventing fuel material from passing therethrough.

4. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within both the hydrogen separation chamber and the fuel storage chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member while preventing aqueous solutions from passing therethrough.

5. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein the partition is comprised of a flexible material.

6. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 5 wherein the flexible material of the partition has an intrinsic tension to create a pressure on the reactant material contained within the fuel storage chamber.

7. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein the fuel conduit further includes a fuel valve to control the flow of the reactant material from the fuel storage chamber to the chamber.

14. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second flexible bags are constructed of a plastic material including nylon.

8. A hydrogen gas generation system, said system comprising:

(a) a housing having a hydrogen separation chamber and a fuel storage chamber and having a movable partition separating the hydrogen separation chamber from the fuel storage chamber, the fuel storage chamber enclosing a first flexible bag containing a fuel material capable of generating hydrogen gas and the fuel storage chamber enclosing a second flexible bag,

(b) a catalyst chamber containing a catalyst to promote the reaction of the fuel material to generate hydrogen and discharged fuel material,

(c) a fuel conduit for conveying the reactant material from the first flexible bag enclosed in the fuel storage chamber to the catalyst chamber and a outlet conduit to convey the discharged fuel material from the catalyst chamber to the second flexible bag enclosed within the hydrogen separation chamber,

(d) a hydrogen gas outlet in the housing for discharging hydrogen from the hydrogen separation chamber, and

(e) a gas permeable membrane located in a wall of at least one of the first flexible bag or second flexible bag to allow the hydrogen gas to pass through the first or second flexible bags.

9. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 8 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located in the wall of the second flexible bag to allow hydrogen gas to pass from the second flexible bag through the gas permeable membrane to reach the hydrogen gas outlet while preventing the discharged fuel material from passing through the gas permeable membrane to the hydrogen gas outlet.

10. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 8 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located in the wall of the first flexible bag to allow hydrogen gas to pass from the first flexible bag through the gas permeable membrane to pass out of the housing while preventing the fuel material from passing through the gas permeable membrane.

11. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 8 wherein the gas permeable membrane is located in the walls of both the first and second flexible bags.

12. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 8 wherein the movable partition is biased toward the fuel storage chamber to force fuel material outwardly toward the catalyst chamber.

13. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 12 wherein a spring is located within the housing to bias the movable partition toward the fuel storage chamber.

15. The hydrogen gas generation system as defined in claim 8 wherein the fuel conduit further includes a fuel valve to control the flow of the fuel material from the fuel storage chamber to the catalyst chamber.

16. A hydrogen gas generation system, said system comprising:

(a) a fuel storage chamber containing a fuel material capable of generating hydrogen gas,

(b) a hydrogen separation chamber,

(c) a catalyst chamber containing a catalyst to promote the reaction of the fuel material to produce generate hydrogen and discharged fuel material,

(d) a fuel conduit for conveying the fuel material from the fuel storage chamber to the catalyst chamber and a outlet conduit to convey the discharged fuel material from the catalyst chamber to the hydrogen separation chamber,

(e) a hydrogen gas conduit line for conveying hydrogen gas from the hydrogen separation chamber,

(f) a gas permeable membrane located in a wall of at least one of the first flexible bag or second flexible bag to allow the hydrogen gas to pass through the first or second flexible bags, and

(g) a throttle valve located in the fuel conduit to control the flow of fuel material from the fuel storage chamber to the catalyst chamber, said throttle valve being responsive to the hydrogen gas passing through the hydrogen gas conduit.

17. A hydrogen gas generating apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein the throttle valve comprises a valve body having a passageway for the fuel material to a pass therethrough, a valve operator being movable with respect to the passageway to vary the cross sectional area of the passageway, the movement of the valve operator being responsive to the hydrogen gas passing through the hydrogen gas conduit.

18. A hydrogen gas generating apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the throttle valve comprises a pressure chamber adapted to receive the hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas conduit, the pressure chamber having a movable wall affixed to the valve operator and the position of the valve operator is determined by the pressure within the pressure chamber.

19. A volume exchanging container for use in a hydrogen gas generating system, the container comprising a hydrogen separation chamber for receiving a discharged fuel and having a hydrogen gas outlet and a fuel storage chamber for containing a fuel solution and having a fuel outlet, a flexible partition separating the hydrogen separation chamber from the fuel storage chamber and creating a pressure on a fuel solution when contained within the fuel storage chamber, and a gas permeable membrane located in at least one of the fuel storage chamber or the hydrogen separating chamber to allow the hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable membrane while preventing an aqueous solution to pass through the gas permeable membrane.

20. The volume exchanging container as defined in claim 19 wherein the material of the flexible partition has an intrinsic tension to create the pressure on a fuel contained within the fuel storage chamber.

21. The volume exchanging container as defined in claim 19 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within the hydrogen separation chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member to the gas outlet while preventing discharged fuel from passing therethrough.

22. The volume exchanging container as defined in claim 19 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within the fuel storage chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member while preventing fuel from passing therethrough.

23. The volume exchanging container as defined in claim 22 where the fuel storage chamber further includes a hydrogen gas outlet to allow hydrogen gas from the gas permeable membrane to pass directly out of the container.

24. The volume exchanging container as defined in claim 19 wherein a gas permeable membrane is located within both the hydrogen separation chamber and the fuel storage chamber to allow hydrogen gas to pass through the gas permeable member while preventing aqueous solutions from passing therethrough.

25. A fuel container for containing a fuel material that reacts to form hydrogen gas, the fuel container having a fuel outlet for removing fuel material, a portion of the container comprising a flexible material adapted to create a pressure on a fuel material contained within the fuel container to force fuel material outwardly through the fuel outlet, and a gas permeable membrane within the fuel container separating the fuel material from a space therein to allow hydrogen gas generated by the fuel material to pass through the gas permeable membrane to the space while preventing the fuel material from entering the space and a hydrogen outlet formed in the fuel container to allow hydrogen gas to pass from the space outwardly from the fuel container.

26. A fuel container as defined in claim 25 wherein the portion of the fuel container comprising a flexible material comprises a flexible material having an intrinsic tension to create the pressure on a fuel material contained within the fuel storage chamber.

27. A fuel container as defined in claim 25 wherein the fuel container has an upper surface, side surface and a bottom surface and said portion of the fuel container comprising a flexible material is the upper surface.

28. A fuel container as defined in claim 27 wherein the space is located intermediate the gas permeable membrane and the upper surface.