HYDROGEN GENERATOR AND PRODUCT CONDITIONING METHOD

• US 20110070151A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Inventors: BRAITHWAITE, DANIEL, FABIAN, TIBOR, JONEMANN, Matthieu
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/648.1
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0272 containing a non-catalytic decomposition step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/12 Feeding the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A hydrogen generator that includes a solid fuel mixture, a liquid reactant, a liquid delivery medium (LDM), a movable boundary interface (MBI), a reaction zone, wherein the MBI provides constant contact between a reacting surface of the solid fuel mixture and the liquid reactant delivered by the LDM to form the reaction zone, and a product separation media, fluidly coupled to the reaction zone by a fluid junction, that degasses a product. The hydrogen generator may further include auxiliary LDMs disposed throughout the hydrogen generator, wherein said auxiliary LDMs may be operated based on a ratio of the liquid reactant flow rate to the hydrogen generation rate.

Claims

13-1. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the product separation media comprises a fibrous filter.

17. A filter conditioning method for a hydrogen generator that includes a solid fuel mixture, a liquid reactant, a liquid delivery mechanism (LDM), a reaction zone wherein the solid fuel mixture reacts with the liquid reactant that is delivered by the LDM, and a product separation media fluidly coupled to the reaction zone by a fluid junction, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a liquid reactant flow rate;

determining a product generation rate; and

adjusting the liquid reactant flow rate electrically based on a ratio of the liquid reactant flow rate to the product generation rate.

18. The filter conditioning method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the liquid reactant flow rate comprises initiating liquid reactant delivery to the fluid junction.

19. The filter conditioning method of claim 18, wherein the liquid reactant is delivered with a second LDM.

20. The filter conditioning method of claim 17, wherein the hydrogen generator further includes a pumping mechanism that pumps the liquid reactant to the LDM at a pump rate, wherein determining the liquid reactant flow rate comprises determining the pump rate.

21. The filter conditioning method of claim 20, wherein determining the product generation rate comprises determining a current output.

22. The filter conditioning method of claim 21, wherein adjusting the liquid reactant flow rate comprises signaling for liquid reactant delivery to the hydrogen generator through a second LDM.

23. The filter conditioning method of claim 22, wherein the liquid reactant is delivered to the fluid junction.

24. The filter conditioning method of claim 17, wherein the product generation rate is the hydrogen generation rate.

25. The filter conditioning method of claim 17, wherein the product generation rate is determined before the liquid reactant flow rate is determined.

26. The filter conditioning method of claim 19 wherein the liquid reactant flow rate to the first LDM is determined from the overall product generation rate, and the liquid reactant flow rate to the second LDM is determined from the ratio of the overall liquid reactant flow rate to the product generation rate.