Hydrogen generation pelletized fuel

• US 5,728,464 A
• Filed: 01/02/1996
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Powerball Industries, Inc. (Apollo Resources International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jed H. Checketts
• Inventors: Checketts, Jed H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US08/582,103
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 428/461, 428/462, 428/650, 428/403, 428/407, 422/239, 422/211, 422/219, 422/165, 48/61, 149/87, 149/3, 149/5, 149/6, 149/7
• US Class Current: 428/403
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/02 by wet methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/08 with metals
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 45/30 the component base containing an inorganic explosive or an inorganic thermic component
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/00 Generation of pressure gas, e.g. for blasting cartridges, starting cartridges, rockets explosive compositions containing an oxidizer, fuels for rocket engines intended for reaction with an oxidant other than air C06B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2991 Coated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer

Abstract

Hydrogen generation system of the present invention are all demand systems that are operated to replenish hydrogen gas to a low pressure storage tank or vessel as hydrogen is drawn therefrom, providing a system that is suitable for use as a portable system. The invention employs electrical and mechanical arrangements that provide for opening an outer coating that has been formed over a reactive material, such as sodium, so as to expose that reactive material to water, generating hydrogen from a chemical reaction therebetween. The electrical system employs a bank of cells, with each cell electrically connected through a controller to a power source and contains a measured volume of a light salt and water solution and a sodium pellet that is coated with aluminum, or other appropriate metal, and provides for passing a current to a select cell to break down the pellet aluminum coating and expose the pellet reactive material to the water to generate hydrogen. Sodium pellets are coated with a soft plastic, or the like, and are maintained in water and include a static pressure source to operate, when the hydrogen gas pressure falls below the pressure of that static source, a piston to move a selected pellet into a blade, or the like, to open that pellet to the water to chemical react and generate hydrogen gas to restore the system pressure to a pressure that is greater than that of the static source.

Claims

1. A pellet for use in a hydrogen generation system comprising, an alkali metal core selected from the group consisting of sodium and calcium or metal hydride core selected from the group consisting of NaH, CaH₂, NaAlH₄, and LiAlH₄ ;

and a coating of water impervious material applied over the entire surface of said core, rendering the core impervious to water.

2. A pellet as recited in claim 1, wherein the pellet has a spherical shape.

3. A pellet as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating is an aluminum.

4. A pellet as recited in claim 3, wherein the pellet has an aluminum center that is covered by the alkali metal or metal hydride.

5. A pellet as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating is formed from a plastic material.

6. A pellet as recited in claim 5, wherein the plastic material is a high density polyethylene plastic.