Metal hydride storage canister design and its manufacture

• US 6,742,650 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asia Pacific Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asia Pacific Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kao, Mike, Yang, Jefferson YS
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Application Number:
  US09/971,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 206/0.6, 206/0.7, 206/499, 220/560.04, 220/565, 220/581
• US Class Current: 206/.7
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0005 Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes purification of hydrogen C01B3/508; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49808 Shaping container end to encapsulate material

Abstract

This invention is related to a metal hydride storage canister, comprising a storage canister body, a wafer baffle stacked on the body for containing metal hydride of a pre-determined amount, and a tubing having a porous surface for securing the wafer baffle in the body and for guiding hydrogen discharged from the metal hydride to an outlet of the body. This invention further discloses the manufacture of the storage canister.

Claims

1. A metal hydride storage canister, comprising:

a storage canister body having a predetermined inner diameter, the canister body having a bottom formed on one end thereof and an outlet formed on an opposing end;

a plurality of wafer baffles disposed in stacked relationship in the canister body, each of the wafer baffles being made of a thermally conductive material, each wafer baffle having a bottom face formed with at least one aperture therein, a peripheral wall with an outer diameter substantially equal to the predetermined inner diameter of the canister body, and an open upper end, the peripheral wall extending substantially orthogonally from a periphery of the bottom face and having a plurality of depressions formed therein adjacent the open upper end for preventing nesting of the stacked wafer baffles;

a lid overlaying an uppermost one of the plurality of wafer baffles, the lid having at least one aperture formed therein in aligned relationship with the at least one aperture of the plurality of wafer baffles; and

,

a first tubing passing through the at least one aperture of the bottom face of the plurality of wafer baffles and the at least one aperture of the lid, the first tubing having a porous body and being in fluid communication with the outlet of the canister body.

2. The metal hydride storage canister according to claim 1, wherein the lid is formed of a porous material.

3. The metal hydride storage canister according to claim 2, wherein the porous material of the lid is a porous sintered metal composition.

4. The metal hydride storage canister according to claim 1, wherein the body of the first tubing is formed of a porous sintered metal composition.

5. The metal hydride storage canister according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second tubing, passing through corresponding second apertures in each of the plurality of wafer baffles and the lid, the at least one second tubing having a porous body and being in fluid communication with the outlet of the canister body.

6. The metal hydride storage canister according to claim 5, wherein the body of the second tubing is formed of a porous sintered metal composition.