Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system

• US 6,745,801 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Copeman, Tama Maya, Cohen, Joseph Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEVORE, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US10/396,290
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2-4, 141/11, 141/18, 141/231, 62/462, 481/97.R
• US Class Current: 141/231
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/00 Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it separation of gases by physical means B01D; Purification of hydrogen production of water gas or synthesis gas from solid carbonaceous material C10J; purifying or modifying the chemical compositions of combustible technical gases containing carbon monoxide C10K
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/02 Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• 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

Abstract

Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors; one or more hydrogen precursor conversion means selected from the group consisting of means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen and means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate; one or more delivery means selected from the group consisting of delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen and delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, and one or more delivery means. The system may further comprise one or more means selected from the group consisting of means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen; means for containing stored hydrogen; means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen; and storage means for storing a hydrogen-containing intermediate. Mobile support means for mounting the apparatus for these functions may be transported by trucks, tractor-trailers, rail cars, barges, ships, or aircraft.

Claims

1. A mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising

(a) hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;

(b) one or more hydrogen precursor conversion means selected from the group consisting of means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen and means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate;

(c) one or more delivery means selected from the group consisting of delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen and delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and

(d) mobile support means for mounting (a) through (c).

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more hydrogen precursors are selected from the group consisting of water, hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons, fixed metal hydrides, transferable metal hydrides, hydrogen-containing porous adsorptive solids, liquid hydrogen, and a mixed gas containing hydrogen.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the hydrogen precursor conversion means comprises one or more process systems selected from the group consisting of water electrolysis, hydrocarbon reforming, hydrocarbon partial oxidation, oxygenated hydrocarbon reforming, fixed metal hydride heating, heating and/or pressure reduction of hydrogen-containing porous solids, and contacting a stabilized aqueous slurry of a transferable metal hydride with a catalyst.

4. The system of claim 1 which further comprises one or more means selected from the group consisting of

(e) means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;

(f) means for containing stored hydrogen;

(g) means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen; and

(h) storage means for storing a hydrogen-containing intermediate.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the means for converting the gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen comprises one or more process systems selected from the group consisting of compression, contacting the gaseous hydrogen with one or more hydrogen-reactive metals to form fixed metal hydrides, and contacting the gaseous hydrogen with one or more hydrogen-adsorbing porous solids.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the means for containing stored hydrogen comprises one or more systems selected from the group consisting of pressurized gas cylinders, fixed metal hydride storage cylinders, porous adsorptive solids storage cylinders, and cryogenic liquid storage tanks.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen comprises one or more systems selected from the group consisting of gas pressure regulators, fixed metal hydride storage cylinder heating systems, porous adsorptive solids storage cylinder heating systems, gas compression systems, and cryogenic liquid vaporizers.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the delivery means comprises one or more systems selected from the group consisting of flexible pressurized gas hoses with gas dispensing connections;

a portable crane for lifting pressurized gas cylinders, fixed metal hydride storage cylinders, or porous adsorptive solids storage cylinders; and

means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile support means for mounting (a) through (c) comprises transportation means selected from the group consisting of trucks, trailers, tractor-trailers, rail cars, barges, ships, and aircraft.

10. A method for the mobile generation and storage of hydrogen comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;

hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen;

gaseous hydrogen conversion means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;

hydrogen storage means for containing stored hydrogen;

stored hydrogen conversion means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen;

gaseous hydrogen delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen; and

mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, gaseous hydrogen conversion means, hydrogen storage means, stored hydrogen conversion means, and gaseous hydrogen delivery means;

(b) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to a first location and loading one or more hydrogen precursors into respective storage means for storing the one or more hydrogen precursors;

(c) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the first location to a second location while concurrently generating gaseous hydrogen by converting one or more of the hydrogen precursors into gaseous hydrogen and converting the gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen; and

(d) at a second location having a receiving facility, (1) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen, or (2) converting at least a portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen, or (3) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen and converting at least another portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen.

11. The method of claim 10 which further comprises generating gaseous hydrogen at the second location by converting one or more of the hydrogen precursors into gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen to the receiving facility at the second location.

12. A method for supplying a hydrogen-containing intermediate comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system at a first location, the system comprising precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;

hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate;

hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means for storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate;

delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and

mobile support means for mounting the precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means, and delivery means;

(b) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the first location to a second location while concurrently converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate and storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate; and

(c) offloading the hydrogen-containing intermediate to a receiving facility at the second location.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrogen precursor is methanol, the hydrogen precursor conversion means comprises a methanol reforming system, and the hydrogen-containing intermediate comprises synthesis gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the hydrogen precursor is sodium borohydride powder, the hydrogen precursor conversion means comprises a system to mix the sodium borohydride with sodium hydroxide and water to provide a stabilized transferable metal hydride slurry, and the hydrogen-containing intermediate is the stabilized metal hydride slurry.

15. A method for supplying hydrogen to one or more receiving locations comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;

hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen;

gaseous hydrogen conversion means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;

hydrogen storage means for containing stored hydrogen;

stored hydrogen conversion means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen;

gaseous hydrogen delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen; and

mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, gaseous hydrogen conversion means, hydrogen storage means, stored hydrogen conversion means, and gaseous hydrogen delivery means;

(b) identifying the one or more receiving locations;

(c) determining one or more hydrogen precursors required to generate hydrogen for the one or more receiving locations;

(d) determining a source location or locations for the one or more hydrogen precursors and moving the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to the source location or locations;

(e) loading and storing the one or more hydrogen precursors in the hydrogen precursor storage means at the source location or locations;

(f) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the source location or locations to the one or more receiving locations while concurrently generating gaseous hydrogen by converting one or more of the hydrogen precursors into gaseous hydrogen and converting the gaseous hydrogen to stored hydrogen; and

(g) at each of the one or more receiving locations, (1) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen by offloading the hydrogen storage means, or (2) converting at least a portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen, or (3) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen by offloading the hydrogen storage means and converting at least another portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein one of the one or more hydrogen precursors comprises methanol, the hydrogen precursor conversion means comprises a methanol reformer, and the hydrogen storage means for containing stored hydrogen comprises a fixed metal hydride hydrogen storage system.

17. A method for supplying a hydrogen-containing intermediate comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system at a first location, the system comprising precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;

hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate;

hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means for storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate;

delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and

mobile support means for mounting the precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means, and delivery means;

(b) identifying the one or more receiving locations;

(c) determining one or more hydrogen precursors required to generate hydrogen for the one or more receiving locations;

(d) determining a source location or locations for the one or more hydrogen precursors and moving the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to the source location or locations;

(e) loading and storing the one or more hydrogen precursors in the hydrogen precursor storage means at the source location or locations;

(f) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the source location or locations to the one or more receiving locations while concurrently converting one of the one or more hydrogen precursors into a hydrogen-containing intermediate and storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate; and

(g) at each of the one or more receiving locations, offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen-containing intermediate.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the hydrogen precursor is methanol, the hydrogen precursor conversion means comprises a methanol reforming system, and the hydrogen-containing intermediate comprises synthesis gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the hydrogen precursor is sodium borohydride powder, the hydrogen precursor conversion means is a system to mix the sodium borohydride with sodium hydroxide and water to provide a stabilized transferable metal hydride slurry, and the hydrogen-containing intermediate is the stabilized metal hydride slurry.