Method and apparatus for a hydrogen fuel cassette distribution and recovery system

• US 7,399,325 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electric Fuel Ltd., Limnia
• Original Assignee: Fuelsell Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Redmond, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/099,771
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 48/61, 48/65, 482/04, 422/211, 422/239, 422/657, 422/658.3, 700/266, 700/274
• US Class Current: 48/61
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04201 Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• 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 cassette-based hydrogen fuel distribution and recovery method and system is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a hydrogen fuel cassette, the hydrogen fuel cassette having a housing defining an interior region and a hydrogen producing material selected from the group consisting of hydrides, nanotubes, fullerenes, and glass microspheres, in the interior region; and

a hydrogen recovery unit having a receptacle to receive the hydrogen fuel cassette, the hydrogen recovery unit having electromechanics to process hydrogen producing material that has been removed from the hydrogen fuel cassette to produce hydrogen;

a telemetry device coupled with the housing of the hydrogen fuel cassette to communicate information associated with the hydrogen fuel cassette; and

a device of the hydrogen recovery unit to receive the information communicated by the telemetry device of the hydrogen fuel cassette; and

a network connection of the hydrogen recovery unit to communicate information associated with hydrogen production to a network.

2. A system comprising:

a hydrogen fuel cassette, the hydrogen fuel cassette having a housing defining an interior region and a hydrogen storage material in the interior region; and

a hydrogen recovery unit having a receptacle to receive the hydrogen fuel cassette, the hydrogen recovery unit having electromechanics to process hydrogen storage material that has been removed from the hydrogen fuel cassette to produce hydrogen.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen storage material comprises a material that is selected form the group consisting of hydrides, nanotubes, fullerenes, glass microspheres, and hydride slurries.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising an electronic device coupled with the housing of the hydrogen fuel cassette to store information associated with the hydrogen fuel cassette.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a telemetry device coupled with the housing of the hydrogen fuel cassette to communicate information associated with the hydrogen fuel cassette; and

a device of the hydrogen recovery unit to receive the information communicated by the telemetry device of the hydrogen fuel cassette.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising a reaction chamber of the recovery unit to react the hydrogen storage material that has been removed from the hydrogen filet cassette with a reactant to produce the hydrogen.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising a multiple cassette clip containing the hydrogen fuel cassette and a plurality of other hydrogen fuel cassettes.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a network connection of the hydrogen recovery unit to communicate information associated with hydrogen recovery to a network.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a tray of the hydrogen fuel cassette to slide the hydrogen storage material out of the hydrogen fuel cassette into the hydrogen recover unit.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising push means for pushing the hydrogen storage material out of the hydrogen fuel cassette into the hydrogen recovery unit.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen fuel cassette comprises a seam having a length, the seam to provide access to the hydrogen storage material.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising a fluid in the hydrogen fuel cassette, and wherein the hydrogen fuel cassette includes an outlet port to drain the fluid.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second interior region defined by the housing; and

a material that is different than the hydrogen storage material in the second interior region.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises:

a rigid mouth to couple with the receptacle of the hydrogen recovery unit; and

a flexible portion to collapse as the hydrogen storage material is pushed through the mouth into the hydrogen recovery unit.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen storage material in the interior region of the hydrogen fuel cassette comprises a plurality of slices of hydride.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein the electromechanics of the hydrogen recovery unit comprises a slicing system to slice a solid block of hydrogen storage material that has been removed from the hydrogen fuel cassette.

17. A system comprising:

a cassette, the cassette having an outer casing defining an interior region and a hydrogen producing material, in the interior region; and

a hydrogen recovery unit having a cassette intake and processor to extract the hydrogen producing material from the cassette, the hydrogen recovery unit having a reaction chamber to react the extracted hydrogen producing material to produce hydrogen.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the hydrogen producing material comprises a hydrogen producing material that is selected from the group consisting of hydrides, nanotubes, fullerenes, glass microspheres, and hydride slurries.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising an electronic device coupled with the casing of the cassette to store information associated with the cassette.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

an electronic device coupled with the casing of the cassette to communicate information associated with the cassette; and

an electronic device of the hydrogen recovery unit to receive the information communicated by the electronic device of the cassette.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a multiple cassette clip containing the cassette and a plurality of other cassettes.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a network connection of the hydrogen recovery unit to communicate information associated with hydrogen production to a network.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising a tray of the cassette to slide the hydrogen producing material out of the cassette into the hydrogen recover unit.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a plunger of the hydrogen recovery unit to push the hydrogen producing material out of the cassette.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the cassette comprises a seam.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising a fluid in the cassette, and wherein the cassette includes an outlet port to drain the fluid.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the casing comprises:

a rigid mouth to couple with the hydrogen recovery unit; and

a flexible portion to collapse as the hydrogen producing material is pushed into the hydrogen recovery unit.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the hydrogen producing material in the cassette comprises a plurality of slices of hydride.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the hydrogen recovery unit comprises a slicing system to slice a solid block of the hydrogen producing material.