Solid hydrogen source compounds and method for generating hydrogen

• US 7,964,111 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herakles SA (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Snpe Materiaux Energetiques (Government of France)
• Inventors: Renouard, Joël, Perut, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano; Milton I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanley; Jane L
• Application Number:
  US12/217,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 252/188.25, 252/188.26, 443/14, 443/21, 443/04, 442/80, 442/65, 442/50, 445/00, 445/32, 446/04, 446/28, 446/41, 149/22, 149/27, 149/28, 149/37, 149/61, 149/46, 149/76, 149/82, 149/17, 149/20, 149/21
• US Class Current: 252/188.23
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 43/00 Compositions characterised by explosive or thermic constituents not provided for in groups C06B25/00 - C06B41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids
• 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

The present invention relates to solid compounds which generate hydrogen by combustion, and to a method for generating hydrogen based on the combustion of said compounds. Said compounds have a composition which includes at least one inorganic borohydride, selected from alkali borohydrides, alkaline-earth borohydrides and mixtures thereof, and at least one inorganic oxidant. Characteristically, said composition comprises sulfur. Said method is advantageously implemented for supplying hydrogen to a fuel cell.

Claims

1. A solid composition suitable for generating hydrogen by combustion, comprising:

at least one inorganic borohydride selected from the group consisting of an alkali borohydride, an alkaline-earth borohydride and mixtures thereof; and

sulfur,

wherein said composition comprises the at least one inorganic borohydride and sulfur in an amount of 100% by weight based on the total weight of the solid composition.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes 5 to 60% by weight of sulfur based on the total weight of the solid composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said alkali borohydride is sodium borohydride or lithium borohydride, and said alkaline-earth borohydride is magnesium borohydride.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is in the form of a granule, a pellet or a block.

5. A method for generating hydrogen, comprising:

combusting at least one solid composition wherein said at least one solid composition includes a solid composition according to claim 1.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising supplying hydrogen generated by combusting the at least one solid composition to a fuel cell having a proton exchange membrane.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes 20 to 45% by weight of sulfur.

8. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes 55 to 75% by weight of said at least one inorganic borohydride based on the total weight of the solid composition.

9. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition includes 40 to 80% by weight of said at least one inorganic borohydride based on the total weight of the solid composition.

10. A solid composition suitable for generating hydrogen by combustion, comprising:

at least one inorganic borohydride selected from the group consisting of an alkali borohydride, an alkaline-earth borohydride and a mixture thereof;

sulfur; and

at least one inorganic oxidant other than sulfur,

wherein said composition comprises the at least one inorganic borohydride, sulfur and the at least one inorganic oxidant other than sulfur in an amount of 100% by weight based on the total weight of the solid composition.

11. The composition according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes:

20 to 60% by weight of sulfur and said at least one inorganic oxidant other than sulfur based on the total weight of the solid composition.

12. The composition according to claim 10, wherein said at least one inorganic oxidant other than sulfur is at least one selected from the group consisting of ammonium salts, ammonium perchlorate, dinitramines, ammonium dinitramine, nitrates, and strontium nitrate.

13. A method for generating hydrogen, comprising:

combusting at least one solid composition, wherein said at least one solid composition includes a solid composition according to claim 10.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising supplying hydrogen generated by combusting the at least one solid composition to a fuel cell having a proton exchange membrane.

15. The solid composition of claim 10, wherein the composition includes 25 to 45% by weight of sulfur and said at least one inorganic oxidant other than sulfur based on the total weight of the solid composition.

16. The composition according to claim 10, wherein said alkali borohydride is sodium borohydride or lithium borohydride and said alkaline-earth borohydride is magnesium borohydride.

17. The composition according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes 5 to 60% by weight of sulfur based on the total weight of the solid composition.

18. The composition according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes 20 to 45% by weight of sulfur based on the total weight of the solid composition.

19. The compound according to claim 10, wherein the composition is in the form of a granule, a pellet or a block.

20. The composition according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes 55 to 75% by weight of said at least one inorganic borohydride based on the total weight of the solid composition.

21. The composition according to claim 10, wherein the composition includes 40 to 80% by weight of said at least one inorganic borohydride based on the total weight of the solid composition.