Method of manufacture of a metal hydride fuel supply
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a metal hydride fuel source that reduces fuel source expansion during fuel release, comprising:
- providing a first and a second malleable repository, each defining an open end and a closed end opposing the open end;
depositing metal hydride powder into the first repository;
encapsulating the metal hydride powder between the first and second repository by nesting the second repository with the first repository;
applying a compressive force to the closed ends of the first and second deformable repositories, the compressive force sufficient to compress the powder into a substantially cohesive pellet; and
encapsulating the pellet between the first repository and a cap and then nesting the second repository over the first repository such that the cap and the pellet are encapsulated between the first and second repositories.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A high energy density fuel source that reduces hydride expansion during hydrogen release, including a rigid, thermally insulated container defining an internal volume, a heater mechanism disposed within the internal volume, and a metal hydride rod thermally connected to the heater mechanism, wherein the heater mechanism and metal hydride rod substantially occupying the entirety of the internal volume. The metal hydride rod preferably includes a malleable encapsulation compressed about, thermally coupled to, and substantially encapsulating a volume of compressed metal hydride powder, the malleable encapsulation defined by a first, thermally conductive, malleable cup inverted over a second, thermally conductive, malleable cup, the compressed malleable encapsulation defining a tortuous fluid flow path from the metal hydride to the internal volume of the container.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of manufacturing a metal hydride fuel source that reduces fuel source expansion during fuel release, comprising:
-
providing a first and a second malleable repository, each defining an open end and a closed end opposing the open end; depositing metal hydride powder into the first repository; encapsulating the metal hydride powder between the first and second repository by nesting the second repository with the first repository; applying a compressive force to the closed ends of the first and second deformable repositories, the compressive force sufficient to compress the powder into a substantially cohesive pellet; and encapsulating the pellet between the first repository and a cap and then nesting the second repository over the first repository such that the cap and the pellet are encapsulated between the first and second repositories. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of manufacturing a metal hydride fuel source comprising:
-
manufacturing an encapsulated metal hydride pellet, comprising; providing a first and a second malleable repository, each repository defining an open end and a closed end opposing the open end; depositing loose metal hydride powder into the first repository; encapsulating the metal hydride powder between the first and second repository by nesting the second repository with the first repository; and applying a compressive force to the closed ends of the first and second deformable repositories, the compressive force sufficient to compress the powder into a substantially cohesive pellet; inserting the encapsulated pellet into an internal volume defined by a substantially rigid carrier, the internal volume having substantially the same perimeter as the encapsulated pellet; thermally coupling a heating mechanism to the encapsulated pellet within the carrier; and encapsulating the encapsulated pellet and heating mechanism within the internal carrier by a cap, the encapsulated pellet and heater substantially filling the volume defined between the carrier and the cap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification