Differential pressure-driven borohydride based generator

Abstract

An arrangement for generating hydrogen gas utilizes differential pressure to transport fuel and spent fuel components without requiring an electrically powered fuel delivery pump.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A method of generating hydrogen gas comprising: 
 providing an arrangement for generating hydrogen gas comprising a catalyst chamber comprising a catalyst, a fuel chamber comprising a reactant material capable of generating hydrogen gas when contacting said catalyst, a spent fuel chamber connected to the catalyst chamber for receiving said reactant material after contacting said catalyst and for receiving hydrogen gas generated by contacting the reactant material and the catalyst, a conduit between the spent fuel chamber and fuel chamber, the conduit including a check valve, and an outlet conduit connected to the check valve;    applying pressure to the fuel chamber wherein reactant material is conveyed to the catalyst chamber; and    contacting the catalyst with the reactant material thereby generating hydrogen gas.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the hydrogen gas is generated without the use of a pump connected to an electrical power source.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the hydrogen gas is generated without the use of externally supplied electrical power.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the fuel chamber comprises a piston and wherein applying pressure to the fuel chamber causes movement of the piston through the fuel chamber wherein reactant material is conveyed out of the fuel chamber to the catalyst chamber.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein the fuel chamber comprises a bladder and wherein applying pressure to the fuel chamber causes flexing of the bladder wherein reactant material is conveyed out of the fuel chamber to the catalyst chamber.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 12  comprising providing a fuel pump in between the fuel chamber and the catalyst chamber and conveying fuel from the fuel chamber to the catalyst chamber at an environmental pressure PF−PB where PF is the gas pressure in the fuel chamber and PB is the gas pressure in the spent fuel chamber.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing a main fuel tank adjacent to a spent fuel tank connected to a fuel pump having an outlet line connected to the fuel chamber and a fuel sensor located in the fuel chamber;    sensing the amount of fuel in the fuel chamber with the sensor, and determining whether the fuel level is low or adequate;    upon determining the fuel level is low activating the fuel pump and pumping fuel from the main fuel tank into the fuel chamber; and    upon determining the fuel level is adequate deactivating the fuel pump.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18  further comprising: 
 providing a spent fuel sensor in the spent fuel chamber and a spent fuel valve which allows spent fuel to drain from the spent fuel chamber into the spent fuel tank;    sensing the amount of spent fuel in the spent fuel chamber with the spent fuel sensor and determining whether the spent fuel level is low; and    upon determining the spent fuel level is low closing the spent fuel valve.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing a volume exchange tank having a fuel area portion and a spent fuel area portion wherein the fuel area portion includes an outlet line connected to the fuel chamber and the spent fuel area portion includes an inlet line connected to the spent fuel chamber, and a movable partition in between the fuel area portion and spent fuel area portion;    conveying fuel through the outlet line from the fuel area portion to the fuel chamber,    moving the movable partition towards the fuel area portion; and    receiving spent fuel into the spent fuel area portion through the inlet line from the spent fuel chamber.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing volume exchange tank having a fuel area portion and a spent fuel area portion, the fuel area portion contained in a flexible bladder having an outlet line connected to the fuel chamber, the spent fuel area portion located outside the flexible bladder and including an inlet line connected to the spent fuel chamber;    conveying fuel through the outlet line from the fuel area portion to the fuel chamber, wherein the flexible bladder shrinks in volume; and    receiving spent fuel into the spent fuel area from the spent fuel chamber through the inlet line.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing a volume exchange tank having a fuel area portion having an outlet line connected to the fuel chamber and spent fuel area portion, the spent fuel area portion contained within a flexible bladder and having an inlet line connected to the spent fuel chamber;    receiving spent fuel from the spent fuel chamber into the spent fuel area portion through the inlet line thereby expanding the flexible bladder; and    conveying fuel through the outlet line from the fuel area portion to the fuel chamber.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing a volume exchange tank having a fuel area portion contained within a first flexible bladder having an outlet line connected to the fuel chamber and a spent fuel area portion contained within a second flexible bladder having an inlet line connected to the spent fuel chamber;    receiving spent fuel from the spent fuel chamber into the second flexible bladder through the inlet line thereby expanding the flexible bladder; and    conveying fuel through the outlet line from the first flexible bladder to the fuel chamber thereby reducing the volume of the first flexible bladder.    
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 providing a plurality of tanks connected to the fuel chamber and spent fuel chamber;    conveying fuel from at least one of the plurality of tanks to the fuel chamber; and    conveying spent fuel to at least one empty tank from the spent fuel chamber.    
   
   
       25 . A method for use in a system for generating hydrogen, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing reactant material capable of generating hydrogen in a fuel container having an internal pressure, said container having an outlet port which can be opened and closed, said internal pressure pushing said reactant material through said outlet port when it is open; and    opening said output port.    
   
   
       26 . An apparatus for use in a system for generating hydrogen and a spent material from a reactant material, said apparatus comprising: 
 a fuel container having first and second portions separated by a partitioning element, said first portion having an output port said second portion having an input port; and    a reactant material capable of generating hydrogen disposed within said first portion,    wherein said partitioning element is configured so as to move and decrease the volume of said first portion as said reactant material is outputted through said output port during operation of said system and said spent material is inputted through said input port to said second portion.    
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said partitioning element includes a piston.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said partitioning element includes at least one flexible bladder.  
   
   
       29 . A method of generating hydrogen gas comprising: 
 providing a catalyst;    providing a fuel chamber containing a reactant material under pressure, said reactant material capable of generating hydrogen upon contact with said catalyst; and    bringing said reactant material and said catalyst into contact with one another using said pressure.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the fuel chamber comprises a piston which in response to the pressure pushes the reactant material out of the fuel chamber and into contact with the catalyst.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the fuel chamber comprises a bladder and wherein the pressure flexes the bladder so as to push the reactant material out of the fuel chamber and into contact with the catalyst.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29  comprising the step of using a fuel pump to assist the pressure in bringing said reactant material in and fuel chamber into contact with the catalyst.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said reactant material is converted into spent fuel after contact with said catalyst and said method further comprising the steps of: 
 coupling said spent fuel to a spent fuel chamber;    sensing the amount of spent fuel in said spent fuel chamber; and    reducing the amount of spent fuel in said spent fuel chamber when said sensed spent fuel in said spent fuel chamber reaches a predetermined level.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein said reactant material is converted into spent fuel after contact with said catalyst and said method further comprising the steps of: 
 coupling said spent fuel to a spent fuel chamber;    providing a volume exchange tank having first and second portions separated by movable partition, said a reactant material being disposed in said first portion;    adding reactant material from said first portion into said fuel chamber, said first portion decreasing in volume as said refilling proceeds; and    draining said spent fuel from said spent fuel chamber into said second portion.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said movable partition includes at least one bladder.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said movable partition includes a piston.