Hydrogen Generator System With Liquid Interface

Abstract

A hydrogen generator system and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator system are disclosed. The hydrogen generator system includes a replaceable cartridge that is removably contained within the system, and an external pump disposed outside the cartridge housing and configured to pump a fluid. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a liquid reservoir disposed within the cartridge housing and configured to contain a liquid including a reactant, a reaction area disposed within the cartridge housing and within which the reactant reacts to produce hydrogen gas, a liquid flow path disposed within the cartridge housing and through which the reactant liquid can flow from the liquid reservoir to the reaction area, and an internal pump disposed within the cartridge housing that can be operated by the external pump and is configured to transport the reactant liquid through the liquid flow path.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of generating hydrogen, the method comprising the steps of:
 pumping a first fluid with a first pump;   operating a second pump with the first fluid being pumped, the second pump being disposed within a replaceable cartridge;   urging a flow of a reactant liquid from the replaceable cartridge to a reaction area in response to operation of the second pump; and   generating the hydrogen in response to the flow of the reactant liquid entering the reaction area.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 conveying the first fluid from the first pump to the second pump via a line from the first pump disposed outside the replaceable cartridge to the second pump disposed inside the replaceable cartridge.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 acidifying the reactant liquid.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 operating the second pump from within a liquid reservoir configured to store the reactant liquid.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 pumping the first fluid reciprocally with the first pump to urge a diaphragm in the second pump to pump the reactant liquid.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 mixing a portion of the first fluid with the reactant liquid to dilute the reactant liquid prior to entering the reaction area.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 removably attaching the replaceable cartridge to a hydrogen generator system.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is air and the step of operating the second pump further comprising the step of:
 drawing air from the environment to operate the second pump.   
     
     
         9 . A hydrogen generator system comprising:
 a hydrogen generator device having:
 a first pump configured to pump a first fluid; and 
   a replaceable cartridge that is removably attached to the hydrogen generator device, the cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge housing; 
 a liquid reservoir disposed within the cartridge housing and configured to contain a reactant liquid comprising a reactant; 
 a reaction area disposed within the cartridge housing and within which the reactant liquid reacts to produce hydrogen gas; and 
 a second pump disposed within the cartridge housing and configured to urge the reactant liquid from the liquid reservoir to the reactant area, the second pump being operated by the first fluid. 
   
     
     
         10 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a line to convey the first fluid from the first pump to the second pump.   
     
     
         11 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a fuel cell configured to receive the hydrogen and convert the hydrogen to electricity in the presence of a supply of oxygen.   
     
     
         12 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first fluid is air. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first fluid is water. 
     
     
         14 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 13 , wherein a portion of the first fluid is mixed with the reactant liquid to dilute the reactant liquid prior to entering the reaction area. 
     
     
         15 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the reactant liquid comprises water and a solute in the water. 
     
     
         16 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the reactant liquid is acidic. 
     
     
         17 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the reactant liquid is basic. 
     
     
         18 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the internal pump is a reciprocating pump and the external pump is a reversible pump. 
     
     
         19 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 18 , wherein the reciprocating pump is a diaphragm pump comprising a flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         20 . The hydrogen generator system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second pump includes an inlet through which the reactant liquid in the liquid reservoir can enter and an outlet through which pumped reactant liquid can enter a liquid flow path to the reaction area.