Disclosed herein are multiple embodiments of a hydrogen generator (10) that measures, transports or stores a single dose of a viscous fuel component from first fuel chamber (12) in storage area (38) when the internal hydrogen pressure (44, 44′) of the hydrogen generator is high, and transports this
Disclosed herein are multiple embodiments of a hydrogen generator (10) that measures, transports or stores a single dose of a viscous fuel component from first fuel chamber (12) in storage area (38) when the internal hydrogen pressure (44, 44′) of the hydrogen generator is high, and transports this single dose to a metal hydride fuel component in second fuel chamber (14) when the internal pressure is low, so that the viscous liquid and metal hydride fuel components react together to generate more hydrogen and to restart the cycle. The viscous fuel component can be water or alcohol, such as methanol, in liquid or gel form, and the metal hydride fuel component can be sodium borohydride or other metal hydride that chemically reacts with the viscous fuel to produce hydrogen. The metal hydride fuel component can be in solid or viscous form, e.g., aqueous form.
대표청구항▼
1. A hydrogen generator (10) comprising a first fuel chamber (12) containing a viscous fuel component, a second fuel chamber (14) containing a metal hydride fuel component, and a self-regulating pump, wherein the viscous fuel component reacts with the metal hydride fuel component to produce hydrogen
1. A hydrogen generator (10) comprising a first fuel chamber (12) containing a viscous fuel component, a second fuel chamber (14) containing a metal hydride fuel component, and a self-regulating pump, wherein the viscous fuel component reacts with the metal hydride fuel component to produce hydrogen, wherein the self-regulating pump measures, or stores a single dose of the viscous fuel component in a viscous fluid storage area (38) when an internal hydrogen pressure of the hydrogen generator is higher than a first predetermined pressure, and the self-regulating pump transports said single dose to react with the metal hydride fuel component when said internal pressure is lower than a second predetermined pressure,wherein said single dose has a predetermined volume, andwherein the first predetermined pressure is higher than the second predetermined pressure. 2. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the viscous fuel comprises a liquid or a gel. 3. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the metal hydride fuel comprises a solid metal hydride fuel or an aqueous metal hydride fuel. 4. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the internal hydrogen pressure is the pressure of a hydrogen chamber (44) in fluid communication with the second fuel chamber (14), or the internal hydrogen pressure is the pressure of the second fuel chamber (14). 5. The hydrogen generator of claim 4, wherein the viscous fuel storage area (38) is in communication with the internal hydrogen pressure, so that when the internal hydrogen pressure is higher than the first predetermined pressure the volume of the viscous fuel storage area (38) is increased by an amount substantially the same as the predetermined volume of the single dose. 6. The hydrogen generator of claim 5, wherein the viscous fuel storage area (38) comprises i. a flexible diaphragm (56, 156) that flexes or bows in response to the internal hydrogen pressure,ii. a biased, substantially rigid member (102/104, 270/272) that moves in response to the internal hydrogen pressure,iii. a flexible, enclosed member (108) containing a compressible medium that expands or contracts in response to the internal hydrogen pressure, oriv. a space between two flexible diaphragms (132/134, 46/142) that flex or bow in response to the internal hydrogen pressure. 7. The hydrogen generator of claim 5, wherein the viscous fuel storage area is vented. 8. The hydrogen generator of claim 5, wherein the viscous fuel storage area is sealed. 9. The hydrogen generator of claim 5, wherein the first fuel chamber is connected to the viscous fuel storage area by a first valve (82) that opens when the internal hydrogen pressure is greater than about the first predetermined pressure and closes when the internal hydrogen pressure is lower than about the first predetermined pressure. 10. The hydrogen generator of claim 9, wherein the second fuel chamber is connected to the viscous fuel storage area by a second valve (84, 124) that opens when the internal hydrogen pressure is lower than about the second predetermined pressure and closes when the internal hydrogen pressure is higher than about the second predetermined pressure. 11. The hydrogen generator of claim 9 further comprising a third valve (160) disposed between the first valve (82) and the viscous fuel storage area (38). 12. The hydrogen generator of claim 9 further comprises a movable connector that moves in response to the internal hydrogen pressure to open the first fuel chamber and to store said single dose in the viscous fuel storage area when the internal hydrogen pressure is higher than the first predetermined pressure. 13. The hydrogen generator of claim 5 further comprises a movable connector that moves in response to the internal hydrogen pressure to open the first fuel chamber and to store said single dose in the viscous fuel storage area when the internal hydrogen pressure is higher than the first predetermined pressure. 14. The hydrogen generator of claim 13, wherein the movable connector comprises: a fork (48) that opens and closes both the first and second fuel chamber,a post (78) or a spool (92) connected to the viscous fuel storage area,a piston (78, 92, 144, 152, 270) biased by a spring-like member (86, 142/46, 147, 46b/156a, 272) and exposed to the internal hydrogen pressure, wherein the movement of the piston opens and closes the first (82) and/or second valves (84, 124),a first piston (116a, 140) connected to or adapted to open or close the first valve (82) and a second piston (116b, 141) connected to or adapted to open or close the second valve (84, 124),a first flexible diaphragm (46a, 136) adapted to open the first valve (82) and a second diaphragm (46b, 138) adapted to open the second valve (84, 124), wherein the two diaphragms defined a space (44, 44′) therebetween and said space is in fluid communication with the internal pressure, oran expandable bellow (136) wherein the internal volume (44′) of the bellow is in fluid communication with the internal hydrogen pressure. 15. The hydrogen generator of claim 14, wherein the first (116a, 140) and second (116b, 141) pistons are connected to a first (46a, 136) and second (46b, 138) diaphragm, respectively, which are exposed to the internal hydrogen pressure. 16. The hydrogen generator of claim 14, wherein the second flexible diaphragm (138, 46b) or the expandable bellow (136) is connected to a piston or extended member (141, 146b, 152) that moves to close the second valve (84, 124). 17. The hydrogen generator of claim 13, wherein the connector is biased by a spring or a diaphragm (36, 46, 86, 46a/46b, 120a/120b, 142/46). 18. The hydrogen generator of claim 13, wherein the connector is located within the viscous fuel storage area. 19. The hydrogen generator of claim 13 further comprises a priming device (20, 90, 300, 300/324, 300/334, 301, 302, 304, 312, 314, 334) to start or restart the flow of the viscous fuel component. 20. The hydrogen generator of claim 1 further comprises a starting pressurizer (20) that is added to the first fuel chamber to pressurize the first fuel chamber. 21. The hydrogen generator of claim 20 further wherein the starting pressurizer (20) comprises a metal hydride. 22. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the second fuel chamber (14) comprises a moving injection point (74), so that the single doses of viscous fuel components are deposited at different locations in the second fuel chamber. 23. The hydrogen generator of claim 1 further comprises a priming device (20, 90, 300, 300/324, 300/334, 301, 302, 304, 312, 314, 334) to start or restart the flow of the viscous fuel component. 24. The hydrogen generator of claim 23 further comprising a second viscous fuel storage area (334) wherein the second viscous fuel storage area discharges at least a portion of its storage content when the internal hydrogen pressure is lower than a third predetermined pressure, wherein the third predetermined pressure is lower than the second predetermined pressure. 25. The hydrogen generator of claim 23 wherein the priming device comprises: i. a priming actuator connected to the connector to move the connector to start the flow of the viscous fuel compartment,ii. a manually actuated pump fluidly connected to the first fuel chamber, oriii. an automatic pump (301) fluidly connected to the first fuel chamber. 26. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined pressure is about 0.5 psi to about 5 psi higher than the second predetermined pressure. 27. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined pressure is about 5 psig to about 7 psig. 28. The hydrogen generator of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined pressure is about 0.5 psig to about 2 psig. 29. The hydrogen generator of claim 1 further comprising a pressure regulator (164). 30. A hydrogen generator comprising: (a) a first fuel chamber containing liquid or viscous fuel, wherein the first fuel chamber is connected to a first storage area so liquid or viscous fuel is transportable to the first storage area;(b) a second reaction chamber;(c) a valve disposed between the first storage area and the second reaction chamber, wherein when liquid or viscous fuel flows from the first storage area through the valve into the second reaction chamber, the liquid or viscous fuel component reacts to produce hydrogen in the second reaction chamber; and(d) a pump that pumps a single dose from the first storage area to the second reaction chamber when an internal pressure of the hydrogen generator is lower than a first predeterminded pressure,wherein the single dose of the liquid or viscous fuel is transported from the first storage area through the valve to the second reaction chamber when the internal pressure of the hydrogen generator is lower than the first predeterminded pressure, and wherein when the internal pressure of the hydrogen generator is higher than a second predetermined pressure, the single dose of the liquid or viscous fuel is transported from the first fuel chamber to the first storage area, andwherein the single dose has a predetermined volume and the second predetermined pressure is higher than the first predetermined pressure. 31. The hydrogen generator of claim 30, wherein the internal pressure of the hydrogen generator is an internal pressure of a hydrogen storage area, and the hydrogen storage area is connected to the second reaction chamber so that hydrogen produced in the second reaction chamber flows into the hydrogen storage area. 32. The hydrogen generator of claim 31, wherein the pump is a single dose pump exposed to pressure of the hydrogen storage area, wherein the single dose pump comprises i. a spring chamber;ii. a first diaphragm that forms a wall of the spring chamber,iii. a second diaphragm that flexes or bows in order to store the single dose of the liquid or viscous fuel and that pumps the single dose to the second fuel chamber when the second diaphragm returns to a relaxed state; andiv. a post that connects the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm together so the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm move together. 33. The hydrogen generator of claim 30, wherein the pump comprises a diaphragm that flexes or bows in order to store the single dose of the liquid or viscous fuel and that pumps the single dose to the second reaction chamber when the diaphragm returns to a relaxed state. 34. The hydrogen generator of claim 30, wherein the pump comprises a spring-biased fork or a spring-biased piston that is moveable against a spring to store the single dose of liquid or viscous fuel and that pumps the single dose to the second reaction chamber when the spring returns to a relaxed state. 35. The hydrogen generator of claim 30, wherein the pump comprises a sealed end that contains an expandable member, wherein the expandable member is compressible in order to store the single dose of liquid or viscous fuel in the sealed end, and when the expandable member returns to a relaxed state, the expandable member pumps the single dose to the second reaction chamber.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Hayes William F. (Ottawa CA) Tanney John W. (Ottawa CA) Tucker Helen G. (Orleans CA), Apparatus for regulating the flow rate of a fluid.
Hockaday, Robert G.; Turner, Patrick S.; DeJohn, Marc D.; Navas, Carlos J.; Vaz, Heathcliff L.; Vazul, L. Luke, Portable chemical hydrogen hydride system.
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