Hydrogen production system and methods of using same
AssigneeClean Wave Energy Corp
InventorGavin Macrae
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to hydrogen production systems and methods of using same. The systems support a hydrogen production reaction that comprises aluminum and a catalyst or wool and van produce hydrogen on-demand. The hydrogen and the heat produced by the systems can be used for many applications, including to power vehicles, heat homes, or power electricity-producing power plants.
Claims15
A hydrogen production system for producing hydrogen on-demand or for storage, wherein the hydrogen is produced from water, said system comprising:
- a vessel for holding a mixture, said mixture comprising a homogeneous blend of aluminum and a wool medium,
- an electrically powered heat source for exposing the mixture to heat, said electrically powered heat source disposed within the vessel,
- a water source disposed within the vessel including a nozzle disposed within the vessel and positioned to eject water onto the electrically powered heat source,
- an outlet for the hydrogen produced by a reaction between the water and the aluminum,
- an outlet fluid line coupled to the outlet and through which the hydrogen produced by the reaction passes from the vessel,
- a temperature probe disposed at least partially in the vessel in thermal proximity to the mixture, the temperature probe configured to detect a temperature of the mixture,
- a flow meter in fluid communication with the outlet fluid line, the flow meter configured to measure and control a flow rate of the hydrogen produced by the reaction between the water and the aluminum through the outlet fluid line,
- a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the outlet via the outlet fluid line, the pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure of the hydrogen produced by the reaction between the water and the aluminum through the outlet fluid line, and
- at least one controller operatively connected to the temperature probe, the electrically powered heat source, the flow meter and the pressure transducer, the at least one controller configured to monitor the detected temperature, the measured flow rate and the measured pressure,
- wherein the at least one controller is configured to adjust one or more of the temperature, the flow rate and the pressure based on at least one of the detected temperature, the measured flow rate and the measured pressure, and
- wherein the homogeneous mixture of aluminum and wool medium is packed into and fills in a volume within the vessel containing the electrically powered heat source and the water source and the nozzle.
A method of using a hydrogen production system for producing hydrogen on-demand or for storage, wherein the hydrogen is produced from water, said system comprising a vessel for holding a mixture, said mixture comprising a homogenous blend of aluminum and a wool medium, an electrically powered heat source for exposing the mixture to heat, the electrically powered heat source disposed within the vessel, a water source disposed within the vessel, said water source including a nozzle disposed within the vessel and positioned to eject water onto the electrically powered heat source, and an outlet for the hydrogen produced by a reaction between the water and the aluminum, an outlet fluid line coupled to the outlet and through which the hydrogen produced by the reaction passes from the vessel, a temperature probe disposed at least partially in the vessel in thermal proximity to the mixture, the temperature probe configured to detect a temperature of the mixture, a flow meter in fluid communication with the outlet fluid line, the flow meter configured to measure and control a flow rate of the hydrogen produced by the reaction between the water and the aluminum through the outlet fluid line, a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the outlet via the outlet fluid line, the pressure transducer configured to measure a pressure of the hydrogen produced by the reaction between the water and the aluminum through the outlet fluid line, and at least one controller operatively connected to the temperature probe, the electrically powered heat source, the flow meter and the pressure transducer, the at least one controller configured to monitor the detected temperature, the measured flow rate and the measured pressure, wherein the at least one controller is configured to adjust one or more of the temperature, the flow rate and the pressure based on at least one of the detected temperature, the measured flow rate and the measured pressure, comprising the steps of
- packing the mixture into the vessel such that the mixture fills in a volume within the vessel containing the electrically powered heat source and the water source and nozzle and can receive heat from the electrically powered heat source,
- activating the electrically powered heat source until the electrically powered heat source reaches a predetermined temperature,
- via the water source, introducing water to the vessel and directing the water via the nozzle onto the electrically powered heat source disposed within the vessel,
- allowing the reaction to proceed until a desired amount of hydrogen is obtained,
- producing an oxidized aluminum product as the hydrogen production proceeds, and
- retrieving the oxidized aluminum product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.