Powder metal hydride hydrogen generator

A method of generating hydrogen for use in a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

• providing a source of dry metal hydride fuel;
• providing a source of steam;
• providing a mixing chamber operably connected to the source of dry metal hydride fuel and the source of steam;
• transporting dry metal hydride fuel and steam into the mixing chamber to initiate a hydrogen-producing reaction;
• removing a dry metal powder byproduct from the mixing chamber;
• and
• removing hydrogen from the mixing chamber.

A method of generating hydrogen for use in a fuel cell, comprising the steps of:

• providing a source of dry metal hydride fuel;
• providing a source of steam;
• providing a screw drive transporter connected at a first end to the source of dry metal hydride fuel and at a second end to the source of steam;
• operating the screw drive to transport the dry metal hydride fuel from the first end to the second end, and feeding steam at the second end to pass through the metal hydride fuel toward the first end, such that the steam reacts with the dry metal hydride fuel to produce hydrogen gas and a dry metal powder byproduct;
• removing the dry metal powder byproduct at the second end of the screw drive;
• and
• extracting the hydrogen gas at the first end of the screw drive.