Separator plates, ion pumps, and hydrogen fuel infrastructure systems and methods for generating hydrogen

An anode separator plate for use in an ion pump having a low-pressure input gas stream and a high-pressure output gas stream, said anode separator plate comprising:

• a planar member comprising:
• an anode inlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a low-pressure input gas stream manifold;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said anode inlet opening;
• a cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a high-pressure cathode output gas stream manifold;
• and
• said anode inlet opening comprising a first size, said cathode outlet opening comprising a second size, and wherein said first size being larger than said second size.

An anode separator plate for use in an ion pump having a low-pressure input gas stream and a high-pressure output gas stream, said anode separator plate comprising:

• a planar member comprising:
• an anode inlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a low-pressure input gas stream manifold;
• an anode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of an outlet for discharging the input gas stream;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said anode inlet opening and at an opposite end to said anode outlet opening;
• a single cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a high-pressure cathode output gas stream manifold;
• said anode inlet opening and said anode outlet opening comprising a first size, said cathode outlet opening comprising a second size, and wherein said first size being larger than said second size;
• said anode inlet opening and said anode outlet opening disposed a first distance from an edge of said planar member, said cathode outlet opening disposed a second distance from an edge of said planar member, and wherein said first distance is less than said second distance;
• said cathode outlet being disposed on a first side of said planar member and said anode inlet opening and anode outlet opening being disposed a side different from said first side of said planar member;
• and
• a plurality of tie bolt openings extending through said planar member.

A cathode separator plate for use in an ion pump, said cathode separator plate comprising:

• a planar member comprising:
• a single cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a cathode output gas stream manifold;
• and
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said cathode outlet opening.

A cathode separator plate for use in an ion pump having a low-pressure input gas stream and a high-pressure output gas stream, said cathode separator plate comprising:

• a planar member comprising:
• a cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a high-pressure cathode output gas stream manifold;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said cathode outlet opening;
• an anode inlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a low-pressure input gas stream manifold;
• and
• said anode inlet opening comprising a first size, said cathode outlet opening comprising a second size, and wherein said first size is larger than said second size.

A cathode separator plate for use in an ion pump having a low-pressure input gas stream and a high-pressure output gas stream, said cathode separator plate comprising:

• a planar member comprising:
• an anode inlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a low-pressure input stream gas manifold;
• an anode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of an outlet for discharging the input gas stream;
• a single cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a high-pressure cathode output gas stream manifold;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said cathode outlet opening;
• said anode inlet opening and said anode outlet opening comprising a first size, said cathode outlet opening comprising a second size, and wherein said first size is larger than said second size;
• said anode inlet opening and said anode outlet opening disposed a first distance from an edge of said planar member, said cathode outlet opening disposed a second distance from an edge of said planar member, and wherein said first distance is less than said second distance;
• said cathode outlet being disposed on a first side of said planar member and said anode inlet opening and anode outlet opening being disposed a side different from said first side of said planar member;
• and
• a plurality of tie bolt openings extending through said planar member.

A pair of separator plates for use in an ion pump, said pair of separator plates comprising:

• an anode separator plate comprising:
• a planar member having an anode inlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of an input gas stream manifold;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said anode inlet opening;
• and
• a cathode separator plate comprising:
• a planar member having a cathode outlet opening extending through said planar member forming a portion of a cathode output gas stream manifold;
• at least one fluid flow channel disposed on a first surface of said planar member and connectable at one end to said cathode outlet opening;
• and
• wherein said at least one fluid flow channel of said anode separator plate comprises a first distance between adjacent lands, said at least one fluid flow channel of said cathode separator plate comprises a second distance between adjacent lands, and wherein said first distance is less than said second distance.

A method for forming an anode separator plate, the method comprising:

• providing a planar member;
• forming an anode inlet opening extending through the planar member and having a first size to form a portion of an input stream gas manifold;
• forming at least one fluid flow channel on a first surface of the planar member and connectable at one end to the anode inlet opening;
• forming a cathode outlet opening extending through the planar member and having a second size to form a portion of a cathode output manifold;
• and
• wherein the first size is larger than the second size.

A method for forming an anode separator plate, the method comprising:

• providing a planar member;
• forming an anode inlet opening extending through the planar member and having a first size to form a portion of an input stream gas manifold;
• forming an anode outlet opening extending through the planar member having a second size to form a portion of an outlet for discharging the input gas stream;
• forming at least one fluid flow channel on a first surface of the planar member and connectable at one end to the anode inlet opening and at an opposite end to the anode outlet opening;
• forming a cathode outlet opening extending through the planar member and having a third size to form a portion of a cathode output manifold, the third size is less than at least one of the first size and the second size;
• the forming the anode inlet opening comprising forming the anode inlet opening a first distance from an edge of the planar member, the forming the cathode outlet opening comprises forming the cathode outlet opening a second distance from an edge of the planar member, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance;
• positioning the cathode outlet adjacent to a first side of the planar member and positioning the anode inlet adjacent to a side different than the first side;
• and
• forming a plurality of tie bolt openings extending through the planar member.

A method for forming a cathode separator plate, the method comprising:

• providing a planar member;
• forming an anode inlet opening extending through the planar member and having a first size to form a portion of an input stream gas manifold;
• forming a cathode outlet opening extending through the planar member and having a second size to form a portion of a cathode output manifold;
• forming at least one fluid flow channel on a first surface of the planar member and connectable at one end to the cathode outlet opening;
• and
• wherein the first size is larger than the second size.

A method for forming a cathode separator plate, the method comprising:

• providing a planar member;
• forming an anode inlet opening extending through the planar member and having a first size to form a portion of an input stream gas manifold;
• forming an anode outlet opening extending through the planar member having a second size to form a portion of an outlet for discharging the input gas stream;
• forming a cathode outlet opening extending through the planar member and having a third size to form a portion of a cathode output manifold, the third size is less than at least one of the first size and the second size;
• forming at least one fluid flow channel on a first surface of the planar member and connectable at one end to the cathode outlet opening;
• the forming the anode inlet opening comprising forming the anode inlet opening a first distance from an edge of the planar member, the forming the cathode outlet opening comprises forming the cathode outlet opening a second distance from an edge of the planar member, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance;
• positioning the cathode outlet adjacent to a first side of the planar member and positioning the anode inlet adjacent to a side different than the first side;
• and
• forming a plurality of tie bolt openings extending through the planar member.