Hydrogen generating apparatus
AssigneeEveready Battery Company, Inc.
InventorsJason Ord, Justin Roman, Alan Shibata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrogen generating apparatus includes a chemical reaction chamber, a chemical solution reservoir, and an unpowered pressure producing member for moving a chemical solution from the chemical solution reservoir to the chemical reaction chamber.
Claims51
A hydrogen generating apparatus comprising:
- a chemical reaction chamber;
- a chemical solution reservoir;
- and
- a spring-bag for providing pressure to move a chemical solution from said chemical solution reservoir to said chemical reaction chamber where hydrogen is produced from said chemical solution.
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A method of generating hydrogen comprising applying a biasing force with a flexible spring-bag containing a fuel solution to move said fuel solution from said flexible spring-bag to a reaction chamber.
A method of controlling hydrogen generation comprising:
- measuring a fuel cell characteristic;
- determining whether said fuel cell characteristic is within predetermined parameters;
- and
- changing one or more of an opening frequency, an opening pulse width, and an aperture size of a micro-valve in response to said fuel cell characteristic.
A method of controlling hydrogen generation comprising:
- measuring a fuel cell stack voltage;
- determining whether said fuel cell stack voltage is below a predetermined threshold;
- and
- changing an opening frequency of a micro-valve supplying a hydrogen-bearing solution to a reaction chamber in response to said fuel cell stack voltage.
A fuel cell cartridge comprising:
- a chemical reaction chamber;
- a chemical solution reservoir;
- and
- an unpowered pressure producing member for moving a chemical solution from said chemical solution reservoir to said chemical reaction chamber.
A hydrogen generating apparatus comprising:
- means for containing a chemical reaction;
- means for containing a chemical solution;
- means for storing mechanical potential energy;
- and means for converting said mechanical potential energy to pressure for moving said chemical solution from said means for containing a chemical solution to said means for containing a chemical reaction.
A fuel cell apparatus comprising:
- an anode;
- a cathode;
- an electrolyte disposed between said anode and said cathode;
- a hydrogen generation source, said hydrogen generation source comprising:
- a chemical reaction chamber;
- a chemical solution reservoir;
- and
- an unpowered pressure producing member for moving a chemical solution from said chemical solution reservoir to said chemical reaction chamber.
A hydrogen generating apparatus comprising:
- a chemical reaction chamber;
- and
- a chemical solution reservoir;
- wherein said chemical solution reservoir comprises a flexible bag that is both flexible and made of a stretchable material that is biased to a particular volume, said flexible bag being inflated with a liquid chemical solution pumped under pressure into said flexible bag, to expand said flexible bag beyond said particular volume, said flexible bag then providing pressure from all directions when so expanded so as to move a chemical solution from said chemical solution reservoir to said chemical reaction chamber where hydrogen is produced from said chemical solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.