Long term, low cost renewably-generated hydrogen storage device and system for farmhouse heating and crop drying
OwnerPhilip Streichinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Novel means for the inexpensive long-term storage on farms of hydrogen produced from wind power or solar energy is provided. The means allow hydrogen stored at near-ambient temperature and pressure to heat farm buildings and crop dryers many months after the hydrogen has been produced, at projected initial cost savings of 92% to 96% of the initial cost of present state of the art storage means. The novel means include inflatable and deflatable balloons protected by shields which, because they are not subjected to the stresses and loads of pressurized gas or liquid heads and because they rest on relatively cheap rural lands, are lightweight and cost-effective despite their bulk.
Claims25
A method for storing and releasing hydrogen gas at near-ambient temperature and pressure comprising:
- a) providing a plurality of large inflatable and deflatable balloons whose skin is nearly impermeable to hydrogen;
- b) gradually inflating each balloon with near-ambient temperature and pressure hydrogen gas produced by a renewable source of energy during months when little heat is needed from the combustion of said hydrogen;
- c) gradually deflating each balloon by emptying its near-ambient temperature and pressure hydrogen gas during months when heat obtainable by burning said hydrogen is needed;
- d) protecting the balloons in a space shielded against external causes of rupture;
- e) piping said hydrogen gas from its point of generation to the storage balloons and to a hydrogen-burning heat source;
- f) piping said hydrogen gas directly from said storage balloons to said hydrogen-burning heat source;
- g) providing a sensor to measure the concentration of oxygen in said stored hydrogen;
- h) providing a sensor to measure the concentration of hydrogen in the air within the shielded spaces surrounding the balloons;
- i) providing means for rapidly emptying the balloons to the outside atmosphere if the sensed concentration of oxygen in the hydrogen ever approaches the hydrogen flammability threshold;
- and
- j) providing means for rapidly emptying the balloons to the outside atmosphere if the sensed concentration of hydrogen in the air spaces within the protected spaces enclosing the balloons ever approaches the flammability threshold.
A storage device for providing gaseous hydrogen to hydrogen-burning heat sources, the storage device comprising:
- a) an inflatable and deflatable balloon whose skin is nearly impermeable to hydrogen and having at least one gas-conveying opening;
- b) a volume of gaseous hydrogen stored within said balloon at near-ambient temperature and pressure;
- c) a rigid shield for protecting said balloon against rupture;
- and
- d) means of piping hydrogen gas to and from the balloon.
A system for generating, storing, releasing, and burning hydrogen gas, comprising:
- a) a source of electricity powered by a renewable form of energy;
- b) a switch means, including control means, connecting the electrical output of said source of electricity to an electrolyzer;
- c) an electrolyzer adapted to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis;
- d) a device for storing hydrogen gas at near-ambient temperature and pressure during any one season and releasing it in a subsequent season;
- e) means to generate heat by burning said stored hydrogen gas;
- f) means of transferring hydrogen gas from said electrolyzer to said hydrogen gas storing device and to said hydrogen-burning heat-generating means;
- and
- g) means of transferring heat from said heat-generating means to a heat-consuming structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.