Hydrogen fuel delivery systems
AssigneeAngstrom Power Incorporated
InventorsGerard F McLean, Joerg Zimmermann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for providing hydrogen to a hydrogen-powered device comprises providing a buffer connected to supply hydrogen to the device. The buffer is filled with hydrogen by coupling the buffer to a cartridge containing a predetermined quantity of hydrogen. The hydrogen in the cartridge may be stored in a form having a higher energy density than the hydrogen in the buffer. Systems comprising hydrogen-powered devices that include such buffers are also described.
Claims37
A method of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen consuming device, comprising:
- providing a buffer operable to supply hydrogen to the device, wherein the buffer is configured to reversibly store a first amount of hydrogen;
- providing a cartridge including a hydrogen precursor sufficient to generate a second amount of hydrogen that is less than or approximately equal to the first amount of hydrogen;
- initiating the generation of hydrogen from the hydrogen precursor by fluidly coupling the buffer to the cartridge;
- and
- communicating the generated hydrogen from the buffer to the device.
A method of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen-consuming device, comprising:
- providing a buffer fluidly coupled to the device;
- providing a cartridge having a hydrogen precursor and configured to fluidly couple to the buffer;
- fluidly coupling the buffer to the cartridge to transfer hydrogen between the cartridge and the buffer and to initiate the generation of hydrogen from the hydrogen precursor;
- and
- communicating the generated hydrogen from the buffer to the device at a rate that approximately equals a hydrogen consumption requirement of the device.
A method of supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen-consuming device, comprising:
- providing a buffer configured to fluidly couple to the device;
- providing a cartridge including a predetermined amount of at least one reactant;
- coupling the buffer to the cartridge to initiate the generation of hydrogen from the predetermined amount of at least one reactant and placing the buffer and cartridge in fluid communication;
- allowing hydrogen generated by the predetermined amount of at least one reactant to flow from the cartridge into the buffer without restriction;
- and
- allowing hydrogen to flow from the buffer to the device, wherein the buffer includes at least one of a pressure relief valve and a one-way valve for preventing overpressure conditions in the buffer and wherein the rate of supply of hydrogen to the device is approximately equivalent to a rate of hydrogen consumption by the device.
A method, comprising:
- providing a hydrogen precursor operable to generate gaseous hydrogen upon initiation of the precursor;
- and
- sealably containing the hydrogen precursor so that the gaseous hydrogen generated by the hydrogen precursor is deliverable to a hydrogen gas consumer, wherein initiation of the hydrogen precursor is responsive to fluidly coupling the sealably contained hydrogen precursor to the hydrogen gas consumer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.