Hydrogen capture canister

A method of capturing and residual hydrogen in a hydrogen supply line of an internal combustion engine and, in a parallel configuration with the hydrogen supply line, metering the captured hydrogen back into the internal combustion engine with a hydrogen management system comprising an input valve, a hydrogen capture cannister, a pressure sensor, a pressure relief valve, an output valve, and a controller, said method comprising the steps of:

• fluidly connecting the hydrogen supply line and the hydrogen capture cannister when the internal combustion engine is shut off;
• transferring hydrogen from the hydrogen supply line to the hydrogen capture cannister;
• storing the hydrogen in the hydrogen capture cannister;
• and
• metering the hydrogen into the internal combustion engine via port fuel injection when the internal combustion engine is running;
• wherein the controller is in electronic communication with the pressure sensor, the output valve, and an engine control unit, and is configured to provide metering instructions to the output valve based on electronic communications with the engine control unit and the pressure sensor.

A hydrogen management system for capturing residual hydrogen in a hydrogen supply line of a hydrogen utilizing apparatus and, in a parallel configuration with the hydrogen supply line, metering the captured hydrogen back into the hydrogen utilizing apparatus, the hydrogen management system comprising:

• a hydrogen capture cannister defining a chamber;
• a pressure sensor for measuring pressure within the chamber of the hydrogen capture cannister;
• an input valve in fluidic communication with the hydrogen supply line and the chamber of the hydrogen capture cannister, the input valve configured to transfer residual hydrogen from the hydrogen supply line to the chamber of the hydrogen capture cannister;
• an output valve in fluidic communication with the chamber of the hydrogen capture cannister and the hydrogen utilizing apparatus, the output valve configured to meter captured hydrogen into the hydrogen utilizing apparatus in accordance with metering instructions;
• and
• a controller in electronic communication with the input valve, the pressure sensor, and the output valve, wherein the controller is configured to provide metering instructions to the output valve.