Method of operating a fuel cell wherein hydrogen is generated by providing iron in situ
AssigneeH Power Corporation
InventorJohn Werth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved system for generating hydrogen fuel for use in an energy-producing device such as a fuel cell or heat engine is disclosed. The hydrogen is produced at a faster rate by reacting particles of an activated iron reactant with heated water in a fluidized bed-type reactor. The reaction results in an increased rate of hydrogen production along with spent metal oxide particles which are easily and cheaply regenerable.
Claims10
A method of operating a hydrogen-air fuel cell that is fed by the in situ generation of hydrogen, which hydrogen is generated by passing H.sub.2 O into contact with ground or crushed iron, said iron being ground or crushed in situ to enhance its activity and used in a reaction with said H.sub.2 O within an operative cycle after grinding or crushing, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a fluidized bed of iron, said iron being initially in a pellet form prior to grinding or crushing in order to supply iron particles for said fluidized bed, and a source of H.sub.2 O in combination with a hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (b) generating hydrogen for said hydrogen-air fuel cell by reacting said iron with said H.sub.2 O at an approximate maximum temperature of about 450.degree. C.;
- (c) grinding or crushing said iron to produce active iron particles, whose reactivity is enhanced to generate hydrogen in step (b) at a rate of approximately at least two percent per minute (2%/min.) at said approximate maximum temperature of about 450.degree. C., said grinding or crushing being accomplished in situ within an operative cycle of said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (d) supplying said hydrogen generated in step (b) to said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (e) generating H.sub.2 O and electricity in said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- and
- (f) using at least some of the H.sub.2 O generated in step (e) to resupply H.sub.2 O for the generation of hydrogen in step (b).
A method of operating a hydrogen-air fuel cell that is fed by the in situ generation of hydrogen, which hydrogen is generated by passing H.sub.2 O into contact with ground or crushed iron, said iron being ground or crushed in situ to enhance its activity and used in a reaction with said H.sub.2 O within an operative cycle after grinding or crushing, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing iron as a fluidized bed of iron particles, and a source of H.sub.2 O in combination with a hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (b) generating hydrogen for said hydrogen-air fuel cell by reacting said iron with said H.sub.2 O at an approximate maximum temperature of about 450.degree. C.;
- (c) grinding or crushing said iron to produce active iron particles, whose reactivity is enhanced to generate hydrogen in step (b) at a rate of approximately at least two percent per minute (2%/min.) at said approximate maximum temperature of about 450.degree. C., said grinding or crushing being accomplished in situ within an operative cycle of said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (d) supplying said hydrogen generated in step (b) to said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- (e) generating H.sub.2 O and electricity in said hydrogen-air fuel cell;
- and
- (f) using at least some of the H.sub.2 O generated in step (e) to resupply H.sub.2 O for the generation of hydrogen in step (b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.