Fuel cell using an aqueous hydrogen-generating process
AssigneeH Power Corporation
InventorJohn Werth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved fuel cell system that utilizes hydrogen and air. The hydrogen of the fuel cell is derived from a hydrogen-generating process wherein H.sub.2 O is passed over a bed of iron material. The hydrogen generating process uses a catalyst, or freshly-ground iron material, or both, and generates the hydrogen for the fuel cell in situ at lower-than-normal temperatures when the H.sub.2 O reacts with the iron material. The fuel cell can be used to power a stationary system or a land vehicle, such as an automobile. The bed of iron material can be replenished periodically or continuously.
Claims6
A method of powering a fuel cell for a power generating system, using an H.sub.2 O--iron reaction for the generation of hydrogen in situ, comprising the steps of:
- a) operating a fuel cell in situ by fueling said power generating system with iron material;
- b) reacting the iron material of step (a) with H.sub.2 O in an iron--H.sub.2 O reaction to generate hydrogen in situ;
- c) consuming in situ hydrogen of step (b) as it is generated in situ, in order to power said power generating system;
- and
- d) powering said power generating system as said generated hydrogen is consumed in accordance with step (c), at a conversion rate exceeding 2 percent per minute conversion of iron to iron oxide.
An improved H.sub.2 O--iron reaction method in the generation of hydrogen in situ for a power generating system, comprising the steps of:
- a) fueling a power generating system with iron material in order to generate hydrogen in an H.sub.2 O--and--iron reaction, said H.sub.2 O--and--iron reaction taking place in situ;
- b) consuming said hydrogen generated in the H.sub.2 O--iron reaction of step (a) substantially as it is being generated, in order to provide safe operation of said power generating system;
- and
- c) utilizing the consumed hydrogen of step (b), in order to power said power generating system.
An improved H.sub.2 O--iron reaction method in the generation of hydrogen in situ in a system, comprising the steps of:
- a) fueling a system with iron material in order to generate hydrogen in an H.sub.2 O--and--iron reaction, said H.sub.2 O--and--iron reaction taking place in situ;
- b) generating said hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, so as to enhance the reactivity of the H.sub.2 O--iron reaction;
- and
- c) consuming the generated hydrogen of step (b) substantially as it is being generated, in order to power said system.
An improved H.sub.2 O--iron reaction method, comprising reacting H.sub.2 O and iron material to form hydrogen in situ within a system, comprising the steps of:
- a) fueling a system with a charge of iron material;
- b) reacting said iron material in an H.sub.2 0--and--iron reaction in situ, in order to produce hydrogen in sufficient quantity to power said system;
- and
- c) consuming said hydrogen substantially as it is being produced, in order to power said system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.