US 6,745,801 B1 · Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system

Abstract

Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors; one or more hydrogen precursor conversion means selected from the group consisting of means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen and means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate; one or more delivery means selected from the group consisting of delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen and delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate; and mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, and one or more delivery means. The system may further comprise one or more means selected from the group consisting of means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen; means for containing stored hydrogen; means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen; and storage means for storing a hydrogen-containing intermediate. Mobile support means for mounting the apparatus for these functions may be transported by trucks, tractor-trailers, rail cars, barges, ships, or aircraft.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising

(a) hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;
(b) one or more hydrogen precursor conversion means selected from the group consisting of means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen and means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate;
(c) one or more delivery means selected from the group consisting of delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen and delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate;
and
(d) mobile support means for mounting (a) through (c).

2 more elements

A method for the mobile generation and storage of hydrogen comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;
hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen;
gaseous hydrogen conversion means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;
hydrogen storage means for containing stored hydrogen;
stored hydrogen conversion means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen;
gaseous hydrogen delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen;
and mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, gaseous hydrogen conversion means, hydrogen storage means, stored hydrogen conversion means, and gaseous hydrogen delivery means;
(b) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to a first location and loading one or more hydrogen precursors into respective storage means for storing the one or more hydrogen precursors;
(c) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the first location to a second location while concurrently generating gaseous hydrogen by converting one or more of the hydrogen precursors into gaseous hydrogen and converting the gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;
and
(d) at a second location having a receiving facility, (1) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen, or (2) converting at least a portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen, or (3) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen and converting at least another portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen.

8 more elements

A method for supplying hydrogen to one or more receiving locations comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system comprising hydrogen precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;
hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into gaseous hydrogen;
gaseous hydrogen conversion means for converting gaseous hydrogen into stored hydrogen;
hydrogen storage means for containing stored hydrogen;
stored hydrogen conversion means for converting stored hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen;
gaseous hydrogen delivery means for offloading gaseous hydrogen;
and mobile support means for mounting the hydrogen precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, gaseous hydrogen conversion means, hydrogen storage means, stored hydrogen conversion means, and gaseous hydrogen delivery means;
(b) identifying the one or more receiving locations;
(c) determining one or more hydrogen precursors required to generate hydrogen for the one or more receiving locations;
(d) determining a source location or locations for the one or more hydrogen precursors and moving the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to the source location or locations;
(e) loading and storing the one or more hydrogen precursors in the hydrogen precursor storage means at the source location or locations;
(f) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the source location or locations to the one or more receiving locations while concurrently generating gaseous hydrogen by converting one or more of the hydrogen precursors into gaseous hydrogen and converting the gaseous hydrogen to stored hydrogen;
and
(g) at each of the one or more receiving locations, (1) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen by offloading the hydrogen storage means, or (2) converting at least a portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen, or (3) offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen by offloading the hydrogen storage means and converting at least another portion of the stored hydrogen to gaseous hydrogen and offloading the gaseous hydrogen.

11 more elements

A method for supplying a hydrogen-containing intermediate comprising

(a) providing a mobile hydrogen generation and supply system at a first location, the system comprising precursor storage means for storing one or more hydrogen precursors;
hydrogen precursor conversion means for converting a hydrogen precursor into a hydrogen-containing intermediate;
hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means for storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate;
delivery means for offloading a hydrogen-containing intermediate;
and mobile support means for mounting the precursor storage means, hydrogen precursor conversion means, hydrogen-containing intermediate storage means, and delivery means;
(b) identifying the one or more receiving locations;
(c) determining one or more hydrogen precursors required to generate hydrogen for the one or more receiving locations;
(d) determining a source location or locations for the one or more hydrogen precursors and moving the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system to the source location or locations;
(e) loading and storing the one or more hydrogen precursors in the hydrogen precursor storage means at the source location or locations;
(f) transporting the mobile hydrogen generation and supply system from the source location or locations to the one or more receiving locations while concurrently converting one of the one or more hydrogen precursors into a hydrogen-containing intermediate and storing the hydrogen-containing intermediate;
and
(g) at each of the one or more receiving locations, offloading at least a portion of the stored hydrogen-containing intermediate.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system

Life of this patent

Mobile hydrogen generation and supply system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19