System and method for storing and discharging hydrogen
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorWit Cezary Bushko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydrogen fuel system comprises an open gas circuit that includes a source of hydrogen. The hydrogen fuel system also includes a compressor that forces a flow of hydrogen from the source of hydrogen through the open gas circuit, and a hydrogen storage vessel comprising an inlet and an outlet. The hydrogen fuel system may also include a hydrogen storage bed being disposed within the hydrogen storage vessel between the inlet and the outlet, the hydrogen storage vessel being adapted to form a portion of the open gas circuit so that the hydrogen storage bed is cooled by convection while hydrogen flows through the open gas circuit.
Claims45
A hydrogen fuel system, comprising:
- an open gas circuit that includes a source of hydrogen;
- a compressor that forces a flow of hydrogen from the source of hydrogen through the open gas circuit;
- and
- a hydrogen storage vessel comprising an inlet and an outlet, a hydrogen storage bed being disposed within the hydrogen storage vessel between the inlet and the outlet, the hydrogen storage vessel being adapted to form a portion of the open gas circuit so that the hydrogen storage bed is cooled by convection while hydrogen flows through the open gas circuit.
A hydrogen storage vessel adapted for use in a hydrogen fuel system, the hydrogen storage vessel comprising:
- an inlet disposed to allow hydrogen to flow into the hydrogen storage vessel;
- an outlet disposed to allow hydrogen to flow out of the hydrogen storage vessel;
- and
- a hydrogen storage bed being disposed within the hydrogen storage vessel between the inlet and the outlet, the hydrogen storage vessel being adapted to form a portion of an open gas circuit so that the hydrogen storage bed is cooled by convection by a flow of hydrogen through the open gas circuit;
- wherein the hydrogen storage bed comprises a hydrogen storage metal alloy that comprises a hydride selected from the group comprising of AB,AB2, AB5, A2B and Mx(AlH3)yHz and AlH3, or a combination of the above where A, B, and M are metals and the value of x lies between 1 and 3, the value of y lies between 1 and 2 and the value of z lies between the value of x and twice the value of x.
A method of operating a hydrogen fuel system, the method comprising:
- providing a flow of hydrogen through an open gas circuit that comprises a hydrogen storage vessel;
- and
- convectively cooling a hydrogen storage bed using the flow of hydrogen;
- wherein the hydrogen storage bed comprises a hydrogen storage metal alloy that comprises a hydride selected from the group comprising of AB,AB2, AB5,A2B and Mx(AlH3)yHz and AlH3, or a combination of the above where A, B, and M are metals and the value of x lies between 1 and 3, the value of y lies between 1 and 2 and the value of z lies between the value of x and twice the value of x.
A method of operating a power conversion unit, comprising:
- heating a hydrogen storage bed to cause desorption of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage bed;
- causing hydrogen from the hydrogen storage bed to flow through an open gas circuit to convectively warm the hydrogen storage bed;
- and
- providing hydrogen from the hydrogen storage bed as fuel to the power conversion unit, wherein the hydrogen storage bed comprises
- a hydrogen storage vessel having an inlet and an outlet, the hydrogen storage vessel being adapted to form a portion of the open gas circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.