Apparatus for and method of producing hydrogen using microwaves
OwnerWei-Hsin Cheninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for producing hydrogen by microwave includes a microwave heater, a reaction tube comprising a catalyst bed, a cap, an output unit and a microwave control box. A method of producing hydrogen using microwaves has steps of feeding gas and liquid, vaporizing the liquid to from a mixed gas and heating the mixed gas. A liquid and a gas are selected at predetermined ratios to form the mixed gas that reacts on the catalyst bed to from hydrogen. Microwaves allow the apparatus to be ready for production quicker and reduce space required by the apparatus. Heating the liquid and gas using microwaves is fast so has a good energy efficiency.
Claims19
An apparatus for producing hydrogen by microwave comprising:
- a microwave heater comprising
- a housing being metal;
- a heating chamber being defined in the housing;
- and
- a magnetron being mounted in the housing to produce and guide microwaves towards the heating chamber;
- a reaction tube being mounted in the heating chamber of the microwave heater and having
- a tube body having a top end and a bottom end;
- a supporting layer being mounted in the tube body;
- a catalyst bed being mounted in the tube body on the supporting layer;
- and
- a thermal storage layer being mounted in the tube body on the catalyst bed;
- a cap being mounted in the microwave heater and comprising
- a connecting member having a gas inlet, a liquid inlet and a sensor mount which all communicate with the top end of the tube body of the reaction tube;
- an output unit comprising
- a mounting member being mounted on the housing of the microwave heater;
- and
- an outlet tube extending through the mounting member and communicating with the bottom end of the tube body of the reaction tube;
- and
- a microwave control box being connected electrically to the microwave heater and having
- a thermal sensor being mounted through the sensor mount and into the catalyst bed;
- a temperature setting unit;
- and
- a power controller being connected electrically to the thermal sensor, the temperature setting unit and the magnetron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.