Patent Application

App. No. 11/743,688

Abstract

Claims (52)

1 . A hydrogen storage system for storing hydrogen under pressure, the system comprising:

a conformable high-pressure hydrogen, storage vessel; and

a plurality of microspheres disposed with the conformable high-pressure hydrogen vessel, the microspheres being generally uniform in diameter and size, generally porous, and hollow, and the plurality of microspheres selectively storing and releasing high-pressure hydrogen disposed therein.

2 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a liquefied, viscous material wherein the liquefied, viscous material has a lower melting point than the plurality of microspheres and is mixed with the plurality of microspheres; and

wherein the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres is uniformly solidified to form a desired and predetermined shape.

3 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 wherein the liquefied, viscous material is a porous network.

4 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 wherein the liquefied, viscous material is a metal.

5 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a mold, the mold being larger in capacity that the mixture of the porous network and the plurality of microspheres, and the mold being in the predetermined, desired shape of a vehicle fuel tank;

wherein the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres is poured, into the mold; and

wherein the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres is uniformly solidified to form a conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel in the shape of a vehicle fuel tank.

6 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a coating, the coating being comprised of a hydrogen-resistant material, and the coating having a lower melting point than the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres, and the coating having material characteristics sufficient to bond to the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres once it has uniformly solidified.

7 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microspheres further comprise;

a net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material, the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material being resistant to hydrogen permeation, and the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material being insertable into a hollow portion of one or more individual microspheres of the plurality of microspheres;

wherein the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material is encapsulated within one or more individual microsphere of the plurality of microspheres; and

wherein an overall volumetric hydrogen storage density of the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel is increased.

8 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 7 , wherein the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material is a metal hydride.

9 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 7 , wherein the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material is an adsorbent material.

10 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a heat exchange system, the heat exchange system providing a heat input into the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel to release hydrogen from the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material.

11 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 10 , wherein the heat exchange system further provides cooling to the hydrogen storage system when the hydrogen storage system is being filled with hydrogen.

12 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the hydrogen powered, vehicle having a radiator, and the heat exchange system comprising the radiator and hydrogen engine; and

wherein the hydrogen engine provides the heat input into the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel to release hydrogen from the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material.

13 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hydrogen fill line, the hydrogen fill line being disposed about conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel and providing a hydrogen fill input path to the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel.

14 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of hydrogen fill lines, the plurality of hydrogen fill lines being disposed about conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel in a plurality of locations, and the plurality of hydrogen fill lines providing a plurality of hydrogen fill input paths to the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel.

15 . The hydrogen storage system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the hydrogen-powered vehicle being powered by hydrogen stored within an on-board conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel.

16 . A hydrogen storage method, for storing hydrogen under pressure, the method comprising:

utilizing a plurality of microspheres, the microspheres being generally uniform in diameter and size, generally porous, and hollow;

utilizing a liquefied, viscous material, wherein the liquefied, viscous material has a lower melting point than the plurality of microspheres;

mixing the plurality of microspheres within the liquefied, viscous material; and

utilizing a mold, the mold being larger in capacity than the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres, and the mold being in a predetermined, desired shape;

pouring the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres into the mold; and

uniformly cooling the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres forming a desired and predetermined shape comprising a conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel.

17 . The hydrogen storage method of claim 16 , further comprising:

utilizing a coating, the coating being comprised of a hydrogen-resistant material, and the coating having a lower melting point than the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres, and the coating having material characteristics sufficient to bond to the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres once it has uniformly solidified; and

applying the coating to the desired and predetermined shape formed by the uniform coding of the mixture of the liquefied, viscous material and the plurality of microspheres.

18 . The hydrogen storage method of claim 16 , further comprising:

utilizing a net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material, the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material being resistant to hydrogen permeation, and the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material being insertable into a hollow portion of one or more individual microspheres of the plurality of microspheres;

inserting the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material into one or more individual microspheres of the plurality of microspheres; and

wherein an overall volumetric hydrogen storage density of the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel is increased.

19 . The hydrogen storage method of claim 16 , further comprising:

utilizing a heat exchange system, the heat exchange system providing a heat input into the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel to release hydrogen from the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material;

utilizing a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the hydrogen powered vehicle having a radiator, and the heat exchange system comprising the radiator; and

utilizing one or more hydrogen fill lines, the one or more hydrogen fill lines being disposed about conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel and providing one or more hydrogen fill input paths to the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel; and

wherein the hydrogen engine provides the heat input into the conformable high-pressure hydrogen storage vessel to release hydrogen from the net endothermic (upon gas desorption) material.

20 . The hydrogen storage method of claim 16 , wherein the liquefied, viscous material is a porous network.

Assignments (15)