Method of storing and generating hydrogen for fuel cell applications
View Patent ↗A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a hydrogen gas storage and supply method, comprising (a) providing a dry, solid-state hydrogen fuel source comprising a solid metal hydride or chemical hydride and a reaction-controlling agent in a solid state, wherein the hydride and the reaction-controlling agent are mixed at a desired proportion; and (b) delivering a desired amount of a liquid reactant to contact and react with a desired amount of the solid-state fuel source to produce hydrogen gas continuously or intermittently on demand, responsive to the needs of a fuel cell.
1. A hydrogen gas storage and supply method, comprising:
(a) providing a hydrogen fuel source comprising a metal hydride or chemical hydride dissolved and/or dispersed in a liquid medium; and
(b) delivering an amount of a reaction-controlling agent in a solid state to contact with said hydrogen fuel source and said liquid medium, without using a metal catalyst, to produce hydrogen gas, wherein said reaction-controlling agent comprises an acid or a metal salt.
2. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said hydrogen fuel source further comprises a stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of LiOH, NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH, Be(OH) 2 , Mg(OH) 2 , Ca(OH) 2 , Sr(OH) 2 , Ba(OH) 2 , and combinations thereof.
3. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 wherein said chemical hydride is selected from the group consisting of compositions represented by the general formula M I M III H 4-n R n , compositions represented by M II (M III H 4-n R n ) 2 , and combinations thereof, in which M I is an alkali metal, M II is an alkaline earth metal or zinc, M III is an element selected from the group consisting of boron, aluminum and gallium, R is an alkoxy group, aryloxy group or acyloxy group and the subscript n is 0, 1, 2 or 3.
4. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 wherein said chemical hydride is selected from the group consisting of NaBH 4 , LiBH 4 , KBH 4 , NH 4 BH 4 , (CH 3 ) 4 NH 4 BH 4 , NaAlH 4 , LiAlH 4 , KAlH 4 , NaGaH 4 , LiGaH 4 , KGaH 4 , and mixtures thereof.
5. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 2 wherein said chemical hydride is selected from the group consisting of NaBH 4 , LiBH 4 , KBH 4 , NH 4 BH 4 , (CH 3 ) 4 NH 4 BH 4 , NaAlH 4 , LiAlH 4 , KAlH 4 , NaGaH 4 , LiGaH 4 , KGaH 4 , and mixtures thereof.
6. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said metal hydride is based on a metal element or multiple metal elements selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Mg, Ni, Fe, Al, and combinations thereof.
7. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said reaction-controlling agent comprises an environmentally benign acid selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, amino acid, glutamic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, chlorobenzoic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, polyaspartic acid, α-zirconium phosphate, sulphated zirconia, tungsten oxide supported on zirconia, heteropolyacids, and combinations thereof.
8. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 2 , wherein said reaction-controlling agent comprises citric acid.
9. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said reaction-controlling agent comprises an acid or a metal salt in a fine powder form.
10. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said reaction-controlling agent and said hydride are mixed at a predetermined ratio in an elongate rod form.
11. The hydrogen gas storage and supply method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said step of delivering is conducted continuously or intermittently on demand, or at a desired reaction-controlling agent amount to produce hydrogen gas responsive to a need of a hydrogen-consuming power device.