Combined chemistry hydrogen generation system
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus or hydrogen generating system including a galvanic or first hydrogen generator and a thermally-activated or second hydrogen generator connectable to one another.
1. A method for producing hydrogen from a portable hydrogen generator system, comprising:
initiating a galvanic reaction in a first hydrogen generator, sufficient to provide an electric flow and a first hydrogen stream, wherein the electric flow is produced directly by the galvanic reaction; and
heating a second hydrogen generator with the electric flow from the first hydrogen generator, sufficient to provide a second hydrogen stream, wherein the second hydrogen generator is thermally-activated.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating comprises closing an electrical circuit.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the first and second hydrogen streams to an internal reservoir.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the hydrogen streams to an external device.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein transferring the hydrogen streams to an external device comprises:
fluidly coupling an external device to the system;
transferring hydrogen from the system to the external device; and
decoupling the external device from the system.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising after initiating, directing the first hydrogen stream to an external device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating occurs in response to a quantity of hydrogen in an internal reservoir falling below a first threshold level.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating occurs in response to coupling an external device to the system.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stopping hydrogen generation.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein stopping hydrogen generation happens in response to a quantity of hydrogen in an internal reservoir exceeding a second threshold level or in response to decoupling an external device from the system.
11. A method for producing hydrogen, comprising:
initiating a galvanic reaction in a first hydrogen generator, sufficient to provide an electric flow and a first hydrogen stream, wherein the electric flow is produced directly by the galvanic reaction, and the galvanic reaction is exothermic;
directing the first hydrogen stream to an external device;
heating a second hydrogen generator with the electric flow from the first hydrogen generator and with heat from the exothermic galvanic reaction, sufficient to provide a second hydrogen stream, wherein the second hydrogen generator is thermally-activated;
controlling an amount of hydrogen in the second hydrogen stream by controlling the galvanic reaction in the first hydrogen generator; and
directing the second hydrogen stream to the external device.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hydrogen generator includes two dissimilar metals in contact with an electrolyte.
13. The method of claim 12 , further including a switch configured to electrically connect the two dissimilar metals.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hydrogen streams are directed into a hydrogen storage reservoir, and wherein the hydrogen storage reservoir and both the first and second hydrogen generators are enclosed together within a single device.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first hydrogen generator includes two dissimilar metals in contact with an electrolyte.
16. The method of claim 15 , further including a switch configured to electrically connect the two dissimilar metals.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second hydrogen streams are directed into a hydrogen storage reservoir before being directed to the external device, and wherein the hydrogen storage reservoir and both the first and second hydrogen generators are enclosed together within a single device.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising: controlling an amount of hydrogen in the second hydrogen stream by controlling the galvanic reaction in the first hydrogen generator.
19. A method for producing hydrogen from a hybrid hydrogen generation system, comprising:
initiating an exothermic galvanic reaction in a first hydrogen generator, sufficient to provide a first hydrogen stream, electric flow, and heat; and
supplying a first heat source and a second heat source to a second hydrogen generator, resulting in a second hydrogen stream, wherein the second hydrogen generator is thermally-activated, the first heat source is the heat from the first hydrogen generator, and the second heat source uses electric flow from the first hydrogen generator.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising transferring the first and second hydrogen streams to at least one of an internal reservoir and an external device.
21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising controlling a quantity of hydrogen in the first and second hydrogen streams.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein controlling the quantity of the hydrogen in the first and second hydrogen streams is a function of monitoring a level of hydrogen in an internal reservoir.