Hydrogen generation systems utilizing sodium silicide and sodium silica gel materials
Systems, devices, and methods combine reactant materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. The reactant materials can sodium silicide or sodium silica gel. The hydrogen generation devices are used in fuels cells and other industrial applications. One system combines cooling, pumping, water storage, and other devices to sense and control reactions between reactant materials and aqueous solutions to generate hydrogen. Multiple inlets of varied placement geometries deliver aqueous solution to the reaction. The reactant materials and aqueous solution are churned to control the state of the reaction. The aqueous solution can be recycled and returned to the reaction. One system operates over a range of temperatures and pressures and includes a hydrogen separator, a heat removal mechanism, and state of reaction control devices. The systems, devices, and methods of generating hydrogen provide thermally stable solids, near-instant reaction with the aqueous solutions, and a non-toxic liquid by-product.
1. A method of generating hydrogen gas, the method comprising:
inserting a reactant material into a reactor, said reactant material including at least one of sodium silicide powder or sodium silica gel;
adding an aqueous solution via a solution inlet fill port to the reactant material in the reactor to generate hydrogen gas;
routing the generated hydrogen gas from the reactor via a hydrogen outlet port to an industrial application;
filtering at least one of the reactant material, the aqueous solution, the hydrogen gas, or the reaction waste product,
wherein filtering is performed using at least one of a hydrogen separation membrane, a chemical filter, a desiccant filter, a coarse media filter, a dryer filter, or a secondary reactor chamber;
cleaning the at least one hydrogen separation membrane, chemical filter, desiccant filter, coarse media filter, dryer filter, or secondary reactor chamber with a portion of the aqueous solution; and
directing the portion of the aqueous solution to areas of the reactor to recapture a waste product resulting from the combination of the reactant material and the aqueous solution.
2. The method of generating hydrogen of claim 1 further comprising:
adding the portion of the aqueous solution to the secondary reactor chamber; and
passing the generated hydrogen gas through the portion of the aqueous solution in the secondary reaction chamber.