High pressure hydrogen electrical power generator
A hydride heat engine produces electricity from a heat source, such as a solar heater. A plurality of metal hydride reservoirs are heated by the heating device and a working fluid comprises hydrogen is incrementally move from one metal hydride reservoir to a success metal hydride reservoir. The working fluid is passed, at a high pressure, from the last of the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs to an electro-chemical-expander. The electro-chemical-expander has an anode, a cathode, and an ionomer therebetween. The hydrogen is passed from the anode at high pressure to the cathode at lower pressure and electricity is generated. The solar heater may be a solar water heater and the hot water may heat the metal hydride reservoirs to move the hydrogen. The working fluid may move in a closed loop.
1. A hydride heat engine comprising:
a) a hot water source;
b) a multi-stage metal hydride compressor comprising:
i) a plurality of metal hydride reservoirs comprising a metal hydride forming compound;
ii) wherein the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs are coupled in series:
c) an electrochemical-expander comprising:
i) an anode;
ii) a cathode;
iii) an ionomer configured between and anode and cathode:
d) a working fluid comprising hydrogen;
e) a heating device that heats water to produce said hot water source, wherein the heating device heats the plurality of metal hydride reservoir to move the working fluid from a first metal hydride reservoir at a first pressure to a second metal hydride reservoir at a second pressure; wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure;
wherein the working fluid is passed to the electro-chemical-expander and wherein the hydrogen is transported from the anode to the cathode of the electro-chemical-expander to produce electricity;
wherein the metal hydride reservoirs are cooled by a flow of cold water.
2. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the heating device comprises a renewable heating device.
3. The hydride heat engine of claim 2 , wherein the renewable heating device comprises a solar heating device and wherein the solar heating device is a solar hot water heater that produces the hot water source and wherein the hot water source heats the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs.
4. The hydride heat engine of claim 2 , wherein the hot water source is in a closed loop and flows from the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs to the solar hot water heater.
5. A hydride heat engine comprising:
a) a hot water source;
b) a multi-stage metal hydride compressor comprising:
i) a plurality of metal hydride reservoirs comprising a metal hydride forming compound;
ii) wherein the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs are coupled in series;
c) an electrochemical-expander comprising:
iii) an anode;
iv) a cathode;
v) an ionomer configured between and anode and cathode;
d) a working fluid comprising hydrogen;
e) a heating device that heats water to produce said hot water source,
wherein the heating device heats the plurality of metal hydride reservoir to move the working fluid from a first metal hydride reservoir at a first pressure to a second metal hydride reservoir at a second pressure; wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure;
wherein the working fluid is passed to the electro-chemical-expander and wherein the hydrogen is transported from the anode to the cathode of the electro-chemical-expander to produce electricity;
wherein the working fluid is in a closed loop and flows from the cathode of the electro-chemical-expander through the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs, to the anode of the electro-chemical-expander and finally through the ionomer to said cathode.
6. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer.
7. The hydride heat engine of claim 6 , wherein the ionomer is a supported ionomer having a support layer coupled thereto.
8. The hydride heat engine of claim 7 , wherein the support material is configured in the ionomer.
9. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer has a thickness of no more than about 30 microns.
10. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer has a thickness of no more than about 20 microns.
11. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer has a thickness of no more than about 10 microns.
12. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the flow of cold water is from a body of water.
13. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , further comprising a battery and wherein the electricity produced by the electrochemical-expander is stored in said battery.
14. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the heating device comprises a solar heating device and wherein the solar heating device is a solar hot water heater that produces the hot water source and wherein the hot water source heats the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs.
15. The hydride heat engine of claim 1 , wherein the flow of cold water is from a body of water selected from the group consisting of: ocean, sea, river and lake.
16. The hydride heat engine of claim 14 , wherein the working fluid is in a closed loop and flows from the cathode of the electrochemical-expander through the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs, to the anode of the electrochemical-expander and finally through the ionomer to said cathode.
17. The hydride heat engine of claim 16 , further comprising a series of valves to control the flow of the working fluid from a first metal hydride reservoir to a second metal hydride reservoir of the plurality of metal hydride reservoirs.
18. The hydride heat engine of claim 17 , comprising at least two electrochemical-expander configured in series.
19. The hydride heat engine of claim 18 , wherein the first metal hydride reservoir is coupled with the anode of a first electrochemical-expander and wherein the second metal hydride reservoir is coupled with the cathode of the first electrochemical-expander.