Hydrogen reservoir and process for filling a hydrogen reservoir

1. A hydrogen reservoir having a housing ( 12 ), with hydrogen storage material ( 28 ) arranged in the housing ( 12 ) for absorbing and releasing hydrogen as needed, the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ) including at least one unit ( 24 ) having a porous bodies ( 26 ) and, disposed in the porous bodies, containers ( 30 ) in which the hydrogen storage material ( 28 ) is contained, the porous bodies ( 26 ) with the containers ( 30 ) disposed therein being arranged in the housing ( 12 ), with the porous bodies ( 26 ) together forming in the housing ( 12 ) hydrogen supply and discharge passages.

2. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the porous bodies ( 26 ) are cup-shaped and the containers ( 30 ) are embedded in the cup-shaped porous bodies ( 26 ).

3. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of units ( 24 ) are arranged in mutually adjacent manner along at least one reservoir axis ( 32 ).

4. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each container ( 30 ) has a lid ( 30 b ) and the units ( 24 ) are stacked in such a way that the lid ( 30 b ) of the container ( 30 ) of the one unit ( 24 ) abuts a base ( 26 b ) of the porous body ( 26 ) of the next unit ( 24 ) in the stack direction ( 32 ).

5. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the porous bodies ( 26 ) form a principal flow path for the hydrogen between an inlet ( 14 ) and an outlet ( 16 ) of the housing ( 12 ).

6. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the porous bodies ( 26 ) comprise a metal foam.

7. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the container ( 30 ) consists of a gas-permeable sintered metal.

8. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the containers ( 30 ) consist of gas-permeable plastics.

9. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a temperature control agent line ( 34 ) is arranged in the interior ( 22 ) of the housing ( 12 ), for connection to a vehicle cooling system.

10. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein means ( 36 , 38 ) for evenly distributing hydrogen and for collecting hydrogen are arranged in the housing ( 12 ) at least one of the inlet end and the outlet end.

11. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 12 ) consists of metal.

12. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 12 ) comprises a carbon fiber material.

13. The hydrogen reservoir as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 12 ) is wrapped in carbon fiber material.

14. A process for filling a hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ), comprising a housing ( 12 ), with hydrogen storage material ( 28 ) arranged in the housing ( 12 ) for absorbing and releasing hydrogen as needed, the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ) including at least one unit ( 24 ) having porous bodies ( 26 ) surrounding containers ( 30 ) in which the hydrogen storage material ( 28 ) is contained, the porous bodies ( 26 ) with the containers ( 30 ) disposed therein being arranged in the housing ( 12 ) with the porous bodies ( 26 ) together forming hydrogen supply and discharge passages in the housing ( 12 ), said process comprising the steps of supplying a hydrogen stream into the housing ( 12 ) at an inlet end thereof, which stream serves simultaneously as a hydrogen source and as a coolant for the storage material ( 28 ), cooling the hydrogen stream before it enters the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ), to a temperature which is sufficient to absorb any heat formed during filling, so as to maintain the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ) at a temperature below a predetermined threshold.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the hydrogen is fed to the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ) in a flow-through method.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the hydrogen stream is cooled down externally after leaving the hydrogen reservoir ( 10 ).