Patent ID: 6811764
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: B01J,C01B,F17C,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of generating hydrogen in a fuel supply system combined with a hydrogen consuming device, said method comprising the steps of:storing a slurry of lithium and/or sodium borohydride particles in water in a fuel supply storage vessel, said water containing sufficient dissolved hydroxide ion to inhibit chemical reaction with said borohydride at ambient storage temperatures of said slurry, said slurry comprising, by weight, about 1.6 to 2.5 parts of water per 1 part of lithium borohydride, or 1 to 1.5 parts of water per 1 part of sodium borohydride; conveying a portion of said slurry to the inlet of an axial flow-through reactor upon demand for hydrogen from said hydrogen consuming device, said reactor having a reaction zone; reacting said borohydride particles and water in said reaction zone at a temperature above approximately 90Â° C. to produce reaction products comprising hydrogen gas and solid by-products while mixing said borohydride particles and solid by-products in said reaction zone to expose unreacted borohydride particle surfaces for reaction with said water, and conveying the mixed materials through said reaction zone, said mixing and conveying using two rotating augers, the rate of conveying of said slurry to said reactor being controlled so as to retain a hydrogen gas volume in said reaction zone; removing said reaction products from said reactor; and conveying said hydrogen gas to said hydrogen consuming device or to a hydrogen buffer container for said device.