Patent ID: 7211228

Claim:
A heater for a hydrogen storage system, which is disposed between and in contact with a pair of separate cylindrical hydrogen storage units filled with a hydrogen-absorption material, the heater is of a cylindrical shape and comprises: at least one combustion chamber which includes a catalyst carrier and a combustible gas that is burned therein; a combustible gas burning catalyst carried on said catalyst carrier; at least one combustible gas introduction chamber adjoining the at least one combustion chamber via a chamber wall interposed therebetween; a plurality of combustible gas inlets disposed in a dispersed manner in said chamber wall of the at least one combustible gas introduction chamber to permit the at least one combustion chamber and said gas introduction chamber to communicate with each other; a combustion gas outlet communicating directly with the at least one combustion chamber; and a first passage which communicates with said combustion gas outlet and extends through a center portion of said cylindrical hydrogen storage units.