Patent ID: 7959896

Claim:
A method of producing hydrogen upon demand for use in a hydrogen consuming application, the method comprising: preparing a mixture of particles of a hydride and a hydroxide for release of hydrogen upon demand; placing the prepared mixture of hydride and hydroxide particles in a hydrogen storage device, the hydrogen storage device being adapted for release of hydrogen from the mixture and delivery of hydrogen to the hydrogen consuming application; and, upon a demand for hydrogen from the mixture, reacting a first portion of the hydride particles in the prepared mixture, placed in the storage device, with water to produce heat in an amount to initiate reaction between a second portion of particles of said hydride and particles of the hydroxide in a second reaction, by transferring said heat thereto, the first portion and the second portion of particles of said hydride reacting substantially completely with the water and particles of the hydroxide to form hydrogen and an oxide, the hydrogen being delivered from the hydrogen storage device to the hydrogen consuming application during said demand, and the oxide remaining as substantially the sole residue material in the hydrogen storage device.