Patent ID: 7198761

Claim:
A fuel system for vehicle having a reactor and separator system arranged to process a borohydride fuel mixture into hydrogen for use by a vehicle powerplant, the process also generating a waste liquid by-product, wherein the fuel system comprises: a fuel tank coupled to the reactor and separator system, the fuel tank having a fuel inlet for receiving the borohydride fuel mixture into a fuel holding portion of an internal cavity, and a waste inlet arranged to receive the waste liquid into a waste liquid portion of the internal cavity; an expandable divider element arranged to keep the fuel holding portion of the internal cavity separate from the waste liquid holding portion; a mixer in fluid communication with the fuel tank, a source of a borohydride concentrate, and a source of liquid, the mixer operative to mix the concentrate and liquid to form the borohydride fuel mixture; a temperature sensor arranged to produce a signal indicative of the temperature of the borohydride fuel held in the fuel tank; a heater positioned between the fuel tank and the reactor and separator system, the heater arranged to heat to the borohydride fuel mixture; a control valve coupled to a feedback arrangement extending between the reaction and separator system and the fuel tank; and a controller for recirculating the mixture from the control valve to the mixer until the mixture is above a predetermined temperature.