In aspects of the disclosure, a fuel cartridge wherein the fuel is in a powdered form is admixed with inert materials such as alumina or other ceramics to improve thermal conductivity. Said cartridge having fuel zones, heating zones, and controllers to selectively heat fuel zones and thereby generate hydrogen via decomposition of fuel is disclosed.

A device includes a case having a surface with a perforation and a first cavity containing a gas generating fuel. A first membrane is supported by the case inside the first cavity. The first membrane has an impermeable valve plate positioned proximate the perforation. The first membrane is water vapor permeable and gas impermeable and flexes responsive to a difference in pressure between the cavity and outside the cavity to selectively allow water vapor to pass through the perforation to the fuel as a function of the difference in pressure. A second membrane that is water vapor permeable gas impermeable is coupled between an outside of the case exposed to ambient atmospheric gas and the valve plate creating a reference pressure second cavity configured to reduce the effects of ambient pressure transients on the difference in pressure. A fuel cell membrane may be included in the device to produce electricity.

Disclosed is a hydrogen generator with a door that can be opened to replace a fuel unit and closed to seal the door. A lock responds directly to pressure within the chamber to prevent opening when the pressure exceeds a threshold value. The lock includes a locking member with a lug that engages a retainer to seal the door when the door is locked and is disengaged from the retainer when the door is unlocked. An opening mechanism moves the locking member to lock and unlock the door. A movable key is engaged with the opening mechanism and the locking member when the pressure in the chamber is at or below the threshold value and disengaged from one of the opening mechanism and the locking member by an actuator (e.g., a flexible diaphragm) so the door cannot be unlocked and opened when the pressure is above the threshold value.

A solid hydrogen reaction system and method of liberating hydrogen gas includes the utilization of a reactor having a body that defines a reaction chamber, having a first narrow end and a second wider end such that the reactor has an increasing cross-sectional area from the first end toward the second end, for facilitating a reaction to liberate hydrogen gas stored in a hydrogen storage solid located within the reaction chamber.

Disclosed is a method for producing a metal borohydride and/or H.sub.2, including: A. producing a metal borohydride in a synthesis process, in which H.sub.2 is a reactant and the reaction further takes metal hydroxide and boron oxide or further takes metal boron oxide; B. producing H.sub.2 in a chemical reaction process, in which metal borohydride produced in step A and H.sub.2O are reactants, the amount of H.sub.2 produced in step B being larger than the amount of H.sub.2 required as a reactant in step A for the same amounts of metal borohydride as a reactant and a reaction product in steps B and A, respectively; and C. providing H.sub.2 produced in step C to step A, and repeating steps A, B and C. Part of the metal borohydride and/or H.sub.2 is withdrawn while leaving an amount of metal borohydride and H.sub.2, respectively, so as to allow repeating steps A-C.

This invention relates to a cartridge structure (100, 200, 300) designed for generation of hydrogen gas by means of generating hydrogen using hydride solutions (sodium hydride, lithium borohydride, potassium borohydride, ammonium borane, etc.) in presence of a catalyser. The objective of this invention is to provide a cartridge structure (100, 200, 300) designed for generation of hydrogen gas by means of generating hydrogen using continuously fed hydride solutions in presence of a catalyser.

The present invention relates to a catalysed process of production of hydrogen from silylated derivatives as hydrogen carrier compounds. The present invention also relates to a new catalyst used in the catalysed process of production of hydrogen from silylated derivatives as hydrogen carrier compounds.

Disclosed are a hydrogen generator and a method of producing hydrogen gas therefrom. A fuel unit containing a fuel that releases hydrogen gas when heated is removably disposed in a cavity within a housing having a door. A heater assembly for heating the fuel unit is disposed in the hydrogen generator. A mechanism retracts the heater assembly from the fuel unit when the door is opened and extends the heater assembly to contact the fuel unit when the door is closed. When the heater assembly is retracted, more space is available into which the fuel unit can be inserted to prevent damage to the heater assembly and the fuel unit, and when the heater assembly is extended, good contact is provided between the heater assembly and the fuel unit for efficient heating. A cam bar can move the heater assembly normal to the lateral motion of the cam bar.

The present application is directed to gas generators comprising a fuel mixture and a catalyst. The catalyst is contained in a self-regulated reactor or buoy, and selectively opens and closes to produce a gas in accordance with the demand for gas. This fuel mixture is generally a solution formed by dissolving a solid fuel component in a liquid fuel component. The mixing preferably occurs before the first use, and more preferably occurs immediately prior to the first use. The inventive gas generators preferably further comprises a starting mechanism that isolates the solid fuel from the liquid fuel or vice versa before the first use. In one embodiment, the starting mechanism further comprises a catalyst shield mechanism that isolates the catalyst in the reactor or buoy from the liquid and/or the solid fuel prior to the first use.

The present invention discloses a fuel supply for a fuel cell, the fuel cell including a liquid storage area that includes a liquid reactant, a reaction area that includes a solid reactant, wherein the liquid reactant is pumped into the reaction area such that the liquid reactant reacts with the solid reactant to produce reaction components, a product collection area that receives the reaction components, a barrier, and a container with an interior volume that substantially encloses the reaction area, liquid storage area, product collection area. The barrier separates and defines several of the aforementioned areas, and moves to simultaneously increase the product collector area and decrease the liquid storage area as the liquid reactant is pumped from the liquid storage area and the reaction components are transferred into the product collection area.