DUAL HYDROGEN AND SUSPENSION PRODUCTION SYSTEM USING MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM BASED EFFERVESCENT TABLETS

Abstract

A system and method for producing hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and a magnesium (Mg)-aluminum (Al) based aqueous suspension from pre-prepared effervescent tablets are provided. The produced H.sub.2 gas can be stored in a tank or directly utilized in a fuel cell, whereas the produced suspension can be employed as an advanced heat transfer fluid in a variety of thermal applications. Furthermore, the as-prepared tablets are fabricated with a homogeneously mixed and well-compressed mixture of Al particles, Mg particles, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO.sub.3) powder in a sealed container to prevent air and humidity from reacting with the raw materials. As a result of the chemical reaction between the tablet and water, H.sub.2 gas (in the form of bubbles) and the MgAl-based suspension are produced simultaneously. This system results in two products (i.e., H.sub.2 and suspension) that can be used individually or all at once by integrating the different system components together.

Claims

1. A tablet composition for producing hydrogen gas upon reaction of said tablet composition with water, said tablet composition consisting essentially of: elemental aluminum particles, elemental magnesium particles, and sodium bicarbonate powders pressed together to form the tablet composition.

2. The tablet composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said tablet composition is an effervescent tablet.

3. The tablet composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said tablet composition simultaneously produces hydrogen gas and an aqueous suspension of magnesium and aluminum when combined with water.

4. The tablet composition as recited in claim 1, wherein the aluminum, magnesium, and sodium bicarbonate powders are homogenously mixed in the tablet composition.

5. The tablet composition as recited in claim 1, wherein the tablet composition has a mass ratio of about 2:2:2 to about 2:2:1 of the sodium bicarbonate, aluminum, and magnesium powders.

6. The tablet composition as recited in claim 5, wherein the tablet composition has a mass ratio of about 2:2:1 of the sodium bicarbonate, aluminum, and magnesium powders.

7. A method for producing the tablet composition of claim 1 for producing hydrogen gas upon reaction of said tablet composition with water, the method comprising: homogenously mixing ground elemental aluminum, elemental magnesium, and sodium bicarbonate powders to produce a homogenous mixture; and compressing the homogenous mixture in a sealed environment to prevent reactions with air and humidity to form the tablet composition.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising maintaining the tablet composition in a sealed container, prior to use.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said tablet composition is an effervescent tablet.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the tablet composition has a mass ratio of about 2:2:1 of the sodium bicarbonate, aluminum, and magnesium powders.

11-20. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1A shows chemical reaction simulation, where the investigated components in a GIBBS reactor at atmospheric conditions are shown.

[0040] FIG. 1B demonstrates the H.sub.2 production resulting from various ratios of the tablet components.

[0041] FIG. 1C illustrates the Mg(OH).sub.2 output from various ratios of the tablet components.

[0042] FIG. 2A shows an exploded view of a specially constructed tablet container along with a low vacuum cylindrical chamber that hosts the container.

[0043] FIG. 2B shows a tablet container as placed on a holder to easily insert the tablet therein once in the glove box.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a proposed Configuration 1 for generation of the aqueous suspension product and H.sub.2 gas.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a proposed Configuration 2 for generation of the aqueous suspension product and H.sub.2 gas, followed by direct utilization thereof.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a proposed Configuration 3 for generation of the aqueous suspension product and H.sub.2 gas, followed by direct utilization thereof.

[0047] FIG. 6A provides a perspective view of a water container used in the system, where the bottom part is a liquid pump, and a thermocouple is visible in the bottom part.

[0048] FIG. 6B provides a side view of a water container used in the system, where the bottom part is a liquid pump that includes a mesh.

[0049] FIG. 6C provides a perspective view of a water container used in the system, where the bottom part is a liquid pump and a small metal ball and spring are visible under a vial cap at the top.

[0050] FIG. 7A provides a perspective view of a specially designed tablet container attached to a low vacuum cylindrical chamber.

[0051] FIG. 7B provides an exploded/expanded view of FIG. 7A.

[0052] FIG. 7C provides a perspective view of the bottom tablet container portion of FIGS. 7A and 7B containing a tablet.

[0053] FIG. 7D provides a cutaway version of FIG. 7C depicting the tablet container portion of FIGS. 7A and 7B.

[0054] FIG. 8A provides a side view of a closed suspension storage container.

[0055] FIG. 8B provides an exploded view of an open suspension storage container.

[0056] FIG. 9A provides a partial plan view of a hydrogen storage container.

[0057] FIG. 9B provides a side view of a hydrogen storage container.

[0058] FIG. 9C provides a cross sectional view of a hydrogen storage container along with a palladium nanopowder therein.

[0059] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0060] The following definitions are provided for the purpose of understanding the present subject matter and for construing the appended patent claims.

Definitions

[0061] Throughout the application, where compositions are described as having, including, or comprising specific components, or where processes are described as having, including, or comprising specific process steps, it is contemplated that compositions of the present teachings can also consist essentially of, or consist of, the recited components, and that the processes of the present teachings can also consist essentially of, or consist of, the recited process steps.

[0062] It is noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an, and the include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0063] In the application, where an element or component is said to be included in and/or selected from a list of recited elements or components, it should be understood that the element or component can be any one of the recited elements or components, or the element or component can be selected from a group consisting of two or more of the recited elements or components. Further, it should be understood that elements and/or features of a composition or a method described herein can be combined in a variety of ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present teachings, whether explicit or implicit herein.

[0064] The use of the terms include, includes, including, have, has, or having should be generally understood as open-ended and non-limiting unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0065] The use of the singular herein includes the plural (and vice versa) unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, where the use of the term about is before a quantitative value, the present teachings also include the specific quantitative value itself, unless specifically stated otherwise. As used herein, the term about refers to a ?10% variation from the nominal value unless otherwise indicated or inferred.

[0066] The term optional or optionally means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances in which it does not.

[0067] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently described subject matter pertains.

[0068] Where a range of values is provided, for example, concentration ranges, percentage ranges, or ratio ranges, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the described subject matter. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and such embodiments are also encompassed within the described subject matter, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the described subject matter.

[0069] Throughout the application, descriptions of various embodiments use comprising language. However, it will be understood by one of skill in the art, that in some specific instances, an embodiment can alternatively be described using the language consisting essentially of or consisting of.

[0070] For purposes of better understanding the present teachings and in no way limiting the scope of the teachings, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, percentages or proportions, and other numerical values used in the specification and claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained. At the very least, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

[0071] The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a composition, system, and method that produces hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas and a hybrid magnesium (Mg)-aluminum (Al) based aqueous suspension from pre-prepared effervescent tablets. The produced H.sub.2 gas can be stored in a tank containing H.sub.2 storage material or directly utilized in a fuel cell, whereas the as-produced aqueous suspension can be employed as an advanced heat transfer fluid in a variety of thermal applications.

Tablet Compositions

[0072] In one embodiment, the as-prepared tablets, or tablet compositions, are fabricated with a well-compressed mixture of elemental aluminum (Al) particles, elemental magnesium (Mg) particles, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO.sub.3) powder in a sealed glove box to prevent air and humidity from reacting with the raw materials. Certain embodiments of such tablet compositions comprise a homogeneous mixture of the elemental Al particles, the elemental Mg particles, and the sodium bicarbonate. In this regard, further embodiments of tablet compositions herein are effervescent tablet compositions.

[0073] After the tablets have been prepared, they can be placed in a specifically constructed container, then removed from the glove box before being installed in the present systems. In one embodiment, a water tank in the system then injects water towards the bottom of the tablet container, causing the bottom tablet to chemically react until it fully dissolves, after which the tablet immediately above the bottom tablet replaces the recently dissolved tablet. As a result of the chemical reaction between the tablet content and water, H.sub.2 gas (in the form of bubbles) and a hybrid MgAl-based aqueous suspension can be produced simultaneously.

[0074] The present systems enable the two products (i.e., H.sub.2 gas and the aqueous suspension) to be individually utilized or used all at once by integrating the different system components together. The integrated system can be highly beneficial for industrial applications, such as by way of non-limiting example, in hybrid vehicles, where electricity can be produced from the fuel cell with the aid of the generated H.sub.2 gas (directly produced from the tablet or stored then produced from the H.sub.2 gas storage) and the aqueous suspension (known to have higher thermal conductivity than conventional liquids) can work as an advanced coolant to cool the vehicle combustion engine.

[0075] In one embodiment, the present subject matter relates to tablet compositions used to produce hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas. In an embodiment, the tablet compositions comprise ground aluminum (Al), ground magnesium (Mg), and sodium bicarbonate powders pressed together into a tablet. In an embodiment, the aluminum and magnesium used to form the present tablet compositions can be elemental aluminum and elemental magnesium. The so-produced tablets can be effervescent when combined with water. In this regard, when these tablets are combined with water, they can simultaneously produce an aqueous suspension and H.sub.2 gas. The tablets may be used in fuel cells to produce electricity, either directly on site or as stored for later use.

[0076] In certain embodiments, the present tablets are prepared in a sealed glove box to prevent air and humidity from reacting with the raw materials. According to these embodiments, after the tablets have been prepared, they can be placed in a specifically constructed container, then removed from the glove box before being installed in a system for further use. In one embodiment, a plurality of tablets herein are vertically aligned in a column in the specifically constructed container. In this regard, in use, a water tank in the system can inject water towards the bottom of the tablet container, causing the bottom tablet to chemically react until it fully dissolves, after which the tablet immediately above the bottom tablet replaces the recently dissolved tablet. As a result of the chemical reaction between the tablet content and water, H.sub.2 gas (in the form of bubbles) and a hybrid MgAl-based aqueous suspension can be produced simultaneously.

[0077] In certain embodiments, the tablet composition can have a mass ratio of about 2:2:2 to about 2:2:1 of the sodium bicarbonate, aluminum, and magnesium powders. In other embodiments, the tablet composition can have a mass ratio of about 2:2:1 of the sodium bicarbonate, aluminum, and magnesium powders.

[0078] The elemental aluminum and magnesium active materials are widely available and can easily be obtained from various solid waste sources (e.g., by way of non-limiting example, soda cans and electronic chips). These waste sources can be recycled into pure Al and Mg powders, after which they can be used as active materials for producing H.sub.2 in the presence of water as described herein. The following Eq. 1 and Eq. 2 illustrate the reaction of Al and Mg in water at room temperature, respectively:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}2\mathrm{Al}+6H_{2}O=2{\mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_3+3H_2& \left(1\right)\end{array}$$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Mg}+2H_{2}O={\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2+H_2& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

[0079] As can be seen in Eq. 1 and 2, there are three products that result from the two chemical reactions, which are Al(OH).sub.3, Mg(OH).sub.2, and H.sub.2. Since H.sub.2 is a gas, it will easily depart from the hosting liquid in the form of bubbles. However, the Al(OH).sub.3 and Mg(OH).sub.2 will remain in the water, in which case it can be either recovered, treated, then reused; or dispersed to form a suspension. The second option is more convenient because suspensions have proven to have tremendous heat transfer capability as working fluids, and thus would be highly beneficial for thermal applications (e.g., heat exchangers). However, to successfully produce these suspensions, the solid particles need to be dispersed, which is not the case with the byproducts resulting from Eq. 1-2. Therefore, additional force is required to disperse the particles, otherwise they will remain settled in the bottom of the water container. Usually, mechanical mixing equipment is used to disperse the solid particles. Such equipment includes an ultrasonicator, a homogenizer, magnetic stirring, and ball (or rod) milling devices. However, it is not practical to use such devices in remote locations due to their need for electricity to operate. In addition, their high capital and maintenance cost as well as complexity of use makes them an unfavorable choice.

[0080] The present pre-prepared effervescent tablets avoid this difficulty entirely. The tablets are fabricated by homogeneously mixing and compressing Al particles, Mg particles, and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO.sub.3) powder in a sealed glove box to prevent air and humidity from reacting with the raw materials. The Al and Mg metals are used because they are easily and readily obtainable, either directly from a supplier or as produced through recycling their existing waste. In addition, the NaHCO.sub.3 was used not only because it is an effervescent agent but also because it helps reduce the formation of a passivation layer (i.e., Mg(OH).sub.2) on the water exposed Mg surface. The following Eq. 3 illustrate the chemical reaction of Mg(OH).sub.2 in the presence of NaHCO.sub.3:

[00002]$\begin{array}{cc}2{\mathrm{NaHCO}}_3+{\mathrm{MgOH}}_2=Na2C{O}_{3+}{\mathrm{MgCO}}_3+2H_{2}O& \left(3\right)\end{array}$

[0081] In certain embodiments, the tablet compositions herein can optionally further comprise surfactants (e.g., by way of non-limiting example, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) to increase the dispersion stability of the produced suspension. Such surfactant will not affect the chemical reaction, and therefore the H.sub.2 generation will remain the same and the dispersion stability of the suspension may highly improve, as well as its effective thermal conductivity.

[0082] In some embodiments, the physical stability of the produced aqueous suspension can have a major influence on its effective thermophysical properties. This is always the case with any suspension, where the optimum thermophysical properties can only be obtained when the dispersed particles are physically stable, and vice versa. This can be improved by optionally including surfactants, such as SDS, as part of the tablet mixture at the fabrication stage as noted above.

[0083] The tablet compositions of the present subject matter have certain advantages over compositions previously known in the art. For example, the ability to produce the aqueous suspensions from tablets means devices or advanced equipment are not required to make the present aqueous suspensions. This, in turn, means the aqueous suspensions can be readily produced in remote areas. Furthermore, the person producing the H.sub.2 gas and aqueous suspension will only need a minimum amount of knowledge to be able to use the present systems and methods.

[0084] Further, since the present tablet compositions make it possible to produce H.sub.2 gas and aqueous suspensions from effervescent tablets, the user will not have to be worried about dealing with powders or face the high risks currently involved with H.sub.2 gas transportation such as, for example, explosions. Similarly, the present tablet compositions are much less costly to produce and use when compared to current conventional H.sub.2 gas production routes, particularly when taking into account the salary of the experts that will be working on any scientific devices/equipment needed to produce the H.sub.2 gas and aqueous suspensions, and the cost of the equipment used. In addition, the cost of the raw materials used to produce the present tablet compositions is extremely cheap, and such materials are widely available, representing a significant benefit over any presently known products. Since the user will not need additional mixing instruments, this method is more feasible to any interested users in H.sub.2 gas and AlMg-based suspensions. As a result, the system can be used in labs, facilities, fields, and on hybrid vehicles.

[0085] In other embodiments, the tablet compositions can be stored in sealed bags or in specially constructed tablet containers for the user to use whenever desired. Accordingly, the present subject matter describes the first tablet-based integrated AlMg-based suspension fabrication and H.sub.2 production, storage, and utilization approach. This results in a ready to use commercial product for producing H.sub.2 gas and AlMg-based suspensions.

Processes of Use

[0086] In one embodiment, the present subject matter relates to a process for the generation of hydrogen gas with tablets such as, for example, effervescent tablets. In certain embodiments, the present subject matter includes using ground Al, Mg, and sodium bicarbonate powders pressed together into a tablet that can be effervescent when combined with water. These tablets can be combined with water to simultaneously produce a water suspension and H.sub.2 gas.

[0087] In another embodiment, the present subject matter relates to an innovative system for producing or generating hydrogen (H.sub.2) and a hybrid magnesium (Mg) -aluminum (Al) based aqueous suspension from pre-prepared effervescent tablets. The produced H.sub.2 gas can be stored in a tank containing H.sub.2 storage material or directly utilized in a fuel cell, whereas the as-produced suspension can be employed as an advanced heat transfer fluid in a variety of thermal applications.

[0088] Using the system as described herein, the two products (i.e., H.sub.2 and aqueous suspension) can be individually utilized or used all at once by integrating the different system components together. The integrated system is highly beneficial for industrial applications, such as by way of non-limiting example hybrid vehicles, where electricity can be produced from the fuel cell with the aid of the generated H.sub.2 (directly produced from the tablet or stored then generated from the H.sub.2 storage) and the suspension (known to have higher thermal conductivity than conventional liquids) can work as an advanced coolant to cool the vehicle combustion engine.

[0089] In certain embodiments, and by way of non-limiting example, three configurations are exemplified for the present systems, namely: [0090] 1Configuration 1: for suspension production, and H.sub.2 generation and storage (FIG. 3). [0091] 2Configuration 2: for suspension production, and H.sub.2 generation and direct utilization (FIG. 4). [0092] 3Configuration 3: for suspension production, and H.sub.2 generation, storage, then utilization (FIG. 5).

[0093] For configuration 1, as shown in FIG. 3, water tank 18 is connected to vacuum chamber 20. Liquid pump 19 is used for transporting water out of water tank 18 into vacuum chamber 20 for contacting with the tablet compositions. Any H.sub.2 gas generated is stored in H.sub.2 storage tank 17, where it is conveyed via gas pump 15. Similarly, the aqueous suspension produced is stored in suspension tank 21, where it is conveyed via liquid pump 16.

[0094] For configuration 2, as shown in FIG. 4, water tank 18 is connected to vacuum chamber 20. Liquid pump 19 is used for transporting water out of water tank 18 into vacuum chamber 20 for contacting with the tablet compositions. Gas pump 15 is used to transport the generated H.sub.2 gas through the H.sub.2 inlet 22 and into fuel cell 23. Water produced in fuel cell 23 can flow through water outlet 24 via the water pump 25 back into water tank 18 for reuse in the process. The aqueous suspension produced is stored in suspension tank 21, where it is conveyed via liquid pump 16. Wires 26 connect the fuel cell 23 to charging station 27 having batteries 28 therein.

[0095] For configuration 3, as shown in FIG. 5, water tank 18 is connected to vacuum chamber 20. Liquid pump 19 is used for transporting water out of water tank 18 into vacuum chamber 20 for contacting with the tablet compositions. Any H.sub.2 gas generated is stored in H.sub.2 storage tank 17, where it is conveyed via gas pump 15. When the H.sub.2 gas for ready for use, it will flow from H.sub.2 storage tank 17 through H.sub.2 outlet 29 and via valve 30 into fuel cell 23. Water produced in fuel cell 23 can flow through water outlet 24 via the water pump 25 back into water tank 18 for reuse in the process. The aqueous suspension produced is stored in suspension tank 21, where it is conveyed via liquid pump 16. Wires 26 connect the fuel cell 23 to charging station 27 having batteries 28 therein.

[0096] For all three configurations, water is pumped from the water container 18 (FIGS. 6A-C) to the low vacuum cylindrical chamber 9 containing the tablets. The temperature of the water can be controlled before it is pumped by wrapping the water container 18 with a heating cooling jacket. With the aid of the mesh 10 placed below the tablet and on the upper part of the vacuum container (FIG. 7B), the water will only touch the bottom part of the tablet. This will cause the chemical reaction between the tablet and the water to start, and thus produce the suspension and generate the H.sub.2 gas. The suspension is then pumped and stored in the suspension container 21 (FIGS. 8A-8B). However, depending on the system set-up (i.e., configuration 1, or 2), the H.sub.2 gas will either be stored in H.sub.2 storage materials 46 (by way of non-limiting example, palladium nanopowder), as shown in FIG. 9C, or directly utilized in a fuel cell to produce electricity. It is important to note that after each tablet is fully dissolved as a result of the chemical reaction, another tablet (i.e., the above tablet) will take its place until all the tablets in the container are fully consumed. In addition, when utilizing H.sub.2 in a fuel cell, the output is both electricity and water. This water can be redirected into the water container 21 to partially compensate for the water losses from the process.

[0097] In the case of configuration 3, the fuel cell is directly connected to the H.sub.2 storage tank 17. Therefore, to utilize the H.sub.2, a heating element (or a hot plate as well as a heating jacket) can be added to the H.sub.2 storage tank to increase the temperature of the H.sub.2 storage material, thus releasing the H.sub.2 gas from the tank towards the fuel cell for electricity production. Furthermore, if the users want to increase the dispersion stability of the produced suspension, they can include surfactants (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) as part of the effervescent tablets content at the tablet fabrication stage. Such surfactant will not affect the chemical reaction, and therefore the H.sub.2 generation will remain the same and the dispersion stability of the suspension will highly improve as well as its effective thermal conductivity.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 6A, water container 18 can be mounted on pump housing 31 having thermocouple 39. Fan 33 and protective mesh 32 for liquid pump 19 are included within pump housing 31. At the top of water container 18 is vial cap 35 having a metal ball 36 and spring 37 configuration thereon, as shown in FIG. 6C. As shown in FIG. 6B, housing 31 can also include a fitting 38.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 9A, H.sub.2 storage tank 17 can have H.sub.2 tank cap 42 affixed to the top thereon. H.sub.2 tank cap 42 can include screws 44 and pressure gauge 43. As shown in FIG. 9B, screws 44 can connect to H.sub.2 tank cap 42 via fittings 45. In this example, H.sub.2 storage materials 46 (by way of non-limiting example, palladium nanopowder), are included within H.sub.2 storage tank 17.

[0100] In one embodiment, the system can be utilized by integrating Configuration 2 or Configuration 3 in hybrid vehicles. According to each configuration when used with such a hybrid vehicle, the produced suspension will be pumped from its container towards, for example, a vehicle radiator tank that is partially filled with water (whenever needed) to enhance the coolant thermal performance with the aid of the dispersed metallic particles. Moreover, with Configuration 2, the electrical output from the fuel cell can fulfill the electrical demand of the hybrid vehicle. In contrast, in Configuration 3, the generated heat from the vehicle combustion engine will provide the required thermal energy to release the H.sub.2 from the H.sub.2 storage material, which is afterwards utilized by the fuel cell for electricity supply for the vehicle.

[0101] In another embodiment, the present system can be used in conjunction with electrical charging units for electrical vehicles, especially in remote areas where electrical grids are not accessible.

[0102] In some embodiments the systems herein have been adapted for a device requiring a hydrogen source. In some embodiments the device is a hydrogen fuel cell. In some embodiments the device is an internal combustion engine. In some embodiments the device is a gas turbine. In some embodiments the hydrogen is used for power generation. In some embodiments the power generation is accomplished via hydrogen fuel cell. In some embodiments the device is used for power (electricity) generation. In some embodiments the power generation is used in underwater vehicles. In some embodiments the power generation is used in aeronautical (flying) vehicles. In some embodiments the power generation is used in automotive vehicles. In some embodiments the power generation is used in robots. In some embodiments the power generation is used in electricity generators. In some embodiments the power generation is used as battery replacement for electronic devices. In some embodiments the system further comprising means for utilizing heat generated by said system. In some embodiments the composition serves as energy and hydrogen storage.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0103] A simulation tool called Aspen Plus (version 9), available from Aspen Technology Inc., Bedford, MA, was used to select a mass ratio between the three solids (i.e., Al, Mg, and NaHCO.sub.3) used in fabricating the present tablets. The equilibrium composition of the products formed from the inlet materials at different mass ratio scenarios (Table 1) were calculated by minimizing the Gibbs free energy using the RGIBBS reactor through the Aspen Plus software (FIG. 1A).

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ratio (NaHCO.sub.3:Al:Mg) Ratio Scenario No. NaHCO.sub.3 Al Mg 1 2 1 0 2 2 2 0 3 2 0 1 4 2 1 1 5 2 2 1 6 2 0 2 7 2 1 2 8 2 2 2

[0104] Ratio scenario 8 provided the highest H.sub.2 production, followed by ratio scenario 5 (See FIG. 1B). However, unlike ratio scenario 5, ratio scenario 8 had a higher amount of Mg(OH).sub.2 in its byproducts (See FIG. 1C), which indicates that the Mg particles were not sufficiently utilized for H.sub.2 production. For such reasons, ratio scenario 5 (i.e., 2:2:1 of NaHCO.sub.3:Al:Mg) was selected for fabricating the tablets.

[0105] The three powders were then homogeneously mixed in a glove box for 15 min using a manual mortar and pestle instrument then placed in a cylindrical shaped die and compressed at 80 kN using a pneumatic press tool to form the tablets. Next, the tablets were placed in a specially constructed container then air sealed before being taken out of the glove box and secured on a special low vacuum cylindrical chamber. Furthermore, the vacuum was started to eject the air from the system. Once the inner pressure reached 0.5 bar or below (depending on the user preference), the cover of the specially constructed tablet container 8A automatically opens in a mechanical manner and the tablet will drop on a mesh 10 (See FIG. 2A), which is placed on the top part of the low vacuum cylindrical chamber 9. FIG. 2A demonstrates the tablet, specially constructed container 8A that will host the tablets, and the low vacuum cylindrical chamber 9 that will hold the specially constructed tablet container 8A.

[0106] According to this embodiment, the low vacuum cylindrical chamber 9 is included in a housing 20 having a fitting 11. On top of the mesh 10, there will be a lower cover 6 having a rotating disk 4 thereon. The rotating disk 4 includes pins 2 on which is placed a center disk 1. Conrods 5 surround a blade 3 thereon, with an upper cover 7 fitting above the lower cover 6. The upper cover 7 includes a central hole through which the specially constructed tablet container 8A made of tablet glass 8 can fit. A motor 12 can be found at the top of the specially constructed tablet container 8A.

[0107] FIG. 7A demonstrates specially constructed tablet container 8A affixed to housing 20. FIG. 7B shows an exploded view of the complete construction thereof. FIG. 7C shows how tablet 14 sits on top of mesh 10 within housing 20. FIG. 7D shows the same components with water 40 included to contact the bottom of tablet 14.

[0108] It is to be understood that the compositions, systems, and methods as described herein are not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompass any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.