Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02798715 2012-12-12
HYDROGEN GENERATING REACTOR, AND
SYSTEM FOR GENERATING HYDROGEN
Field of the Invention
[0001] The
present invention relates generally to gas generating systems, and in
particular to a hydrogen generating reactor and related system in which the
hydrogen
generating reactor may be used.
Background of the Invention
[0002]
Hydrogen is generally considered to be a clean fuel because in many
applications, it can be burned to produce energy and water. That is, the waste
product
produced in generating energy from burning hydrogen is only water. Other
problems persist
in using hydrogen as a fuel though, including the ability to obtain or
generate hydrogen in
real time or to store it in sufficient quantities to be useful as a fuel.
[0003]
Hydrogen furnaces are one example where it would be beneficial to use
hydrogen as a fuel in heating a home or a building, for example. One problem
that currently
exists as a barrier to more widespread use is the delivery and storage of
hydrogen gas to the
building site. It is generally known in the art that hydrogen can be generated
by reacting
aluminum in a solution of water and sodium hydroxide, however, making use on a
scale
large enough to extract sufficient amounts of hydrogen for domestic or
commercial use has
been problematic.
[0004] Other
similar reactions where a solid material is reacted with a liquid phase
solution to produce a gas also face similar problems, in carrying out the
reaction while
extracting the gas in a useful and on-demand type of fashion.
[0005]
Furthermore, some of the energy resulting from this reaction is often wasted
as
the target is to extract gas from the reaction. It may also be beneficial to
make use of the
heat byproduct, where it exists such as in the aluminum and sodium hydroxide
reaction.
[0006]
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a reactor for
reacting a
solid material such as aluminum in a solution, such as sodium hydroxide, to
produce a gas.
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Summary of the Invention
[0007]
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a reactor for
reacting a solid material in a solution to generate a gas including a vessel
having a solution-
containing portion and an air-containing portion; and a gas outlet through
which the gas
generated by the reaction of the solid material in the solution can be
extracted, a solution
disposed in the solution-containing portion, a solution permeable-container
disposed in the
air-containing portion of the vessel; the container holding the solid
material, and means for
displacing the container such that the solid material within the container is
brought into
contact with the solution.
[0008]
According to one aspect of the invention, the solid material is aluminum (Al)
and the solution includes sodium hydroxide (NaOH); the gas being hydrogen (H).
[0009]
According to another aspect of the invention, the solution-permeable container
comprises a basket.
[0010]
According to another aspect of the invention, the means for displacing
comprises
a rod attached to opposite inner walls of the vessel; the basket including a
rod-receiving
portion sized, located and otherwise dimensioned such that the basket is
rotatable around the
rod; the basket, rod and bearings sized and otherwise dimensioned such that
rotation of the
basket brings the solid material into contact with the solution.
[0011]
According to another aspect of the invention, the means for displacing
comprises
a rod fixedly attached proximate to a central axis of the basket; the rod
disposed in bearings
positioned at opposite inner walls of the vessel such that the rod is
rotatable within the
bearings to thereby rotate the basket; the basket, rod and bearings sized and
otherwise
dimensioned such that rotation of the basket brings the solid material into
contact with the
solution.
[0012]
According to another aspect of the invention, tubing is disposed in the
solution-
containing portion; the tubing being sealed to the solution-containing portion
and including
a liquid therein, such that a liquid in the tubing is heated during the
reaction.
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[0013]
According to another aspect of the invention, a sealable lid is disposed on a
roof
portion of the vessel; the lid providing access to an interior of the vessel
and to the solution-
permeable container.
[0014]
According to another aspect of the invention, a release valve is provided on
the
reactor.
[0015]
According to another aspect of the invention, an outlet pipe is provided in
communication with the gas outlet and a vapour drain disposed on the pipe
downstream of
the gas outlet.
[0016]
According to a second embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system
including a reactor for reacting a solid material in a solution to generate
the gas; the reactor
comprising a vessel having a solution-containing portion and an air-containing
portion; and
a gas outlet through which the gas generated by the reaction of the solid
material in the
solution can be extracted, a solution disposed in the solution-containing
portion, a solution
permeable-container disposed in the air-containing portion of the vessel; the
container
holding the solid material and means for displacing the container such that
the solid material
within the container is brought into contact with the solution. The system
further includes a
gas storage vessel in fluid communication with the gas outlet for receiving
and storing the
gas.
[0017]
According to an aspect of the second embodiment, the solid material is
aluminum (Al) and the solution includes sodium hydroxide (NaOH); the gas being
hydrogen
(H).
[0018]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, the means for displacing
comprises a rod attached to opposite inner walls of the vessel; the basket
including a rod-
receiving portion sized, located and otherwise dimensioned such that the
basket is rotatable
around the rod; the basket, rod and bearings sized and otherwise dimensioned
such that
rotation of the basket brings the solid material into contact with the
solution.
[0019]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, the means for displacing
comprises a rod fixedly attached proximate to a central axis of the basket;
the rod disposed
in bearings positioned at opposite inner walls of the vessel such that the rod
is rotatable
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within the bearings to thereby rotate the basket; the basket, rod and bearings
sized and
otherwise dimensioned such that rotation of the basket brings the solid
material into contact
with the solution.
[0020]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, tubing is disposed in
the
solution-containing portion of the reactor; the tubing being sealed to the
solution-containing
portion and including a liquid therein, such that a liquid in the tubing is
heated during the
reaction.
[0021]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, an outlet pipe is
provided in communication with the gas outlet connecting the gas outlet and
the gas storage
vessel; and a vapour drain is disposed on the pipe.
[0022]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, the tubing extends out
of the reactor and to an infloor heating system.
[0023]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, a gas boiler is provided
between the reactor and the infloor heating system to further heat the liquid
in the tubing.
[0024]
According to another aspect of the second embodiment, a gas furnace is
provided in fluid communication with the gas storage vessel.
[0025]
According to a third embodiment of the invention, there is provided a reactor
for
reacting a solid material in a solution to generate a gas including a vessel
having a solution-
containing portion and an air-containing portion; and a gas outlet through
which the gas
generated by the reaction of the solid material in the solution can be
extracted, a solution
disposed in the solution-containing portion, a solution permeable-container
disposed in the
air-containingp ortion of the vessel; the container holding the solid
material, and means for
displacing the solution such that the solution is brought into contact with
the solid material.
[0026]
According to an aspect of the third embodiment, the means for displacing
includes a fluid inlet provided in the air-containing portion above the
solution-permeable
container, a fluid outlet provided below the solution-permeable container and
means for
circulating the solution into and out of the vessel via the fluid inlet and
the fluid outlet,
whereby the solution comes into contact with the solid material as the
solution passes from
the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet.
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[0027] According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, there is provided
a system
including a reactor for reacting a solid material in a solution to generate
the gas; the reactor
comprising a vessel having a solution-containing portion and an air-containing
portion; and
a gas outlet through which the gas generated by the reaction of the solid
material in the
solution can be extracted, a solution disposed in the solution-containing
portion, a solution
permeable-container disposed in the air-containing portion of the vessel; the
container
holding the solid material, and means for displacing the solution such that
the solution is
brought into contact with the solid material. The system further includes a
gas storage
vessel in fluid communication with the gas outlet for receiving and storing
the gas.
[0028] According to an aspect of the fourth embodiment, the means for
displacing
includes a fluid inlet provided in the air-containing portion above the
solution-permeable
container, a fluid outlet provided below the solution-permeable container and
means for
circulating the solution into and out of the vessel via the fluid inlet and
the fluid outlet,
whereby the solution comes into contact with the solid material as the
solution passes from
the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet.
[0029] According to another aspect of the fourth embodiment, a solution
holding tank is
provided in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and
a circulation
pump for circulating the solution from the solution holding tank into the
vessel where the
solution contacts the solid material and subsequently out of the vessel via
the solution outlet
back into the solution holding tank.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0030] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with
reference to
the attached Figures, wherein:
[0031] Figures la and lb show a reactor according to one embodiment of the
invention.
[0032] Figure 2 is a schematic drawing showing a gas generating system
using the
reactor of Figure 1 according to another embodiment of the invention.
[0033] Figure 3 shows a reactor according to a second embodiment of the
invention.
[0034] Figure 4 is a schematic drawing showing a system using the reactor
of Figure 3.
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Detailed Description of the Embodiments
[0035]
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown one embodiment of the invention in
which a reactor 10 for reacting a solid material in a solution to generate a
gas is shown. In
the exemplary embodiment and typically described throughout, the solid
material is
aluminum and preferably solid aluminum bars, and the solution includes sodium
hydroxide.
The gas resulting from this exemplary reaction is hydrogen. This reaction is
known in the
art, and other variations on it are also contemplated. One example of a
preferred reaction is
described in "Reaction of Aluminum with Alkaline Sodium Stannate Solution as a
Controlled Source of Hydrogen" by Dai et al. published at Energy Environ.
Sci., 2011, 4,
2206. The reactor 10 may be made of any suitable material, including stainless
steel, and
may be provided with a stand 15 on a base thereof for ease of positioning and
stability.
[0036] More
substantively, the reactor 10 includes a vessel 20 having a solution-
containing portion 25 and an air-containing portion 30 that is located between
the solution-
containing portion 25 and a roof 35 of the vessel 20. Preferably position on
the roof 35 is a
gas outlet 40 through which hydrogen generated in the reactor can be
extracted. In the
preferred embodiment, the sodium hydroxide solution is disposed in the
solution-containing
portion 25 of the vessel 20. The solution-containing portion 25 may be defined
as that
portion of the vessel 20 from its base 45 to a height of the vessel 20 at
which sufficient
amounts of the sodium hydroxide solution can be held to permit the functioning
as described
below. Typically, at least 50% of the vessel 20 will contain the sodium
hydroxide solution,
but this amount can range from between 25% to 75% in preferred embodiment.
These
figures are presented as examples only, and the invention is not to be limited
as such.
Furthermore, solution amounts outside of this range may also be appropriate.
The air-
containing portion 30 is defined as that portion of the vessel 20 between a
top surface of the
liquid-containing portion 25 and the roof 35.
[0037] A
solution-permeable container 50 is disposed in the air-containing portion 30
of
the vessel 20. The aluminum, preferably in the form of aluminum bars, are
disposed within
the solution-permeable container 50. The container 50 is preferably a
stainless steel basket
50 then when submerged, or partially submerged in the sodium hydroxide
solution, permits
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the aluminum bars within the basket to be brought into contact with the sodium
hydroxide
and thus providing for the hydrogen generating reaction. To this end, a means
for displacing
55 the container such that the aluminum bars within the basket 50 are brought
into contact
with the sodium hydroxide solution. The basket 50 is openable such that
aluminum bars
within the basket can be added as appropriate.
[0038] In one
example, the means for displacing 55 includes a rod 60 attached to
opposite inner walls 65, 70 of the vessel 20. The basket 50 includes a rod-
receiving portion
75 that is sized, located and otherwise dimensioned such that the basket 50 is
rotatable
around the rod 60. The basket 50 and rod 60 are all sized and otherwise
dimensioned such
that the basket 50 brings the aluminum into contact with the sodium hydroxide
when it is
rotated, as shown in Figure lb. Particular details of implementation or the
hardware
selected are not considered to be essential elements of the invention.
However, as will now
be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the reaction can be initiated
on-demand by
rotating the basket 50 bringing the aluminum into contact with the sodium
hydroxide
solution, and extracting the resultant hydrogen via the air outlet. The basket
50 can be
rotated in any number of ways, including and not limited to, a motor connected
to the rod
from the exterior of the vessel. Implementation details of how the rod is
rotated, or the
motor controlled are not pertinent to the inventive concept of the invention.
[0039]
Alternatively, rather than having the basket 50 rotate about the rod 60, the
rod 60
may be disposed in bearings 80 positioned at opposite inner walls of the
vessel such that the
rod is rotatable within the bearings to thereby rotate the basket 50. In this
alternative, the
basket 50, rod 60 and bearings 80 are each sized and otherwise dimensioned
such that
rotation of the basket brings the aluminum material into contact with the
sodium hydroxide
solution. In addition, if agitation of the sodium hydroxide solution is
desired, the rod can be
continuously rotated to produce this agitation.
[0040] In
another aspect of the invention, closed tubing 90, such as stainless steel
tubing, is disposed in the solution-containing. The tubing 90 is sealed with
respect to the
sodium hydroxide solution and may be adapted to contain a liquid therein. In
this manner,
the liquid within the tubing can be heated by the heat byproduct generated
during the
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reaction in the vessel. The heated liquid in the tubing can be extracted from
the reactor and
used in any number of ways, one example of which will be described below.
[0041] A
closeable, and preferably sealable, lid 95 may be provided on the roof 35 of
the vessel 20. The lid 95 provides access to an interior of the vessel 20 to
replace the
aluminum bars, for example. Also optionally located on the roof 35 is a
release valve 100,
and a pressure gauge 105 to safeguard against a buildup of hydrogen gas within
the reactor.
[0042]
Extending from the gas outlet 40 is an outlet pipe 110, and a vapour drain 115
downstream from the gas outlet 40. The vapour drain 115 captures any vapour
that is also
extracted from the reactor prior to storing the hydrogen gas as will be
described below. A
dryer, such as a silicon dryer 120 may be used to aid in the extraction of
vapour at the
vapour drain 115.
[0043]
Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a system 130 in which the reactor as
herein described may be used. The system 130 includes a reactor 140 for
reacting solid
aluminum material in a sodium hydroxide solution. The reactor 140 may be any
reactor as
herein described. In communication with a hydrogen outlet 150 from the reactor
is a
hydrogen storage tank 160. Hydrogen storage tank 160 is any pressure vessel
known in the
art capable of storing hydrogen gas. An in-line dryer 165 may be positioned
between an
outlet of the reactor 140 and an inlet of the storage tank 160. Hydrogen
stored in the tank
160 may be used to power a hydrogen furnace 163.
[0044] As
described above, the reactor 140 may included liquid-containing tubing 170
that is otherwise sealed to 14. The liquid in the tubing 170 may benefit from
the heat
generated during the hydrogen producing reactor to thus warm the liquid. Where
this is the
case, the system may further include a boiler 175, such as a hydrogen boiler
to further heat
the liquid, which may then be use for infloor heating 177, for example. In
this system, both
the hydrogen that results from the reaction and the heat byproduct is used in
a residential
environment, to power a furnace and aid in infloor heating.
[0045] The
system as described is easy to use, and generally only requires adding
aluminum bars to the basket, or other holding element within the reactor. The
reactor may
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also be provided with inputs and outputs for filling the reactor with the
sodium chloride, or
similar solution and subsequently draining same.
[0046]
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3. The reactor 310 of
this embodiment includes a vessel 320 having a solution-containing portion 325
and an air-
containing portion 330 that is located between the solution-containing portion
325 and a
roof 335 of the vessel 320. Preferably positioned on the roof 335 is a gas
outlet 340 through
which hydrogen generated in the reactor can be extracted. A solution-permeable
container
350 is disposed in the air-containing portion 330 of the vessel 320. The
aluminum bars, are
disposed within the solution-permeable container 350. The container 350 is
preferably a
stainless steel basket 350 through which the sodium hydroxide solution can be
passed, either
continuously or intermittently and on demand. To accomplish this, the system
in which the
reactor 310 is used also includes a solution holding tank 352 in fluid
communication with
the reactor 310 via one or more inlet fluid lines 312 and one or more outlet
fluid lines 314.
A control float 355 may be provided to monitor the level of sodium hydroxide
within the
vessel 320. Furthermore, a circulation pump 360 is provided to provide for the
continuous
or intermittent pumping of sodium hydroxide to the reactor. The basket 350 may
be
attached to inner walls of the vessel 320 in any manner known in the art, such
as by welding
or using known fasteners.
[0047] The
reactor of this other embodiment may similarly be used in the system as
described above, accounting for the solution holding tank 352 also in fluid
communication
with vessel 320. Other features as described, including the liquid-containing
tubing for
optional use with infloor heating and the hydrogen furnace are as described
above. In
addition, the generated hydrogen may also be used to power an electric
generator as
illustrated.
[0048] In
use, a system operator would replace the aluminum bars as they are used and
ensure sufficient amounts of sodium hydroxide solution is available in the
system. As either
of these are depleted, they are easily replenished through the lid on the
reactor, for example.
Thus, the reactor and system of the invention addresses one or more of the
problems
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associated with the prior art, and provides for an efficient, easy to use and
reliable source of
hydrogen gas.
[0049] While
applicant has illustrated and described a schematic view of the system and
the reactor, it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that details
of implementation,
such as pipe sizes, mechanical connections, fluid connections, sealing and
sizing of
components are generally considered within the purview of a person skilled in
the art.
Furthermore, construction details of the vessel, and other elements of the
system are not
material to the invention at hand, and off-the-shelf or known pressure vessels
may readily be
used and modified as described herein to aid in putting the invention into
practice.
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