EP0230384A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for cold storage of hydrogen
Assignee: Syracuse University
•
Filing: 1987-01-16
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-01-16
Abstract
Abstract Hydrogen from a source (20) is passed through a chiller (22) and is stored at cold temperatures (room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature) by sorption in a high unit surface area activated carbon storage medium contained in a cell (24) which may be connected to a source of liquid nitrogen (30). A minor amount of a transition metal such as palladium or platinum is dispersed in the carbon, and this significantly increases the hydrogen occupancy of the available storage sites on the carbon. In a favourable embodiment, the storage medium is activated so as to maintain a quantity of water, which acts as a co-catalyst to further enhance the quantity of hydrogen that can be stored.
Inventors
- 👤 James A. Schwarz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:47
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B3/00; C01B3/0005; C01B3/001; C01B3/0078; F; F17; F17C; F17C11/00; F17C11/005; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of storing hydrogen by contacting gaseous hydrogen with a storage medium formed of high surface area activated carbon and physisorbing the hydrogen on the storage medium, characterised in that the carbon is combined with an active transition metal in elemental form capable of dissociating the hydrogen, and the sorbed hydrogen is stored by maintaining the pressure at or above one bar and maintaining the temperature of the medium in a cold temperature range below 293K.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of storing hydrogen by contacting gaseous hydrogen with a storage medium formed of high surface area activated carbon and physisorbing the hydrogen on the storage medium, characterised in that the carbon is combined with an active transition metal in elemental form capable of dissociating the hydrogen, and the sorbed hydrogen is stored by maintaining the pressure at or above one bar and maintaining the temperature of the medium in a cold temperature range below 293K.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the transition metal is dispersed in the carbon as small particles in the size range of about 50-200Å.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the transition metal is selected from Group VIII transition metals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 3 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Ni, Pd and Pt.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 3 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Co, Rh and Ir.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 3 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Fe, Ru and Os.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
28 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the storage medium consists of activated carbon and 5% by weight of the transition metal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
25 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the activated carbon has a surface area factor of at least 1000m²/g.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the storage medium is prepared prior to contacting with hydrogen, by flowing an inert gas through the medium for dehydrating the same.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 9, characterised in that the preparation of the storage medium includes flowing hydrogen for a period of time at about 373K, then flowing the inert gas over the medium for an additional period of time at about 373K, and then cooling the storage medium to a temperature in the cold temperature range.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
30 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the maintenance of the temperature in the cold temperature range includes cooling the medium with liquid nitrogen.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
25 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the high surface area activated carbon has a pH that is basic.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 12 characterised in that the carbon has a pH of between about 9 and 10.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
29 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the maintenance of the pressure is carried out for a charging interval of about four hours.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the pressure is maintained below about 50 bars.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 15 characterised in that the pressure is maintained between one and twelve bars.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 characterised in that the pressure is maintained at about one atmosphere.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 14 characterised in that the pressure is maintained at about 40 bars.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
61 words
Storage apparatus for storing hydrogen in sorbed form, comprising a pressure vessel for receiving and discharging the hydrogen, cooling means for maintaining the vessel at a temperature in a cold temperature range and a filling of a storage medium that consists of high surface area activated carbon combined with an active transition metal in elemental form capable of dissociating the hydrogen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
Storage apparatus for storing hydrogen in sorbed form, comprising a pressure vessel for receiving and discharging the hydrogen, cooling means for maintaining the vessel at a temperature in a cold temperature range and a filling of a storage medium that consists of high surface area activated carbon combined with an active transition metal in elemental form capable of dissociating the hydrogen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Storage apparatus according to claim 19, characterised in that the pressure vessel is capable of sustaining a pressure of at least about 100 atmospheres.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
Storage apparatus according to claim 19 or claim 20 characterised in that the cooling means includes means for cooling the storage medium to or near liquid nitrogen temperatures.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterised in that the transition metal is a metal selected from the Group VIII transition metals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Ni, Pd, and Pt.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Co, Rh and Ir.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21 characterised in that the transition metal is selected from the family consisting of Fe, Ru and Os.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 25 characterised in that the storage medium consists of activated carbon and 5% by weight of the transition metal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 26, characterised in that the activated carbon has a surface area factor of at least about 1000 m²/g.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
Storage apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 27 characterised in that the activated carbon has a pH that is basic.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
Storage apparatus according to claim 28 characterised in that the pH is between about 9 and 10.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.