Cellular Reservoir for Hydrogen Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel storage reservoirs for micro fuel cells are spatially inefficient, leading to unutilized space and limitations in hydrogen storage capacity, which is critical for portable devices and industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A cellular reservoir design that interconnects multiple components to maximize space utilization, featuring end caps and internal/external ports for fuel management, and uses materials like metal hydrides to enhance hydrogen storage, allowing for efficient fuel distribution and pressure regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional round or cylindrical reservoirs are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but space utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is divided into multiple cellular compartments arranged in a grid pattern, where each cell acts as an independent storage unit. This segmentation allows the reservoir to efficiently fill available space while maintaining structural integrity through the modular cellular structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir transitions from conventional two-dimensional circular or cylindrical shapes to a three-dimensional cellular grid structure. This dimensional change enables much more efficient space utilization by filling the available volume in all three dimensions rather than leaving significant unused space around circular cross-sections.
2Quantity of substance
If more fuel is stored in limited space, then energy density increases, but storage capacity limitations are reached
Solution Approach 1:
Metal hydride particles are nested within the cellular reservoir structure, allowing the reservoir to store significantly more hydrogen than traditional compressed tanks. The cellular design enables efficient packing of the hydride material throughout the available volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir uses metal hydride composite materials that can absorb and store large quantities of hydrogen at low pressure. These composite materials enable high-density hydrogen storage within the cellular structure, dramatically increasing the quantity of hydrogen that can be stored in limited space.
3Quantity of substance
If metal hydrides are used for hydrogen storage, then storage capacity increases, but pressure management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The metal hydride material provides self-regulating pressure management through its inherent absorption and desorption characteristics. The hydride automatically absorbs hydrogen at low pressure and releases it when needed, eliminating the need for complex external pressure regulation systems while maintaining high storage capacity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cellular reservoir design effectively fills available space while maintaining structural integrity, increasing hydrogen storage capacity and energy density in portable devices, suitable for various applications including fuel cells, heat pumps, and hydrogen compressors.
Implementation Method 1
Metal hydrides absorb hydrogen at low pressure and can be refilled using high purity hydrogen
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention relate to a reservoir assembly for use in a device, such as a fuel cell system, hydride storage system, hydrogen compressor system, heat pump system or air conditioner system. The assembly includes a first cellular component interconnected with at least a second cellular component in which the interconnected cellular components are arranged together to substantially fill an available device space, one or more end caps coupled to a portion of the first or the second cellular components, one or more external ports for adding or removing a fluid from the reservoir in which the external ports are positioned in one or more of the end caps or cellular components, and one or more internal ports in which each internal port fluidly connects the first interconnected cellular component to at least the second interconnected cellular component.