Selectively locatable power generation system employing a water splitting process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy solutions for buildings and vehicles, such as solar panels, electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles, face limitations in energy density, cost, and the lack of a self-sufficient hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure, making them impractical for true 'off the grid' operation.
Innovation Solution
A power generation system that uses solid metal feedstock to produce heat, hydrogen, and metal hydroxide, enabling on-site energy self-sufficiency for buildings and hydrogen fueling for vehicles, eliminating the need for extensive hydrogen transportation and storage infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If solar panels are used to provide electrical power for buildings, then renewable energy is generated, but the production level falls short of meeting all energy needs and the system becomes expensive without subsidies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple energy production functions into a single integrated system that simultaneously generates electricity through fuel cells, produces hydrogen through water splitting, and provides thermal energy through exothermic reactions. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate solar panel arrays, battery storage systems, and hydrogen storage infrastructure, thereby reducing overall system cost while meeting complete energy demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal feedstock serves multiple functions: it acts as fuel for electricity generation in fuel cells, as a reactant for hydrogen production through water splitting, and as a source of thermal energy through exothermic oxidation. This multi-functionality allows a single material input to satisfy multiple energy needs (electricity, hydrogen fuel, heating), eliminating the need for separate systems for each function and reducing overall cost.
2Use of energy by moving object
If Li-ion batteries are used in electric vehicles, then high efficiency is achieved, but energy density is less than 5% of gasoline and cost is significantly higher
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary hydrogen production through water splitting using metal feedstock, storing hydrogen in gaseous or liquid form ready for immediate use in fuel cells. This eliminates the need for large-capacity batteries that would otherwise be required to store equivalent energy, as hydrogen can be produced on-demand and stored in much smaller, lighter containers compared to Li-ion battery packs of equivalent energy capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the energy storage medium from solid-state Li-ion batteries to gaseous/liquid hydrogen, fundamentally altering the physical state and chemical composition of the energy carrier. This parameter change enables dramatically higher energy density (comparable to or exceeding gasoline) while maintaining high efficiency through fuel cell conversion, directly addressing both the energy density and cost limitations of battery-electric vehicles.
3Ease of operation
If hydrogen filling stations are established for fuel cell vehicles, then hydrogen fueling becomes available, but extensive transportation and storage infrastructure is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service hydrogen production by using on-site water splitting with metal feedstock to generate hydrogen directly at the point of use. This eliminates the need for external hydrogen filling stations, transportation pipelines, and large-scale storage infrastructure, as each location produces its own hydrogen supply. The system transforms hydrogen from a commodity requiring complex distribution infrastructure into a locally produced utility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the hydrogen production function from the centralized infrastructure model and places it at the distributed, local level. By removing the need for external hydrogen supply chains and filling stations, the system extracts only the essential water splitting reaction and metal feedstock input, eliminating the complex transportation and storage infrastructure that would otherwise be required to support fuel cell vehicle operation.
4Quantity of substance
If fossil fuels are used for energy production, then high energy density is achieved, but greenhouse gas emissions are generated and on-site production is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the typically harmful exothermic oxidation reaction of metals (which releases heat and could contribute to thermal pollution) into a beneficial multi-output process that simultaneously generates electricity through fuel cells, produces hydrogen through water splitting, and provides useful thermal energy. This transforms what could be a harmful thermal process into a clean, multi-functional energy production system with zero greenhouse gas emissions.
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
This system provides a comprehensive energy solution for buildings and vehicles, offering competitive energy costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enabling 'off the grid' operation by generating hydrogen on-site for fuel cell vehicles and providing heat and electricity for buildings.
Implementation Method 1
employs a solid metal feedstock to generate heat, hydrogen and metal oxide product
Implementation Method 2
employs a solid metal feedstock to generate heat, hydrogen and metal oxide product
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a power generation system which involves a water-splitting reaction employing metal feedstock to generate heat, hydrogen and metal hydroxide. The heat produced by the power generation system supplies a Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning (HVAC) system for heating and cooling building structures, such as homes, kiosks, commercial buildings and greenhouses. The hydrogen gas component produced by the invention is sufficient to fuel a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) and a fuel cell, which provides electricity to an associated building structure. The invention can be located on-site with a building structure and provides a readily available FCV fueling station associated with the building structure where an FCV is located.