HYDROGEN GENERATOR HAVING A THERMAL ACTUATOR

摘要

A hydrogen generator having one or more actuators coupled to one or more heating elements in which the actuator(s) are used to improve the transfer of thermal energy from heating element(s) to one or more fuel units contained within the generator. In one embodiment, an actuator allows insertion and/or removal of packaged fuel units without the need of removing the heating element(s) and/or the actuator(s). When the actuator is in a retracted state (e.g., a low temperature state), the packaged fuel unit may be inserted and/or removed from a cavity of the hydrogen generator. When the actuator is in an extended state (e.g., a higher temperature state), the actuator forces contact between itself or the heating element and the fuel unit when a prescribed operating temperature is reached.

主权项

1. A packaged fuel unit for use in a hydrogen generator, the fuel unit comprising:
a plurality of solid fuel segments; a container to house and thermally segregate the fuel segments from each other; a lid to seal the container, the lid having a plurality of segregated conductor sections, each conductor section in thermal communication with a corresponding fuel segment, wherein a release of a limited amount of hydrogen gas is initiated by selectively contacting the conductor section of each fuel segment with a corresponding heating element.