Hydrogen generator integrated with fuel cell for portable energy supply

Abstract An autonomous power supply device based on a 30 W fuel cell (FC) stack and a hydrolysis-type hydrogen generator was developed. The creation of this device included the construction of a unit for hydrogen generation, development of an electronic control unit for the operation of the device, and testing and optimizing the overall performance. The hydrolysis of NaBH₄ was catalyzed by Pt-based catalysts and was studied for different reactor configurations and reagent concentrations. The flat type of the reactor, Pt catalyst deposited on cordierite as a support, and 10% solution of NaBH₄ proved to be the most efficient when generating H₂ for use in the 30 W FC. A developed electronic control unit effectively regulates the hydrolysis reaction rate and provides the required hydrogen supply to the FC. A Li-ion battery was used to start the work of the developed system. One important feature of the developed electronic system is the use of supercapacitors, enabling smoothening of the periodic variations of the generated power. The created hydrolysis unit integrated with the FC provides a stable power supply for at least 9 h from one refueling (U _const = 12 V, I = 0–2.5 A, nominal power = 30 W). The specific generated power of the system when accounting for its weight and volume is similar to the analogues described in the reference data, while the electronic circuit enables its stable and efficient performance, satisfying the consumer needs for autonomous energy supply when a stationary electrical grid is not available.