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(D) Portable Hydrogen Generator for Fuel Cells 

1.                  L. X. Yang, Bor Z. Jang, Jiusheng Guo, and Wen C. Huang, “Portable Hydrogen Generator and Fuel Cell System,” US Pat. Pending, 10/998,223 (11/29/2004).

            A hydrogen generator apparatus (Fig.7) that delivers a hydrogen stream at a controlled rate to a fuel cell has been developed. The apparatus comprises a fuel tank, a wicking material in the fuel tank, a fluid retained in the wicking material, a first disc bounding the wicking material and comprising a hydrophilic membrane for receiving the fluid from the wicking material by a wicking pressure to form a fluid-wetted surface, a second disc having a porous surface area with the second disc being in contact with the first disc with the two discs moveable relative to each other, a catalyst on the porous surface to form a catalyst-coated surface, and hydrogen generated by hydrolyzation of the fluid contacting the catalyst due to a relative motion between the first disc and the second disc. Major features of this apparatus include simplicity, compactness and portability, hydrogen production rate adjustability, reliability, the ability to operate in any orientation and, in one preferred embodiment, a feedback mechanism to automatically maintain a constant pressure supply of hydrogen or constant hydrogen flow rate. The invention also provides an actively or passively controlled power source featuring such a hydrogen generator.