Electrolytic hydrogen generating system

Abstract

A method of dynamically adding or removing a quantity of active plates in a plate assembly of a hydrogen generating system, the plate assembly comprising a plurality of plates. The method includes receiving a minimum amperage threshold, a maximum amperage threshold, a maximum temperature threshold, a first actual amperage, and a first actual temperature of a hydrogen generating system, selecting a first plurality of plates from the plate assembly, wherein the selection is based on at least one of the following: the minimum amperage threshold, the maximum amperage threshold, the first actual amperage, and the first actual temperature, and applying a first voltage to the first plurality of plates.

1 . A method of dynamically adding or removing a quantity of active plates in a plate assembly of a hydrogen generating system, the plate assembly comprising a plurality of plates, the method comprising:
 receiving a minimum amperage threshold, a maximum amperage threshold, a maximum temperature threshold, a first actual amperage, and a first actual temperature of a hydrogen generating system;   selecting a first plurality of plates from the plate assembly, wherein the selection is based on at least one of the following: the minimum amperage threshold, the maximum amperage threshold, the first actual amperage, and the first actual temperature; and   applying a first voltage to the first plurality of plates.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a second actual amperage and a second actual temperature after applying the first voltage to the first plurality of plates;   comparing the second actual amperage to the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold;   applying a second voltage to the first plurality of plates if the first actual amperage is between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold;   selecting a second plurality of plates from the plate assembly if the first actual amperage is not between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold; and   applying the second voltage to the second plurality of plates if the first actual amperage is not between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the second plurality of plates includes more plates than the first plurality of plates if the second actual amperage is equal to or exceeds the maximum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the second plurality of plates includes fewer plates than the first plurality of plates if the second actual amperage is equal to or below the minimum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising comparing the second actual temperature to the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the second voltage is the same as the first voltage if the second actual temperature is below the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage if the second actual temperature is equal to or exceeds the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plate assembly comprises a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell share a common cathode. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell share a common anode. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein each of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell comprises one or more plates, and wherein at least one of the one or more plates is configured to be an anode, and at least one or more of the other plates is configured to be a cathode. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first fuel cell has fewer plates than the second fuel cell. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising operating each of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell in parallel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least one plate in the first plurality of plates is in the first fuel cell and wherein at least one plate in the first plurality of plates is in the second fuel cell. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the at least one plate in the first fuel cell is an anode plate and wherein the at least one plate in the second fuel cell is an anode plate. 
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium having instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 receive a minimum amperage threshold, a maximum amperage threshold, a maximum temperature threshold, a first actual amperage, and a first actual temperature of a hydrogen generating system;   select a first plurality of plates from a plate assembly, wherein the selection is based on at least one of the following: the minimum amperage threshold, the maximum amperage threshold, the first actual amperage, and the first actual temperature; and   apply a first voltage to the first plurality of plates.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable media of  claim 16  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 determine a second actual amperage and a second actual temperature after applying the first voltage to the first plurality of plates;   compare the second actual amperage to the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold;   apply a second voltage to the first plurality of plates if the first actual amperage is between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold;   select a second plurality of plates from the plate assembly if the first actual amperage is not between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold; and   apply the second voltage to the second plurality of plates if the first actual amperage is not between the minimum amperage threshold and the maximum amperage threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable media of  claim 17  wherein the second plurality of plates includes more plates than the first plurality of plates if the second actual amperage is equal to or exceeds the maximum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable media of  claim 17  wherein the second plurality of plates includes fewer plates than the first plurality of plates if the second actual amperage is equal to or below the minimum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable media of  claim 17  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to compare the second actual temperature to the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         21 . The computer readable media of  claim 20  wherein the second voltage is the same as the first voltage if the second actual temperature is below the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         22 . The computer readable media of  claim 20  wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage if the second actual temperature is equal to or exceeds the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable media of  claim 16  wherein the plate assembly comprises a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell. 
     
     
         24 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  wherein the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell share a common cathode. 
     
     
         25 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  wherein the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell share a common anode. 
     
     
         26 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  wherein each of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell comprises one or more plates, and wherein at least one of the one or more plates is configured to be an anode, and at least one or more of the other plates is configured to be a cathode. 
     
     
         27 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  wherein the first fuel cell has fewer plates than the second fuel cell. 
     
     
         28 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to operate each of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell in parallel. 
     
     
         29 . The computer readable media of  claim 23  wherein at least one plate in the first plurality of plates is in the first fuel cell and wherein at least one plate in the first plurality of plates is in the second fuel cell. 
     
     
         30 . The computer readable media of  claim 29  wherein the at least one plate in the first fuel cell is an anode plate and wherein the at least one plate in the second fuel cell is an anode plate.