a supplemental heat source hydrogen is generated by hydrolyzing the borohydride using a stoichiometrically balanced i e substantially chemically balanced amounts of borohydride and water more specifically the optimal yield of hydrogen gas is generated by maintaining a 1 6 to 2 5 parts by mass of water per 1 part of lithium borohydride mixture or 1 to 1 5 parts by mass of water per 1 part of sodium borohydride mixture upon completion this reaction produces a demanded quantity of hydrogen gas solid by products and heat according to the following equation hydrolysis of lithium borohydride is initiated by injecting water on the borohydride particles that were separately conveyed to an axial flow reactor 20 during steady state operation the exothermic reaction generates enough heat to maintain reaction completion temperatures of approximately 120 u00b0 c during the process hydrates of lithium metaborate can form maintaining a temperature of about 120 u00b0 c will drive the water from the hydrate and thus allow it to react further with the remaining hydride the present invention stores hydrogen in dry lithium borohydride particles in the form of either a pellet or a powder separately from water at ambient temperatures as shown in the figure a removable canister 10 containing lithium borohydride particles are used as the supply of lithium borohydride depletes the depleted canister is replaced a chemically balanced amount of water is.