U.S. patent application number 11/849442 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-28 for method of forming a chemical composition.
Invention is credited to Dennis N. Bingham, Kerry M. Klingler, Kraig M. Wendt, Bruce M. Wilding, William T. Zollinger.
Application Number | 20080047823 11/849442 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34423175 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080047823 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bingham; Dennis N. ; et
al. |
February 28, 2008 |
METHOD OF FORMING A CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Abstract
A method of forming a chemical composition such as a chemical
hydride is described and which includes the steps of selecting a
composition having chemical bonds and which is capable of forming a
chemical hydride; providing a source of hydrogen; and exposing the
selected composition to an amount of ionizing radiation to
encourage the changing of the chemical bonds of the selected
composition, and chemically reacting the selected composition with
the source of hydrogen to facilitate the formation of a chemical
hydride.
Inventors: |
Bingham; Dennis N.; (Idaho
Falls, ID) ; Wilding; Bruce M.; (Idaho Falls, ID)
; Klingler; Kerry M.; (Idaho Falls, ID) ;
Zollinger; William T.; (Idaho Falls, ID) ; Wendt;
Kraig M.; (Idaho Falls, ID) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stephen R. Christian;Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
P. O. Box 1625
Idaho Falls
ID
83415-3899
US
|
Family ID: |
34423175 |
Appl. No.: |
11/849442 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10685370 |
Oct 13, 2003 |
7279077 |
|
|
11849442 |
Sep 4, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
204/157.44 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C01B 6/00 20130101; C01B
6/17 20130101; Y02E 60/36 20130101; B01J 19/08 20130101; C01B 3/065
20130101; Y02E 60/362 20130101; B01J 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
204/157.44 |
International
Class: |
C01B 6/11 20060101
C01B006/11 |
Goverment Interests
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
[0002] The United States Government has certain rights in the
following invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC07-99ID13727 and
Contract No. DE-AC07-05ID14517 between the United States Department
of Energy and Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC.
Claims
1. A method of forming a chemical hydride, comprising; selecting a
composition having chemical bonds and which is capable of forming a
chemical hydride; providing a source of hydrogen; and exposing the
selected composition to an amount of ionizing photonic radiation
which facilitates the changing of the chemical bonds of the
selected composition, and chemically reacting the selected
composition with the source of hydrogen to facilitate the formation
of a chemical hydride.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising; after
the step of providing a source of hydrogen, and before exposing the
selected composition to an amount of ionizing radiation; providing
a catalyst which encourages the selected composition to form the
chemical hydride.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the selected
composition comprises one or more elements selected from the
periodic table of elements and which has an atomic number of
greater than about 2.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the selected
composition comprises one or more elements selected from the
periodic table and which forms a resulting chemical hydride having
at least about 3 weight percent of hydrogen.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the step of
providing a source hydrogen comprises combining the selected
composition with a source of water.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the selected
composition includes oxygen, and wherein the step of exposing the
selected composition to an amount of ionizing radiation changes the
chemical bonds of the composition and facilitates the release of
the oxygen from the selected composition.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the selected
composition forms a resulting chemical hydride which will
chemically react, when combined with water, to release hydrogen for
use as a fuel.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the selected
composition forms a resulting chemical hydride which will
chemically react, when combined with water, and in the presence of
a catalyst to release hydrogen for use as a fuel.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, and wherein the selected
compound is borate, and ionizing radiation is derived from a
nuclear power source.
10. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the chemical
hydride is safe to handle and store.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/685,370, entitled A METHOD OF FORMING A CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION, filed on Oct. 13, 2003.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present invention relates to a method of forming a
chemical composition, and more specifically to a method of forming
a chemical hydride and which utilizes an amount of an ionizing
radiation which facilitates the weakening, breaking or
rearrangement of the chemical bonds of a selected composition to
facilitate the formation of a chemical hydride.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Various environmentally friendly technologies for powering
assorted overland vehicles are currently under investigation.
Legislative initiatives such as in the state of California which
mandates the introduction of environmentally friendly vehicles
powered by electricity are currently being addressed and
manufacturers are seeking solutions to meet this mandate. Electric
cars and hydrogen powered vehicles are currently under development
by a number of different companies. Emerging as one of the most
significant hurdles to the introduction of such technology is the
problem of storing a fuel, such as hydrogen, which then may be
either consumed by the vehicle in an internal combustion engine or
utilized by a fuel cell which will provide electrical power to
energize the motors utilized to power the vehicle.
[0005] Investigators and other researchers in this area of
technology have long understood that hydrogen, as a fuel, is
difficult to store and dispense. Still further, and in the case of
fuel cell powered overland vehicles, it has been long recognized
that fuel cells, powered by hydrogen, are not quick to adapt to
changing load demands as might be experienced when a vehicle
accelerates. Consequently, investigators have considered various
hybrid electric powered vehicles which include various charge
storage devices such as batteries. This solution has not been
entirely satisfactory because, in the case of batteries, these
devices have relatively low energy densities. Still further, in
order to store a sufficient amount of hydrogen for use in a
vehicle, whether the hydrogen is utilized by a fuel cell to produce
electricity, or burned in an internal combustion engine, extremely
high gas pressures must be employed. Recently, researchers have
begun to investigate the use of various hydride chemistries to
store increasing amounts of hydrogen for use with various overland
vehicle platforms as well as fixed plant applications.
[0006] Hydride chemistry, as it is currently understood, appears
promising as a potential storage medium for relatively large
volumes of hydrogen. Hydrides store energy in a chemical form and
also have the advantage of being recyclable in a subsequent
chemical reaction by exposing the same to electrical power and a
catalyst. One particularly promising hydride is sodium borohydride.
When appropriately reacted, sodium borohydride releases hydrogen
for use by a fuel cell, or an internal combustion motor. The
borohydride is converted in this chemical reaction to borate. The
expended borate can be converted back to sodium borohydride in a
subsequent high temperature pressurized electrolysis process.
However, the current chemical process to convert the borate back to
sodium borohydride is costly, energy intensive and inefficient.
Consequently, the existing process is not economically viable in
view of the current costs of commercially available fossil
fuels.
[0007] A method of forming a chemical composition which avoids the
shortcomings attendant with the prior art practices and methods
utilized heretofore is the subject matter of the present
application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a method
for forming a chemical composition such as a hydride, and which
includes selecting a composition having chemical bonds and which is
capable of forming a chemical hydride; providing a source of
hydrogen; and exposing the selected composition to an amount of
ionizing photonic radiation to weaken the chemical bonds of the
selected composition, and chemically reacts the selected
composition with the source of hydrogen to facilitate the formation
of a chemical hydride.
[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a
method of forming a borohydride, which includes providing a source
of borate; mixing the source of borate with a liquid, such as
water, to form a solution; exposing the solution of borate and
water to an amount of ionizing radiation to facilitate the
formation of borohydride; and precipitating or concentrating the
borohydride from the solution of water and borate previously
exposed to the ionizing radiation.
[0010] Yet still further another aspect of the present invention
relates to a method of forming a borohydride, and which includes,
providing a source of a recyclable borate which has chemical bonds,
and which is safe to handle and store; providing a catalyst which
is combined with a source of water; mixing the source of borate
with the catalyst, and the source of water, to form a resulting
solution; increasing the temperature and pressure of the resulting
solution; exposing the resulting solution to an amount of ionizing
radiation which weakens and/or breaks the chemical bonds of the
borate to a degree which facilitates, in combination with the
catalyst, the production of a borohydride; and precipitating or
concentrating the borohydride so formed from the remaining
solution.
[0011] These and other aspects of the present invention will be
discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below
with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a greatly simplified schematic representation of
an arrangement for practicing the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance
of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws "to promote
the progress of science and useful arts" (Article 1, Section
8).
[0015] A method of forming a chemical composition such as a
chemical hydride of the present invention is best understood by a
study of the arrangement in FIG. 1. As shown therein, one
arrangement for practicing the present invention 10 includes
providing a first container 11 which encloses a source of fluid 12
which may be homogeneous, or a mixture of other compositions. The
fluid 12 provides a source of hydrogen which will be utilized in
the present method. As described hereinafter, the source of the
fluid 12 will be described as a source of water which is later
combined with various other compositions in order to provide a
resulting solution which is used in the present method 10. The
source of the fluid or water 12 is coupled in fluid flowing
relation relative to a fluid passageway or conduit 13 which has a
first end 14 which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to
the first container 11, and an opposite distal or second end 15
which is coupled with another assembly which will be discussed in
greater detail hereinafter.
[0016] A second container which is generally indicated by the
numeral 20 is provided and is operable to supply a source of a
catalyst 21 which is combined or otherwise mixed with the source of
the fluid (or water) 12. The source of the catalyst 21 which may be
in a solid, or liquid form is coupled by way of a conduit or other
passageway 22 with the conduit 13 such that the source of the
catalyst 21 can be suspended, mixed, or otherwise combined with the
source of the fluid 12 which is traveling therein. The chemical
catalyst which is provided is selected to improve the reaction
rates and efficiency of the method as will be described in greater
detail below. Various nickel based catalysts may be utilized. Other
catalysts that may be of particular value are those catalysts which
are operable to weaken or otherwise break carbon-oxygen bonds or
which assist in capturing and/or tying up oxygen which may be freed
up during subsequent chemical reaction as will be described below.
Catalysts that are particularly desirable include those which would
facilitate the formation of a resulting chemical hydride as will be
discussed in greater detail below.
[0017] Referring still to the drawing, a third container 30 is
provided. The third container is operable to enclose or dispense a
composition having chemical bonds which are capable of forming a
chemical hydride. The passageway or conduit 32 couples the third
container 30 in fluid flowing relation relative to the fluid
passageway or conduit 13. This conduit or passageway 32 provides a
pathway or course of travel by which the composition 31 may pass
into the fluid stream traveling in the conduit 13 and thereby be
mixed with same. The composition 31 may be in a solid (granular) or
a liquid form, and other devices may be employed which are operable
to meter the composition 31 from the enclosure 30 so that it is
appropriately mixed and combined with water, or another source of
the fluid 12 and/or the catalyst 21. As should be appreciated from
a study of the drawings, the relative locations of where the fluid
12, catalyst 21, and composition 31 are provided to the passageway
13, or otherwise mixed together may vary based upon the nature of
the composition that is being employed to form the resulting
chemical hydride. Therefore, the drawing as shown is illustrative
of only one arrangement by which the present method can be
practiced. The selected composition 31 may comprise one or more
elements selected from the periodic table of elements and which
have an atomic number of greater than 2 and which forms a resulting
chemical hydride having at least about 3 weight percent of
hydrogen. It would also be advantageous, in a commercial
environment, to select a composition 31 which can be safely
handled, stored, and transported for use in remote locations. The
method of forming a chemical composition such as a chemical hydride
includes providing a composition 31 such as borate, mixing the
source of borate with a fluid 12, such as water, (a source of
hydrogen) to form a solution; and thereafter exposing the solution
of borate and the fluid to an amount of ionizing radiation which
may be derived from numerous sources including nuclear sources to
facilitate the formation of a resulting borohydride; and
precipitating or concentrating the borohydride from the solution of
water and borate previously exposed to the ionizing radiation. The
step of exposing the solution of the borate and the fluid and
precipitating or concentrating the borohydride from the solution of
the fluid and borate will be discussed in the paragraphs below.
[0018] Positioned therealong the fluid passageway or conduit 13,
and downstream relative to the first container 11, second container
20 and third container 30 is a heater assembly which is generally
indicated by the numeral 40. The heater assembly is operable to
impart heat energy to the solution formed from the source of fluid
12, catalyst 21, and composition 31. As should be understood,
higher temperatures increase the reaction rate of the solution. As
a general matter, these temperatures will normally be kept at or
above 0 degrees C. in those situations where the resulting chemical
hydride to be prepared comprises a borohydride. The solution formed
from the source of fluid 12, catalyst 21, and composition 31 then
travels from the heater 40 to a charging pump which is generally
indicated by the numeral 50. The charging pump increases the fluid
pressure of same. Increased fluid pressures may be required to keep
the resulting mixture formed of the source of fluid 12, catalyst
21, and composition 31 liquid, if the resulting temperatures
imparted to same, and which are required for the resulting chemical
reaction to proceed quickly, are above the boiling point of the
solution or mixture that has been formed. As will be appreciated,
in some situations, a charging pump 50 may be completely eliminated
from the arrangement of practicing the methodology shown at numeral
10. Once the mixture of the fluid as described is pumped up to a
given pressure, it proceeds along the fluid passageway 13 to the
distal end 15 thereof.
[0019] A fourth container 60 is provided and which has a first end
61 and an opposite second end 62. The fourth container defines a
cavity 63 which is operable to safely contain a plurality of spent
or radiating nuclear rods, or other products derived therefrom,
which are generally indicated by the numeral 64. These rods or
other derived products 64 are operable to provide ionizing
radiation which may include electromagnetic, photonic, and
combinations of the foregoing, and which are operable to provide a
means for radiolysis of the chemical bonds of the solution
containing the composition 31 and which is capable of forming a
hydride. The cavity 63 may further be filled with other materials
which otherwise support or enclose the plurality of rods or other
derived products 64. A fluid manifold 70 is disposed inside the
cavity 60 and is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the
second end 15 of the fluid passageway 13. The manifold 70 is
further coupled to a plurality of conduits 71 which are directed
along the length of the fourth container 60, and in adjacent
relation relative to the plurality of spent nuclear rods 64. The
plurality of conduits 71 exit thereafter through the second end 62
of the fourth container and are coupled in fluid flowing relation
to a fluid passageway or conduit 72 which has a first end 73 and an
opposite second end 74.
[0020] Referring still to the drawing, a fifth container 80 is
provided. The fifth container has a first end 81, and an opposite
second end 82. The fifth container defines an internal cavity 83
which is operable to receive the solution or mixture formed of the
source of fluid 12, catalyst 21, and the composition 31 which is
capable of forming a chemical hydride and which has previously
passed through the cavity 63 which is defined by the fourth
container. As earlier discussed, the method 10 of the present
invention includes exposing the selected composition 31 to an
amount of ionizing radiation to weaken, break, and/or facilitate
the rearrangement of the chemical bonds of the selected composition
31 and chemically react the selected composition, with a source of
hydrogen, and which is provided by the source of fluid 12, to
facilitate the formation of a resulting chemical hydride. In the
methodology 10 as disclosed in the present application, the method
of the present invention further includes, after the step of
providing a source of hydrogen, such as would be supplied through
the source of fluid 12, and before exposing the selected
composition 31 to an amount of ionizing radiation, providing a
catalyst 21 which encourages the selected composition 31 to form
the chemical hydride. On those occasions where the selected
composition 31 includes the element of oxygen, the methodology
further includes a step of exposing the selected composition to an
amount of ionizing radiation which weakens the chemical bonds of
the oxygen and facilitates the release of the oxygen from the
selected composition 31.
[0021] The fluid passageway or conduit 72 couples the fifth
container 80 with the fourth container 60. Once received in the
cavity 83 of the fifth container 80, the resulting solution or
mixture formed of the fluid 12, catalyst 21, and composition 31 is
exposed to an electrical field which is imparted to the solution by
way of an anode 84, and a cathode 85. The anode and the cathode are
disposed in a substantially fixed location and in a submerged
orientation relative to the fluid or mixture that is contained
therein. A source of electrical power 90 is coupled by way of a
pair of electrical conduits 91 to the respective anode and cathode.
The electrical power provided to the anode and cathode results in
an electrical field being created through the mixture. For example,
in that situation where the resulting solution received within the
cavity 83 is formed of a source of fluid 12, such as water, a
source of catalyst 21, and a composition which contains borate to
form a resulting borate solution 93, the resulting electrical field
can be applied to the borate solution 93 to force ions to move
apart within the solution. Still further, appropriate materials may
be selected to coat the anode and cathode 84 and 85 and which
encourages, on the one hand, oxygen gas formation at the cathode,
and which further retards the production of hydrogen gas at the
anode. Metals like gold or iridium oxide tend to promote oxygen
formation, and other soft metals, and tellurides tend to retard or
otherwise prevent the formation of hydrogen gas. In the present
arrangement, a chemistry which encourages the removal of oxygen
will tend to bias the resulting chemical reaction toward the
formation of an appropriate chemical hydride.
[0022] A sixth container 100 is provided and which defines an
internal cavity 101. The internal cavity 101 is coupled in fluid
flowing relation relative to the cavity 83 defined by the fifth
container 80. The borate solution 93 which has been exposed to the
electrical field supplied by the anode and cathode 84 and 85, then
passes by way of the fluid passageway 102 into the cavity 101. Once
received within the cavity, the previous borate solution 93 which
has now chemically reacted in an appropriate fashion in order to
provide the resulting chemical hydride 103 is received therein and
the chemical hydride 103 is precipitated and/or concentrated from
the resulting solution and thereafter collected for use from the
cavity 101. The precipitation may be accomplished by various means
well known in the art.
Operation
[0023] The operation of the described methodology of the present
invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly
summarized at this point.
[0024] Referring again to the drawing, an arrangement for
practicing a method of forming a chemical hydride is shown, and
which includes the steps of selecting a composition 31 having
chemical bonds and which is capable of forming a chemical hydride;
providing a source of hydrogen, which may be provided by way of a
source of fluid 12; and exposing the selected composition 31 to an
amount of ionizing radiation which facilitates the changing of the
chemical bonds of the selected composition 31, and chemically
reacting the selected composition with the source of hydrogen to
facilitate the formation of a resulting chemical hydride 103.
[0025] More specifically, the method 10 of the present invention
may be useful in forming a borohydride, and which includes the
steps of providing a source of borate 31, and mixing the source of
borate 31, with a fluid 12, which may comprise water, to form a
solution 83. The methodology further includes exposing the solution
of borate and the fluid to an amount of ionizing radiation as
provided by a plurality of rods or other products 64 derived
therefrom to facilitate the formation of borohydride 103; and
precipitating and/or concentrating the borohydride 103 from the
solution of water and borate previously exposed to the ionizing
radiation. In the methodology described, the method may further
include providing a catalyst 21 which encourages the borate (which
represents the source of the composition having the bonds which are
capable of forming a hydride 31) to form the resulting borohydride
103. In the methodology, as described above, before the step of
precipitating and/or otherwise recovering the borohydride 103 from
the solution 93 which is formed of the fluid 21, and the
composition 31 (which may include borate), and which was previously
exposed to the ionizing nuclear radiation, the method further
includes a step of applying a voltage to the solution of the borate
and fluid 93. As discussed above, the borate 31 when combined with
a fluid 21 which includes water, forms individual ions which move
apart in the solution of the borate and fluid 93 when the voltage
is applied to facilitate the formation of the resulting chemical
hydride which may include a borohydride 103. In the methodology of
the described invention 10, the ionizing radiation which
facilitates the formation of a chemical hydride has a value of
greater than about a microcurie per liter of the solution of the
borate and the fluid 93. The methodology 10 may further include the
steps of increasing the temperature of the solution and the
composition 31 to greater than about 10 degrees C., and further
increasing the pressure by way of the charging pump 50 on the
source of fluid 12 and the composition 31 to maintain the resulting
solution in a liquid phase.
[0026] Therefore, the methodology 10 of the present invention
provides a convenient method of forming a chemical composition such
as a borohydride and which includes providing a source of
recyclable borate 31 which has chemical bonds and which is safe to
handle and store; providing a catalyst 21 and which is combined
with a source of water or other fluid 12; mixing the source borate
31 with the catalyst and source of water to form a resulting
solution 93; increasing the temperature and pressure of the
resulting solution by way of a heater assembly 40 and a charging
pump 50; exposing the resulting solution to an amount of ionizing
radiation which encourages the changing of the chemical bonds of
the borate to a degree and which facilitates, in combination with
the catalyst, the production of a borohydride; and precipitating
and/or concentrating the borohydride 103 so formed from the
remaining solution. The method 10 of the present invention further
includes, after the step of precipitating the borohydride, reacting
the recovered borohydride in a second chemical reaction which
releases hydrogen which is recovered and used as a fuel. In the
arrangement as shown, the borohydride 103 which is produced has at
least about 3 weight percent of hydrogen.
[0027] Therefore it will be seen that the method of the present
invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art
devices and practices utilized heretofore. The method further
provides a convenient means whereby a suitable chemical hydride may
be economically produced and which can be utilized to produce a
useful gas, such as hydrogen, which may be used in overland
vehicles, fuel cells and other similar assemblies.
[0028] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been
described in language more or less specific as to structural and
methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the
invention is not limited to the specific features shown and
described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred
forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is,
therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the
proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in
accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
* * * * *