U.S. patent application number 11/677740 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-28 for method and apparatus for converting water into hydrogen and oxygen for a heat and/or fuel source.
Invention is credited to STANLEY D. CROMER, ERNEST H. WILKINSON.
Application Number | 20080202921 11/677740 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39714643 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080202921 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WILKINSON; ERNEST H. ; et
al. |
August 28, 2008 |
Method and Apparatus for Converting Water into Hydrogen and Oxygen
for a Heat and/or Fuel Source
Abstract
A water separation apparatus is provided to separate hydrogen
and oxygen from water that includes a reaction chamber containing a
plurality of spaced apart conductive plates, a positive electrical
terminal electrically connected to one of the conductive plates,
and a negative electrical terminal electrically connected to
another of the conductive plates. A mixture of water and a catalyst
is placed in the chamber and in contact with the plates. A
non-conductive adjuster plate is provided to separate the chamber
into a front chamber and a rear chamber, and may include at least
one fluid passageway. A portion of the plates are disposed in the
front chamber and a portion of the plates are disposed in the rear
chamber. The adjuster plate may include a moveable member adapted
to adjust the cross-sectional area of fluid passageway and thus the
cross-sectional area of fluid communication between the front and
rear chambers. The apparatus may include a collector-separator to
collect gases from the reaction chamber and separate any remaining
water from the gases. The separated water is returned to the
reaction chamber, and the hydrogen and oxygen gases are transmitted
to a bubbler assembly which functions to prevent any flashback from
igniting the gases in the reaction chamber or collector-separator.
The present invention will separate hydrogen from water in a more
efficient manner than any previous technology, making it
economically feasible.
Inventors: |
WILKINSON; ERNEST H.;
(HOUSTON, TX) ; CROMER; STANLEY D.; (HOUSTON,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JESSICA W. SMITH
1529 PARKVIEW DRIVE
GARLAND
TX
75043
US
|
Family ID: |
39714643 |
Appl. No.: |
11/677740 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
204/247 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02E 60/366 20130101;
C25B 1/04 20130101; C25B 9/00 20130101; Y02E 60/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
204/247 |
International
Class: |
C25B 1/04 20060101
C25B001/04 |
Claims
1. A reaction chamber for use in separating hydrogen and oxygen
from water including: a plurality of spaced apart conductive plates
disposed within a housing, a positive electrical terminal
electrically connected to one of the conductive plates, and a
negative electrical terminal electrically connected to another of
the conductive plates, at least one of the conductive plates not
being electrically connected to the positive terminal or the
negative terminal.
2. The reaction chamber of claim 1, further including a mixture of
water and a catalyst within the housing and in contact with the
plates.
3. The reaction chamber of claim 2, wherein the mixture of water
and catalyst and capacitance of the conductive plates creates
separation of the hydrogen and oxygen from the water.
4. The reaction chamber of claim 1, further including a
non-conductive adjuster plate separating the housing into a front
chamber and a rear chamber, the adjuster plate having at least one
fluid passageway, and wherein a portion of the spaced apart plates
are disposed in the front chamber and a portion of the spaced apart
plates are disposed in the rear chamber.
5. The reaction chamber of claim 4, wherein the adjuster plate sets
a cross-sectional area of the mixture of water and catalyst in
communication between the front and rear chambers.
6. The reaction chamber of claim 5, wherein the adjuster plate
includes a first and a second conductive plate disposed on opposite
sides of the adjustor plate.
7. The reaction chamber of claim 1, wherein the adjustor plate may
adjust the cross sectional area set between the front and rear
chambers.
8. A first reaction chamber for use in separating hydrogen and
oxygen from water including: a plurality of spaced apart conductive
plates disposed within a housing, a positive electrical terminal
electrically connected to one of the conductive plates, a negative
electrical terminal electrically connected to another of the
conductive plates, and a non-conductive adjuster plate separating
the housing into a front chamber and a rear chamber, the adjuster
plate having at least one fluid passageway, and wherein a portion
of the spaced apart plates are disposed in the front chamber and a
portion of the spaced apart plates are disposed in the rear
chamber.
9. The reaction chamber of claim 8, further including a mixture of
water and a catalyst within the housing and in contact with the
conductive plates.
10. The reaction chamber of claim 9, wherein a second reaction
chamber is connected to the first reaction chamber, and wherein the
first and second reaction chambers may be configured in series with
respect to a voltage source or in parallel with respect to a
voltage source.
11. The reaction chamber of claim 9, wherein the catalyst is a
chemical that will break down the surface tension of the water and
serve as an electrolyte.
12. The reaction chamber of claim 8, wherein the adjuster plate
includes a moveable member adapted to adjust the cross-sectional
area of fluid communication through the at least one fluid
passageway between the front and rear chambers.
13. The reaction chamber of claim 8, wherein the adjuster plate
includes a first and a second conductive plate disposed on opposite
sides of the control plate.
14. An apparatus for separating hydrogen and oxygen from water
comprising: a reaction chamber including a plurality of spaced
apart conductive plates, a positive electrical terminal
electrically connected to one of the conductive plates, and a
negative electrical terminal electrically connected to another of
the conductive plates, at least one of the conductive plates not
being electrically connected to the positive terminal or the
negative terminal; a collector-separator including at least one
inlet conduit in communication with the reaction chamber, and an
outlet conduit; and a bubbler including an outlet port and a
perforated tube, the perforated tube being in communication with
the outlet conduit of the collector-separator.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a non-conductive
adjuster plate separating the reaction chamber into a front chamber
and a rear chamber, the adjuster plate having at least one fluid
passageway, and wherein a portion of the spaced apart plates are
disposed in the front chamber and a portion of the spaced apart
plates are disposed in the rear chamber.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the adjuster plate includes
a moveable member adapted to adjust the cross-sectional area of
fluid communication through the at least one fluid passageway
between the front and rear chambers.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the adjuster plate includes
a first and a second conductive plate disposed on opposite sides of
the adjuster plate.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a mixture of water
and a catalyst within the reaction chamber and in contact with the
conductive plates.
19. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a controller
having an on/off switch and an AC to DC converter, and electrically
connected to the negative terminal and the positive terminal.
20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus includes two
reaction chambers, each having a positive terminal and a negative
terminal, and wherein the controller includes a series/parallel
switch wired to the terminals and adapted to switch the electrical
connections between a series electrical flow through the reaction
chambers and a parallel electrical flow between the reaction
chambers.
21. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a pressure
regulator in fluid communication with the collector-separator and
the bubbler, and adapted to restrict electricity flow to the
reaction chamber at a predetermined high pressure and allow
electricity flow to the reaction chamber at a predetermined low
pressure.
22. A method of separating hydrogen and oxygen from water
comprising: positioning a plurality of spaced apart conductive
plates in a chamber; separating the chamber into a first and second
chamber with an adjustor plate; connecting one of the conductive
plates to a positive terminal in the first chamber and another of
the conductive plates to a negative terminal in the second chamber,
at least one of the spaced apart conductive plates not being
connected to the positive terminal or negative terminal; filling
the chamber with a mixture of water and a catalyst such that the
conductive plates are in contact with the mixture; passing
electricity through the mixture; adjusting the cross-sectional area
of contact between the fluid mixture in the front chamber and the
fluid mixture in the rear chamber with the adjustor plate; and.
allowing hydrogen and oxygen to exit the chamber.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally pertains to heat and fuel
sources, and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method
for breaking down water into its constituent parts, i.e., hydrogen
and oxygen.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The process of electrolysis to separate hydrogen from water
for use as a fuel or heat source is well known. Examples of
previously issued U.S. patents related to this process include:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,931 (Inoue) entitled "Method of
Electrolytically Generating Hydrogen and Oxygen for Use in a Torch
or the Like", U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,816 (Galluzzo, et al.) entitled
"Electrolysis Method for Decomposing Water Into Hydrogen Gas and
Oxygen Gas", U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,558 (Chiang) entitled "Apparatus
for Generating a Mixture of Hydrogen and Oxygen for Producing a Hot
Flame", U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,885 (Lin) entitled "Extraction
Installation for Hydrogen and Oxygen", and U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,259
(Klein) entitled "Mixed Gas Generator". But the processes and
apparatus disclosed in these patents has proved to be too costly
and inefficient since the amount of energy input required to
separate the hydrogen from the water is greater than the amount of
hydrogen energy created. As will become apparent from the following
description and discussion, the present invention is directed to
improved and more efficient devices and methods of separating
hydrogen from water, for use as either a heat source or a fuel
source, which are much more efficient than the prior art and
economically viable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The summary of the invention is best understood with respect
to the description and claims. One embodiment of the invention
includes a water separation apparatus for separating hydrogen and
oxygen from water. The water separation apparatus includes at least
one reaction chamber. The reaction chamber includes a plurality of
spaced apart conductive plates, a positive electrical terminal
electrically connected to one of the conductive plates, and a
negative electrical terminal electrically connected to another of
the conductive plates, at least one of the conductive plates not
being electrically connected to the positive terminal or the
negative terminal. The embodiment also includes a
collector-separator including at least one inlet conduit in
communication with the reaction chamber, and an outlet conduit; and
a bubbler including an outlet port and a perforated tube, the
perforated tube being in communication with the outlet conduit of
the collector-separator. The embodiment further includes a
non-conductive adjuster plate separating the reaction chamber into
a front chamber and a rear chamber, the adjuster plate having at
least one fluid passageway, and wherein a portion of the spaced
apart plates are disposed in the front chamber and a portion of the
spaced apart plates are disposed in the rear chamber. In the
embodiment, the adjuster plate includes a moveable member adapted
to adjust the cross-sectional area of fluid communication through
the at least one fluid passageway between the front and rear
chambers.
[0006] In addition, in another embodiment, the water separation
apparatus includes two reaction chambers, each having a positive
terminal and a negative terminal, and wherein the controller
includes a series/parallel switch wired to the terminals and
adapted to switch the electrical connections between a series
electrical flow through the reaction chambers and a parallel
electrical flow between the reaction chambers. The embodiment may
also include a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the
collector-separator and the bubbler, and adapted to restrict
electricity flow to the reaction chamber at a predetermined high
pressure and allow electricity flow to the reaction chamber at a
predetermined low pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of a
portion of the hydrogen separation apparatus of the present
invention, without the bubblers.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a partially cut away schematic representation of a
left side of the left chamber and left collector-separator, as
shown in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a side view of a plate rack adapted for
installation within left and right reaction chambers of the
apparatus of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view in partial cross section of a bubbler
that may form part of the apparatus of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two bubblers tied together
in tandem to prevent flash back.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of
FIG. 2, and illustrates a specific embodiment of the adjuster plate
of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a side view of a portion of a gate assembly having
an adjustable gate for adjusting the size of a slot in the adjuster
plate shown in FIG. 6.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a front view of the gate assembly as shown in FIG.
7.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a wiring diagram illustrating how the left and
right reaction chambers may be wired in series.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a wiring diagram illustrating how the left and
right reaction chambers may be wired in parallel.
[0017] FIG. 11 is an illustration of the pin positions of the
4-pole double throw "On-On" switch that may be provided as part of
the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in
combination with one or more fuel cells.
[0019] FIG. 13 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in
combination with any steam-driven device.
[0020] FIG. 14 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in
combination with a combustion engine.
[0021] FIG. 15 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an
embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in
combination with a combustion engine in the automotive context.
[0022] FIG. 16 is one embodiment of a water replenishing system of
the present invention.
[0023] While the invention will be described in connection with the
preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the
contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications,
and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims. Similar parts will
be labeled with the same numbers in the Figures though a person of
skill in the art would appreciate that various alternatives,
modifications and equivalents may be substituted for such similar
parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] As described above, the prior art techniques have attempted
the process of separation of hydrogen and oxygen from water to
generate a fuel source. However, each prior art technique has
inefficiencies. In particular, the main problem is that it requires
more power to separate the hydrogen and oxygen from the water than
the energy produced for the fuel source.
[0025] The present invention is a water separation apparatus 10 for
separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen for use as a fuel
source that overcomes the inefficiencies of the prior art. The
invention accomplishes this task by using, inter alia, three main
new components. First, the invention includes one or more reaction
chambers that each has a series of multiple conductive plates, such
as stainless steel, that are only connected by a non-conductive
support rack. In each reaction chamber, the conductive plates are
separated in a first rack in a front chamber and a second rack in a
rear chamber. Each of the front and rear chambers are filled with
water and catalyst to form an electrolytically conductive water
mixture. Of course, the amount of catalyst added can be adjusted to
affect the conductivity of the mixture and the current flow
depending on the application desired.
[0026] In one embodiment, the front and rear end caps of the
reaction chambers have front and rear conductive terminals that are
not connected to the conductive plates on the racks. The front
conductive terminal is connected to a negative terminal or anode
through which an electric current from a voltage source flows into
the reaction chamber while the rear terminal is the positive
terminal or cathode in which the electric current flows out of the
reaction chamber. The electric current applied to the front and
rear terminals flow through the electrolytically conductive water
mixture in the reaction chamber. The electrical current along with
the catalyst initiates the breakdown of the oxygen and hydrogen gas
in the water around the conductive plates in the reaction chamber.
The mixture of water and catalyst and capacitance of the conductive
plates creates separation of the hydrogen and oxygen from the
water.
[0027] Second, an important feature of the present embodiment of
the invention is that the front and rear chambers are separated by
a non-conductive adjuster plate that regulates the amount of water
and catalyst that flows between the front and rear chambers and
controls the electrical current flow. The adjuster plate can be
adjusted to provide for a specific cross sectional area between the
front and rear chambers of each reaction chamber to achieve the
desired current flow and the optimal amount of hydrogen and oxygen
production.
[0028] Third, the reaction chambers may be configured to receive a
set voltage in series or in parallel to control the current and gas
outputs of the reaction chambers, and thus increase or decrease the
output of hydrogen and oxygen. These and other important advantages
of the embodiments of the present invention are described in more
detail below with respect to the figures.
[0029] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals
denote similar elements throughout the several views, there is
shown in FIG. 1 a specific embodiment of a water separation
apparatus 10 of the present invention denoted generally by the
reference numeral 10. In this specific embodiment, the water
separation apparatus 10 includes a left and a right reaction
chamber 12 and 14, a left and a right collector-separator 16 and
18, a pressure regulator 20, and a controller 25. In this specific
embodiment, the water separation apparatus 10 may also include a
first and a second bubbler 74 and 76, as shown in FIG. 5.
[0030] In a specific embodiment, the left and right reaction
chambers 12 and 14 may be of similar construction, as will now be
described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, which
illustrate the components of reaction chamber 12 of the water
separation apparatus 10. Though FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate reaction
chamber 12 of the water separation apparatus 10, the reaction
chamber 14 is of similar construction and has similar parts with
similar functions. In addition, in other embodiments only one
reaction chamber may be used or more than two reaction chambers may
be used depending on the application of the water separation
apparatus 10.
[0031] Each reaction chamber 12 and 14 includes a housing 15,
which, in this specific embodiment, is constructed from any
non-conductive material, such as a section of PVC pipe. In a
specific embodiment, the section of PVC pipe may have a diameter of
8 inches and a length of about 20 inches, but these dimensions and
material are just examples of this embodiment and should not be
taken as a limitation of all embodiments of the reaction chambers
12 and 14. The reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be of various sizes
and shapes and made of other materials depending again on the
application of the water separation apparatus 10. In this specific
embodiment, each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 has front and
rear chambers 26 and 28. Each of the front and rear chambers 26 and
28 are provided with a plurality of conductive plates 36. The
plurality of conductive plates may be supported for example by a
plate rack 31, as shown in FIG. 3. Each rack 31 may include a
support member 32 that is configured, such as with a plurality of
slots, to hold the plurality of plates 36. The racks 31 are
preferably made from any non-conductive material, and in a specific
embodiment may be molded as part of the housing 15. In a specific
embodiment, the plates 36 may have a thickness of about 1/32 inches
and are made of a conductive material such as stainless steel. The
plates 36 may be thicker or thinner depending again on the
requirements of the water separation apparatus 10. The conductive
plates 36 may be rectangular in shape with dimensions of about 41/2
inches by about 61/2 inches, but this should not be taken as a
limitation as the conductive plates 36 may be of any size or shape
or thickness depending on the application of the water separation
apparatus 10. In addition, the number of conductive plates 36 may
be adjusted depending on the application of the water separation
apparatus 10. The plates 36 are physically separated from each
other and are not touching one another except by the non-conductive
support rack member 32. In a specific embodiment, the plates 36 may
be positioned about 1/8 to 1/2 inches apart from one another but
again such dimensions may be modified depending on the application,
capacitance and output desired, and catalyst used in the hydrogen
generation apparatus 10.
[0032] As best shown in FIG. 2, in this specific embodiment, the
front chamber 26 and the rear chamber 28 of each reaction chamber
12 and 14 are separated by a non-conductive adjuster plate or
partition 30. The adjuster plate 30 can be adjusted to provide for
a specific cross sectional area between the front chamber 26 and
rear chamber 28 to achieve the desired current flow and the optimal
amount of catalyst required to facilitate faster electrolysis with
less power consumption. The adjuster plate 30 will be illustrated
and discussed in more detail below.
[0033] As seen in FIG. 2, in this specific embodiment, the reaction
chamber 12 is sealably enclosed at each end with front and rear end
caps 40 and 41, which are also preferably made of a non-conductive
material, such as PVC. In a specific embodiment, each front and
rear end caps 40 and 41 are each provided with a conductive plate
42 attached thereto and disposed within the chamber 12 and attached
to the housing 15. The front and rear end caps 40 and 41 are
connected to the housing 15. The conductive plates 42 on each front
and rear end caps 40 and 41 are preferably of the same size, shape
and material as the plates 36 and are preferably also generally
aligned therewith when positioned on the front and rear caps 40 and
41. In a specific embodiment, the front and rear end caps 40 and 41
are also provided with front and rear terminals 46 and 48,
respectively, each of which may extend from outside the reaction
chamber 12 through its corresponding front and rear end cap 40 or
41 in a sealed manner (such as with rubber washers and silicone)
and is connected to its corresponding conductive plate 42 inside
the reaction chamber 12. In a specific embodiment, as shown in FIG.
1, the front terminal 46 may be the negative terminal or anode
through which the electric current from the controller 25 flows
into the reaction chambers 12 or 14 while the rear terminal 48 may
be the positive terminal or cathode in which the electric current
flows out of the chambers 12 or 14 to the controller 25. Of course,
the front terminal 46 may be the positive terminal and the rear
terminal 48 may be the negative terminal depending on how each of
the terminals 46 and 48 are connected to the controller 25.
[0034] As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this specific embodiment,
the front end cap 40 is preferably provided with a fluid input
passageway or port 50, which in a specific embodiment may be a PVC
ninety degree elbow with a fill valve that is preferably located
near the top of the end cap 40. The housing 15 is preferably
provided with a sight tube 52 so that the fluid level within the
chamber 12 can be monitored as the chamber 12 is being filled with
fluid through the fluid input port 50, as will be further discussed
below. In this specific embodiment, the front end cap 40 is also
preferably provided with a drain hole and valve 54, which is
preferably located near the bottom of the end cap 40.
[0035] The collectors 16 and 18 function to collect hydrogen and
oxygen gas from the chambers 12 and 14 and separate any liquid from
the gas. This process will now be described with reference to FIG.
2. In this specific embodiment, each collector-separator 16 and 18
is similar in construction. FIG. 2 shows the details of the left
collector-separator 16 but a person of skill in the art would
appreciate that collector-separator 18 has a similar design and
components. In a specific embodiment, the collector-separator 16
includes a housing 17 which may be made from a non-conductive
material, and in a specific embodiment may be made from a section
of PVC pipe. In a specific embodiment, the section of PVC pipe may
have a diameter of about 3 inches and a length of about 10 inches,
but this should not be taken as a limitation as the housing 17 may
be of any size or shape or material depending on the application of
the water separation apparatus 10. In a specific embodiment, each
end of the housing 17 may be enclosed with an end cap. In this
specific embodiment, the collector-separator 16 may include front
and rear inlet conduits 56 and 58 connected to reaction chamber 12,
and an outlet conduit 60. In a specific embodiment, each of the
inlet conduits 56 and 58 and the outlet conduit 60 may be made from
a section of PVC pipe. In a specific embodiment, the section of PVC
pipe may have a diameter of about 1/2 inches and a length of about
4 inches, with a 2-inch section of each inlet conduit 56 and 58
disposed between the collector-separators 16 and 18 and the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 and the remaining 2-inch section of the
inlet conduit 56 and 58 disposed inside the collector-separators 16
and 18. Again, these dimensions are just examples of a specific
embodiment and are not limiting as the conduits 56/58/60 may be of
any size or shape or material as a person of skill in the art would
appreciate depending on the application of the water separation
apparatus 10. Each inlet conduit 56 and 58 are disposed through
inlet ports 59 in the bottom of the housing 17 and also through
exit ports 62 in the top of reaction chambers 12 and14. The exit
ports 62 are preferably located on opposite sides of the adjuster
plate 30 so that the front inlet conduit 56 will be positioned
above the front chamber 26 and the rear inlet conduit 58 will be
positioned above the rear chamber 28. In a specific embodiment,
each inlet conduit 56 and 58 may extend inside the
collector-separator 16 so that the upper end of each inlet conduit
56 and 58 is spaced approximately one inch from the internal top
wall of the housing 17. Each inlet conduit 56 and 58 includes a
drain aperture 63 that may be transversely disposed through the
wall of the inlet conduit 56 and 58 at a position preferably just
above the bottom of the housing 17 of the collector-separators 16
and 18. Water that enters into or recombines from the hydrogen and
oxygen inside the collector-separators 16 and 18 will drop to the
bottom of the housing 17 and travel through one of the drain
apertures 63 and back into the reaction chamber 12 or 14 through
the inlet conduits 56 and 58. Of course, these dimensions are a
specific embodiment and other dimensions or mechanisms of water
drainage from the collector-separators 16 and 18 may be used
depending on the application.
[0036] In a specific embodiment, the outlet conduit 60 may be
disposed through an exit port 64 in the top of the housing 17. In a
specific embodiment, the outlet conduit 60 may extend inside the
collector-separator 16 so that the lower end of the outlet conduit
60 is spaced approximately one inch from the internal bottom wall
of the housing 17. As shown in FIG. 1, in a specific embodiment,
the top of the outlet conduit 60 is preferably provided with a
ninety-degree elbow and connected to a transverse conduit 66 that
connects to the corresponding outlet conduit 60 that exits the top
of the right collector-separator 18 and the left
collector-separator 16. In a specific embodiment, the transverse
conduit 66 may be provided with a "tee" fitting about midway
between the left and right collector-separators 16 and 18 and
connected to a parallel conduit 68. The parallel conduit 68 may
include a pressure gauge 70 and be connected to the pressure
regulator 20. In this embodiment, the parallel conduit 68 is
connected to a transfer conduit 72 that leads to the first and
second bubbler 74 and 76, which will be described below with
respect to FIG. 5. In a specific embodiment, each of the conduits
66, 68 and 72 may be made from 1/2 inch PVC pipe, though of course
different dimensions and materials may be used for the conduits
depending on the application of the water separation apparatus
10.
[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, in this specific embodiment,
each bubbler 74 and 76 may be in the form of an inverted, generally
"T" shaped pipe assembly and include a horizontal leg 78 and a
vertical leg 80. One of the functions of the bubblers 74 and 76 is
to serve as a barrier between any point of ignition of hydrogen
leaving the water separation apparatus 10 and the reaction chambers
12 and 14. The bubblers 74 and 76 may be of various configurations
rather than a T shaped pipe assembly as shown to perform this
function. If the gas were to become ignited within the line 90 or
other further lines connected further down from line 90, the flames
would not be able to penetrate past the two bubblers 74 and 76 into
the reaction chambers 12 and 14. Two bubblers 74 and 76 are
preferred for fail safe redundancy, but one may be used or more
than two may be used depending on the application. In this
embodiment of the invention, the two bubblers 74 and 76 are
preferably filled with a liquid 79, as seen in FIG. 4, such as
water. The liquid 79 has a level 81 that is about 4 inches below
the top end 85 of the vertical leg 80 of the bubblers 74 and 76.
Other levels may also be used in different embodiments. In this
specific embodiment, the bubblers 74 and 76 may be constructed from
metal pipe. In a specific embodiment, the horizontal leg 78 may be
made from 21/2 inch diameter metal pipe and have a length of about
16 inches. In a specific embodiment, the vertical leg may be made
from 21/2 inch diameter metal pipe and have a length of about 20
inches. Again, these dimensions are representative only, and
non-limiting, as the legs 78 and 80 may be of other sizes or shapes
or materials depending on the application of the hydrogen separator
apparatus 10.
[0038] In a specific embodiment, each bubbler 74 and 76 may be
provided with a perforated tube 82 within the horizontal leg 78 of
each bubbler 74 and 76, which, in a specific embodiment, may be
made from 1/4 inch diameter copper tubing. Each of the tubes 82 in
the bubblers 74 and 76 enter on the right end 84 of the horizontal
leg 78 and extend through the horizontal leg 78. An enclosed end 83
of the tube 82 is located near the left end 86 of the horizontal
leg 78 of each bubbler 74 and 76. The right end 84 of the
horizontal leg 78 may be provided with appropriate reducer fittings
to mate with the tube 82. In this specific embodiment, the tube 82
is connected to the transfer conduit 72 shown in FIG. 1, which
transfers the hydrogen and oxygen gas from the collector-separators
16 and 18 to the first bubbler 74.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the hydrogen and oxygen gas flows
through the tube 82 and exits through the perforations 89 in the
tube 82 in the form of small separated bubbles 88, which float
upwardly through the liquid 79 and out of the first bubbler 74
through an exit tube 90 at the top end 85 of the vertical leg 80.
Though a perforated tube 82 is shown in this embodiment, other
configurations may be used to pass the hydrogen and oxygen gases,
such as a screen, that separates the gas bubbles from the transfer
conduit 72 and collector-separators 16 and 18. In a specific
embodiment, the exit tube 90 may be a 1/4 inch section of copper
tubing through other sizes and materials may be used depending on
the application of the water separation apparatus 10. The top end
85 of the vertical leg 78 is preferably provided with appropriate
reducer fittings to mate with the exit tube 90, and also a check
valve 87.
[0040] The check valve 87 in each of the bubblers 74 and 76 assumes
a normally closed position due to pressure created within the
bubblers 74 and 76 during operation of the apparatus. But in the
case of flashback (i.e., if the gases exiting the bubblers 74 or 76
are ignited), a vacuum will be formed in the space above the water
level 81, which will briefly accelerate the rate at which the
bubbles will rise from the perforated tube 82 and will also cause
the check valve 87 in that bubbler to open and allow the pressure
inside the bubblers 74 and 76 to equalize with the pressure outside
the bubblers 74 and 76. The electrolysis process will then begin
again on its own without harm to the reaction chambers 12 and 14 or
ignition of a dangerous amount of gas in the collector-separators
16 and 18. Pressure will build back up and the check valve 87 in
the bubbler 74 or 76 will return to its normally closed position,
and the apparatus will automatically return to normal
operation.
[0041] In a specific embodiment, the exit tube 90 of the first
bubbler 74 is connected to the right end 84 of the second bubbler
76 and extends into the horizontal leg 78 of the second bubbler 76
in the same manner as discussed above (i.e., with perforations 89
through which the gas can bubble upwardly). The gas exiting the
exit tube 90 on the second bubbler 76 is ready for use as a fuel or
heat source. The redundant bubblers 74 and 76 are preferably used
as a safety feature so as to prevent any potential flash back from
reaching the collector-separators 16 and 18.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 6-8, there is an adjuster
plate 30 that is within each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and
separates each reaction chamber 12 and 14 into a front and rear
internal chambers 26 and 28. The adjustor plate 30 in each reaction
chamber 12 and 14 will now be described in more detail. In a
specific embodiment, the adjuster plate 30 is made from a
non-conductive material, such as plastic, and is of appropriate
size and shape to sealably fit within the chambers 12 and 14. As
shown in FIG. 6, the adjuster plate 30 may be circular in shape and
sealably welded to the internal wall of the housing 15 in each of
the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The top of the adjuster plate 30
is preferably provided with a generally horizontal or straight edge
92 so as to form an opening 94 between the top of the housing 15
and the edge 92 so that separated gasses may flow between the front
and rear chambers 26 and 28 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and
14. The adjuster plate 30 also preferably includes two conductive
plates 96, which are attached to opposite sides of the adjuster
plate 30, such as by welding. The conductive plates 96 are
preferably of the same size, shape and material as the plates 36
and 42 discussed above, and are preferably generally aligned
therewith.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 6, the adjuster plate 30 in each of
the reaction chambers 12 and 14 is also preferably provided with at
least one fluid passageway, such as a left slot 98 and a right slot
100, or the adjuster plate 30 could alternatively be provided with
other types of valves, such as gate, ball, globe or butterfly
valves, of the type well known to those of ordinary skill in the
art. In a specific embodiment, each slot 98 and 100 may be in the
shape of a generally inverted triangle, having a width of about 1/4
inch at the lower tip, a width of about 1 inch at the top, and a
height of about 3 inches, or other shapes depending on the
application of the water separation apparatus 10. In another
embodiment, there may simply be holes drilled through the plate 30
as more fully discussed below. In a specific embodiment, the
adjuster plate 30 may also be provided with a left gate assembly
102 and a right gate assembly 104.
[0044] In a specific embodiment, each gate assembly 102 and 104
includes a gate 106, an adjusting rod 108, and an exterior support
110. The gate 106 is preferably made from a non-conductive
material, and may have an inverted "L" shaped side profile. The
gate 106 may have a flange 107 shown in FIG. 7 that has a threaded
hole 109 adapted for threadable engagement with a threaded end 112
of the adjusting rod 108. The top of the rods 108 may be rotatably
mounted to the supports 110 outside of the reaction chambers 12 and
14 so that rotation of the rod 108 by the supports 110 will cause
the gate 106 to move up and down within guide tracks 114 that are
connected to the adjuster plate 30. In this specific embodiment,
the adjuster plate 30 may include two guide tracks 114 for each
gate 106, with each track 114 being located away from the slots
98/100 so that the tracks 114 will not obstruct fluid flow through
the slots 98/100. As further discussed below, the position of the
gates 106 can be adjusted to regulate the cross-sectional area of
contact between the liquid in the front and rear chambers 26 and 28
of each reactive chamber 12 and 14. This allows for precision
control of the current flow or amperage draw to control the
capacitive reactance between the plates 36/42/96 in the front and
rear chambers 26/28, which allows control over the amount of
hydrogen and oxygen gas supplied to the bubblers 76/78. It also
ultimately allows control over the amount of catalyst needed to be
added to the water in the reaction chambers 12 and 14 depending on
the cross-sectional area of the gates 106 selected for the
application of the water separation apparatus 10. It can now be
seen that there is a direct relationship between the surface area
exposed through the adjuster plate 30 and the amount of hydrogen
and oxygen gas generated by the water separation apparatus 10.
Thus, the adjustments to the cross-sectional areas of the gates 106
in the adjustor plate 30 between the front and rear chambers 26 and
28 controls the amounts of current flow through the adjustor plate
30 as well as the amount of gas produced by the water separation
apparatus 10. As the mixture of water and catalyst and current flow
is increased, the capacitance of the conductive plates is increased
and creates more separation of the hydrogen and oxygen from the
water.
[0045] There are at least two methods of adjusting or controlling
the electrical flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28.
First, the exposed cross-sectional area through the adjuster plate
30 may simply be holes drilled through the plate 30, e.g., slots 98
and 100. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to have a means of
closing or covering the holes 98 and 100, such as a gate valve or
the gate assemblies 102 and 104. Instead, the electrical flow
between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 in each of the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 is controlled by the cross-sectional
area of the holes 98 and 100 through the adjustor plate 30 in each
reaction chamber, and/or by the composition of the mixture of the
electrolyte (or catalyst) in the water. For example, to increase
the electrical flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28,
the number and/or size of the holes 98 and 100 in the adjuster
plate 30 could be increased, and/or the amount of
electrolyte/catalyst could be increased in the front and rear
chambers 26 and 28. Similarly, to decrease the electrical flow
between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, the number and/or
size of the holes 98 and 100 in each of the adjustor plates 30
could be decreased and/or the amount of the electrolyte/catalyst
could be decreased in the reaction chambers 12 and 14. In this
manner, the electrical flow within the chambers 26 and 28 can be
controlled, which will thus allow the operator to control the
amount of gases exiting the water separation apparatus 10, and thus
enable control over the amount of electricity or heat or other fuel
source being produced.
[0046] Second, any adjustable device (e.g., a gate valve or the
gate assemblies 102 and 104) can be used to create a variable
adjustment through the adjuster plate 30 to the exposed surface
area between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, which will
affect the amount of electrical current flow through this direct
relationship of surface area between the front and rear chambers 26
and 28. This adjustment in surface area of the adjuster plate 30
may also allow the optimum amount of electrolyte/catalyst to be
used in the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The electrical current in
each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can thus be adjusted by
controlling the surface area exposed between the front chamber 26
and rear chamber 28, and will optimize the water separation
apparatus 10 to its fullest potential for separation of hydrogen
and oxygen gas.
[0047] The adjustment of the gates 106 can be accomplished
mechanically by an operator who physically adjusts the adjusting
rod 108 using exterior support 110 shown in FIG. 6. Alternatively,
the adjustment of the gates 106 can be controlled automatically by
a control signal from controller 25. The controller 25 would
include an amperage control unit that would monitor the amperage
through the reaction chambers 12 and 14. If the amperage falls
below a certain level, the controller 25 can signal the gates 106
or 108 of the reaction chamber having low amperage to open or
increase cross-sectional area to increases the amount of current
flowing through the affected chambers 12 and 14 and thus, increase
the rate at which the hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced. On
the other hand, if the amperage control unit in the controller 25
determines that the amperage in one or both of the reaction
chambers exceeds an amperage operating point, the controller 25 can
signal the gates 106 to decrease cross-sectional area to decrease
the amount of current flowing through the reaction chambers 12 and
14 and thus, decrease the rate at which the hydrogen and oxygen
gases are produced.
[0048] If the amperage falls too far below a set operating point,
then a check light could be initiated by the controller 25 for an
operator to check the water separation apparatus 10 for any
problems. In addition, if the amperage in one or more of the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 exceeds a safe operating point, the
controller 25 can initiate an automatic shutdown of that reaction
chamber.
[0049] Thus, an important improvement in this embodiment of the
invention is that the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas produced by
the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can be quickly regulated by
adjusting the position of the gates 106 in the adjuster plate in
each reaction chamber to control the cross-sectional contact area
between the front chamber 26 and the rear chambers 28. As explained
previously, by increasing the cross-sectional area between the
front chamber 26 and the rear chamber 28, additional current flow
or amperage is allowed to flow between the two chambers. Thus, the
adjustment of the gates 106 provides for precision control of
amperage draw to control the capacitive reactance between the
plates 36/42/96 in the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. As the
cross-sectional area of the gates 106 increases, the liquid and
catalyst contact area increases between the conductive plates 36
and 42 and 96. This increase in the amount of current flowing
through the chambers 12 and 14 will also increase the rate at which
the hydrogen and oxygen gases separate from the water. Likewise, as
the contact area decreases, the current flow and creation rate of
the gases will also decrease.
[0050] As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, in a specific embodiment,
each reaction chamber 12 and 14 also includes two cooling tubes 116
and 118, one on each side of the reaction chamber 12 and 14, that
may be disposed in generally parallel relationship and run the full
length of each reaction chamber 12 and 14 and extend outside of
each end of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and function as heat
exchangers. Water or other fluids may be passed through the cooling
tubes 116 and 118 to transfer heat away from inside the reaction
chambers 12 and 14. Though cooling tubes 116 and 118 are shown in
this embodiment, any other suitable heat exchangers can be used
depending on the application.
[0051] The controller 25 and the manner in which it is electrically
connected to the various components of the water separation
apparatus 10 will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and
9-11. Referring first to FIG. 1, the controller 25 includes an
on/off switch 122 that is wired to the pressure regulator 20. The
pressure regulator 20 may be any off-the-shelf pressure regulator
that allows regulation of pressure within a minimum and maximum
range. There are many makes and models of available pressure
regulators on the market that may be used, as will be readily
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. By way of example
only, such a pressure regulator may be Part No. 9013 GSG2 made
under the "Square D" brand by Schneider Electric, of Paris, France.
In a specific embodiment, the pressure regulator 20 is located
between the collector-separators 16 and 18 and the bubblers 76 and
78. In this specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pressure
regulator 20 is plugged into an 110V wall outlet though a person of
skill in the art would appreciate many other voltage sources at
different voltage levels may be used depending on the application.
For example, a battery, alternator, fuel cell, solar panel, etc may
provide the current necessary to operate the water separation
apparatus 10. The pressure regulator 20 is configured to allow
current to flow through to the controller 25 when certain
predetermined "high" and "low" pressures from the
collector-separators 16 and 18 are present. For example, the
regulator 20 may be configured to cut power to the water separation
apparatus 10 at a high pressure of 50 p.s.i. and turn power back on
when the pressure reaches a low pressure of 35 p.s.i. Of course
these specific high and low pressure levels may be adjusted
depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10.
In addition, the pressure regular 20 may be adjusted by a device to
control the controller 25 to adjust the current to the water
separation apparatus 10 to provide more or less hydrogen production
as needed.
[0052] In a specific embodiment, the controller 25 may include a
full wave rectified DC converter that can be frequency pulsed, and
convert the AC power coming from the regulator 20 into variable
pulsing DC power which is provided to the reaction chambers 12 and
14.
[0053] In a specific embodiment, the controller 25 may also include
a 4-pole double throw On-On switch 124. As best shown in FIGS.
9-11, the chambers 12 and 14 may be configured such that the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 are arranged in series with respect to
the voltage source or alternatively switched by switch 124 to be
configured in parallel with respect to the voltage source.
Switching the reaction chambers 12 and 14 from series to parallel
with respect to the voltage source will result in a marked increase
in the electrical flow through reaction chambers, which will
increase the amount of gas being generated by the water separation
apparatus 10, and thereby increase the power or heat generated
through the use of the water separation apparatus 10. Thus, the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be controlled by the switch 124 to
be configured in "series" with respect to the voltage source for
slow or idle requirements, and may be switched to "parallel" with
respect to the voltage source for a higher demand of delivery of
hydrogen and oxygen.
[0054] The manner of operation of the specific embodiment of the
present invention shown in FIGS. 1-11 will now be described. With
reference to FIG. 1, the left and right chambers 12 and 14 are
filled with a liquid mixture of water and catalyst that forms an
electrolytically conductive water mixture. The catalyst may be one
or more of any appropriate catalyst for creating an electrolyte in
the water, such as potassium hydroxide or any other suitable
catalyst now known to or later developed by those of ordinary skill
in the art. In the specific embodiment described above, an example
of a water-catalyst mixture that could be used may comprise 41/2
gallons of water mixed with 171/2 ounces of potassium hydroxide
depending on the embodiment of the water separation apparatus 10.
The catalyst is used to regulate the electrolytic effect between
the plates 36 and 42 and 96. The catalyst is also used to break
down the surface tension of the water so the individual atoms (of
hydrogen and oxygen) can more quickly travel to the surface inside
the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and be extracted for use. The
catalyst does not enter into the reaction so it stays in the
reaction chambers 12 and 14 and only the hydrogen and oxygen are
extracted. The amount and type of catalyst added to the reaction
chambers 12 and 14 affects the current flow in the reaction
chambers and the amount of hydrogen and oxygen generated and so can
be another control for the production of the water separation
apparatus 10.
[0055] In a specific embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the
adjuster plate 30 also preferably includes a liquid leveling hole
120 at the bottom of the adjuster plate 30. The liquid mixture is
poured into the reaction chambers 12 and 14 through the fluid input
passageway 50. The fluid mixture will enter the front internal
chamber 26 and flow through to the rear internal chamber 28 through
the liquid leveling hole 120 in the adjuster plate 30. The sight
tubes 52 are used to assist in filling the reaction chambers 12 and
14 to the desired level. With reference to FIG. 6, in this specific
embodiment, it is preferred that the reaction chambers 12 and 14 be
filled to a level about 3/4 inches below the top edge 92 of the
adjuster plate 30. The pressure regulator 20 is plugged into the
wall outlet (or connected by other means to another voltage source
as explained above) and the controller 25 is switched to the "On"
position. The 4-pole switch 124 is also set to the desired setting
(i.e., series or parallel) depending on the required amount of gas
per minute or the load requirements of the system or device to
which the hydrogen is supplied from the water separation apparatus
10. For lower gas requirements the switch 124 will be set to the
"series" position and for higher gas requirements the switch 124
will be set to the "parallel" position. In a specific embodiment,
if the regulator 20 is reading a pressure of the "minimum" setting
(e.g., 35 p.s.i.) or lower, then current will flow to the reaction
chambers 12 and 14 and through the water/catalyst mixture, and the
electrolysis process will commence. As the water comes into contact
with the conductive plates, the water breaks down into its hydrogen
and oxygen components. The hydrogen and oxygen gases will bubble
upwardly through the liquid mixture and into the space above the
liquid fluid level and out of the reaction chambers 12 and 14
through the inlet conduits 56 and 58 and into the
collector-separators 16 and 18. The gases and any associated liquid
will flow out of the tops of the inlet conduits 56 and 58 and into
the collector-separators 16 and 18. Any liquid that does seep up
through the inlet conduits 56 and 58 will drop to the bottom of the
collector-separators 16 and 18 and flow through the small holes 63
in the inlet conduits 56 and 58 that are just above the bottom of
the housing 17 (see FIG. 2).
[0056] The gases will then circulate down and up into the bottom of
the outlet conduit 60 and then through the conduits 66, 68 and 72
to the first bubbler 74. The gases will flow through the tubes 82
and bubble through the water 79 in each of the bubblers 74 and 76.
The separated hydrogen and oxygen gas streams exiting the exit tube
90 of the second bubbler 76 is ready for use "on demand" for
whatever purpose desired (e.g., as a fuel or heat source). These
gases can be produced for immediate use, on demand, and may be
produced at low pressures, such as more or less than 50 p.s.i.
[0057] A working model of the specific embodiment of the present
invention has been built, tested and proven to generate hydrogen on
demand in a manner far more efficient. With the present invention,
the energy into the system is much less than the generated energy
out of the system, in the form of hydrogen gas. It is expected that
the present invention will have a significant impact on the way in
which energy is generated around the world, and thus have a
significant impact on the world economy. This follows from the
fundamental premise that there is a direct relationship between the
amount of energy a country generates and its gross national
product. Indeed, it is believed that the present invention will
usher in and form the foundation of the new era of the
hydrogen-based economy President Bush spoke of in his Feb. 2, 2006
letter announcing the American Competitiveness Initiative. And the
present invention has a vast number of uses. At a very basic level,
it can be used as a fuel source or as a heat source. A few specific
examples of how the present invention can be used are described
below.
[0058] One way in which the present invention could be utilized is
in combination with one or more fuel cells to generate electricity.
In this regard, as shown in FIG. 12, the exit tube 90 of the
apparatus 10 may be connected to a proton exchange membrane, also
known as a polymer electrolyte membrane ("PEM") 130. The hydrogen
and oxygen gases flow from the apparatus 10 through the exit tube
90 and into the PEM 130. The PEM 130 separates the hydrogen and
oxygen gases into a hydrogen gas stream and an oxygen gas stream.
The PEM 130 is connected to a fuel cell 136. More specifically, a
hydrogen conduit 132 is connected between the PEM 130 and the fuel
cell 136 to feed the hydrogen gas stream from the PEM 130 to the
appropriate portion of the fuel cell 136, and an oxygen conduit 134
is connected between the PEM 130 and the fuel cell 136 to feed the
oxygen gas stream from the PEM 130 to the appropriate portion of
the fuel cell 136. The fuel cell 136 includes a negative terminal
138 and a positive terminal 140. The electricity generated through
the fuel cell 136 may be used for any purpose. For example, the
fuel cell 136 could be connected to an electric motor for powering
a car, a boat or a lawn mower. One of the advantages of the use of
the water separation apparatus 10 in a car, boat or a lawn mower is
that it will decrease the noise currently associated with boat
motors, car engines and lawn mowers. The present invention can also
be used to supply electricity to a commercial building, a private
residence or an entire city. For example, instead of paying the
local electric company on a monthly basis for the amount of
electricity used each month, a homeowner could install a system
such as shown in FIG. 12 to supply electricity to the house,
instead of connecting to the local power grid.
[0059] Still referring to the fuel cell example, the number of fuel
cells can be varied or provided in a "stacked" manner depending on
the current and voltage requirements for any particular
application. The fuel cell configuration is environmentally
friendly, in that it will put oxygen back into the atmosphere, as
opposed to the undesirable ozone-creating "Greenhouse" emissions of
a hydrocarbon powered engine on a car or boat or lawn mower. The
fuel cell 136 may further include an oxygen outlet 142 and a water
outlet 144. The water from the water outlet 144 may be piped back
to the apparatus 10 for separation into hydrogen and oxygen gases.
Another advantage of this fuel cell example, such as in the car or
boat context, is that it entails no moving parts other than an
electric motor.
[0060] Another way in which the present invention could be put to
use is in combination with any steam-driven device. In this regard,
for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the exit tube 90 of the water
separation apparatus 10 may be connected to a burner 146, where the
gases from the apparatus 10 are ignited and burned to heat a vessel
of water to create steam. The steam may be supplied to any
steam-driven device. For example, the steam could be used to power
a steam-driven train. As another example, as shown in FIG. 13, the
steam may be supplied through a steam conduit 148 to a steam-driven
turbine 150. The steam will cause the turbine to rotate, which will
rotate a turbine output shaft 152. The shaft 152 may be used to
power any device desired. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the
shaft 152 could be connected to a generator 154 to generate
electricity. The electricity can be provided to any device or
system desired through negative and positive terminals 156 and 158.
For example, this configuration could be used on a large scale in a
power plant to supply electricity to an entire city. As another
alternative, instead of connecting the turbine output shaft 152 to
a generator, it could be used as a drive shaft to rotate the wheels
on any type of vehicle. Other examples that involve the use of
flames created by igniting the gases may include disposal of waste
materials, in ovens, in gas burners and in distillation and
desalinization processes. For example, the flames can be used to
heat salt water from the ocean to produce steam that can be
collected and condensed into fresh water at extremely low
costs.
[0061] FIG. 14 shows another embodiment where the water separation
unit 10 may be used alone to run a fuel cell stack to create enough
energy to operate an electric motor. In this regard, for example,
as shown in FIG. 14, the exit tube 90 of the water separation
apparatus 10 may be connected to an engine 160, such as by feeding
the hydrogen gas stream from the water separation apparatus
directly into the engine's carburetor to be used as the engine's
fuel source. An output shaft 162 of the engine 160 may be connected
to any device or system powered through the use of rotary motion.
For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the output shaft 162 may be
connected to a generator 164 having negative and positive terminals
166 and 168, respectively. In the same manner as explained above,
the electricity generated by the generator 164 may be used to
energize any device or system that runs off of electricity. In the
marine industry, the output shaft 162 could be on an inboard or
outboard boat motor for boats or lawn mowers that will run
efficiently. Again, the general approach represented in FIG. 14 has
the same advantages as described above, including that there are no
undesirable emissions that are harmful to the atmosphere.
[0062] In each of the above embodiments, the water separation unit
may be used alone or in combination with another fuel source, such
a gasoline fuel with a combustion engine if an additional energy
source is needed. Even if used with a combustion engine using
gasoline, the water separation unit 10 will help reduce green house
effects and help the atmosphere and economy by reducing the need
for use of gasoline and its byproducts.
[0063] Another way in which the present invention may be used in
combination with a combustion engine is in the automotive context.
For example, as shown in FIG. 15 a car 170 is shown having a
combustion engine 180 (i.e., just like nearly every car and truck
on the road today). But what is different about the car 170 shown
here is that it also includes an embodiment of the water separation
apparatus 10 of the present invention with the exit tube 90
connected to the engine 180 so that the hydrogen and oxygen gas
stream generated by the apparatus 10 can be used as the fuel source
for the engine 180 or as a supplemental fuel source in addition to
gasoline as explained above. In this example, the gases from the
exit tube 90 may be fed directly into the carburetor, as explained
above. Since the hydrogen gases burn more rapidly and hotter than
conventional hydrocarbon fuels, changes to a typical car engine may
be implemented, such as advancing the timing to make sure the
valves are closed during the combustion cycle, and modifying the
intakes to accommodate a gas fuel instead of a liquid fuel. The car
170 may also be provided with a tank 171 for holding water. The
water is fed to the apparatus 10 through a conduit 176. The
apparatus 10 may be provided with a mixer for controlling fluid
flow and mixture composition flowing to the reactions chambers of
the apparatus 10. At periodic automotive check-ups, the percentage
of catalyst in the water in the tank 171 may be checked and
adjusted if necessary on an as needed basis.
[0064] In this automotive example, the series/parallel switch 124
may be located on the dashboard of the car 170 so that the driver
may switch to parallel mode when a higher boost of on-demand power
is needed. Alternatively, the switch between series and parallel
may be automatically accomplished through an acceleration system
that requires no manual input. For example, if the automobile needs
extra acceleration, the automobile will automatically switch to
parallel mode.
[0065] This automotive example also represents a significant
improvement over the way in which the automotive industry is
currently using hydrogen as a fuel source. In more particular,
hydrogen-powered cars currently use high pressure canisters of
stored hydrogen on-board the car. Drawbacks to the current approach
are that these high pressure canisters present a potential safety
hazard (e.g., through rupture), and also that the canisters need to
be replenished at a hydrogen gas station. With the present
invention, on the other hand, the hydrogen is produced on board and
not until it is needed, and the only "fuel" that needs to be
replenished is water. An added benefit of the present invention is
that the stored water tank 171 can be used as a crash-dampening
design for safety as water does not have the volatility of
gasoline. Yet another advantage is that a car that is powered by
hydrogen gas created using the present invention does not have any
harmful or detrimental emissions. There will be no harmful and
detrimental emissions only if the car's power is generated by fuel
cells. If the gas supplements a gasoline burn, then we will still
have some harmful and detrimental emissions from the gasoline burn.
Another advantage of this approach is that gas consumption will be
reduced and efficiency will be increased through higher miles per
gallon of gasoline. Another advantage is that horsepower will be
increased.
[0066] In one embodiment of the invention, a method of regulating
the water level in reaction chambers 12 and 14 is shown in FIG. 16.
Reaction chamber 12 includes water level control actuator 200 while
reaction chamber 14 includes water level control actuator 202. Both
water level control actuators 200 and 202 measure the level of
water in their respective reaction chambers 12 and 14. When a low
level of water is detected, the water level control actuators
signal the solenoids 210 and 208. So for example, if water level
actuator 200 in reaction chamber 12 detects a low water level, then
the water level actuator 200 signals solenoid 208 over wire 204.
Similarly, if water level actuator 202 in reaction chamber 14
detects a low water level in reaction chamber 14, then the water
level actuator 202 signals solenoid 210 over wire 206. The solenoid
208 or 210 which has been signaled with a low water level, then
signals fill pump 216 over lines 212 or 214 respectively. The fill
pump 216 then initiates pumping of water 220 from water reservoir
218 through pipe 222 through fill pump 216 to Y pipe 224. The
solenoid 208 or 210 that signaled the low water level will open its
valve while the other solenoid 208 or 210 will maintain its valve
closed. Thus, the water from Y-pipe 224 will only flow through the
solenoid 208 or 210 that has received a low water signal from its
respective actuator. For example, if water level actuator 202 in
reaction chamber 14 signaled a low water level over wire 206, then
solenoid 210 would open its valve and water would flow from the
pump 216 through solenoid 210 into pipe 226. The water would then
enter the reaction chamber 14 through inlet conduit 50. During the
filling stage, the pressure in the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can
be maintained at a similar level due to the pump used to overcome
the chamber pressure for fill and that the reaction chambers 12 and
14 are connected by the collectors 16 and 18.
[0067] If both water level actuators 200 and 202 detect a low water
level in both reaction chambers 12 and 14 concurrently, then both
solenoids 208 and 210 would open and water would flow into both
reaction chambers 12 and 14. The water reservoir 218 may be placed
in a bumper, part of a frame of a car or any spare hollow space. It
could also be used as a safety device to dampen crash impact.
[0068] It should further be understood that the above description
provided one embodiment of the present invention and the described
embodiment is not limited to any particular shape, dimensions or
size or materials. For example, while specific dimensions have been
provided for the specific embodiments described above, those
dimensions do not limit the scope of the invention, and the
invention may be provided on any scale. For example, if the
invention is to be used to supply electricity to an entire city,
then the invention would be constructed on a much larger scale, and
may also include numerous units "stacked" or grouped together
depending on the amount of electricity needed. As just one
non-limiting example, five (or any number) of the dual-chamber
systems shown in the Figures could be stacked or grouped together
and the hydrogen exiting each of the second bubblers 76 may be
transmitted to the same target device or system intended to use the
hydrogen, whether for a heat or fuel source. By implementing this
stacking or grouping approach, in the event of a failure of one of
the units, the failed unit can be removed for repair without
ceasing operation of the other units. The water separation
apparatus 10 may also be designed for a variety of standard load
ratings and be treated as an off-the-shelf item with the particular
unit being selected on a case-by-case basis depending on the load
requirements of each application. The apparatus 10 may also be
provided with any number of reaction chambers, not just the two
reaction chambers 12 and 14 as shown for example in FIG. 2.
[0069] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials or
embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and
equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For
example, the chambers 12/14 are cylindrical in shape and have been
used as part of a preferred embodiment to incorporate the higher
pressure holding capability of curved surfaces. But the present
invention is not limited to chambers having curved surfaces, and
also covers other shapes, including but not limited to square or
rectangular boxes and enclosures of any other shape or
configuration. Similarly, while the specific embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1-11 is provided with two collector-separators, it could also
be provided with a single collector-separator that with inlet ports
in fluid communication with each of the chambers 12/14.
Accordingly, the invention is therefore to be limited only by the
scope of the appended claims.
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