U.S. patent application number 12/855617 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-16 for process and apparatus for the preparation of combustible fluid.
This patent application is currently assigned to ADVANCED COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGIES,INC.. Invention is credited to GARY J. BETHUREM.
Application Number | 20120037510 12/855617 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45564014 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120037510 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BETHUREM; GARY J. |
February 16, 2012 |
PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF COMBUSTIBLE FLUID
Abstract
A fuel and hydrogen generator includes electrolysis in a first
closed vessel containing a bath of water, electrolyte and
sufficient liquid hydrocarbon fuel to serve as an oxygen barrier.
The hydrogen produced in the first closed vessel is introduced into
a second closed vessel having a bath of water, electrolyte and
liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an amount volumetrically equal to the
water. Electrodes extend through the liquid hydrocarbon fuel to the
water to conduct electrolysis. Makeup water and liquid hydrocarbon
fuel is supplied to both closed vessels as needed. The bath in the
second closed vessel is recirculated to entrain all constituents
within the bath and to cool the bath to ambient temperature. Gas is
drawn off of the bath in the second closed vessel though vacuum
with constituents then fractionally liquefied to create a reformed
liquid hydrocarbon fuel and to separate the fuel from the gaseous
hydrogen.
Inventors: |
BETHUREM; GARY J.; (Simi
Valley, CA) |
Assignee: |
ADVANCED COMBUSTION
TECHNOLOGIES,INC.
|
Family ID: |
45564014 |
Appl. No.: |
12/855617 |
Filed: |
August 12, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
205/462 ;
204/275.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25B 1/04 20130101; C10G
2300/1037 20130101; C25B 3/00 20130101; C10G 2300/4006 20130101;
Y02E 60/366 20130101; C10L 1/04 20130101; C10G 2300/805 20130101;
Y02E 60/36 20130101; C10G 32/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
205/462 ;
204/275.1 |
International
Class: |
C10L 1/04 20060101
C10L001/04; C25B 9/00 20060101 C25B009/00 |
Claims
1. A process for the preparation of combustible fluid, comprising
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of water,
electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon fuel; removing gas from above
the bath during electrolysis; providing makeup water and liquid
hydrocarbon fuel during the electrolysis.
2. The process of claim 1, removing gas including drawing gas with
a vacuum pump, the vacuum being low enough to separate volatile
components from the feedstock water.
3. The process of claim 1, conducting electrolysis being between
electrodes of opposite polarity extending into the hydrocarbon fuel
and to the water.
4. The process of claim 1 further comprising fractionally
liquefying gas removed from above the bath; and separating hydrogen
there from.
5. The process of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the bath
at ambient temperature.
6. The process of claim 5, maintaining the bath at ambient
temperature including recirculating liquid from the bath and
cooling the recirculating liquid to ambient temperature.
7. The process of claim 6, maintaining the bath at ambient
temperature further including pulsing the voltage for the
electrolysis on and off to maintain temperature.
8. A process for the preparation of combustible fluid, comprising
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of water,
electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon fuel using electrodes of
opposite polarity extending into the hydrocarbon fuel and to the
water; drawing gas from above the bath during electrolysis under
vacuum; fractionally liquefying gas removed from above the bath;
and providing makeup water and liquid hydrocarbon fuel during the
electrolysis.
9. The process of claim 8 further comprising recirculating liquid
from the bath.
10. The process of claim 1, conducting the electrolysis including
pulsing the voltage on and off to reduce heat to the bath.
11. A process for the preparation of combustible fluid, comprising
conducting electrolysis in a first bath consisting essentially of
water, electrolyte and a first amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel
sufficient to form an oxygen barrier above the water in the first
bath; removing gas from above the first bath during electrolysis;
providing makeup water and liquid hydrocarbon to the first bath
during the electrolysis; conducting electrolysis in a second bath
consisting essentially of water, electrolyte and a second amount of
liquid hydrocarbons between electrodes of opposite polarity
extending into the hydrocarbons and to the water; introducing the
gas removed from the first bath during electrolysis to the water in
the second bath; removing gas from above the second bath during
electrolysis; providing makeup water and liquid hydrocarbon to the
second bath during the electrolysis.
12. The process of claim 11, removing gas from the second bath
including drawing the gas with a vacuum pump, the vacuum being low
enough to separate volatile components from the feedstock water,
the process further comprising cooling and compressing the gas from
the second bath to fractionally liquefy the gas.
13. The process of claim 11 further comprising maintaining the
second bath at ambient temperature.
14. The process of claim 13, maintaining the second bath at ambient
temperature including recirculating liquid from the bath and
cooling the recirculating liquid to ambient temperature.
15. The process of claim 14, maintaining the second bath at ambient
temperatures further including pulsing the voltage for the
electrolysis on and off to maintain temperature.
16. A fuel generator comprising a closed vessel; water, liquid
hydrocarbons, electrolyte and electrodes of opposite polarity
extending into the hydrocarbons and water in the closed vessel; a
vacuum pump in communication with gas space in the closed vessel
above the water and hydrocarbons.
17. The fuel generator of claim 16 further comprising a radiator in
communication with the vacuum pump.
18. The fuel generator of claim 16 further comprising a source of
hydrogen coupled with the closed vessel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the present invention is hydrocarbon
refining.
[0002] Electrolysis of water to generate hydrogen and oxygen is
well known. Also known are HHO generators which use electrolysis to
transform water into its component parts but not to separate the
hydrogen and oxygen once released. Such devices have been employed
to directly feed internal combustion engines to improve combustion.
In modern engines, oxygen sensors are used to control air fuel
mixture as they sense variations in oxygen. Even though the oxygen
introduced from an HHO generator is in a stoichiometric ratio with
the hydrogen also introduced, the oxygen sensor does not account
for the added combustible hydrogen and senses an excess of oxygen.
As a result, the tuning of the engine must be amended to account
for the introduction of hydrogen with the additional oxygen from
such a generator. Further, as a stoichiometric mixture of oxygen
and hydrogen is explosive with a threshold input of energy, such
generators are typically employed to immediately feed combustion so
that the explosive mixture is not accumulated. The HHO supplied to
the intake of internal combustion engines for boosting the
operation of liquid hydrocarbon fuels is intended to operate in
various ways to increase performance, increase efficiency and/or
reduce exhaust pollutants. Mixed results have led to further study
without yet establishing a compelling need to commercialize such
devices.
[0003] Hydrocarbon liquid fuels employed in internal combustion
engines range broadly with the most conventional fuels being
gasoline, diesel and kerosene. These liquids are blended
hydrocarbons of various molecular weight and configuration. The
size and configuration of such molecules can affect burn rate and
exhaust products. Additives have been employed to modify those
effects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed to the creation of
reformed fuel from liquid hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline, diesel
and kerosene that appears to burn cleaner and provide substantial
energy for combustion in an internal combustion engine with a
lighter blend of hydrocarbons.
[0005] In a first separate aspect of the present invention, a
process for the preparation of combustible fluid includes
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of water,
electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbons with removal of the gas from
the bath during electrolysis and adding makeup water and liquid
hydrocarbons to effect a continuous process. In implementing this
process, the volumetric ratio of hydrocarbon fuel to water may
range from about 6:1 down to a very small ratio with only a small
amount of hydrocarbon fuel to define an oxygen barrier above the
water. Different ratios can impact the final blend of resulting
hydrocarbon constituents.
[0006] In a second separate aspect of the present invention, a
process for the preparation of combustible fluid includes
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of water,
electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbons. The process further includes
the circulation of the liquid phase to maintain intermediate
products in suspension for further processing. The electrolysis
contemplates electrodes of opposite polarity extending into the
hydrocarbons and to the water in the bath. Both regulation of the
voltage across the electrodes and the recirculation may be used to
maintain ambient temperatures in the bath. Neutral electrodes may
additionally be used to match impedance with the power source to
gain efficiency.
[0007] In a third separate aspect of the present invention, a
plurality of baths consisting essentially of water, electrolyte and
liquid hydrocarbons are arranged serially with different ratios of
liquid hydrocarbon fuel to water. Serial association of the baths
are understood to impact the ratio of products derived.
[0008] In a fourth separate aspect of the present invention, a fuel
generator employs a closed vessel, water, liquid hydrocarbon fuel,
electrolyte and electrodes of opposite polarity extending into the
hydrocarbons and water in the vessel. The electrolysis causes the
transformation of water and liquid hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen
and reformulated fuel. A vacuum pump in communication with the gas
space in the closed vessel removes products which can be
volatilized without significantly volatilizing the original liquid
hydrocarbon fuel.
[0009] In a fifth separate aspect of the present invention, any of
the foregoing aspects may be combined to greater result.
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a novel process for the generation of reformulated
hydrocarbon fuel. Other and further objects and advantages will
appear hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] The drawing is a schematic of the process and apparatus of
one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Turning to the schematic, a first closed vessel 10 includes
an arrangement of anodes and cathodes 12 in a cavity 14. Neutral
electrodes may also be used to match the impedance with the power
source to maximize efficiency as may be empirically determined. The
electrodes employed in the preferred embodiment are plates 12 of
alternating polarity extending across the cavity 14. Stainless
steel has been used but more exotic metals are known to increase
plate longevity. Electrical feeds 16 conventionally communicate
with the electrodes 12. This first closed vessel 10 contains a bath
in the cavity 14 consisting essentially of water, electrolyte, and
a thin layer of liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The electrolyte may be
introduced as potassium hydroxide. The fuel may be any combustible
hydrocarbon which would be liquid in the environment of the bath,
most typically gasoline, diesel fuel or kerosene. The layer of
liquid hydrocarbon fuel is sufficient to form an oxygen barrier
above the water. Less than one quarter inch is sufficient in most
cases. The electrodes 12 extend through the hydrocarbon layer to
the water.
[0013] The electrolysis is driven by a power source which may be a
battery, 110 AC or other voltage source which is rectified as
needed. The system operates well at 19 volts, drawing about 3 amps
for the closed vessel 10. The power is subjected to the voltage
being pulsed on and off to reduce the generation of heat in the
bath.
[0014] For feedstock, makeup water is introduced through a port 18
and liquid hydrocarbon fuel is made up through a port 20. Gas
generated within the closed vessel 10 is drawn off through a port
22 located above the level of liquid.
[0015] A second closed vessel 24 is coupled with the closed vessel
10 through the port 22 by which the closed vessel 24 receives gas
generated from the first vessel 10 at a port 26. The closed vessel
24 includes a cavity 28 with electrodes 30 of alternating polarity
extending through the hydrocarbon fuel and to the water in a bath
consisting essentially of water, electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon
fuel. The electrodes 30 in this embodiment are stainless steel
plates extend through the hydrocarbon fuel and to the water in the
bath. More exotic metals will likely improve longevity as noted
above. The port 26 is located below the bath in the closed vessel
24 to introduce the hydrogen into the electrolysis process. The
same electrolyte may be employed in the second bath but the liquid
hydrocarbon fuel is at a much higher volumetric ratio with the
water than in the first bath. Efficiency in the preferred
embodiment appears to be maximized with a ratio of about 6 to 1.
Again, power to the electrolysis process is as described above for
the first closed vessel 10 with 19 volts drawing about 3 amps in
the closed vessel 24 with the power pulsed. Each of these
parameters is subject to empirical tuning to maximize efficiency in
the environment of each reactor vessel.
[0016] During the electrolysis process in the second closed vessel
24, the liquid contained therein is recirculated from a port 32
through a recirculation pump 34 to a tank 36. The tank 36 has the
ingredients of the second bath including some intermediate
hydrocarbon material which is to be circulated with the water back
into the bath. From the tank 36, recirculation continues through a
heat exchanger 38 and back into the bath of the second closed
vessel 24 through a port 40.
[0017] As feedstock, a water tank 42 feeds makeup water to the tank
36 as electrolysis lowers the quantity of water in the system. A
hydrocarbon fuel tank 44 also makes up liquid fuel ingredients as
needed. Solenoids 46 and 48 control the water tank 42 and fuel tank
44, respectively. The same sources may be used to provide feedstock
to the first closed vessel, as shown in the schematic.
[0018] A further port 50 located above the liquid level within the
second closed vessel 24 draws gas into a safety bubbler 52 and then
to a vacuum pump/compressor assembly 54. The vacuum pump/compressor
assembly 54 draws a vacuum on the closed vessel 24 and compresses a
fraction of the gasified product into liquid delivered to a tank
56. The vacuum drawn is moderated. At start-up, foaming is an issue
and operation of the vacuum pump/compressor 54 is delayed. Once the
bath has been operating for a while, foaming decreases and a vacuum
can be drawn. As the bath is a blend of liquid hydrocarbons, the
level of vacuum will impact the constituents volatilized. A maximum
of 10 pounds per square inch below atmospheric has been used. This
avoids volatilizing any of the feedstock water at the bottom of the
bath or flashing off the feedstock liquid hydrocarbon fuel before
it has been subjected to a time of residence in the bath. The
degree of vacuum can be used to vary the residence time of the
volatile hydrocarbons in the second bath, which is understood can
impact the final mix as may be desired. The compressor side is
unable to liquefy the hydrogen generated during this process, which
is separately conveyed to a second tank 58. Of course, each of
these fractionated products may be directed to other devices for
processing or use.
[0019] Looking to the process directly, the bath in the first
closed vessel 10 is subjected to electrolysis and, being
principally water, generates hydrogen and oxygen. Power is directed
to the electrolysis process such that overheating does not occur,
as discussed above. The hydrogen passes through the port 22 above
the liquid level and from the vessel 10. Because of the thin layer
of liquid hydrocarbon fuel on the surface of the water in the
closed vessel 10, oxygen is prevented by this barrier from escaping
from the bath.
[0020] The hydrogen from the closed vessel 10 is fed to the second
closed vessel 24 into the port 26. The second vessel 24 conducts
electrolysis in an environment with the bath containing much larger
ratios of liquid hydrocarbon fuel to water with an electrolyte and
with the hydrogen gas delivered from the closed vessel 10. The
electrolysis is accomplished by the electrodes 30 of alternating
opposite polarity which extend through the hydrocarbon fuel to the
water. The electrolysis process is run on a cycle of about 50% on
and 50% off. Efficiency appears to be maximized at around this 50%
power supply cycle and the controls keep temperature within the
bath down. It has been found that cycling the power such that the
electrodes 30 are charged about 50% of the time creates a greater
efficiency of operation.
[0021] To further maintain temperature and to retain all components
of the process entrained in the bath, the constituents of the bath
are recirculated through the pump 34 and tank 36. Cooling is
included in this recirculating flow by the heat exchanger 38. It is
advantageous to maintain the bath at ambient temperature. The
intermediate hydrocarbon material is circulated with the water back
into the bath as this appears to ultimately convert dark
hydrocarbon material, intermediate in the conversion process, into
the desired volatile hydrocarbons.
[0022] Gas is drawn off above the bath in the second closed vessel
24 by the vacuum pump/compressor 54 through the safety bubbler 52,
compressed and then cooled again if necessary to create a stable
liquid at atmospheric pressure. The hydrogen gas is naturally
fractionated from the hydrocarbon fuel thus derived. As noted
above, the vacuum is regulated to not gasify the feedstock water
and allow residence time for the liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The
operation of electrolysis in the second vessel 24 reduces the
hydrocarbons to a lighter blend of constituents in the resulting
liquid fuel. By controlling residence time in the second bath, the
resulting blend of hydrocarbon constituents volatized is understood
to vary in weight.
[0023] Thus, a gas and fuel generator and the process of using same
to generate reconstituted liquid hydrocarbon fuel has been
disclosed. While embodiments and applications of this invention
have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those
skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible
without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The
invention, therefore is not to be restricted except in the spirit
of the appended claims.
* * * * *