CA1198710A - Oxygen generator - Google Patents
Oxygen generatorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1198710A CA1198710A CA000439587A CA439587A CA1198710A CA 1198710 A CA1198710 A CA 1198710A CA 000439587 A CA000439587 A CA 000439587A CA 439587 A CA439587 A CA 439587A CA 1198710 A CA1198710 A CA 1198710A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- oxygen
- hydrogen
- generator
- platinum
- outlet
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
- A62B21/00—Devices for producing oxygen from chemical substances for respiratory apparatus
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
- C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
- C01B5/00—Water
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
- C25B1/01—Products
- C25B1/02—Hydrogen or oxygen
- C25B1/04—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B9/00—Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
- C25B9/70—Assemblies comprising two or more cells
- C25B9/73—Assemblies comprising two or more cells of the filter-press type
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
- Y02E60/36—Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Electrochemistry (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Emergency Medicine (AREA)
- Pulmonology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Emergency Management (AREA)
- Catalysts (AREA)
Abstract
TITLE
AN OXYGEN GENERATOR
INVENTOR
Karl T. Chuang ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An inexpensive, portable, oxygen gas generator comprises an electrolyte generator of oxygen from water, a residual hydrogen recombin-er for removing residual hydrogen from oxygen from the generator, and a primary hydrogen recombiner for recombining primary hydrogen from the generator with oxygen in air. The recombiners each have a catalyst assembly preferably comprising a corrugated stainless steel wire mesh roll coated with polytetrafluoroethylene having platinum crystallites on silica particles dispersed therein. The coating is water repellent but gas permeable. The corrugated stainless steel wire mesh roll is prefer-ably corrugated at an angle in the range 30 to 45° to the axis of genera-tion of the roll to achieve good mixing of the gases.
AN OXYGEN GENERATOR
INVENTOR
Karl T. Chuang ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An inexpensive, portable, oxygen gas generator comprises an electrolyte generator of oxygen from water, a residual hydrogen recombin-er for removing residual hydrogen from oxygen from the generator, and a primary hydrogen recombiner for recombining primary hydrogen from the generator with oxygen in air. The recombiners each have a catalyst assembly preferably comprising a corrugated stainless steel wire mesh roll coated with polytetrafluoroethylene having platinum crystallites on silica particles dispersed therein. The coating is water repellent but gas permeable. The corrugated stainless steel wire mesh roll is prefer-ably corrugated at an angle in the range 30 to 45° to the axis of genera-tion of the roll to achieve good mixing of the gases.
Description
9~7.~q3 This invention relates to an oxygen generator.
For patients suffering from, for ~xample, chronic lung or heart dlsease, supplementary oxygen may be required to sustain life. This oxygen may presen~ly be supplièd by oxygen bottles, liquid o~ygen tanks or oxygen concentrators based on an adsorption process over a molecular sieve.
Oxygen bottles and liquid oxygen tanks are both bulky and ex-pensive and are not suitable for supplying oxygen safely in3 for example, cars and private homes, as well as in hospitals.
Oxygen concentrators, based on an adsorptlon process over a molecular sieve, of a practical si~e to be portable and are not capable of supplying a sufficient concentration (i.e. purity~ of oxygen at a flow rate above four litres which is requlred by some patients. Thus, oYygen concentrators are not practical for supplying supplementary oxygen to patients.
There is a need for a portable oxygen genera~or suitable for supplying oxygPn safely in, for example, cars and private homes whlch is neither too bulky or expenslve to be practical for such uses.
According to the present invention there is provided an o~ygen generator, comprising:
(a~ an electrolytic genarator of oxygen and hydrogen Erom water, having water inlet, a gaseous oxygen outlet, and a gaseous hydrogen outlet, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having an inle~ connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet from the electro-lytic generator, an outlet for substantially pure oxygen and an outletfor recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprislng at least one non-combustible support and an out~r, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a ~rater repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high ~olecular ~elght, organlc, polymeric material and platinum crystallitea, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric m2terial, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a caslng having a hydrogen gas inlet connected to ~he gaseous hydrogen outlet from tha electrolytic generator, an air lnlet, a recombined water outlet con-mected to the water inlet of the electrolytic generator, and a vent to `~7 atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at leastone non-combustible support and an Guter~ porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting oE a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight~ organic, polymeric mate-rial and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersedin the polymeric material, and (d~ means for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator.
Preferably, a heat exchanger is connected to the vent of the primary hydrogen and oxygen recombiner ~or, in operation, extracting use-fNl heat from air componPnts whlch issue from the vent.
Preferably, the catalyst assembl-~ of -b~t- ~of the recombiners is an ordered packed bed assembly comprising:
(a) corrugated, stainless steel wire mesh rolls forming the said at least one non-combustible support, (b) polytetrafluoroethylene forming the polymeric material, and (c) hydrophobic silica particles with the platinum crystallites thereon and dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene.
Preferably, the ordered packed bed assembly has a platinum con-tent in the range 0.05 to 0.5 wt.% of the total weight of stainless steel w:lre mesh, hydrophoblc silica and polytetrafluoroethylene~ a hydrophobic s:Llica content in the range 1 to 5 wt.~ of the total weight of platinum, stainless steel wire mesh and polytetrafluoroethylene, and a weight ratio of 1:1 of polytetrafluoroethylene to platinum and hydrophobic silica con-tent.
Preferably, the corrugations of each stainless steel wire mesh roll are inclined at an angle in the range 30 to 45~ towards the axis o~
generation of that roll~
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a flow diagram of an oxygen generator, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner, ~ igure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recomblned, and ~19~37.~
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a catalyst packing in both of the recombiners shown in Eigures 2 and 3.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown an oxygen generator, comprising:
(a) an electrolytic generator 1 of oxygen and hydrogen from water, hav-ing water inlet 2, a gas~ous oxygen outlet 4, and a gaseous hydrogen Gutlet 6, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 comprising a casing 10 having an inlet pipe 12 connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet 4 from the electrolytic generator 1, an outlet 14 for substantially pure oxygen and an outlet 16 for recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly 18 (Figure 2) in the casing 10 and comprising at least one non-combustible support, such as the stainless steel mesh 20 (Figure 4), and an outer, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support 20, and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight~ organic, polymeric material and platinum crystal-lites with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 comprising a casing 24 having a hydrogen gas inlet pipe 26 connected to the gaseous hydrogen outlet 6 from the electrolytic generatcr 1, an air inlet pipe 28, a recombined water outlet 30 connected to the water inlet 2 of the electro-lytic generator 1, and a vent 32 to atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly 34 (Fig. 3) in the casing 24 and comprising at least one non-combustible support, such as the stainless steel mesh 20 (Eig. 4), and an outer, porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high ~olecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, and (d) means, such as pipe 36, for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator 1.
The electrolytic generator 1 is preferably a polymer membrane, electrolytic cell marketed by General Electric Company, Wilmington, Massachusetts, U.S.A., as hydrogen generator systems having a solid polymer electrolyte. Other pre~erred electrolytic generators are those marketed by Electrolyser Inc., Toronto, Canada, and having an ~lk~lln~
electrolyte.
As shown in Figure 2, the residual hydrogen and oxygen gases are distributed over the catalyst assembly 18 by the pipe 4 having a coiled end 38 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 40.
As shown in Figure 3, the primary hydrogen is dis~ributed over the catalyst assembly 34 by the pipe 26 havlng a coiled end 42 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 44. The air is distributed over the cata-lyst assembly 34 by the pipe 28 having a coiled end 46 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 48. It should be noted that the air no~zles 48 are above the hydrogen gas nozzles 44 in order that any hydrogen gas that tends to rise in the casing 24~ through hydrogen gas being lighter than air, will become entrained by air from the air nozzles 48 and carried downwardly thereby through the catalyst assembly 34. In some embodimerlts of the present invention, heat from the air components with reduced oxy-gen content that issue from the vent 32 is extracted as useful heat by means of heat exchanger 50 connected to the vent 32. The heat in the air components with reduced o~ygen content that lssue from vent 32 is the exothermic heat from recombining the primary hydrogen with oxygen and may be used as useful heat in, for example, a house.
A preferred form of the catalyst assembly of the type shown in Figure 4 comprises a corrugated, stainless steel, wire mesh roll 20 having a coating thereon comprising a gas permeable, water repellent, polytetrafluoroethylene coating and crystallites deposited on a hydro-phobic silica (e.g. silicalite) partlcles, with the silica particles dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene coating.
In tests that have been carried out to verify the present invention, 2.8 litres/minute of oxygen in 99.7 wt.~ oxygen and 0.3 wt.%
hydrogen m~xture where generated using a General Electric Co. electro-lytic generator 1 of the type mentioned above having an electrical input o 15 amps at 115 volts and an electrolyte capacity of about 3 litres.
The total make-up water requirement through pipe 36 varied for a total of up to 10 litres/day.
The residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 had an order-ed, packed catalyst bed assembly 18 which was 5 cm diam~ x 5 ~m i~ height and operated at near ambient temperature.
The primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 had an ordered, packed catalyst bed assembly 10 cm diam. x 15 cm in height and operated at a temperature in the range 150 to 200C.
It was found that by using, for both recombiners 8 and 22, an ordered packed bed comprising a number of catalyst assemblies of the type shown in Figure 4, each having:
(a) a platinum content in the range 0.05 to O.S wt.% of the total weight of stainless steel wire mesh and silicalite and polytetrafluoroethylene, (b) a silicalite content in the range 1 to 5 wt.% of the total weight of platinum, stainless steel wire mesh and polytetraEluoroethylene, and (c) a weight ratio of 1:1 of polytetrafluoroethylene to platinum and silicalite content.
The oxygen from the outlet 14 of the residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 issued at a temperature in the range 25 to 30C
and contained only water vapour and no detectable hydrogen to a detect-able limit of 10 ppm. Oxygen supplied to a patient from outlet 14 would have a purity greater than 99.99 volume %, excluding water vapol1r which may be present and, if it i9, iS beneficial to the patient.
The primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 mixed 150 litres/min. of air with hydrogen and the recombined water issued from the outlet 30 at ~ temperature in the range 10 to 35C. The hydrogen gas recombining efficiency of the primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 was 99.99%0 Over 85% of the electrical energy consumed by the electroly-tic cell was discharged into the environment as hot air. This hot air could be utilized for heating, for example, a private home.
It was also found that by inclining the corrugations of the stainless steel wire mesh 20 at an angle~ , inrllnlng upwardly towards the axis XX of generation of the roll, in the range 30 to 45, better mixing of gases was achieved in the packed, catalyst beds.
Examples of other suitable non-combustible support materials for the catalyst assemblies are ceramics and stainless steel~
Examples of other suitable water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable~ hlgh molecular weight, organlc polymeric materials are silicone compounds and styrene divinyl benzene copolymers.
7~C~
It should be noted that it i5 not possible to use an electro-lytic generator 1 without the primary recombiner 22 because there is a danger of explosion and so using an electrolytic generator 1 in this manner would not pass the official safety requirements necessary for use ~n, for example, private homes or cars.
1~
For patients suffering from, for ~xample, chronic lung or heart dlsease, supplementary oxygen may be required to sustain life. This oxygen may presen~ly be supplièd by oxygen bottles, liquid o~ygen tanks or oxygen concentrators based on an adsorption process over a molecular sieve.
Oxygen bottles and liquid oxygen tanks are both bulky and ex-pensive and are not suitable for supplying oxygen safely in3 for example, cars and private homes, as well as in hospitals.
Oxygen concentrators, based on an adsorptlon process over a molecular sieve, of a practical si~e to be portable and are not capable of supplying a sufficient concentration (i.e. purity~ of oxygen at a flow rate above four litres which is requlred by some patients. Thus, oYygen concentrators are not practical for supplying supplementary oxygen to patients.
There is a need for a portable oxygen genera~or suitable for supplying oxygPn safely in, for example, cars and private homes whlch is neither too bulky or expenslve to be practical for such uses.
According to the present invention there is provided an o~ygen generator, comprising:
(a~ an electrolytic genarator of oxygen and hydrogen Erom water, having water inlet, a gaseous oxygen outlet, and a gaseous hydrogen outlet, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having an inle~ connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet from the electro-lytic generator, an outlet for substantially pure oxygen and an outletfor recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprislng at least one non-combustible support and an out~r, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a ~rater repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high ~olecular ~elght, organlc, polymeric material and platinum crystallitea, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric m2terial, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a caslng having a hydrogen gas inlet connected to ~he gaseous hydrogen outlet from tha electrolytic generator, an air lnlet, a recombined water outlet con-mected to the water inlet of the electrolytic generator, and a vent to `~7 atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at leastone non-combustible support and an Guter~ porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting oE a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight~ organic, polymeric mate-rial and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersedin the polymeric material, and (d~ means for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator.
Preferably, a heat exchanger is connected to the vent of the primary hydrogen and oxygen recombiner ~or, in operation, extracting use-fNl heat from air componPnts whlch issue from the vent.
Preferably, the catalyst assembl-~ of -b~t- ~of the recombiners is an ordered packed bed assembly comprising:
(a) corrugated, stainless steel wire mesh rolls forming the said at least one non-combustible support, (b) polytetrafluoroethylene forming the polymeric material, and (c) hydrophobic silica particles with the platinum crystallites thereon and dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene.
Preferably, the ordered packed bed assembly has a platinum con-tent in the range 0.05 to 0.5 wt.% of the total weight of stainless steel w:lre mesh, hydrophoblc silica and polytetrafluoroethylene~ a hydrophobic s:Llica content in the range 1 to 5 wt.~ of the total weight of platinum, stainless steel wire mesh and polytetrafluoroethylene, and a weight ratio of 1:1 of polytetrafluoroethylene to platinum and hydrophobic silica con-tent.
Preferably, the corrugations of each stainless steel wire mesh roll are inclined at an angle in the range 30 to 45~ towards the axis o~
generation of that roll~
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a flow diagram of an oxygen generator, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner, ~ igure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recomblned, and ~19~37.~
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a catalyst packing in both of the recombiners shown in Eigures 2 and 3.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown an oxygen generator, comprising:
(a) an electrolytic generator 1 of oxygen and hydrogen from water, hav-ing water inlet 2, a gas~ous oxygen outlet 4, and a gaseous hydrogen Gutlet 6, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 comprising a casing 10 having an inlet pipe 12 connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet 4 from the electrolytic generator 1, an outlet 14 for substantially pure oxygen and an outlet 16 for recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly 18 (Figure 2) in the casing 10 and comprising at least one non-combustible support, such as the stainless steel mesh 20 (Figure 4), and an outer, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support 20, and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight~ organic, polymeric material and platinum crystal-lites with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 comprising a casing 24 having a hydrogen gas inlet pipe 26 connected to the gaseous hydrogen outlet 6 from the electrolytic generatcr 1, an air inlet pipe 28, a recombined water outlet 30 connected to the water inlet 2 of the electro-lytic generator 1, and a vent 32 to atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly 34 (Fig. 3) in the casing 24 and comprising at least one non-combustible support, such as the stainless steel mesh 20 (Eig. 4), and an outer, porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high ~olecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, and (d) means, such as pipe 36, for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator 1.
The electrolytic generator 1 is preferably a polymer membrane, electrolytic cell marketed by General Electric Company, Wilmington, Massachusetts, U.S.A., as hydrogen generator systems having a solid polymer electrolyte. Other pre~erred electrolytic generators are those marketed by Electrolyser Inc., Toronto, Canada, and having an ~lk~lln~
electrolyte.
As shown in Figure 2, the residual hydrogen and oxygen gases are distributed over the catalyst assembly 18 by the pipe 4 having a coiled end 38 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 40.
As shown in Figure 3, the primary hydrogen is dis~ributed over the catalyst assembly 34 by the pipe 26 havlng a coiled end 42 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 44. The air is distributed over the cata-lyst assembly 34 by the pipe 28 having a coiled end 46 in the shape of a spiral and nozzles 48. It should be noted that the air no~zles 48 are above the hydrogen gas nozzles 44 in order that any hydrogen gas that tends to rise in the casing 24~ through hydrogen gas being lighter than air, will become entrained by air from the air nozzles 48 and carried downwardly thereby through the catalyst assembly 34. In some embodimerlts of the present invention, heat from the air components with reduced oxy-gen content that issue from the vent 32 is extracted as useful heat by means of heat exchanger 50 connected to the vent 32. The heat in the air components with reduced o~ygen content that lssue from vent 32 is the exothermic heat from recombining the primary hydrogen with oxygen and may be used as useful heat in, for example, a house.
A preferred form of the catalyst assembly of the type shown in Figure 4 comprises a corrugated, stainless steel, wire mesh roll 20 having a coating thereon comprising a gas permeable, water repellent, polytetrafluoroethylene coating and crystallites deposited on a hydro-phobic silica (e.g. silicalite) partlcles, with the silica particles dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene coating.
In tests that have been carried out to verify the present invention, 2.8 litres/minute of oxygen in 99.7 wt.~ oxygen and 0.3 wt.%
hydrogen m~xture where generated using a General Electric Co. electro-lytic generator 1 of the type mentioned above having an electrical input o 15 amps at 115 volts and an electrolyte capacity of about 3 litres.
The total make-up water requirement through pipe 36 varied for a total of up to 10 litres/day.
The residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 had an order-ed, packed catalyst bed assembly 18 which was 5 cm diam~ x 5 ~m i~ height and operated at near ambient temperature.
The primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 had an ordered, packed catalyst bed assembly 10 cm diam. x 15 cm in height and operated at a temperature in the range 150 to 200C.
It was found that by using, for both recombiners 8 and 22, an ordered packed bed comprising a number of catalyst assemblies of the type shown in Figure 4, each having:
(a) a platinum content in the range 0.05 to O.S wt.% of the total weight of stainless steel wire mesh and silicalite and polytetrafluoroethylene, (b) a silicalite content in the range 1 to 5 wt.% of the total weight of platinum, stainless steel wire mesh and polytetraEluoroethylene, and (c) a weight ratio of 1:1 of polytetrafluoroethylene to platinum and silicalite content.
The oxygen from the outlet 14 of the residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 8 issued at a temperature in the range 25 to 30C
and contained only water vapour and no detectable hydrogen to a detect-able limit of 10 ppm. Oxygen supplied to a patient from outlet 14 would have a purity greater than 99.99 volume %, excluding water vapol1r which may be present and, if it i9, iS beneficial to the patient.
The primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 mixed 150 litres/min. of air with hydrogen and the recombined water issued from the outlet 30 at ~ temperature in the range 10 to 35C. The hydrogen gas recombining efficiency of the primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner 22 was 99.99%0 Over 85% of the electrical energy consumed by the electroly-tic cell was discharged into the environment as hot air. This hot air could be utilized for heating, for example, a private home.
It was also found that by inclining the corrugations of the stainless steel wire mesh 20 at an angle~ , inrllnlng upwardly towards the axis XX of generation of the roll, in the range 30 to 45, better mixing of gases was achieved in the packed, catalyst beds.
Examples of other suitable non-combustible support materials for the catalyst assemblies are ceramics and stainless steel~
Examples of other suitable water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable~ hlgh molecular weight, organlc polymeric materials are silicone compounds and styrene divinyl benzene copolymers.
7~C~
It should be noted that it i5 not possible to use an electro-lytic generator 1 without the primary recombiner 22 because there is a danger of explosion and so using an electrolytic generator 1 in this manner would not pass the official safety requirements necessary for use ~n, for example, private homes or cars.
1~
Claims (5)
1. An oxygen generator, comprising:
(a) an electrolytic generator of oxygen and hydrogen from water, having water inlet, a gaseous oxygen outlet, and a gaseous hydrogen outlet, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having an inlet connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet from the electrolytic generator, and outlet for substantially pure oxygen and an outlet for recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at least one non-combustible support and an outer, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having a hydrogen gas inlet connected to the gaseous hydrogen outlet from the electrolytic generator, an air inlet, a recombined water outlet connected to the water inlet of the electrolytic generator, and a vent to atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at least one non-combustible support and an outer, porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, and (d) means for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator.
(a) an electrolytic generator of oxygen and hydrogen from water, having water inlet, a gaseous oxygen outlet, and a gaseous hydrogen outlet, (b) a residual hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having an inlet connected to the gaseous oxygen outlet from the electrolytic generator, and outlet for substantially pure oxygen and an outlet for recombined oxygen and hydrogen, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at least one non-combustible support and an outer, porous membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, (c) a primary hydrogen and oxygen gas recombiner comprising a casing having a hydrogen gas inlet connected to the gaseous hydrogen outlet from the electrolytic generator, an air inlet, a recombined water outlet connected to the water inlet of the electrolytic generator, and a vent to atmosphere, and a catalyst assembly in the casing and comprising at least one non-combustible support and an outer, porous, membrane coating on the said at least one support and consisting of a water repellent, hydrogen and oxygen gas permeable, high molecular weight, organic, polymeric material and platinum crystallites, with the platinum crystallites dispersed in the polymeric material, and (d) means for connecting a source of make-up water to the electrolytic generator.
2. A generator according to claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger connected to the vent of the primary hydrogen and oxygen recombiner for, in operation, extracting useful heat from air components which issue from the vent.
3. A generator according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst assemblies of both of the recombiners is an ordered packed bed assembly comprising:
CLAIMS (cont.):
3.(cont.) (a) corrugated, stainless steel wire mesh rolls forming the said at least one non-combustible support, (b) polytetrafluoroethylene forming the polymeric material, and (c) hydrophobic silica particles with the platinum crystal-lites thereon and dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene.
CLAIMS (cont.):
3.(cont.) (a) corrugated, stainless steel wire mesh rolls forming the said at least one non-combustible support, (b) polytetrafluoroethylene forming the polymeric material, and (c) hydrophobic silica particles with the platinum crystal-lites thereon and dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene.
4. A generator according to claim 3, wherein the ordered packed bed assembly has a platinum content in the range 0.05 to 0.5 wt.% of the total weight of stainless steel wire mesh, hydrophobic silica and poly-tetrafluoroethylene, a hydrophobic silica content in the range 1 to 5 wt.% of the total weight of platinum, stainless steel wire mesh and poly-tetrafluoroethylene, and a weight ratio of 1:1 of polytetrafluoroethylene to platinum and hydrophobic silica content.
5. A generator according to claim 3, wherein the corrugations of each stainless steel wire mesh roll are inclined at an angle in the range 30 to 45° towards the axis of generation of that roll.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439587A CA1198710A (en) | 1983-10-24 | 1983-10-24 | Oxygen generator |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439587A CA1198710A (en) | 1983-10-24 | 1983-10-24 | Oxygen generator |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1198710A true CA1198710A (en) | 1985-12-31 |
Family
ID=4126357
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000439587A Expired CA1198710A (en) | 1983-10-24 | 1983-10-24 | Oxygen generator |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1198710A (en) |
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN1035488C (en) * | 1992-10-10 | 1997-07-23 | 浙江工学院 | Bipolar oxygen-making electrochemical process and its apparatus |
| WO2006092612A2 (en) * | 2005-03-03 | 2006-09-08 | Cambridge Enterprise Limited | Oxygen generation apparatus and method |
| WO2012035298A1 (en) * | 2010-09-13 | 2012-03-22 | Inotec Amd Limited | Oxygen concentrator and method |
| EP2772976A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-09-03 | Astrium GmbH | Regenerative fuel cell system with gas purification |
| EP2772977A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-09-03 | Astrium GmbH | Regenerative fuel cell system with gas purification |
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-
1983
- 1983-10-24 CA CA000439587A patent/CA1198710A/en not_active Expired
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| CN1035488C (en) * | 1992-10-10 | 1997-07-23 | 浙江工学院 | Bipolar oxygen-making electrochemical process and its apparatus |
| US10106899B2 (en) | 2005-03-03 | 2018-10-23 | Cambridge Enterprise Limited | Oxygen generation apparatus and method |
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| WO2006092612A3 (en) * | 2005-03-03 | 2006-10-26 | Univ Cambridge Tech | Oxygen generation apparatus and method |
| GB2431668A (en) * | 2005-03-03 | 2007-05-02 | Univ Cambridge Tech | Method and Apparatus |
| GB2431668B (en) * | 2005-03-03 | 2011-02-23 | Univ Cambridge Tech | Oxygen generation apparatus and method |
| CN101163822B (en) * | 2005-03-03 | 2011-08-03 | 剑桥企业有限公司 | Oxygen generation apparatus and method |
| WO2012035298A1 (en) * | 2010-09-13 | 2012-03-22 | Inotec Amd Limited | Oxygen concentrator and method |
| EP2772977A1 (en) * | 2013-02-27 | 2014-09-03 | Astrium GmbH | Regenerative fuel cell system with gas purification |
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| EP3581683A1 (en) * | 2018-06-15 | 2019-12-18 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Electrolysis device with a recombinator and method for operating the same |
| WO2023046350A1 (en) * | 2021-09-27 | 2023-03-30 | Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG | Method for operating an electrolysis system, recombiner, and use of a recombiner in an electrolysis system |
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