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• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J19/12—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electromagnetic waves
  • B01J19/122—Incoherent waves
  • B01J19/129—Radiofrequency
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J19/087—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy
  • B01J19/088—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy giving rise to electric discharges
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J19/12—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electromagnetic waves
  • B01J19/122—Incoherent waves
  • B01J19/126—Microwaves
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
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  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J19/12—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electromagnetic waves
  • B01J19/122—Incoherent waves
  • B01J19/127—Sunlight; Visible light
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/24—Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
  • B01J19/2475—Membrane reactors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/26—Nozzle-type reactors, i.e. the distribution of the initial reactants within the reactor is effected by their introduction or injection through nozzles
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B13/00—Oxygen; Ozone; Oxides or hydroxides in general
  • C01B13/02—Preparation of oxygen
  • C01B13/0203—Preparation of oxygen from inorganic compounds
  • C01B13/0207—Water
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B21/00—Nitrogen; Compounds thereof
  • C01B21/20—Nitrogen oxides; Oxyacids of nitrogen; Salts thereof
  • C01B21/24—Nitric oxide (NO)
  • C01B21/30—Preparation by oxidation of nitrogen
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
  • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen
  • C01B3/04—Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen by decomposition of inorganic compounds, e.g. ammonia
  • C01B3/042—Decomposition of water
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02M—SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
  • F02M25/00—Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture
  • F02M25/10—Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture adding acetylene, non-waterborne hydrogen, non-airborne oxygen, or ozone
  • F02M25/12—Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture adding acetylene, non-waterborne hydrogen, non-airborne oxygen, or ozone the apparatus having means for generating such gases
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0873—Materials to be treated
  • B01J2219/0877—Liquid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0873—Materials to be treated
  • B01J2219/0881—Two or more materials
  • B01J2219/0883—Gas-gas
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0873—Materials to be treated
  • B01J2219/0892—Materials to be treated involving catalytically active material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
  • B01J2219/0894—Processes carried out in the presence of a plasma
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/08—Methods of heating or cooling
  • C01B2203/0805—Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/0861—Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas by plasma
• • 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
• • 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
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
  • Y02P20/10—Process efficiency
  • Y02P20/129—Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• • 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
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
  • Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies

Definitions

• Applicant's invention meets the President's goal by furthering environmental progress through technology and innovation and also protects our environment in a novel way that generations before us could not have imagined.
• Applicant's invention further addresses the above stated concern of the automobile industry relating to the lack of a hydrogen fuel infrastructure in that Applicant's claimed processes are scalable allowing for the efficient production of hydrogen on a small local scale, such as in the home or vehicle, while large installations could produce quantities suitable for commercial distribution.
• Applicant's invention also negates the above cited criticisms of extracting hydrogen from fossil fuels since Applicant's invention does not rely on fossil fuels as the source of hydrogen. Moreover, Applicant's invention may rely on renewable energy sources and wasted energy of conventional energy production as the source of energy to extract the hydrogen from molecular water.
• molecular water preferably in the form of high temperature steam or water vapor
• the radiant energy is of sufficient energy to excite the water molecules thereby causing the dissociation thereof into the constituent molecular elements of hydrogen and oxygen.
• the hydrogen and oxygen are separated from each other. Various methods may be employed to effect this separation. Once separated, the molecular components are prevented from recombining with each other or with other elements by using standard separation techniques normally employed for separating dissimilar gaseous
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken, of a radiant energy transfer apparatus useful to practice the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a radiant energy transfer system constructed according to the principles of the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a magneto hydrodynamic system useful to replace the turbine and generator of Fig. 2.
• the reactor 10 includes a first portion 12 adapted to receive water molecules, a second portion 14 at which the constituent components of the dissociated water molecules may be further separated and removed, a coil 16 to which electrical energy is applied to develop an electromagnetic field within the reactor 10 generally defining a reaction zone intermediate the first portion 12 and the second portion 14 of the reactor 10.
• the structure required to develop the electromagnetic field need not be limited to the coil 16 as seen in Fig. 1. Any structure that is capable of developing an electromagnetic field in the reaction zone of the reactor 10 is contemplated to be an equivalent structure.
• various structures are disclosed that are useful to induce the electromagnetic field in the reaction zone of the reactor 10.
• the electromagnetic field within the reaction zone of the reactor 10 can be developed by applying electrical energy across radially opposed field plates, axially spaced field rings, or by a waveguide, among others, all as shown in the above referenced application.
• the energy can be differentiated according to the mode of absorption.
• the absorbed energy may increase or decrease any of three kinetic modes of motion of the molecule, these modes being rotational, vibrational and translational motion.
• Each kinetic mode may further be associated with specific wavelengths or frequencies of the absorbed radiation, such that the rotational, vibrational and translational energies of the molecule will have its own characteristic wavelength or frequency.
• the corresponding energy will have a characteristic frequency or wavelength for each of these kinetic modes.
• electromagnetic energy at selected wavelengths may also be absorbed to excite the electronic mode of the molecule. Excitation of the electronic mode causes electrons in one orbital of the molecular bond to be excited into a higher energy orbital. With sufficient energy absorption, the molecular bond will be overcome thereby allowing dissociation of the molecule into its constituent parts.
• Water molecules in particular, absorb greater amounts of electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the ultraviolet, infrared, microwave or radio frequency spectrum.
• the OH bond of the water molecule has a characteristic frequency or wavelength based on the kinetic or electronic modes described above. Accordingly, at specific wavelengths or frequencies within this spectrum the OH bond will dissociate, in any one or combination of the kinetic and electronic modes, providing that the energy of the electromagnetic energy at the frequency of dissociation is sufficient to overcome the energy of such bond. For example, one such frequency will excite the translational mode of the water molecule, and with sufficient energy, cause the molecule to dissociate. Other frequencies will of course excite the other modes. The dissociation of the OH bond will result in the formation of hydrogen (H) and oxygen
• the apparatus of Fig. 1 includes a membrane 18 within the reaction zone intermediate the first portion 12 and the second portion 14 of the reactor 10.
• the membrane 18 has porosity such that it is permeable to the hydrogen species but contains the oxygen species of the dissociated water molecules.
• the water molecules introduced into the reactor 10 are in the form of high temperature steam, such that energy input into the reactor 10 can be primarily utilized for the absorption at the specified frequency for dissociation.
• various sources of high temperature steam can be used such that energy used fro dissociation is not consumed to develop the steam.
• geothermal steam may be used both as a source of the water molecules for the reactor 10, and for developing, using a conventional steam turbine and generator, some or all of the electrical energy to develop the primary electrical energy to be converted to the high frequency energy for application to the coil 16.
• steam for such purposes can be developed using naturally occurring hot dry rocks and abandoned oil and gas wells, such that water introduced into these systems exists as high temperature steam.
• solar and wind sources can also be used to provide the energy for the reactor 10 and for developing the high temperature steam.
• coal oil natural gas and nuclear fueled power plants can also provide the primary electrical energy for the reactor 10 with the waste steam from the steam turbines and cooling towers being used as the source of water molecules for the reactor 10.
• the present invention may supplement the use of fossil fuels and obviate their use in accordance with specific applications.
• the hydrogen production can be fixed to existing locations of power plants and distributed sites where a source of hydrogen is needed.
• the electromagnetic field developed within the reaction zone of the reactor 10 remains the primary source to effect dissociation of the molecular water. It is contemplated by the present invention that other sources of energy for dissociation may be used in addition thereto to enhance overall efficiency of the dissociation process. For example, as the hydrogen species exits the reaction zone from within the membrane
• the membrane 18 may be constructed of a material transparent to ultraviolet electromagnetic energy to Uluminate the mcoming molecular water molecules.
• the emitted ultraviolet energy can also be used to Hluminate high mass elements, such as metals and inert gasses, seeded into the incoming stream of molecular water to cause photon emission from such high mass elements.
• the photons are then absorbed by the molecular water to excite one of the modes described above to assist with dissociation.
• the system 20 includes a combustor 22 in which waste products are ignited and combusted with air being provided into the combustor 22.
• the waste products can be any type of combustible waste.
• the heat of combustion is transferred to a boiler 24 to develop the high temperature steam.
• a steam turbine 26 is powered by the steam from boiler 24 and a generator 28 is in turn powered by the steam turbine 26.
• the generator develops the electrical energy applied to the reactor 10.
• the electrical energy is used to develop the high frequency electromagnetic field within the reactor 10 as hereinabove described. Additionally, the excess steam from the steam turbine 26 is furnished to the reactor 10 to provide a source of water molecules to be dissociated.
• the reactor 10 provides a stream of oxygen and hydrogen gas.
• the hydrogen gas may be pumped into storage tanks for use elsewhere or used for powering fuel cells or combusted for other equipment proximate to the system 20.
• the stream of oxygen gas may in turn be introduced into the combustor 22 to provide an oxygen rich atmosphere to enhance the combustion of the waste products, especially of plastics.
• the Joule-Thomson effect may also be used to cool the hydrogen gas with the heat given off re-introduced to preheat the steam provided to the reactor 10 from the turbine 26.
• additional exothermic energy may be recaptured to be re-introduced as process heat to preheat the steam entering the reactor 10.
• the protons of each atom in the H molecule have an associated spin.
• the spin is in the same direction, ortho-hydrogen is formed and is slightly magnetic.
• para-hydrogen is formed.
• hydrogen gas is approximately 25% para- hydrogen and 75% ortho-hydrogen.
• 99% of the ortho-hydrogen is converted to para-hydrogen. This conversion results in exothermic heat emission of approximately 707 kJ/kg. This heat may be re-used as process heat as described above.
• flue gases from the combustor 22 can be used to preheat the steam provided to the reactor 10 from the steam turbine 26.
• the flue gases could be passed through a heat exchanger, diagrammatically represented at 30 thermally coupled to conventional apparatus used to transfer the steam from the turbine 26 to the reactor 10.
• the flue gas can be used to preheat the mcoming air or oxygen stream, or both, into the combustor 22, by passing the flue gas through either or both of heat exchangers, diagrammatically represented at 32a, 32b.
• the burning of carbon rich waste products in the combustor 22 will produce waste carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a by-product within the flue gases.
• the CO 2 can be used instead to combust with a portion of the output hydrogen gas stream from the reactor 10 such that useful organic compounds are also produced.
• organic compounds may include alcohols, alkylides, ketones and hydrocarbons.
• the CO 2 combustion product may be injected interiorly into the membrane 18, which forms an inner concentric tube within the reactor 10 to intersect with the hydrogen rich stream therein.
• a catalyst may also be injected into the inner concentric tube formed by the membrane 18 to promote the reaction between the hydrogen species and the CO 2 , as generally seen in Fig. 1.
• nickel based catalysts may be injected to promote the production of methane, whereas a catalyst, such as Cu or Zn, is useful to promote the production of methanol.
• the present invention is not to be limited to any catalyst specifically disclosed herein as other well know catalyst are known to assist in the combustion of CO 2 and the hydrogen species to form useful organic compounds.
• one such catalyst, Co-ZrO 2 -MgO is known to be active in the reduction of CO 2 by H 2 to methane.
• the point of injection, diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, of the CO into the inner concentric tube formed by the membrane 18 may occur into the reaction zone or at a point immediately upstream or downstream from the reaction zone.
• the selected catalyst may also be injected into the reaction zone or immediately downstream therefrom.
• the distribution of the organic compound products obtained from the reduction of the CO 2 by the hydrogen species will differ depending upon the point of catalyst injection.
• the excess heat generated in such catalytic reactor may be used to preheat the enriched air supplied to the combustor 22, the steam supplied from the turbine 26 to the reactor 10, or applied to the boiler 24 itself by any conventional heat exchange apparatus.
• the system 20 as described above may also be used with the geothermal and other sources of steam described above and in the reference application.
• the combustor 22 and boiler 24 are not needed as the steam is otherwise provided for the steam turbine 26.
• the apparatus whether gas, oil or nuclear fueled, to produce steam to drive the power generators, may be used in lieu of the combustor 22 and boiler 24.
• a magneto hydrodynamic system 40 may also be used to replace the turbine 26 and generator 28 (Fig. 2) in certain applications.
• a varying magnetic field about the high temperature steam into the reactor 10 or the reaction zone within the reactor 10 may be developed by any conventional means.
• the flow of ions within the magnetic field will, as is well known, develop an electric current within a coil 42. This current may then be used to provide all or part of the electrical power to the reactor 10.
• an alkaline metal such as Cesium (Cs) or Potassium (K) may be introduced into the high temperature steam to enhance ionization.
• the above described reactor 10 may also be used to develop a plasma within its reaction zone by the application of electromagnetic energy to the coil 16.
• plasma reactors include a multipolar ECR plasma reactor, waveguide-tube microwave coupling reactor, as well as the reactor 10 and its above described variants.
• the electromagnetic energy may further be provided by the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 2 or Fig. 3, or by the suggested modifications thereto, such as geothermal or solar sources, or conventional power plants. It is also to be noted that the following description of the reactor 10 may also be applicable to the radiation transfer embodiments described above.
• Plasma is often called the "fourth state of matter," the other three being solid, liquid and gas, A plasma is a distinct state of matter containing a significant number of electrically charged particles, this number being sufficient to affect its electrical properties and behavior.
• each atom contains an equal number of positive and negative charges wherein the positive charges in the nucleus are surrounded by an equal number of negatively charged electrons.
• Each atom in the ordinary gas is therefore electrically "neutral.”
• the gas becomes a plasma when the addition of heat or other energy causes a significant number of atoms to release some or all of their electrons.
• the renraining parts of those atoms are left with a positive charge, and the detached negative electrons are free to move about.
• the positively charged atoms and the resulting electrically charged gas are said to be "ionized.” When enough atoms are ionized to significantly affect the electrical characteristics of the gas, it is a plasma.
• the plasma itself can be produced via several techniques and may further be continuous wave or pulsed.
• a water plasma may be created utilizing energy in the microwave, radio frequency or low frequency region. Frequencies from 50 Hz to 100 gHz may be used. Pressures from 1 mtorr to 1000 atmospheres can be used.
• arc plasmas may also be used to crack water to hydrogen in oxygen. Arc plasmas generally employ two electrodes as a means of completing the electrical path.
• the present invention is not limited to any particular methodology to develop the plasma.
• plasma generation devices that may be used, but not limited to, are low pressure (non-equilibrium) plasmas, penning plasma discharge, radio frequency capacitive discharges, radio frequency inductively coupled plasmas, microwave generated plasma, D.C. electrical discharges, and inductively coupled discharges.
• water molecules H 2 O
• the water may enter into the hquid state or more preferably in the gaseous state in the form of a vapor such as steam.
• the water vapor or steam may be injected concurrently with a selected other gas such as nitrogen, argon, helium, xenon, krypton, air, etc., in order to assist in the dissociation of the water into its constituent components.
• the selected gas possesses the property of easily dissociating into a plasma such that the resident time of the water vapor in the argon plasma is sufficient to affect dissociation.
• the membrane 18 is a high temperature membrane within the reaction zone, the reaction zone being that part of the reactor where the plasma resides. Since temperatures within this zone may reach very high values, it is important that the membrane consist of material that can withstand that rigorous environment. Ceramic membranes that have a porosity that will allow the passage of one constituent and not another will permit the separation of hydrogen and oxygen. Other membranes such as ion transport membranes (ITM), Cermets, zeolites, sol gels, and dense ceramic materials (e.g., BaCeo.sYo. 2 3 -alpha (BCY)), among others, may be used. These materials may be biased with an electrical charge or not depending on the nature of the plasma formed.
• ITM ion transport membranes
• Cermets Cermets
• zeolites zeolites
• sol gels sol gels
• dense ceramic materials e.g., BaCeo.sYo. 2 3 -alpha (BCY)
• water vapor is admitted from the first portion 12, as described above, into the reaction zone.
• the water vapor may be optionally admitted along with an inert gas such as argon.
• the space between the outer surface of the membrane 18 and the inner surface of the reactor 10 is the plasma reaction zone between its first portion 12 and the second portion 14.
• the plasma may be formed by using the RF coil 16 as shown, or through numerous other methodologies as discussed above.
• the membrane 18 forms an inner concentric tube and the reactor 10 forms an outer concentric tube.
• the water vapor may be introduced in a number of configurations so that mixing with the plasma is sufficient to cause the water molecules to decompose to hydrogen and oxygen.
• the residence time of the water molecules in the plasma is long enough to cause the reactant water vapor to decompose.
• the configuration of the water vapor stream relative to the argon stream may be at any angle so long as the above criteria is established. Thus, a countercurrent stream of water relative to argon may be used. Other configurations such as co-axial or at any angle such as 90 degrees as an example can be employed.
• air or nitrogen may be substituted for an inert gas such as Argon.
• the use of a seeding material as illustrated in this patent application may be employed.
• the seeding material will increase the conductivity of the plasma and thus, lower the temperature requirement of the plasma.
• the by-product NO may be used to increase the amount of hydrogen produced in the following way.
• NO nitric oxide possesses has a low boiling point, low ionization potential and high thermal stability.
• a variety of acids may be used.
• I illustrate the use of phosphoric acid as an example.
• the product NO issuing from the plasma reactor is contacted with a phosphoric solution as shown below: NO + 2HPO3 - 2NO + PO3 ' + H2(g).
• NO + 2HPO3 - 2NO + PO3 ' + H2(g) hydrogen is generated from the phosphoric acid solution using NO.
• the phosphoric acid decomposes, releasing hydrogen, and forming nitrosonium phosphate (a salt).
• nitrosonium phosphate a salt
• water is added to the salt, the acid and one half of the nitric oxide is reconstituted. Heat is evolved.
• the NO2 is heated and broken down to NO for further recycling.
• the by-product O2 from the cracking of water and NO/phosphoric acid reaction may optionally be used in a recycle mode to make a more desirable 1 : 1 N:O charge with the incoming water vapor in order to optimize NO production by the reaction above.
• the water molecules are dissociated into their molecular constituents as described above. Due to the difference in diffusivities of hydrogen and oxygen, either component will diffuse preferentially through the outer surface of the membrane 18 into the inner portion of the membrane 18. Since the radius of the hydrogen atom or molecule is smaller than the radius of the oxygen atom or molecule, the hydrogen species will preferentially diffuse through the wall of the membrane 18, thus affecting separation.
• the reaction zone will become increasingly rich in the oxygen species down the length of the reactor. Further separation outside of the reaction zone at the other end of the concentric tubes can be accomplished using standard separation techniques normally employed for separating dissimilar gaseous species.
• Each stage may be arranged in series or in parallel for a multistage system.
• the membrane 18 may further be biased by a DC, AC or high frequency voltage. Furthermore, the membrane 18 need not be tubular as show, but any suitable geometry may be utilized.
• a converging diverging nozzle may be used to freeze the reaction after cracking of the water molecules into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen components so that the dissociated constituents do not recombine. Since gasses will diffuse inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight and the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen and oxygen are very different, separation of the hydrogen and the oxygen can be accomplished.
• the generation of molecular beams by means of expansion of gasses through a Laval nozzle is described by E.W. Becker and K. Bier in Z. Nauturforsch, vol. 9a, p. 975 (1954).
• the enhancement of beam intensity is due to a diffusion process of such a nature as to cause the heavier constituent to concentrate along the core of the emerging beam.
• the heavier component is found to have a sharper maximum in the forward direction.
• an expansion nozzle may be used.
• the expansion nozzle cools the exiting gasses to prevent recombination.
• Shock cooling via injection of another gas that will assist in the termination of the free radical process may also be used to freeze the reaction.
• cryogenic cooling maybe employed to assist in freezing the product gasses.
• the gases may also be frozen in composition by exiting the gases through an expansion nozzle, thus allowing the easier separation of the components.
• Another method of tern inating reactor species so that the predominant exit gasses are hydrogen and oxygen is through the use of a catalyst. If a substance, such as silica gel, with a sufficient surface area is present in the stream of the reactive components, the radical components will preferentially being redirected in the reaction pathway to hydrogen and oxygen.
• catalysts that assist in the recombination of these components to the permanent gasses H2 and are platinum, salts and metals, zinc chromite, or other metal oxides, among others. Gas phase catalysts may also be employed effectively.
• a third body collision will favor the recombination of oxygen atoms or hydrogen atoms to form the molecular counterparts.
• O + O + M O 2 + M
• H + H + M H 2 + M
• M may be any gas species not interfering in the reaction.
• M is argon, xenon or any of the inert gases.
• gasses may be employed. Precaution must be obeyed so that the gas phase catalyst does not participate in the reaction leading to a chemical reaction with it.
• An example is carbon monoxide, whereby a selective termination of one of the important intermediates leads to the production of hydrogen atoms.
• the hydrogen atoms may then be subsequently recombined with itself to form H 2 gas by any of the techniques discussed above.
• a third party component may inhibit the recombination reaction.
• An example of an inhibitor is iodine. Adding I 2 to the stream will inhibit the recombination of oxygen and hydrogen back to water. Care needs to be taken that heterogeneous effects do not predominate with this inhibitor that may impair the inhibitory nature of this component.
• W.A. Waters (Chemistry of Free Radicals, Oxford, 1946, page 89) and Norrish (Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1931, 135 p.334) have taught that "Iodine...
• a magnetic field may be established in order to effect the separation of hydrogen and oxygen.
• Free radicals have magnetic moments and are thus influenced by external magnetic fields.
• Stern and Gerlach teach that the deflection of species is governed by the following equation:
• 1 length of the field
• ⁇ H/ ⁇ x magnetic field gradient
• ⁇ kinetic energy of molecules ⁇ ⁇ ff - Mg ⁇ o ( M can have values -J, -J+l, ...J; g is the Lande factor, and ⁇ ois the Bohr magnetron)
• an inhomogenous magnetic field may be established under certain process conditions in order to separate the free radicals by their magnetic moments.
• the amount of hydrogen produced would be 894 kilograms of hydrogen per hour or 10,927 m 3 /hour or 95,718,949 m 3 /year .
• the plasma may be operated at lower power levels if it can be initiated more easily.
• the method that can increase the conductivity of the plasma and thereby lower the input power is called seeding.
• This class of materials possesses low ionization potentials. This means that substantial conductivities can be achieved at relatively low temperatures.
• the alkali and alkaline earth metals possess that property. For example, ionic salts from the alkali and alkaline earth metals are excellent candidates. Examples of such compounds are CsCO 2 , CsCl, K 2 CO 3 , KOH, KG, NaCl, NaOH, Na 2 CO 3 , and the like.
• mercury may be used as a seed material.
• Plasmas in the higher pressure range will emit large quantities of heat and light.
• the heat is derived from a variety of sources such as the recombination reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. Recovery of that heat could be by means of heat exchange, heat pipes, similarly as described above, or even photovoltaic cells, or thermoelectric or thermoionic devices. The heat recovered may be used to raise the temperature of the mcoming reactant steam or water so that the plasma will utilize less energy in the cracking process. Since the plasma is electrically conductive, it is even possible to capture some of the electrical energy of the plasma using techniques common to MHD systems.

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