Classifications

• • 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
• • 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
  • C25B11/00—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for
• • 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
  • C25B9/17—Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof
  • C25B9/19—Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof with diaphragms
  • C25B9/23—Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof with diaphragms comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
• • 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
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
  • Y02P20/10—Process efficiency
  • Y02P20/133—Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• • 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

• the present invention relates to hydrogen generation devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hydrogen supplemental system that can be used with internal combustion engines for increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.
• HHO gas consists of two parts hydrogen to one part oxygen.
• These devices typically comprise an electrolyzer which decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen.
• An example is patent # 4,023,405.
• These electrolyzers typically use an electrolyte, most notably KOH, Potassium hydroxide, or baking soda. A voltage is placed across the device to produce the HHO gas.
• the main problem with most of these devices is that the energy required to produce the hydrogen creates a substantial load on the electrical system of the vehicle. Similar to running the air conditioner in any vehicle, the additional electrical load causes the miles per gallons to be reduced. Even though the hydrogen typically boosts the efficiency and miles per gallon of the vehicle, the additional electrical load on the vehicle to create the hydrogen is usually great enough to minimize or in many cases negate most or all of mileage gains of the vehicle.
• ECU Electronic Control Unit
• HHO systems generally use either baking soda or
• KOH Potassium Hydroxide KOH.
• KOH is generally preferred over baking soda because of its stability and because it causes less deterioration of stainless steel plates or other plates used in the electrolyzer.
• KOH has to be handled with care because it is caustic, and the crystals can be dangerous if not handled properly.
• the electrolyte normally has to be inserted into the unit at the proper proportions for optimum operation of the electrolyzer. Extreme care must be taken when using it. It is not the type of product you would generally like to put in the hands of an inexperienced consumer.
• the present invention relates to a portable and compact, on-demand hydrogen supplemental system for producing hydrogen gas and injecting the hydrogen gas into the air intake of internal combustion engines, particularly for vehicles.
• Hydrogen and oxygen is produced by a fuel cell at low temperatures and pressure from water in a supply tank.
• the hydrogen gas and oxygen gas is passed back thru the supply tank for distribution and water preservation.
• the gases are kept separate by a divider in the tank and the water level in the tank.
• the hydrogen gas is directed to the air intake of the engine while the oxygen gas is optionally vented to the atmosphere.
• the device can be powered by the vehicles alternator, a stand alone battery, waste heat or solar energy.
• the system utilizes a vacuum switch or other engine sensor that regulates power to the system and therefore hydrogen production for the engine only occurs when the engine is running. Therefore as the hydrogen is produced it is immediately consumed by the engine. No hydrogen is stored on, in or around the vehicle.
• Fig. 1 is a detailed drawing of a portable hydrogen supplemental system showing a water tank and housing design according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2 is a schematic showing a portable hydrogen supplemental system installed in a typical vehicle according to the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation and details of a PEM electrolyzer according to the present invention.
• Fig. 4 is a diagram of another embodiment of the water tank 6 according to the present invention.
• Figs. 5A-B are diagrams of another embodiment of a mounting bracket 3 according to the present invention.
• Fig. 6 is a diagram of an embodiment of the control circuit 50 according to the present invention.
• the present invention as will be described in greater detail below provides an apparatus, method and system, particularly, for example, a hydrogen supplemental system used to increase the fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions for internal combustion engines.
• the present invention provides various embodiments as described below. However it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but could extend to other embodiments as would be known or as would become known to those skilled in the art.
• a portable hydrogen supplemental system 1 which includes a housing unit 2 that can be secured in the trunk or other flat surface of a vehicle by mounting bracket 3 and fastening units 4. Inside the housing unit 2 are a fuel cell 5 and a water tank 6 positioned above the fuel cell 5 arranged in such a manner as to supply water 7 to the fuel cell by gravity. The water tank 6 is supported in the housing unit 2 above the fuel cell by supporting means 8.
• the housing unit 2 is designed to be readily removable from the mounting bracket 3.
• the water tank 6 includes a water supply fitting 9 positioned on the underside thereof connected to a tube or other supply meanslO that is in turn connected to water inlet fitting 11 on the fuel cell 5. Water is supplied to the fuel cell 5 by the supply means 10.
• the fuel cell 5 also includes hydrogen gas outlet fittings 12 and oxygen gas outlet fitting 13 which are connected by tubes or additional supply means 14 and 15 to gas inlet fittings 16 on the underside of the water tank 6.
• the water tank 6 includes at least one divider 17 that divides the tank 6 into at least two sections, a hydrogen section 18 and an oxygen section 19.
• the divider 17 is formed along the inner wall of the tank 6 and extends to approximately 1 ⁇ 4" from the bottom surface 20 of the tank 6.
• the tank 6 includes a fill spout 21 which permits the tank to be filled with water. As water is placed into the tank 6, the tank fills evenly on both sides of the divider 17.
• the fuel cell 5 which is commonly known to produce electricity, is operated in reverse to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases. Water fills the fuel cell from the water tank and when a voltage is placed across the cell, hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced.
• the fuel cell 5 can, for example, be a proton exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer.
• a PEM electrolyzer includes a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct protons while being impermeable to gases such as oxygen or hydrogen. This is their essential function when incorporated into a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell or of a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer: separation of reactants and transport of protons.
• MEA membrane electrode assembly
• an electrolyzer is a device that generates hydrogen and oxygen from water through the application of electricity and includes a series of plates through which water flows while low voltage direct current is applied.
• Electrolyzers split the water into hydrogen and oxygen gases by the passage of electricity, normally by breaking down compounds into elements or simpler products.
• the PEM electrolyzer includes a plurality of layers including external electrodes 41 disposed opposite to each other one of which is the anode 41a and the other of which is the cathode 41b, electrocatalysts 42a and 42b disposed respectively on the anode 41a and the cathode 41 , and a membrane 43 disposed between the electrocatalysts 42a and 42b.
• the PEM electrolyzer further includes an external circuit 44 which applies electrical power to the anode 41a and the cathode 41b in a manner such that electricity power in the form of electrons flow from the anode 41a, along the external circuit 44, to the cathode 41b and protons are caused to flow through the membrane 43 from the anode 41a to the cathode 41b.
• the efficiency of a PEM electrolyzer is a function primarily of its membrane and electro-catalyst performance.
• the membrane 43 includes a solid fluoropolymer which has been chemically altered in part to contain sulphonic acid groups, SO 3 H, which easily release their hydrogen as positively-charged atoms or protons H + : S0 3 H -> S0 3 " + H +
• Nafion is a perfluorinated polymer that contains small proportions of sulfonic or carboxylic ionic functional groups.
• water, H20 enters the cell and is split at the surface of the membrane 43 to form protons, electrons and gaseous oxygen.
• the gaseous oxygen leaves the cell while the protons move through the membrane 43 under the influence of the applied electric field and electrons move through the external circuit 44.
• the protons and electrons combine at the opposite surface, namely the negatively charged electrode, known as the cathode 41b, to form pure gaseous hydrogen.
• a vehicle 31 powered by a gasoline or diesel engine 32 is equipped with the portable hydrogen supplemental system 1. Power is supplied to the portable hydrogen supplemental system 1 by a vehicle battery 33 connected to electrical wires 34.
• supplemental system includes a vacuum switch 35, or other engine sensor and an operator controlled switch 36 which completes the electrical circuit to the portable hydrogen generator system 1 when the engine is running.
• hydrogen gas flows thru hydrogen outlet tube 37 connected to hydrogen fitting 28 of the housing unit 2 to an air intake 38 of the vehicle's engine 32.
• Oxygen gas flows thru oxygen outlet tube 39 and, in the case of gasoline engines with oxygen sensors, is vented to the atmosphere.
• the two gasses can optionally be combined for diesel engine vehicles or other internal combustion engines without oxygen sensors.
• FIG. 4 An alternative embodiment of the water tank 6 is illustrated in Fig. 4.
• dividers 17a and 17b are provided at opposite ends of the tank so as to divide the tank 6 into a hydrogen section 18 and an oxygen section 19.
• Each divider 17a,b is formed along the inner wall of the tank 6 and extends to approximately 1 ⁇ 4" from the bottom surface 20 of the tank 6. As water is placed into the tank 6, the tank fills evenly on both sides of each of the dividers 17a and 17b.
• each gas collector 45, 46 is constructed to contain baffles 47a and 47b that serve to prevent water from splashing into or entering the tubes 27 and 29.
• Each baffle 47a,b is configured to extend perpendicularly from an inner surface of the gas collectors 45 and 46.
• baffle 47a is configured to extend from a portion of the inner surface of a gas collector 45, 46 opposite to another portion of the inner surface of the gas collector 45, 46 from which baffle 47b extends.
• FIGs. 5A-B An alternative embodiment of the mounting bracket 3 is illustrated in Figs. 5A-B.
• the mounting bracket 3 has formed therein oblong holes 48 positioned near the corners of the mounting bracket 3 for receiving screws/studs disposed on the undersigned of the housing unit 2.
• the oblong holes 48 upon receiving the screws/studs disposed on the undersigned of the housing unit 2 allows for the housing unit 2 to be removably attached to the mounting bracket 3.
• the housing unit 2 being removable from the mounting bracket 3 permits the user to remove the apparatus for servicing including adding water, performing repairs, exchanging parts, and the like.
• the electrical circuit can, for example, be provided by a control circuit 50 as illustrated in Fig. 6 for controlling the Hydrogen supplemental system.
• the control circuit 50 includes a vacuum switch 35, or other engine sensor, that provides a positive output when the engine is operating, an operator controlled switch 36 which provides the positive output from the vacuum switch 35 when the operator controlled switch 36 is moved to the on position, a global positioning system (GPS) 51 which provides a positive output when the speed of the automobile exceeds a predetermined level, AND gate 52, or other such circuitry, that provides a positive output when both the operator controlled switch 36 and the GPS 51 outputs are positive, and a switch 53 which switches electrical power to the fuel cell 5 when the AND gate 52 supplies a positive output, thereby causing the fuel cell 5 to operate when the engine is operating and the speed of the automobile exceeds a predetermined level.
• GPS global positioning system
• the Hydrogen supplemental system operates optimally in a gasoline powered engine when the load on the engine does not exceed a predetermined level and the amount of hydrogen produced by the Hydrogen supplemental system and supplied to the gasoline powered engine falls within a preset range.
• the electrical power used by the Hydrogen supplemental system is supplied by the engine alternator.
• the electrical power is only supplied when the engine is operating and the speed of the automobile exceeds a predetermined level.
• the load placed on the engine by the Hydrogen supplemental system is related to the amount of electrical power drawn from the alternator as measured in amps.
• the Hydrogen supplemental system works best on a gasoline powered engine when the load on the engine does not exceed a current of 4 amps being drawn from the alternator, or if measured another way of 56 watts. It should be noted that the amount of amps or watts is dependent upon the size of the engine and alternator (four, six or eight cylinders, etc.).
• diesel engines have a different optimal load setting. Further, in a gasoline powered engine the optimal amount of hydrogen produced by the Hydrogen supplemental system and supplied to the gasoline powered engine falls within a preset range of 0.10 - 0.25 liters per minute.
• a gasoline powered automobile achieves the highest level of fuel efficiency measured in miles/gallon of gas when the load on the engine does not exceed 4 amps, or if measured another way of 56 watts, and the amount of hydrogen produced and supplied to the gasoline powered engine falls within a preset range of 0.10 - 0.25 liters per minute.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Output Control And Ontrol Of Special Type Engine (AREA)
• Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
• Fuel Cell (AREA)
• Combined Controls Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-09-30 WO PCT/US2011/054289 patent/WO2013032496A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-09-30 CN CN201180073180.0A patent/CN103764990A/zh active Pending
  • 2011-09-30 EP EP11770607.7A patent/EP2751417A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-09-30 JP JP2014528368A patent/JP5960827B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-09-30 JP JP2014528369A patent/JP5977352B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-09-30 EP EP11770608.5A patent/EP2751418A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-09-30 WO PCT/US2011/054292 patent/WO2013032497A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-09-30 CN CN201180073179.8A patent/CN103764989A/zh active Pending
• 2016
  • 2016-06-23 JP JP2016124162A patent/JP2017002403A/ja active Pending

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