WO2003045537A1

WO2003045537A1 - Air concentrator

Info

Publication number: WO2003045537A1
Application number: PCT/HR2002/000027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ivica Samard & Zcaronic
Original assignee: Ivica Samard & Zcaronic
Priority date: 2001-11-29
Filing date: 2002-05-20
Publication date: 2003-06-05
Also published as: HRP20010891A2; HRPK20010891B1; AU2002304357A1

Abstract

Apparatus for producing oxygen-enriched air. The apparatus comprises an ionization part, a separation part and a de-vonization part.

Description

AIR CONCENTRATOR

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Field of invention

This invention represents new idea of increasing oxygen share in air, air concentration, electromagnetic rectification that makes possible manyfold, simple, usage.

Technical problem

Increasing of power and utilization level of thermal machines or achieving another one (e.g. biological ) effect, by increasing oxygen share in air, today can be achieved by adding them direct into the air.

Increasing of its quantity in volume unit, although its percent portion remains unchanged, with intention to achieve higher thermal machine effect, is possible to gain with air compression (like in jet engine).

Both technologies, today in use, are to much demanding, to be suitable for universal, large-scale use.

To get , store and use clean oxygen is to much complicated, unreliable and expensive for application in thermal machines with high risk of damage. In huge thermal machines this is mainly only too expensiv.

Acceptable relation between specific power of thermal machines in contemporary (internal combustion)motor-driven vehicles and its simplicity do not stimulate application of expensive air compression technology, that is used in large machines with large specific power. State of the art

Process of air condensation and rectification is main, primary process for obtaining pure oxygen.The following process, but insignificant by its share, is electrolitical. Process of air condensation and rectification is complex technological process that is executed in stable, huge plants for mass production.

Final product.pure oxygen, demands special procedure of filling in special vessels, special procedures of transport.stock and use.This expensive and complex procedures make impossible wide use of pure oxygen in thermal machines. Specific power of thermal machines in mass application, as there are mobile machines with internal combustion, jet propulsion machines, at todays conditions, can be changed, controled, by air compression that goes into the process.that is oxygen partition increasing in volume unit, or by increaseing of combustion cycle per time unit.

Power control by increasing volume or mass partition of oxygen in air ,that can be at todays conditions achieved by pure oxygen adition to the air, is not used due to mentioned reasons.

Invention essence explication

Voluminal oxygen partition in air is 20,95 % , 23,16 % in weight.or one fifth in average.

One fifth of air is taking part in combustion processes that are the main chemical processes for gaining all sorts of energy.

Other four fifth of air is nitrogen that does not take part in combustion process, passes throgh process inertly. In this process it is accepting and carrying a part of released thermal energy that declines the temperature of combustion products. For that reason combustion process must be executed in bigger space.the thermal machine must be bigger.that means more spended construction material efficiency of thermal process is lower than it was in case of enlarged oxygen partition in air or in case of use pure oxygen.

On drawing 1 are illustrative represented essential relations of combustion processes in case of use pure air as oxydiser and in case of use double oxygen enriched air as oxydiser :

( O : N = 2 : 3 ).

With the same volumetric air flow, in the same combustion process quality, the second combustion case gains double power of process, higher temperature of combustion process gasses and bigger process efficiency.Thermal machine of the same mass gets more power.gets more specific power.

Oxygen and nitrogen essentialy differ in their electronic affinity.energy of electron recieving.

Oxygen in atomic and molecular form has a great electronic affinity. By acceptance of one electron oxygen atom make free energy of almost 1.5 eV and O₂ molecule some less then

0,5 eV.

Nitrogen has not any electronic affinity. It accepts not neither electron that conveyes energy to him. Only consequence of that electron energy impulse on nitrogen can be nitrogen stimulation on higher energy level, and later, after stimulation disappearance, emission of light radiation.

That facts are at the basis of idea of electrical oxygen share increasing procedure by electric and magnetic fields impact on air.on negatively charged oxygen, mainly molecules, O₂.

For the purpose of illustration of negativ charging process of oxygen molekules, O₂ , let us serve combustion process.without air surplus, of one kilogram average liquid fuel, that is .dimensionally, an example close to those thermal processes in personal vehicles.

An combustion of one kilogramme average liquid fuel demands some ten cubic meters of air that generates some 10 kWh thermal energy.

Consumption of molecular oxygen at this reaction, combustion, is 2,5 kg. At O₂ molecular weight = 32 it is less than one tenth of mol: 2.5 : 32 « 0,08

If this combustion process proceeds uniform in one hour, (2,8 liter per second) , and every one oxygen molecule recieves one electron, than is electric current that flowes from electron emitter to the air stream :

1.602 x 10^"19 As x 10 ²³ : 3600 s = 2.2 A

( electron charge x number of molecules time )

In this process .binding electrons to 0₂ molecules, is released thermal energy, this process radiates energy. Since every electron, at oxygen molecule joining, released energy of 0.43 eV, in other words (1eV = 0.16 x 10^~18 J )

0.43 eV x 0.16 x 10 ^"18 J « 7 x 10 ^'20 J

This process radiates power:

0,5 x 10²³ x 7 x 10 -²⁰ J : 3600 s « 1 W

According to this result there is no danger of overheating, that is , process heat leading off problem is not existing. Electron emission ,by means of electric field effect, at todays conditions , achieves on microscopic peaks, at electric field intensity of 5 x 10⁹ V/m, current density to the 10 A/cm².

Consequently, there is no problem of electron emission by means of electric field effect.The apparatus at which such an process could be conducted, dimensionaly, should not cause troubles.

All the concentration process could be described in such a way.

The air is in the apparatus conveyed by pump that has an continuously adjustable effect, air flow measurement and registration possibility. Two main parts of concentrator are the input - ionization part, and output part that separate oxygen iones and deionize them.

Input, ionization, part is formed of dense screen of microscopic metalic peaks that emits electrons by means of strong electric field effect and tiny pores between, around them, which conduct air into the apparatus close to peaks. Passing by peaks oxygen accepts electrons emited from peaks, it is ionizeing.

In order to be more efficient ionization, the air must stream as near as possible to the peaks, that demands as dense as possible screen of microscopic metalic peaks and tiny pores around-between them, as slow as possible ,that demands as big as possible surface of screen and be as clean as possible, that demands its cleaning before entering apparatus.

Relation between air flow and ionization current is a measure of ionization quality and it is an input data for electron emission control, by change of voltage between input ionization screen and part of output screen that drains oxygen. The output part of air concentrator apparatus has an directing , separating and deionizeing function in relation to oxygen molecules.

That can be achieved by electric field influence only or by combination of electric and magnetic field influence.

By first process oxygen iones are immediately, after their formation on peaks, brought in electrical field that separates and direct them towards positive charged outlets in which they are deionized.

This process is happened on short way so that avoidance of unfavourable impact of, from this iones, produced electric field can take place. For such an process the best configuration of apparatus output part is a screen of mutually evenly arranged tiny outlet pores of which one smaller part is positiv in relation to the input ionization screen and another bigger part is negativ (or neutral).

In front of output screen located separation-directing electrical field is established by insulated frontelectrodes. In second process the oxygen iones are, by regulated magnetic field, directed towards separately grouped assemblies of positive outlet pores. With theirs electrical field, as in first process, separation helps, charged, insulated, separation-directing frontelectrodes.

Both processes can be carried out in more steps, they are repeatable. The first process by reason of use only one.electrical, field is simpler.

In both processes each group of output pores has theirs own joint outlet. In output, of concentrated .deionized oxygen, built in suction pump is the same characteristic like this one in input part of apparatus. In that place is, also, built in oxygen concentration measurer.

Deionizing current that flows through positive outlet pores indicates the amount of oxygen in that branch of output air stream.

Measuring values of apparatus: air flows, ionization and deionization currents, oxygen concentration, are the input values for regulation processes,whose output values are: pump effects, voltages between parts of input and output screens, magnetic field shape and strenght.

By connection of air concentration process and fuel inflow in combustion process, so that combustion process quality is constant, is possible to control combustion process power.

An 50 % increase of oxygen part in air equaly increases the power of combustion process.

The possibility of oxygen part increase is almost 400 % so is this the possible range of combustion process power regulation. That means ,also, that thermal machine can be several times smaller, several times lighter and that,by huge increase of combustion process specific power.in practical application can enter highefficient turbomachine. Short drawings description

Drawing 1 Graphical representation of power change, efficiency and temperature in combustion process in which oxygen share in air is doubled. 0₂ oxygen share

N₂ nitrogen share

G fuel

I combustion process

P power

T temperature η efficiency

Drawing 2 Shematic represented, single air concentrator

DP input pump

OP output pump

Nl voltage supply

R power control

OZ oxygen enriched air

BZ oxygen impovered air

PC positive output pores

NC neutral-negative output pores

UE directing-separating frontelectrodes

MS microscopic metalic peaks

DC input pore

DR input screen

OR output screen

MK oxygen concentration measurer

A ampermeter Detailed description of one, preffered embodiment of the invention

On apparatus input is an pump (DP) that supplies it with clean air.lts power can be continuously controlled, measured and registered. Input screen of microscopic metalic peaks (MS) that, by electric field effect emits electrons, is a porous metalic comb (DR) consisting of microscopic metalic peaks and, around-between them.evenly arranged tiny openings, pores (DC) for air supply. Such an construction ensures that all air supply flows immediately by peaks.

Reliable ionisation, electron capture is ensured by use of great input screen surface

(DR) that enables all inflow air to flow slowly, near peaks, longer retain near electron source.

By reason of great screen surface, specific emission current (A/cm²), specific current load, is small. Emission characteristic of featured input screen can be adjusted (R), it is functionally connected to its voltage toward positive part of apparatus output screen (PC).

By input air flow and input screen electron emission control (DR) is regulated effect of that apparatus part.

Relation between input air flow and emission current (A) determine ionisation range.

Output screen (OR) is produced of two groups, mutually evenly arranged, conductive, tiny pores. The group that leads off negativ charged oxygen iones consists of one third of whole pores number (PC). Voltage of this pores group toward metalic peaks, electron emiters, is positiv and adjustable. In this pores group outlet

(OZ) is build-in suction pump (OP) which effect, as of input pump, can be continuously regulated, measured and recorded, and oxygen concentration measurer-recorder (MK). Other two-third of pores (NC), relativ to metalic peaks, have neutral or negative voltage, which can be regulated.

This pores are conected to particular joint outlet (BZ). Essential difference between this two groups of pores is in their lenght. Positivelly charged pores are longer so that totally deionisation of negative charged oxygen iones is secured. In front of outlet pores screen, extending to sole metalic peaks tips of electron emiters, is placed screen of very tiny.sticky, from air insulated electrodes (UE), which are on their beginnings conductiv connected with single pores.

The role of this electrode screen is separation from other molecules, negativelly charged oxygen molecules and their direction toward positive charged pores.

Equivalent to pores and in front of them, sticky.directing-electrodes can be used another tubular duct forms (e.g. square) and another directing electrodes form (e.g. table-like). Output pores screen separating effect is regulated (R) by voltage change on outlet pores groups and by sucking pump effect change (OP) that is in outlet branch of positive charged pores.

Multi-stage concentrator in which upper stages appears the air with more oxygen then in common air, in different stages must have different parameters of construction elements.

Changeable values.flows and voltages, in that case are regulated inside different ranges of values.

Regulator (R) of all apparatus functionally connects desired volume and concentration with on output measured volume and concentration.Their balance is achieved by regulator (R) impact on changeable values of apparatus: air flows and voltages between screens (by which emission current and deionizeing-separating effects are controled). Drawing 2 , in simplified manner, shematic, represents essential functional parts of single-stage concentrator.

Invention application way

In addition to the medical application, where moderate surplus of oxygen has an healing effect, the main application of pure oxygen or with oxygen enriched air is in energetics, fossil fuels combustion processes, and metallurgy, steel production. In stable processes with huge oxygen consumption, like in metalurgical processes, concentrative process of oxygen enrichment in air scarcely can be competitive to condense-rectification process.

In thermal processes that are used at all sorts of vehicles, because of simple power control, greatness.weight, simplicity, reliability, price, concentrating process can considerably improve quality of existing, in traffic used, thermal machines.

With concentrator composed, new thermal machines in vehicles can be several times lighter, in other words, with the same mass produce several times greater power.

By that reason, manyfold thermal process power concentration, at all sorts of vehicles can be applicated rotational thermal machines that additional multiply minimisation process. Air concentrator form is not obligatorily regular (parallelopipeid) than it can be adapted to housing space. On vehicles, where used, it can be used not only for thermal machine operation than ,also, as source of oxygen enriched air.

That air, in cabin, produces a refreshing effect. The same application, apparatus can produce in other spaces we reside in.

Claims

1.

Air concentrator, apparatus that enlarges oxygen share in air.over the normal share, characterized in that way that basis, principle of process existing fact is that oxygen atoms and molecules have a great electronic affinity and nitrogen has not, any .electronic affinity,

2.

Air concentrator like in requirement 1 , characterized in that way that clean air is supplied, at input, ionizeing screen, by pump, which effect can be continuously regulated, measured and recorded.

3.

Air concentrator like in requirements 1 and 2, characterized in that way that input screen of microscopic conductive (metalic) peaks, by electric field effect, emits electrons, that input screen through tiny pores.tubules evenly disposed between peaks, leads, streaming near peaks, air in apparatus, that input screen ionize.charge with electron , oxygen.

4.

Air concentrator like in requirements 1. 2. and 3. , characterized in that way that output screen, built of conductive material, consists of two parts of tiny pores, tubules, of which each has their own common outlet, and one's own potential, voltage towards input screen, that in output screen, group of pores, positiv charged toward input screen, leads oxygen iones off, in their outlet is built-in suction pump (which effect can be controled, measured and recorded) and oxygen concentrator measurer-recorder, while another pores group is not or is negativ charged, that in output screen with mutually equally disposed pores, in wich separation is executed by electrical field only, in front of all output pores are placed electrodes which separate and direct oxygen iones, which are isolated from air and with begininngs of output pores conductive connected, that in output screen in which separation process is combined executed, by assistance of electric and magnetic field, two groups of outlet pores are not mixed, form (two) separated parts of screen, directing of negativ charged oxygen iones toward positiv charged parts of screen is executed by electric and magnetic field, that in output screen, shape of leading-off pores and separating-directing electrodes is not obliged roundish.

5.

Air concentrator like in requirements 1. ,2., 3., and 4. , characterized in that way that its work is operated by controler which, on the basis of demanded and measured quantities controls changable apparatus quantities: pumps effects and fields.