WO2003054252A1

WO2003054252A1 - Apparatus and method for the production of pure oxygen and hydrogen

Info

Publication number: WO2003054252A1
Application number: PCT/GB2001/005411
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Zambo
Original assignee: Paul Zambo
Priority date: 2001-12-04
Filing date: 2001-12-04
Publication date: 2003-07-03
Also published as: EP1461473A1; AU2002222136A1

Abstract

This invention has for objective the regeneration of the environment through the safe production of a mixture of pure oxygen and hydrogen by the separation of water molecules through electrolysis. The water introduced in the apparatus goes directly to a still and only distilled water goes through the electrolytic process. The electrolytic cells are made up of stainless steel anodes and nickel cathodes, separated by a fine plastic material. In the electrolytic cell, the distilled water is mixed with a saturation of KOH which insures the conductivity of the electricity through the distilled water. The passage of electricity in the water results automatically in its separation in oxygen and hydrogen. The mixture is then released to atmosphere. An other use of the mixture would be its injection in plants which give off toxic fumes. This solution is feasible for environmental regeneration for industrial processes, the automobile industry, etc.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PURE OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN

Description:

The Environmental Regenerator is a system and a method for the production of an oxygen and hydrogen mixture for the regeneration of the environment. The efficacity of the system is based on a new process of water electrolysis. It results from the fact that the analysis electrodes are extremely close to each other, which reduces drastically the distance to be covered by the electrons going from an electrode to the other.

In conventional systems, the production of oxygen and hydrogen is very expensive principally due to the fact that the required gas must be very accurately separated. For example, the oxygen produced for use in hospitals must be absolutely pure and must not contain any other gas. The users of hydrogen also demand pure hydrogen.

To produce hydrogen and oxygen separately, there must be a minimal distance between the electrodes, which must be separated by a membrane. The membrane defines the separate conduits for the routing of both gases. This vertical separation also demands the permanent stability of the generator, to avoid vibrations, which would produce unexpected results.

But in the case of this invention, the layout of the electrodes allows a more intensive production thanks to the extreme closeness of the electrodes, the absence of separating membrane and the great freedom of movement. The Environmental Regenerator is very self-sufficient as it contains water still for its distilled water supply. One must point out that, to be sure that the water will only produce oxygen and hydrogen, any other molecule that the water may contain must be eliminated.

Water still designed for the consumption of the generator is fitted on each apparatus.

As distilled water does not conduct electricity, a conductor, i.e. a water saturation substance is introduced in the apparatus. The electrolyte plays this part very appropriately as it allows the circulation of the electric current in the water but it does not separate. As a consequence, the result is clear: we can only obtain the two components of water, oxygen and hydrogen. The mixed gas keep their original proportions, i.e 1/3 oxygen, 2/3 hydrogen, as in the molecule of water, i.e. H₂O. The use of this production apparatus in these new conditions and with this special method is important for the safety of the resulting gas from many points of view:

1-From the point of view of health, the mixture is healthy and can safely be breathed by men, animals and plants because it doesn't contain any toxic molecules, which could constitute a danger. 2-As the mixture produced is vented directly and without any storage, at a very low pressure, there is no possibility of explosion, fact, we could only have an implosion if these two gases were put under a very high pressure and exposed to a blast. With such an implosion, both gases would turn into water, with heat release.

The problem of global warming results in the diminution of the normal volume of oxygen in the air.

This problem goes back a long way in the history of the earth and that it has evolved with time; its complication and gravity increase constantly because of the activities of human beings. Many animal species of previous eras are now extinct, dinosaurs and mammoths for example. These disappearances have a common basis. Whole forests also disappeared, replaced by the huge deserts we see today. These mysterious disappearances are related to a single cause: global warming. But, during many thousands of years, the problem had purely natural causes and the earth saw the constant and progressive reduction of the quality of its atmosphere. The natural rate of deterioration of the quality of the air, which makes up the atmosphere, has been going on for thousands of years. This occurrence is related to the decline of bio- diversity. The disappearance of the huge forests, which form the ecosystem, has created a diminution of his regenerative powers. This corresponds to the rule of nature, which is that the energy input is always higher than the output. This is also the natural rule of aging which is true for all living things. But one must say that aging is a natural condition which corresponds to a regulation cycle which goes from infinity minus to infinity plus. Even macro-systems such as the solar system follow this rule, with the difference that the rate remains strictly natural.

In the case of extinct species, the fact is each species has a life cycle, which is related to its specific characteristics. The species, which have a larger body, live longer and the species with a smaller body have a shorter life. The life cycle of each species is therefore commensurate with its size or sometimes with other distinctive properties. Thus, the tortoise which is a small animal shows outstanding longevity. This is certainly attributable to the slow formation of its shell.

In nature, a large size means a large consumption of the nutrients, which is necessary for the development and maintenance of the body. The quantity of food required by, for example, an elephant is proportional to its size. The same principle applies to its oxygen consumption. Every time it breathes, the elephant must absorb an average quantity of oxygen to maintain its internal activities and the work of its muscles. If the air it breathes has low oxygen content, the elephant will get weaker and lose weight as a consequence of the reduction of its internal activities. Therefore, it is clear that the reduction of oxygen in nature is one of the main permanent causes of loss of species, whether they belong to fauna or to flora.

As the species disappear, the whole atmosphere is affected. Essentially, the restoration of ozone is essentially maintained by the rise of oxygen, which is the basic component of ozone. Therefore, degradation by sunlight is not the only cause of the deterioration of the ozone layer, this deterioration is mainly due to the fact that the atmosphere is not renewed. The ozone cycle is constant and goes from the transformation of oxygen into ozone in the upward direction to the destruction of ozone by sunlight in the downward direction, from the sky to the ground. This cycle insures the protection of the earth from the full intensity of sunrays. Its temperature and density are its operational characteristics. Both these main characteristics are totally and absolutely complementary. This means that a loss of ozone density results automatically in a loss of ozone temperature.

Oxygen is one of the coldest gases of the atmosphere. It is also a fuel, which is absolutely necessary for any combustion. A lack of oxygen reduces the combustion rate at the individual level as well as at the collective level. But, unlike hydrogen, oxygen is a gas produced by synthesis, a chemical reaction. Forests constitute its main source of production through photosynthesis. But oxygen is stocked as composites and the largest reserve on earth is stocked as water, which is made up of a third (1/3) oxygen and two thirds (2/3) hydrogen. The liquid form of this water constitute the oceans and its solid form makes up the south and north poles. Because of global warming, water reserves are larger and larger for a simple reason: the main reserve of oxygen, which could be used for the restoration of natural conditions, is in hibernation in the oceans. This results in the rise of sea level which threaten the continents. Global warning also results in the disintegration of the glaciers and this also contributes to the rise of sea level. Mankind has known a rapid rate of development during the latest millennium, the world population increases constantly, along with scientific progress and human rights... In that race, the needs, even basic needs, of mankind impose an ever increasing rate of production. They drive industry and science and as these needs expand with the population explosion and in many areas such as health, transport, habitat, industrialisation has become the only means to cover these critical needs. This contributes to the acceleration of the degradation of the quality of our atmosphere.

The part played by industry in the deterioration of the environment is incredibly huge. If one compares the rate of oxygen consumption of a creature such as an elephant to the rate of oxygen consumption of a car which a engine of 10 HP, we see that it takes the elephant 100 days to use the quantity of oxygen used by the car in a hour. This huge and disproportionate use of oxygen is beyond natural remedies. Nature has not provided for beings which use that much oxygen, its regeneration cycles becomes automatically inadequate and new forms of regeneration are required to compensate this. But new forms of regeneration of some essential components of our environment must take into account the causes, which induced the destruction of the environment.

As this destruction is purely artificial and due to human activities, the only valid means to be used to renew the environment must be artificial and provided by human resourcefulness. A machine which produces and releases to the atmosphere the same quantity of oxygen as consumed by industry can only be an human invention. The Environmental Regenerator plays a vital part to correct the imbalance created by industry. This is the only hope for the preservation of nature before it's too late. Scientific forecast have shown that within fifty years pollution will reach proportions, which do not leave much hope for life on earth. The glaciers melt, the level of the sea rises, the ozone layer is deteriorating, etc... All signs that life on the planet becomes less and less feasible. So one must act fast.

The adoption of the Environmental Regenerator is to date the only way to save the situation. The use of the various forms of this machine will help us to quickly redress the situation. It will also allow us to fight some diseases thanks to the way it increases the level of oxygen in the air. The advantages of the Environmental Regenerator are invaluable for all the forms of life on earth and for the survival of earth itself.

This invention, through the production of oxygen released in the atmosphere, creates a whole series of reactions and transformations:

1- In the first instance, oxygen is very heavy and cold. The cohesive force of the oxygen produced by the Environmental Regenerator is higher than that of the other molecules which compose the air; therefore it goes downwards and automatically pushes upwards other gas, including toxic gases such as fumes emitted by cars and industrial processes. As a result, men and animals breathe a purer atmosphere.

2- In a second phase, under the action of the winds, a large quantity of oxygen will move higher up and will be subjected to all the transformations required to cross the ionosphere to which it is attracted and the new component, which is ozone. This will allow the ozone layer to swiftly regain its thickness to filter more efficiently the penetration of sun rays in the atmosphere.

3- The action of hydrogen is also very important insofar as the quantity produced and released into the atmosphere will speed up various transformation processes. The simplest and most usual transformation process will result in rainfall which will also help to clear out noxious particle which are freely disseminated h the atmosphere in nature and contribute to respiratory complaints

4- At the level of the use of this invention within polluting industries, the basic combination of hot polluting gases with this mix of oxygen and hydrogen will produce a second reaction which will in fact partially break down these toxic gases and reduce substantially their toxicity.

5- Some gases produced by industrial processes can be totally unyielding to this second reaction of molecular disintegration. But these industries can help environmental regeneration by releasing freely in the atmosphere either the equivalent of their total consumption of oxygen or a quantity of oxygen, which is proportional to the rate of the permanent pollution they create.

6- Smaller versions of the machine will be fitted to cars to offset the quantity of oxygen they use and it will be also possible to destroy the toxicity of the exhaust fumes by injection of the oxygen/hydrogen mixture. This mixture added to the fumes at very high temperatures create a second explosion, which disintegrate the toxic molecules. This disintegration reduces greatly the toxicity of the fumes by the separation of their basic molecules. Tests prove that the ions released by the explosion of oxygen and hydrogen destabilise all the surrounding molecules at a constant speed. Operation: 1. The Environmental Regenerator uses ordinary water for its operation. The water coming into the apparatus goes directly to the still. All the impurities present in the water are removed at that stage. This is the way we obtain pure water to insure the purity of the gases, which are to be produced. a. The still is made up of a heating resistance 21fitted inside a kettle 20. A thermostat 22 is fitted at the central point of the base of the kettle 20. Its function is to stop the electric supply if there is overheating. The thermostat directly supplies the heating resistance 21. b. The ordinary water comes into the kettle through a chilling coil 23, which is fitted in a tube situated above the kettle. Before reaching the kettle, the incoming water goes through the coil 23 to cool the steam coming out of the kettle 20. Consequently, the water is pre-heated when it reaches the kettle. c. A water level regulator 24 is fitted between the chilling coil 23 and the kettle 20. This water level regulator 24 maintains in permanence a constant level of water in the kettle 20, allowing the spillage of water into the electrolyser 40. The surplus water inside the kettle 20 is evacuated outside through an emergency disposal duct 26, which is fitted, on the water level regulator 24. d. A header is provided on top of the kettle 20. It's a tube containing the chilling coil 23. It receives the steam from the kettle 20 and that steam cool as gets into contact with the coil 23 and turns into water drops. All these water drops fall at the bottom of the header and go directly to the distilled water discharge duct 32. 2. A distilled water tank 30 is provided next to the still. Its function is to recover all the distilled water produced by the still and to control the operation of the still in accordance with the supply cycle of the electrolyser 40. a. A discharge duct 32 links the still to the distilled water tank 30. That duct 32 supplies distilled water to the tank 30. b. The distilled water tank 30 is a box of a size proportional to its supply and to the electrolysis rate of the Environmental Regenerator. It is fed by the still and, in its turns, feeds the electrolyser 40 while controlling the volume of distilled water through the electrolyser 40. c. A water level detector (not shown in Fig.3) fitted inside the tank 30 turns controls the operation (on/off) of the still. d. For the power supply of the distilled water electrolyser 40, a low capacity pump 34, with a non-return valve (not shown) is fitted above the tank 30, This pump 34 is operated and regulated according to the demand, at the rate of consumption of the electrolyser 40.

3. The electrolyser 40 provides the ultimate production of the two components which are the object of the invention, i.e. oxygen and hydrogen. a. The electrolyser 40 is housed in a metal box which is divided in three parts: the inlet tank 42, the electrode housing and the gas header 43. b. The electrodes 46,47 are fitted one against the other, separated and isolated by a plastic material 48. Their shape is square and they have a communication opening to allow the water to circulate and the gases to be discharged. c. The anodes 46 are made of stainless steel and the cathodes 47 of nickel. The difference in potential allows the maximum water separation. However, the electrodes anodes 46 and cathodes 47 can both be made of stainless steel to reduce production costs. d. Isolating plastic 48 placed between anodes 46 and cathodes 47 has the same shape as the electrodes 46,47 but a larger inside opening to allow for a large surface of contact created by distilled water between two electrodes. e. The electrolyser 40 receives electricity at both ends. Each anode 46 is connected to the positive termmal of electricity supply 60 on the side opposite the cathodes 47 and each cathode 47 is connected to the negative terminal of the electricity supply 60 on the side opposite the anodes 46. f. The space between two electrodes constitutes a cell 45 and each cell 45 is the active area of water separation. The rate of consumption of electrical energy of a cell 45 varies with the distance which separates its two electrodes 46,47 which means that the larger the separating distance, the higher the consumption. The apparatus has a very low consumption because its cells 45 are very narrow as the anodes are very near the cathodes. g. As distilled water does not conduct electricity, a solution of saturation of KOH is diluted in the distilled water, inside the electrolyser cells 45. This establishes conductivity in the water to allow the passage of current in the water and the process of separation..

4. The purifier Fig.5 is a box for the separation of the gases from any steam which may be present in the gas flow released from the electrolyser 40. a. It's a stainless steel or plastic box. It includes a separation 54 in its centre with a communication path at the bottom of the box which allow the liquids and gases to enter at one end and come out at the other end. b. It always contains an electrolyte saturation h which the gases are flushed. Gases cross through this liquid; the water steam remain in the liquid and the gas which escapes is purified. c. The entrance of gases 51 in the purification box 50 is situated above its first side and the exit 53 is situated above its second side. The only way of communication of both side is at the bottom of the box 50; therefore, all gases have to cross the liquid to go from one side to the other side.

5. An universal type electric supply card 60 for the system is mounted above the electrolyser 40. Its components provide for the filtering of the electric current and the control of the direction of the current. a. A bridge of rectifying diodes is fitted at the entrance of the current to define the direction of the energy so that a pole is always negative and the other pole always positive. b. An electric current transformer of the alternative to direct current type is fitted on the supply card 60. The direct current increases the speed of separation of the water as it facilitates the movement of the electrons. c. A visual control circuit is fitted on the card 60 to show the rate of production of the apparatus and to detect any operating failure.

Claims

I claim that:

1- The Environmental Regenerator is an apparatus and a method designed to produce, from ordinary water and thanks to a very economical system, a mixture of pure oxygen and hydrogen to make up for the oxygen artificially consumed, reduce air pollution and reinforce ozone regeneration.

2. accordance with the first claim, the Environmental Regenerator produces a mixture of pure oxygen and hydrogen, which is made directly possible by the fact that the system contains a water still. The still insures that only pure water molecules are obtained.

3. hi accordance with the first claim, this production system is very economical as the new electrolysis system is made up of very flat stainless steel anodes and nickel cathodes. The distance between a anode and a cathode is so short that electrons move easily from one pole to the next. As a consequence, the saturation of water by the KOH solution, the design of the electrodes and their extreme proximity reduce enormously the rate of electrical energy consumption and maximise the speed of production of this apparatus.

4. In accordance with the first claim, the oxygen and hydrogen produced by the Environmental Regenerator reduce pollution hi several ways. When the mixture of pure oxygen and hydrogen is injected at a very high temperature in a atmosphere containing toxic fumes, the mixture becomes incandescent and highly corrosive for other molecules. This means that the other toxic molecules become destabilised and lose their original shapes; they then become less toxic.

5. In accordance with the first claim, this apparatus regenerates the environment, producing oxygen and hydrogen which are released into the atmosphere to make up for the artificial consumption of these two gases. As they are released into the atmosphere, these gases behave naturally, i.e. once released, oxygen, which is a cold and heavy gas, tends to go downwards towards the ground and, in so doing, pushes light toxic gases upwards. As a result, men, animals and plants benefit from better breathing conditions. Thereafter, hydrogen, which is unstable and can explode, is pushed upwards, promoting rain which has a cleaning action on all the wastes which pollute nature.

6. In accordance with the first claim, the Environmental Regenerator regenerates ozone through the release of oxygen molecules which rise towards the ionisphere and undergo a transformation from O₂ to O₃. The intensive commissioning and use of the Environmental Regenerator will therefore make it possible to save the earth from the global warming process which is due to the rapid destruction of the ozone layer by mankind.