WO2005037708A1

WO2005037708A1 - A device for creating energy

Info

Publication number: WO2005037708A1
Application number: PCT/SE2004/001548
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leif Bring
Original assignee: Intercedo Pte Ltd.
Priority date: 2003-10-22
Filing date: 2004-10-22
Publication date: 2005-04-28
Also published as: SE0302812D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for generating heat and kinetic energy or electricity where the basic energy source is water but where alternatively the energy stored in carbon based fuels may be used. The device consists of one pressure vessel, where water is used as a source for production of hydrogen via an inorganic chemical process, in which combinations of inorganic input elements are used in a reduction process, where water is reduced to hydrogen and residual products are generated, one or several working chambers, one or several external combustion chambers, a device for conversion of reciprocal motion into rotary motion and several tanks containing the sources of energy.

Description

A DEVICE FOR CREATING ENERGY

FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to a combustion device for generating heat and/or kinetic energy where the basic energy source is water but where alternatively the energy stored in carbon based fuels may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A variety of devices for transforming energy stored in substances into heat, kinetic energy and electricity are presently available. In most of these devices energy stored in carbon based fuels are released through combustion and transformed into heat and electricity via kinetic energy or into kinetic energy only in which case heat losses are often an unwanted result. The disadvantages with using carbon based fuels are well known. Poisonous gases like carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOχ), hydrocarbons (HC) etc are unwanted by-products when carbon based fuels are combusted. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is also generated, which is believed to be a major cause of the global warming and its consequences. Kinetic energy present in the wind (wind power) and in water streams (hydro power) etc. are emission free methods of producing electricity which can in turn be converted into heat and/or kinetic energy. One problem though is that there is presently not known any viable method for storing electricity. The electricity produced in wind power units and hydro power stations etc. must be transported via power lines to other locations. The investment cost in power lines is heavy and there are considerable losses associated with the transfer of electricity over power lines. Other drawbacks with power lines that seem to become more significant over time are the electro magnetic radiation created and the impact it may have on living creatures in highly populated areas as well as the negative impact that power lines often have on scenic views. That is why distributed power and heat generation plants fuelled by carbon based fuels are being more frequently used. This however, brings the pollution closer to populated areas, which is contradictory to the overall goal of reducing emissions in populated areas. Another major drawback with the electricity produced by wind power, hydro power etc. is that, this energy can not presently be directly used as the energy source in vehicles. Tests and research is performed on chemical storage of electricity in electric batteries and accumulators for use with electric motors in vehicles. However, due to limited storage capacity and power constraints this is not a viable option for trucks and busses or automobiles, which are tor be used over longer distances. Carbon based fuels are therefore still the only viable source of energy for use in vehicles fitted with an Otto engine. In order to reduce poisonous emissions from vehicles fitted with Otto engines fuelled by carbon based fuels, these are often provided with catalytic converters. A specific problem of the Otto engine is the low compression ratio and the high emissions at low load and idle conditions. Furthermore, the efficiency of the catalytic converter is reduced during low load and cold start conditions. New laws on emissions are set to come into force in the US in 2007 and 2010, which have large fines imposed for each engine failing to meet the new regulations. These regulations will also apply to cold start operations for which catalytic converters are ineffective. The producers have already stated that the 2007 requirements are impossible to meet with current conventional technology. A much discussed alternative to the carbon based fuels for producing electricity and kinetic energy is the inorganic substance hydrogen. Hydrogen could be produces by electrolysis using electricity produced in wind power mills, hydro power stations etc. A preferred use for production of electricity is by releasing the internal energy of the hydrogen through reaction with oxygen in a fuel cell, whereby chemical energy is directly converted to electric energy without any intermediate combustion. However, the fuel cells available today is not enough efficient and the cost is very high. It is poised to take decades until fuel cell technique will be an economically viable alternative. Notwithstanding this, the fuel cell technology does not solve the problem of producing and transporting hydrogen. Yet another problem is the lengthy transition time associated with changing the entire combustion engine based society into such a different technique as fuel cell technology. The cost of building up a complete network of hydrogen based filling stations for vehicles is immense and that is not feasible if there are only a few fuel cell powered vehicles in existence. On the other hand, the incentive for buying a fuel cell powered vehicle is not there if the network of filling stations is not complete. Fuel cell powered vehicles are unlikely to become a viable option in a foreseeable future. Otto-engines designed for operation with hydrogen is a better option for reducing the emissions related to vehicles but also for distributed heat and power stations. However, there are presently several major problems associated with using hydrogen in the conventional Otto engine. The design of the Otto engine is not ideal for butning a highly explosive fuel like hydrogen and the explosion problems are yet to be solved in a way that ensures complete safety. A major problem associated with the hydrogen being explosive is the low compression ratio obtained when burning hydrogen in a conventional

Otto engine. The low compression ratio reduces the efficiency making hydrogen an inefficient fuel when used in conventional Otto engines. This is a major reason for hydrogen not being viable as a fuel in today's combustion engines. Yet another problem is the formation of NOx emissions, which is not eliminated when hydrogen is combusted in a conventional Otto engine. However, the major problem is still likely to be the problems associated with the transport and storage of hydrogen and the cost connected therewith. Production of hydrogen in or adjacent to, an engine is therefore a better option. It is well-known that hydrogen can be produced from water via various chemical reactions. Production of hydrogen from the reaction of aluminium with water using sodium hydroxide as a catalyst was described more than 30 years ago (ref. XP002180270, 1970). Combinations more feasible from an economic point of view have also been described later, where aluminium has been replaced by e.g. zinc or iron or alloys of these. A problem with many of these systems is that the chemicals reactions are not initiated at room temperature but the chemical compounds have to be heated in order to initiate the hydrogen production, which delays the process. In many applications this is not a problem while in others it is a clear disadvantage. To avoid this problem the use of combinations of elements has been introduced where a more active element starts the chemical reaction initiating the chemical reaction including a more passive element. In US patent 4,017,414 of 1977 the amphoteric element magnesium is used as the active element starting the reaction including iron. In the Australian patent 765381 of 2003 the amphoteric element magnesium is used to initiate the chemical reaction involving the amphoteric element aluminium. The patent also proposes a wider application of this concept. US Patent 4,643, 166 of 1987 describes a Rankine cycle vapour pressure or steam engine obtaining its energy from the heat generated by exothermic chemical reactions, where generation of hydrogen is a by-product. US patent 5,867,978 of 1999 describes a Rankine cycle engine provided with a device for production of hydrogen gas via a reduction process. Superheated steam is produced from combustion of said hydrogen gas and oxygen gas produced by a separate oxygen gas generator whereby the kinetic energy of the superheated steam is used for producing power. Most of the abovementioned inventions deal with techniques for production of hydrogen but they do not offer any commercially acceptable solution for using such hydrogen for the generation of heat, electricity and for transport purposes. The use of exothermic heat proposed in US patent 4,643,166 offers too low an efficiency for being commercially viable and the use of the hydrogen generated as a by-product is not developed further. The generation of steam through combustion proposed in US patent 5,867,978 is closer to a commercial solution. However, the complexity and cost of a separate oxygen generator, and the limitations in terms of efficiency is unlikely to make the invention commercially viable. Notwithstanding that, more serious problem introducing the described inventions are connected with logistic problems in moving away from carbon based fuels. Yet another obstacle is that the oil industry, the power generation industry and the automotive industry are all integrated in society and a change affecting all these industries have a great impact on the society and are not easily realised. For a successful introduction of a new fuel and/or a new engine concept in a larger scale two basic demands need to be fulfilled: a The conversion from carbon based fuels to a new more environmentally acceptable fuel like hydrogen needs to be done gradually allowing both the old fuel and the new fuel to be used alternatively. b The replacement of the presently used petrol engines and diesel engines by some new engine concept needs to be done gradually where preferably the present technique is converted into a new technique step-by-step. It is with these requirements in mind the present invention is presented.

BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION AND ITS GENERAL ADVANTAGES

According to a first aspect the invention is a combustion engine designed to be run on multiple fuels. As a first step a conventional 4-stroke Otto engine would be converted to a multiple fuel 2-stroke heat engine through replacement of the conventional combustion system with multiple external combustion chambers (claim 4 and 5). Means for hydrogen generation would be builf-into the device. A clear advantage is obtained already when the re-built Otto engine is run on petrol due to the higher compression ratio obtained but also due to the efficiency advantages obtained when converting a 4-stroke engine to a 2-stroke engine but without the disadvantages of the conventional 2-stroke internal combustion engine. The ability to run the engine on both petrol and hydrogen facilitates the conversion from a petrol-based- to a hydrogen-based society. The possibility to initially use the major part of the conventional engine enables the conversion to a new engine concept be made step-by-step. A second step would be to further develop the conventional engine by introducing a new technique for the conversion of reciprocal movement to rotary movement (claim 8 - 10) where the engine would work as a 3 -stroke engine - the time period at BDC when the scavenging takes place using a blower, being considered as the third stroke. Such a solution is having farther advantages when it comes to both efficiency and emissions. When using hydrogen as a fuel the major emission advantage would a reduction of the NOx due to a shorter dwell time at TDC and reduction of heat losses reducing the temperature and the corresponding reduction of the formation of NOx. Hydrogen is derived from water via an inorganic chemical process in which combinations of inorganic input elements is used in a reduction process. The hydrogen evolution takes place directly in, or adjacent to, the combustion part of the invention. The inorganic input elements would help release the hydrogen from the water and would act as carrier of the part of the stored energy needed for this purpose. The energy carrier would be re-chargeable and could be re-charged by using electricity produced by emission free power generation such as wind power, water power, wave power etc. The part of the invention where the combustion takes place and the kinetic energy is being generated does preferably consist of a three stroke combustion engine with one or several working chambers in which pairs of horizontally opposed pistons are placed. The combustion takes place outside the working chambers in multiple external combustion chambers connected to the working chambers, where the combustion chambers are designed for allowing multiple fuels including hydrogen. When petrol is used as energy source a stratified fuel mix is preferably used, where the stratification is obtained by a divided airflow. The conversion from the piston's reciprocal motion to rotary motion would preferably not be made by using a crank shaft but by using cam plates enabling the motion of the pistons be designed to increase the efficiency and minimise the emissions. The invention is ideal for combined power and heating stations where the supply of the reactants to the location of the plant is feasible. However, if the structural and logistic challenges using an all integrated device also for vehicles are overcome, thereby avoiding the storage and transport of hydrogen, there are even bigger advantages using the invention in the transport field. The proposed preferred design of the combustion engine would virtually eliminate all poisonous gases without the use of any catalytic converters even when fuelled by carbon based fuels like petrol and diesel.

The largest improvement versus the Otto engine would be in city traffic. The Otto engine emits large quantities of poisonous gases at low load and at idle when also the efficiency of the catalytic filter is much reduced. The advantage with the proposed design is that it works with maximum compression ratio at all throttle settings and the emissions would therefore still be very low during low load and idle conditions.

A MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to a first preferred aspect the invention is built up of a vessel containing one pressure chamber and one or several working chambers, which are kept separate from the pressure chamber. Preferably the vessel, or under all circumstances the pressure vessel, is built of a material not interfering with the chemical process that will take place in it. The pressure chamber is connected to an adjacent tank containing water being the main source of the energy. Water or a water based soution is being fed to the pressure vessel from the tank to replenish the water used up in the pressure vessel when the device is in operation. The water tank corresponds to the tank containing petrol or diesel in a conventional carbon fuel based combustion engine. The water may be supplied to the pressure chamber gravitationally or by using a pump system. The extent of water supply to the pressure chamber is regulated by a control device.

The pressure chamber includes means for supplying the reactants to the pressure vessel as well as means for removing the reactants and/or the residual products. The residual products may preferably be removed from the base of the pressure chamber. Inside the pressure vessel a mesh cathode screen is applied constituting a reaction platform for the reduction of the water to hydrogen. Preferably, the mesh screen consists of platinised titanium. Preferably, the pressure vessel is provided with an inbuilt heat exchange system transferring and utilising the heat produced from the chemical reaction. The heat exchange system may operate by condensing the steam produced by the direct heating of the water in the aqueous system by the reaction. A separate heating system may be used to initially increase the temperature of the water and the chemical compounds in the pressure vessel in order to initiate and decrease the initial reaction time of the chemical process. In a certain preferred embodiment of the invention, it may be possible to make the hydrogen production be self regulating. As a complement, or alternatively, the supply of water and reactants and the heating and/or the heat exchange system may be used for controlling the hydrogen production and the rate of the exothermic chemical reaction. As a complement, or as an alternative, means may be built in for supply of an additional reactant exothermic enough to initiate the reaction such as magnesium. The working chambers are horizontally positioned cylinders each containing sets of two horizontally opposed pistons arranged to reciprocate in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis of each cylinder. One, two or more working chambers with its associated sets of pistons can be used. The sets of two pistons define a common working chamber there between. At least one inlet port is located adjacent to one end of each cylinder communicating with each working chamber. One exhaust port for discharge of scavenging air is located at the other end of each cylinder. The device includes means for supply of scavenging air at high pressure to each working chamber through the inlet port axially through the cylinder to the exhaust port in an amount sufficient to purge substantially all products of combustion from the working chamber and cool the cylinder. Multiple small external combustion chambers are fitted spaced from the working chambers but having restricted communication therewith. The hydrogen is led to the external combustion chambers from the pressure vessel and other fuels like petrol or diesel are led to the external combustion chambers from the tanks containing the respective fuel. The device is equipped with means for injecting the selected fuel into the external combustion chambers and means for igniting the fuel. The supply of fuel and the ignition are preferably controlled by a microcomputer. A main shaft is disposed parallel to, and spaced from the longitudinal axis of each cylinder. Two axially spaced cam plates are carried by the main shaft for rotation therewith. The cam plates are interconnected with the pistons so that reciprocation of the pistons imparts rotary motion to the main shaft and vice versa. A stratified charge in each external combustion chamber is obtained by injecting the air/fuel mix at the end where the ignition system is placed and fresh air at the other end of the external combustion chamber adjacent to the working chamber. Fresh air - generated by a blower during the scavenging process - is divided into two parts ("the divided air flow"). One part of the air is injected into the working chamber during the scavenging while the other part is lead to the ignition system supplying air for the fuel/air mixture.

Since the working chamber is connected to the external combustion chambers via the "flame opening" the fresh air of the working chamber is used for stratification of the charge in the external combustion chambers. In a second embodiment of the invention the pressure chamber may be placed adjacent to the working chamber. In a third embodiment of the invention the pressure vessel may be entirely separated from the working chambers and their associated parts. The pressure vessel may then be placed at another location. Other modes for carrying out the invention are also incorporated. That may include a design of the combustion part of the device without cam plates but with crank shafts or a combustion part equal to a conventional Otto engine, a turbine etc.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTION OF THE INVENTION AND ITS ADVANTAGES In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is built up of a vessel containing one pressure chamber and one or several working chambers, which are kept separate from the pressure vessel. One tank containing water, being one of the sources of energy, and other tanks containing petrol or diesel or other carbon based fuels being other sources of energy, are part of the invention and placed adjacent to the main vessel. The pressure vessel is used for the production of hydrogen from water through a reduction process where residual products are generated. Hydrogen is generated in, and sourced from, the pressure vessel and/or carbon based fuels are sourced from the tanks containing these fuels, depending on what fuel is selected, to multiple combustion chambers, which are heating the gases contained in one or several working chambers containing pairs of horizontally opposed pistons. The expanding air is working on the pistons resulting in a reciprocal movement of the pistons, which is transferred to rotary movement via cam plates positioned at each end of a horizontal axis. A heat exchange system is applied to the pressure vessel enabling the heat energy generated in the pressure chamber be utilised. The pressure vessel contains water, which is used as a source for production of hydrogen via an inorganic chemical process, in which combinations of inorganic input elements are used in a reduction process, where water is reduced to hydrogen and residual products are generated. Both freshwater and saltwater could be used. Using saltwater would result in the production of insoluble magnesium salts as a useful byproduct. The pressure vessel functions chemically as an alkaline cell where hydrogen evolution takes place on a supporting inert mesh cathode screen providing electrons for the reduction of the water. In the first embodiment the chemical input elements are selected so that the reductant is a hydride or a hydroxide in combination with an amphoteric element. One alternative is characterised in that the reductant is sodium hydride in combination with zinc forming the residual product zincate resulting in the following reaction:

Zn + 2 NaH + 2 H₂O - Na₂ZnO₂ + 3 H₂

A second alternative is characterised in that the reductant is sodium hydroxide in combination with aluminium forming the residual product sodium aluminate resulting in the following reaction:

Al + NaOH + H₂O -» NaAlO₂ + 1 ^lA H₂ In a third alternative the reductant is iron and the residual product is Fe₂O₃ and/or

Fe₃O₄ characterised in that the reaction is:

2 Fe + 3 H₂O - Fe₂O₃ + 3 H₂ and/or

3 Fe + 4 H₂O -> Fe₃O + 4 H₂, respectively. Other alternatives would include hypophosphorous acid or dithionite or a metal organic complex capable of changing configuration to release one or more electrons in a realisation of an increased co-ordination number. The chemical reactions described above may be slow if not special means are introduced for increasing the reaction rate. The reaction kinetics is improved at increased temperatures wherefore an appliance for heating the water could be used for increasing the reaction rate. This may be needed when input elements are selected, which are^" not exothermic enough to initiate or maintain the reactions once initiated. Another way of initiating the reaction is to introduce a second additional amphoteric element less noble than the first amphoteric element, which is placed on the platinised cathode net together with the first amphoteric element, whereby the second amphoteric element is selected so that it starts the reduction of water producing hydrogen and exothermic heat, which will initiate the oxidation of the first amphoteric element once the second amphoteric element has reacted. A preferred second amphoteric element would be magnesium reacting in accordance with the following chemical reaction:

Mg + 2 OH^" - Mg(OH)₂ + 2 e^" The re-circulated cooling water in the heat exchanger may be used to replenish the water used up in the production of hydrogen, thus keeping the reaction temperature high enough to ensure a continuing vigorous reaction. The pressure vessel with its peripherals would be configured such that the hydrogen produced can build up to a pressure enabling it to force the aqueous components out of contact with the reactive solid components and into the water tank or another separate holding reservoir, thereby resulting in a reduction of hydrogen and heat production. In this way the generator can be made self regulating - hydrogen is produced while the aqueous components are in contact with the reactive solids, but as the hydrogen is produced, the aqueous components are forced away from the solids by pressurised hydrogen, thereby resulting in a reduction in hydrogen production. When hydrogen is drawn off, the pressure is released, allowing aqueous components to come back into contact with the solids and causing the reaction to commence. The self regulating feature is a clear advantage making the entire device secure. Together with the design advantages of the expansion chamber with its associated parts making in relation to the use of hydrogen the device has unparalleled advantages for the use with hydrogen. Another most important feature is the reversibility of the chemical process in that the residual products may be converted to the input products. The residual product having a lower energy level than the reductant may be recharged to the higher energy level of the input reactant making it a re-chargeable energy carrier containing the energy neede^'d to release the hydrogen from the water. For example the residual product NaAlO₂ in the second example can be converted back to pure Al₂O₃ . 3H2O, which can in turn be converted to alumina and back to aluminium by cathodic reduction. Soluble salts from amphoteric elements may be regenerated to input reactants by electro deposition from aqueous solutions. The residual product of the third alternative Fe₂O₃ and/or Fe₃O₄ may be brought back to Fe by melt electrolysis. The preferred design offers several advantages when run on petrol and diesel. The possibility of gaining full control of the piston motion through the design of the cam plate offers both efficiency and emission advantages. In a conventional Otto engine the maximum energy of the fuel is released when the piston is dwelling at TDC. The preferred design enables the dwell time at TDC to be minimised resulting in less heat losses and a higher thermal efficiency. Reduced heat losses help reducing the critical temperature when NOx emissions are generated. Using multiple external combustion chambers enables the energy that is stored in the fuel to be released much faster to the air in the compression chambers. The decreased burn time helps minimising the time when the high temperatures generating NOx is prevailing. The effective stratification of the fuel/air charge allows the device to operate on a very lean mixture. The surplus oxygen atoms, not required for combustion, ensure the carbon monoxide molecules are oxidised to carbon dioxide. A complete combustion is also a key to reducing the hydro carbon emissions.

Claims

THE CLAIMS OF THE INVENTION

1. A combustion device for transforming energy stored in substances, supplied to the device, into kinetic and/or heat energy, characterised in that, a) water or a water based solution is used as a substance, or b) water or a water based solution and carbon based fuels are alternatively, or in parallel, used as substances,

10 where hydrogen is derived from the water and where the hydrogen and/or the carbon based fuels are led to one or several external combustion chambers, in which the fuel is combusted,

'5 c) for the purpose of heating gases contained in one or several adjacent working chambers having restricted communication with the external combustion chambers, whereby gases contained in the working chambers are expanding causing either reciprocal or rotary movement of one or several units contained inside, or outside adjacent to, the working chambers,

²0 and/or d) for the purpose of generating heat.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that hydrogen is derived from the water,

25 a) via an inorganic chemical process, in which combinations of inorganic input elements are used in a reduction process, where water is reduced to hydrogen and residual products are generated, and/or 30 b) via dissociation of water using pulsed frequencies.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 , characterised in that the gases are air and/or steam and/or traces of gases originating from the external combustion chambers.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the combustion chamber of a conventional four-stroke Otto-engine is converted into a working chamber where the expanding gases effect the pistons and associated equipment of a conventional Otto engine contained therein and where the conversion of the reciprocal movement of the pistons into rotary movement is made via a conventional crankshaft.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4, characterised in that it is a two-stroke engine.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that it comprises one or more working chambers being cylinders each one containing two opposed pistons disposed to reciprocate in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis thereof.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, characterised in that transformation of reciprocal movement into rotary movement is made via a crankshaft interconnected to each piston.

8. A device in accordance with claim 6, characterised in that it contains a main shaft disposed parallel to, and spaced from the longitudinal axis of each cylinder, on which two axially spaced cam plates are carried by the main shaft for rotation therewith and where the cam plates are interconnected with the pistons so that reciprocation of the pistons imparts rotary motion to the main shaft and vice versa.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8, characterised in that the cam plates may be designed describing a curve, which allows optimisation of the piston movements in view of efficiency and emissions.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9, characterised in that the dwell time at Top Dead Center (TDC) is being minimised in order to minimise heat losses and the dwell time at Bottom Dead Center (BDC) is being considerably longer than the dwell time at TDC and long enough to allow for an effective scavenging.

1 1. A device in accordance with any preceding claim, characterised in that a stratified charge is obtained in one or several of the external combustion chambers by a divided air flow in that the air/fuel mix is injected at the end of the external combustion chamber where the ignition system is placed and fresh air at the other end of the external combustion chamber adjacent to the working chamber.

12. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the carbon based fuels are petrol and/or diesel.

13. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the expanding gases are led out from the expansion chamber causing rotation of one or several wheels placed outside the working chamber where the wheel is a turbine wheel where the rotary movement is generated in the same fashion as in a gas turbine or a steam turbine.

14. A device in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the combinations of the inorganic input elements are selected from hydrides, amphoteric elements, electropositive elements in groups one and two of the periodic table, chelated transition elements, oxyacids of phosphorous and oxyacids of sulphur.

15. A device in accordance with claim 14, characterised in that chemical reactions take place in an alkaline cell, where the reductant is a binary and/or a ternary hydride and/or a hydroxide and/or a hydroxide in combination with an amphoteric element.

16. A device in accordance with claim 15, characterised in that the amphoteric element is selected from aluminium, zinc, chromium, gallium and tin.

17. A device in accordance with claim 16, characterised in that the reductant is sodium hydride in combination with zinc forming the residual product zincate resulting in the following reaction:

Zn + 2 NaH + 2 H₂O - Na₂ZnO₂ + 3 H₂

18. A device in accordance with claim 16, characterised in that the reductant is sodium hydroxide in combination with aluminium forming the residual product sodium aluminate resulting in the following reaction: Al + NaOH + H₂O -» NaAlO₂ + 1 '/. H₂

19. A device in accordance with claim 14, characterised in that the reductant is'iron and the residual product is Fe₂O₃ and/or Fe₃O₄.

20. A device in accordance with claim 19, characterised in that the reaction is,

2 Fe + 3 H₂O -» Fe₂O₃ + 3 H₂ and/or 3 Fe + 4 H₂O - Fe₃O₄ + 4 H₂, respectively.

21. A device in accordance with any preceding claim, characterised in that the reaction kinetics are improved, resulting in an increased reaction rate, by the use \ ~J-^fl a i n appliance for heating the water for the purpose of, a) initiating the reaction, where input elements are selected, which are not exothermic enough to initiate the reactions but that are exothermic enough to maintain the reactions once initiated. b) initiating and sustaining the chemical reaction where input elements are selected , which are not exothermic enough to neither initiate nor maintain the reactions.

22. A device in accordance with claim 14, characterised in that the amphoteric element (the first amphoteric element), is placed on a platinised cathode net, where the hydrogen evolution takes place and wherein a second amphoteric element less noble than the first amphoteric element is selected, which is also placed on the platinised cathode net, whereby the second amphoteric element is selected so that it starts the reduction of water producing hydrogen and exothermic heat, which will initiate the oxidation of the first amphoteric element once the second amphoteric element has reacted.

23. A device according to claim 21, characterised in that the second amphoteric element is magnesium reacting in accordance with the following chemical reaction:

Mg + 2 OH^" -> Mg(OH)₂ + 2 e^*

24. A device in accordance with claim 14, characterised in that the reductant. is hypophosphorous acid or dithionite or a metal organic complex capable of changing configuration to release one or more electrons in a realisation of an increased co-ordination number.

25. A device in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the water is seawater resulting in the production of insoluble magnesium salts as useful products.

26. A device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the gases led into the compression chambers are constituted of high pressure stream, partly or entirely, generated from the process where hydrogen is derived from the water.