Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/06—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues
  • H01M8/0606—Combination of fuel cells with means for production of reactants or for treatment of residues with means for production of gaseous reactants
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J7/00—Apparatus for generating gases
  • B01J7/02—Apparatus for generating gases by wet methods
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
  • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen
  • C01B3/04—Production of hydrogen or of gaseous mixtures containing a substantial proportion of hydrogen by decomposition of inorganic compounds, e.g. ammonia
  • C01B3/042—Decomposition of water
  • C01B3/045—Decomposition of water in gaseous phase
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
  • C01B3/50—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification
  • C01B3/501—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification by diffusion
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F02G1/00—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants
  • F02G1/04—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type
  • F02G1/043—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/0405—Purification by membrane separation
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
  • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
  • C01B2203/0465—Composition of the impurity
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F02G2254/00—Heat inputs
  • F02G2254/10—Heat inputs by burners
  • F02G2254/11—Catalytic burners
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
  • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
  • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
  • H01M8/04097—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with recycling of the reactants
• • 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
  • 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
  • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for instantaneously generating hydrogen from water upon demand, where needed as needed.
• This inven ⁇ tion also relates to systems which include the described method and apparatus and which utilizes the generated hydrogen.
• Hydrogen also is used in the hydrogenation of organic compounds, such as oils and fats to make margarine and vegetable shortening.
• hydrogen can be used for such diverse uses as the gasification and liquification of coal, the reduction of oxides of tungsten and molybdenum to the metals, the providing of high protein foods through biosynthesis of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and in total water management programs to pasteurize pathogens.
• Hydrogen is an excellent fuel available in abundance. Water provides an undepletable supply of hydrogen. When it burns, hydrogen produces extraordin ⁇ ary quantities of heat and essentially pollution free water vapor useful once again as a source of more hydrogen.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a new energy system which produces low-cost hydrogen.
• Among the other objects of the invention is to provide hydrogen generating and utilizing systems for direct applications which serve human needs, such as commercial, industrial and home heating, propulsion for land, marine and aerospace vehicles, and the gener ⁇ ation of electricity by utilities, by commercial and industrial enterprises, as well as by the homeowner.
• a hydrogen generating system including a plurality of reaction zones which contain catalyst and which are maintained at elevated temperatures. Steam (or water) is adapted to be conveyed to each catalyst containing zone, wherein hydrogen is generated from the steam (or water) , and wherein the generated hydrogen is conveyed from the zone ready for use upon demand, where needed, as needed.
• the invention includes forming adjacent
• the zones in the reactor can be in the form of longitudinal 5 bores or tubes which extend along the length of the re ⁇ actor about a heat generating chamber.
• At least one end of the reactor includes transverse and radial passages, adapted to interconnect the longitudinal zones with each other, with the surrounding atmosphere and with the source for _0 steam, all to maximize the generation of hydrogen by pro ⁇ viding a reactor of maximum flexibility.
• hydrogen is generated by the invention because of the interaction of the high tempera ⁇ tures and the catalyst upon the steam (or water) .
• the steam (or water) bepomes super heated steam which tends to disassociate in the presence of the catalyst, to produce hydrogen gas.
• hydrogen is produced from water which is instantaneously available for o use either as an essentially pollution free fuel, which, when burned, again produces water, or as a chemical wherever hydrogen is required in products or processes.
• the catalyst of the system generally, is metal- 5 lie and contains innumerable sites on its surface, which, with the elevated temperature in each zone, effect the generation of hydrogen.
• the catalyst is formed of a web-like cellular structure defined by inter ⁇ connected metal filaments comprising iron, copper, silver, 0 nickel, palladium, platinum, or iron-nickel and molybdenum.
• the catalyst becomes deactivated because of use in the present invention, it is regenerated, in situ.
• the innumerable reaction sites on a catalyst 5 surface of iron will become oxidized by the steam to produce hydrogen gas until the sites are oxidized.
• the catalyst sites become deactivated.
• a reducing agent such as hydrogen or hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof, can be used. Once reactivated, steam can be fed to such catalyst to once again generate hydrogen.
• the term “deactivation” des ⁇ cribes the condition of the catalyst when it is no longer substantially effective as a catalyst in the production of hydrogen, and the term “activated” describes the con ⁇ dition of the catalyst when it is effective in the pro ⁇ duction of substantial quantities of hydrogen.
• the gen ⁇ erating system includes control means, responsive to the deactivation of the catalyst, adapted to halt the supply of steam to the zone containing such catalyst and to provide a catalyst regeneration agent which, once again, activates the catalyst.
• control means are adapted to reverse the process by halting the supply of the regenerating agent and by supplying steam to the reaction zone for the generation of hydrogen.
• a conduit system at each end of the reactor and connected to the zones or tubes conveys fluid to and from the reactor.
• a control conduit circuit selectively provides to the tubes or zones steam from a steam generator for- the production of hydrogen and a reducing agent, such as hydrogen or hydrocarbon, to the tubes for the reactiva ⁇ tion of the catalyst.
• the conduit system conveys fluids from the reactor, includ ⁇ ing the hydrogen generated within the reactor.
• OMPI OMPI
• the control conduit circuit con- currently provides steam to each tube containing active catalyst and a reducing agent, such as hydrogen, to each tube containing deactivated catalyst.
• a reducing agent such as hydrogen
• the elevated tempera ⁇ tures and catalyst decompose the steam to produce hydro- gen gas.
• This reaction is endothermic in nature because the heat is absorbed by the reaction.
• the reducing agent reacts with the oxidized catalyst to remove the oxygen from the catalyst surface to thereby regenerate or reactivate the catalyst.
• This reaction produces water and is exothermic in nature because heat is generated by the reaction.
• the exothermic heat is used to increase the production of hydrogen by further elevat- ing the temperatures in a juxtaposed- hydrogen generating " - zone.
• the steam can be supplied to one zone while nothing is supplied to the adjacent zone.
• concurrent opera ⁇ tion can be commenced. For example, when there are eight zones positioned circumferentially about the heat generat ⁇ ing chamber, initially steam can" e supplied to every other zone (a set of four zones) . Once the catalyst in such every other zone becomes deactivated-, then concurrent operations are commenced so that the exothermic reactivat ⁇ ing reaction occurs in such every other zone while the endothermic hydrogen reaction occurs in the alternate adjacent zones (a second set of four zones) with the aid of the exothermic heat. . ⁇ " ftjRE.J ⁇
• means are provided at the other end (downstream) of the reaction zones which can deter ⁇ mine when the tubes are no longer producing hydrogen because of deactivation of the catalyst.
• the control conduit circuit can cease providing steam to the non-productive tubes and begin providing the hydrogen or hydrocarbons to such tubes to reactivate them.
• the means will determine that regnerating hydrogen is being con- veyed through that tube so that the control conduit circuit can reverse the described procedure and begin to supply steam to the reactivated catalyst.
• the con ⁇ duit system can continuously supply steam to each re ⁇ actor tube and continuously convey the generated hydrogen therefrom.
• the generat ⁇ ing system can include downstream cooling means for re ⁇ ducing the temperature of hydrogen and other fluids con ⁇ veyed from the reactor. In doing so meaningful reforma- tion of the hydrogen and oxygen to form water is prohibited and the temperature of the fluids is reduced to make them easier to handle by components ofthe system which separate and collect fluids, as hereafter described in more detail.
• the method and apparatus of the present invention can be included in systems which utilize hydrogen to form chemical products and in chemical processes, as well as in systems which use hydrogen as a fuel for such diverse applications as heating, propulsion and electricity.
• FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one .embodi ⁇ ment of the invention.
• FIGURE 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, wherein- structure of several components of the system have been partially broken away to show details thereof.
• FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the up ⁇ stream end of the reactor.
• FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the down ⁇ stream end of the reactor, taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1.
• FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tube of the reactor containing one embodiment of the catalyst system of the invention.
• FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tube of the reactor containing another embodiment of the catalyst system of the invention.
• FIGURE 7 is a magnified view of a portion of the catalyst of either Figures 5 or 6.
• FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tube of the reactor containing still another embodiment of the catalyst system of the invention.
• FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tube of the reactor containing still another embodi ⁇ ment of the catalyst system of the invention.
• FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a tube of the reactor containing still another em ⁇ bodiment of the catalyst system of the invention.
• FIGURE 11 is an end view of the upstream end of the reactor of the hydrogen generating system.
• FIGURE 12 is an end view of the downstream end of the cooling means of the hydrogen generating system.
• FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view of the cooling means of the hydrogen generating system taken along the lines 13-13 of Figure 12.
• FIGURE 14 is a planar view, diagrammatically illustrating the interrelationship between the compon ⁇ ents and operation of the system shown in Figures 1-2, and includes metering devices at the upstream end at each of the reaction tubes.
• FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a hydrogen generating system of the pres ⁇ ent invention.
• FIGURE 16 is a cross-sectional view of the reactor of Figure 15, taken along the lines 16-16, wherein a second set of transverse passages are shown for interconnection of the illustrated reactor tubes.
• FIGURE 17 is a planar view, diagrammatically illustrating the interrelationship between the components and operation of the system shown in Figure 15.
• FIGURE 18 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the hydrogen generating system of the pres ⁇ ent invention.
• FIGURE 19 is a planar view, diagrammatically illustrating the interrelationship between the components and operation of the system shown in Figure 18 wherein the steam is fed into the catalyst in each of the reactor tubes.
• FIGURE 20 is a planar view also diagrammatically illustrating the interrelationship between the components and operation of the system as shown in Figure 18 wherein the steam is fed about the catalyst in each of the re- actor tubes.
• FIGURE 21 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showning the energy system producing hydrogen fuel for a boiler.
• FIGURE 22 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing the energy system of the invention for producing hydrogen fuel for a turbine.
• FIGURE 23 is a side view showing the system of the invention producing hydrogen fuel for a four cycle internal combustion engine.
• FIGURE 24 is a side view showing the system of the invention producing hydrogen fuel for the Wankel engine.
• FIGURE 25 is a front view, partially broken away, of a Stirling cycle engine which includes the hydro- gen generating system.
• FIGURE 26 is a planar view, diagrammatically illustrating the reactor of the present invention for the Stirling cycle engine shown in Figure 25.
• FIGURE 27 is a side view, diagrammatically illustrating the system of the invention for producing hydrogen fuel for a fuel cell which generates electricity.
• FIGURES 1-14 Referring first to Figures -1.-2., there Is shown a preferred embodiment of the system 10 of the invention for producing hydrogen from water upon demand, where needed, as needed.
• the system 10 includes a cylindrical reactor 12 about.which is a cylindrical boiler or steam generator 14 in which steam is generated for the reactor 12.
• the reactor 12 has a heat generating chamber 16 disposed centrally of a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced zones in the form of eight bores or tubes 18a-h having a catalyst 20 in each tube.
• a network of conduits conveys fluids to and from the reactor 12 and boiler 14.
• the steam generator or boiler 14 includes an annular chamber 32 which extends the length thereof for receiving water and generating steam for the reactor 12. Extending through the boiler 14 is a central opening 34 for slidably fitting the boiler 14 about the central portion of the reactor 12 where it is secured thereto by flanges 36.
• a conduit 38 is connected into the lower por ⁇ tion of the chamber 32 for conveying water from a source (not shown) to the boiler 14 through a control valve 40.
• a conduit 42 is connected into the upper portion of the chamber 32 for conveying steam to the reactor 12.
• the boiler 14 includes a pressure relief valve 41, a pressure gauge 43, and a sight glass assembly 45 with an upper valve 47 to monitor the level of the water in the boiler and with a valve 49 for drainage.
• REACTOR REACTOR
• the cylindrical reactor 12 is integral being formed of a solid piece of metal with a large longitudinal central bore therethrough which forms the heat generating chamber 16 and with eight smaller longi ⁇ tudinal bores therethrough circumferentially positioned about the chamber 16 which form equidistant reaction zones or tubes 18a-h.
• a burner 44 is positioned within the upstream portion of the chamber 16 to provide heat from combustion derived from the fuel that issues from the burner 44. This heat is sufficient to generate steam from water in the boiler 14 and to facilitate and cause the reactions within. the zones or tubes 18a-h for the generation of hydrogen.
• the burner 44 is positioned within chamber 16 so that the flame therefrom contacts the portion of the tubes 18a-h which contain three catalyst 20.
• the heat source required for the system of the invention can be provided by rejected waste heat, or other suitable sources.
• Extending from the chamber 16 is an exhaust conduit 45 for conveying the exhaust from the system.
• Each transverse bore extends between two longitudinal tubes, e.g., upstream trans ⁇ verse bore 22a interconnects the upstream ends of longi- tudinal bores 18a and b while downstream transverse bore
• OMP 24a interconnects the downstream ends of the same tubes 18a and b.
• additional upstream and downstream transverse bores 23a, b, c and d, and 25a, b, c and d ex ⁇ tend from one of each of the interconnected pairs of the longitudinal bores, i.e., 18a, c, e, g, at the upstream and downstream ends thereof through the outer reactor wall.
• the transverse bores e.g., upstream bores 22a, 23a, etc., downstream bores 24a, 25a, etc.
• the outer access bores e.g., 23a and 25a being of greater breadth.
• the reactor 12 includes the radial bores 26a-h and 28a-h which extend radially outward from each tube 18a-h at the end thereof, upstream and downstream- respectively, through the outer wall of the reactor 12.
• the longi ⁇ tudinal tubes 18a-h are interconnected in pairs by trans ⁇ verse bores 22a-d and 24a-d; are connected to surrounding atmosphere by both the transverse access bores 23a-d and
• each of these bores and passages have threaded portions for the receipt of correspondingly threaded plugs 29 having slotted heads for such purposes.
• these plugs 29 may be removed - or -the--passage -- of steam between adjacent tubes, e.g., tubes 18a, 18b, etc. , for the passage of steam through one or more radial bores, e.g., 26a or 28a, etc., for drainage of the tubes 18a-h through the same radial bores, or for access to the interconnecting transverse bores, e.g., upstream transverse bore 22a via bore 23a, etc.
• all the plugs 29 are in place so that pairs of tubes are not interconnected, e.g., 18a is not connected to 18b via upstream trans ⁇ verse bore 22a, and the tubes are not open to atmosphere such as by radial bores 26a-h.
• catalyst systems 20 of the invention for facilitating and causing the separa- tion of water vapor into hydrogen and oxygen.
• the catalyst 20 in the form of a spirally wound sheet 46 positioned within the tubes 18a-h between two hollow end caps 48 held together by wire 50 to form a cartridge slidably mounted within each tube 18.
• Each cap 48 has a hollow sleeve 54 having holes 56 drilled therethrough for the wire 50 and from which a hollow plug 58 extends inwardly for abutment against the spirally wound catalyst 20.
• the catalyst 20 is cut from the sheet 46 into a number of discs 60 juxtaposed between the porous end caps 48 and held together by the wire 50 to form the slidably mounted cartridge.
• the catalyst preferably is formed from a powdered metal product defining a web-like, three dimensional, cellular structure in which the metal pro- vides a network of interconnected metal filaments with interconnected, asymmetrical spaces or cells therebetween.
• the metal provides large surface areas which are reactive sites.
• the metals which can be used for the catalyst include iron, iron-nickel, copper and molybdenum, palladium, and platinum.
• Several of these catalysts have been made available by Foammetal Inc. of Willoughby, Ohio, under the designation foametal, and are described in its 1974 brochure entitled "LOW DENSITY FOAMETAL, " * " ? A Study of Surface Area, Texture, Cell Size and Filament Diameters".
• porous catalyst systems 20 provide countless sites, which, with elevated temperatures, cause the steam to disassociate to form hydrogen gas.
• the catalyst reacts with the steam, e.g. , a catalyst formed of iron
• the countless sites are oxi ⁇ dized to produce an oxidized metal surface and hydrogen gas.
• the decomposition of the steam passing therethrough will continue until the metal essentially becomes coated with oxygen at which time the catalyst becomes deactivated.
• hydrogen can be fed through the tubes 18a-h into contact with the catalys 20 where the hydrogen reacts with the oxygen on the metal surface to form water vapor and a free metal surface.
• decomposition of the water to provide freed hydrogen occurs with the iron catalyst system 20 in one tube 18, e.g., 18a, while oxygen is removed from the iron catalyst system 20 in the adjacent tube 18, e.g. , 18b.
• the heat of the exothermic reaction which occurs in the tube 18 where oxygen is removed from the catalyst 20, is used to increase the oxidation of the catalyst 20 in the adjacent tube 18 which produces hy- drogen gas from steam.
• the catalyst causes disassociation with ⁇ out reacting with the steam
• the steam e.g. , a platinum type catalyst
• the water disassociates to form hydrogen and oxygen gases.
• the catalyst will not become deactivated under normal operating conditions so that hydrogen gas can be produced in all the reactor tubes, e.g., 18a-h.
• the catalysts are formed from the platinum type metals and alloys of Group VIIIB elements, and particularly platinum and palladium metals and alloys. These platinum type catalysts are sufficiently porous so as to allow the permeation or diffusion of hydrogen therethrough while prohibiting the passage of water vapor and oxygen. These catalysts form a web-like cellular structure defined by inter ⁇ connected platinum type metal filaments which prohibit the passage of the larger water vapor molecules and oxy ⁇ gen, but which permit the smaller hydrogen atoms to pass therethrough. Moreover, the platinum type metal catalysts of the invention are essentially self-sustaining under normal operating conditions. They do not become readily deactivated. They can remain active for extremely long periods of time.
• the catalyst systems 20 include a conduit 62 which extends through the cat ⁇ alyst and which is slidably and removably secured and positioned within a reactor tube 18.
• the conduit 62 has a central portion 64 about which the catalyst 20 is mounted and through which the diffused hydrogen can pass.
• a support ⁇ ing and metering disk 66 ( Figure 8) having a slip fit with respect to the conduit 62 and having a sliding fit with respect to the reactor tube 18.
• a plurality of U-shaped grooves 68 for directing and metering the passage of steam down ⁇ stream about the catalyst into the space between the walls of the tube 18 and the outer periphery of the catalyst 20.
• conduit 62 (downstream) , which also extends from the catalyst 20, there is a plug 70 welded to the conduit that is threaded for reception by a correspondingly threaded end of the reactor tube 18 for positioning and securing the catalyst system 20 in a gas tight relationship in the reactor 12.
• the hydrogen porous platinum type metal catalyst 20 is in the form of a plurality superimposed tubes 72 where the openings in each tube generally are non-aligned or asymmetrical to facilitate the separation of the generated hydrogen from the other fluids in the reactor tubes 18.
• the openings in each tube generally are non-aligned or asymmetrical to facilitate the separation of the generated hydrogen from the other fluids in the reactor tubes 18.
• there are two such superimposed hexagonally- shaped tubes 72 which are fused together and which have ends 74 that are tapered inwardly to the conduit 62 to contain the diffused hydrogen.
• the already described catalyst 20 is in the form of a multi-layered spiral wound material bonded together to form a contin- uous maze of increased surface area for diffusion of hydrogen.
• the des ⁇ cribed catalyst is multi-layered with a central core 76 from which extend a plurality of radial webs or wings 78 along a length thereof to provide the increased sur ⁇ face area.
• the catalyst 20 is X-shaped with four radially extending webs 78.
• the central portion 64 of the conduit 62 can be made of a hydrogen permeable metal, such as the platinum type metals (see Figure 9) .
• the ends of the conduit 62 are formed from an inert non-diffusable metal, such as stainless steel, welded to the central porous portion 64.
• the conduit 62 of the catalyst system 20 also can have perforations 80 in the central portion 64 thereof for the reception and passage of diffused hydrogen.
• the entire con ⁇ duit 62 can be made from stainless steel or other inert, non diffusable metals.
• each conduit 62 is closed (upstream) so that the incoming steam cannot flow directly into the conduit 62. Instead it flows about the catalyst 20 as has been described.
• the steam can be fed into conduit 62 and the hydrogen can diffuse through the hydrogen permeable central portion 64 and catalyst 20 into the reactor tube 18, while the remaining fluids pass downstream through the conduit 62.
• the system 30 conveys fluids to and from the reactor 12 by upstream manifolds 96 and 98 and downstream conduits lOOa-h, and controls the flow of fluids through the reactor 12 by a control circuit 102 connected to the upstream manifolds 96 and 98.
• each manifold has a circular conduit and four spoke or branch like conduits which extend therefrom and which are connected to four tubes 18.
• the upstream manifold 96 has a circular conduit 104 and four inwardly extending L-shaped curved conduits 106, 108, 110 and 112 threadably and removably connected to longitudinal bores 18a, c, e and g in a fluid tight relationship (See Figures 1, 2 and 11) ; and
• the upstream manifold 98 has a circular conduit 114 and four inwardly extending
• L-shaped curved conduits 116, 118, 120 and 122 threadably and removably connected to longitudinal bores 18b, d, f and h in a fluid tight relationship (See Figures 1, 2 and 11) .
• the control circuit 102 controls the flow of fluids to and through the reactor 12 by selectively pro ⁇ viding steam to produce hydrogen, and, as necessary, hydrogen to reactivate the catalyst in the tubes 18a-h.
• the tubes 18 operate in two sets of four tubes each.
• hydrogen will be generated in four tubes, e.g., 18a, c, e and g, while the catalyst 20 will be regenerated in the tubes 18b, d, f and h,between or adjacent to the first set of tubes 18a, c, e and g.
• This process will be reversed when the catalyst 20 in tubes 18a, c, e and g becomes deactivated while the catalyst 20 in tubes 18b, d, f and h has become regenerated.
• the reaction in the tubes where catalyst re ⁇ generation is occurring will provide heat which increases the amount of. hydrogen being generated from steam in adjacent tubes.
• the circuit 102 includes a rectangularly shaped loop about the boiler 14 which has four legs: two transverse legs 126 and 128, and two longitudinal legs 130 and 132.
• valves 134 and 136 Centrally connected into the transverse leg 126 is the steam conduit 42 with valves 134 and 136 on either side thereof.
• a conduit 138 Centrally connected into the transverse leg 128 is a conduit 138 which conveys a regeneration agent, such as hydrogen, from a source (not shown) for the regeneration of catalyst 20.
• valves 140 and 142 are connected into the transverse leg 128 on either side of conduit 138.
• a pressure gauge 144 Centrally connected into the longitudinal leg 130 is a pressure gauge 144 for measuring and controlling steam pressure, and a conduit 146 for selectively con ⁇ veying steam or regenerating agent to manifold 96.
• a pressure gauge 148 Simi ⁇ larly centrally connected into the longitudinal leg 132-- is a pressure gauge 148 also for measuring and controlling steam pressure, and a conduit 150 for selectively convey ⁇ ing steam or regenerating agent to manifold 98.
• the steam supplied to the reaction tubes 18a-h can be at a controlled pressure of about 3 p.s.i.g.
• conduits lOOa-h Downstream of the reactor are the conduits lOOa-h connected in fluid tight relationship to the downstream end of the tubes 18a-h for conveying fluids, generated hydrogen, oxygen and water vapor therefrom. From these conduits lOOa-h the fluids are conveyed into a temperature reducing means 152 where the fluids are collected and cooled. From the temperature reducing means 152, a pair of conduits 154 and 156 convey the fluids through gas detectors 158 and 160, which measure the yield of hydrogen, and into separators 162 and 164, where the fluids are separated with the hydrogen being conveyed to the collectors 166 and 168 and the other fluids being conveyed to collectors or separators 170 and 172.
• the temperature reducing means 152 lowers the temperatures of the fluids to increase the yield of hy ⁇ drogen. Cooling prevents the gases formed from the steam, hydrogen and oxygen, from reforming into water vapor or water. The reduction in temperature also makes the fluids easier to handle downstream.
• the temperature reducing means 152 is a water cooled heat exchanger or quencher having a shell which includes a chamber 176 formed by a cylindrical housing 178 and upstream and downstream end plates 180 and 182 welded to the inner periphery at the upstream and down ⁇ stream ends of the housing 178.
• the cylindrical housing includes a series of fins 184 to increase the surface area for cooling purposes, and the upstream and downstream end plates 180 and 182 include central openings 186 and 188 therethrough.
• the quencher 152 Positioned within the chamber 176 spaced from the housing 178 and end plates 180 and 182 for the circu ⁇ lation of a cooling medium, such as water, the quencher 152 includes manifold 190 having a central opening 192 therethrough and two outer annular chambers 194 and 196 formed by spaced annular partitions 198 and an outer two segmented cover 200 welded thereto. Extending * through the central openings 186, 188 and 192 of the end plates 180 and 182 and the manifold 190 is an inner tube 202 which is welded to the inner periphery of the end plates 180 and 182.
• the manifold 190 also includes a plurality of
• passageways 206a-h Extending from the upstream end of the mani ⁇ fold 190 there are eight passageways 206a-h therewithin: four passageways 206a, c, e and g extend into one annular chamber 194 and four passageways 206b, d, f and h extend, into the other annular chamber 196.
• downstream conduits 100a, c, e and g extend through bores 208a, c, e and h in the upsteam end plate 180 and are connected in a fluid type relation ⁇ ship into one set of passageways 206a, c, e and g while the other downstream conduits 100b, d, f and h extend through bores 208b, d, f and h in plate 180 and are connected in a fluid type relationship into the other set of passageways 206b, d, f and h.
• fluids from- he reactor-12 are conveyed through the conduits lOOa-h and into the chambers 194 and 196 via the appropriate set of passageways 206a, c, e and g or 206b, d, f and h.
• a conduit 210 is connected into the downstream end plate 182 which conveys a cooling medium such as water, from a source (not shown) into the quencher chamber 176.
• a conduit 212 is connected to the upstream end plate 180 and a reservoir (not shown).
• the cooling medium flows about the manifold 190 and through the grooves 204 and space 205 about the inner tube 202 to reduce the temperature of the reactor fluids collected in the annular chambers 194 and 196.
• the conduits 154 and 156 extend from the annular chambers 194 and 196, respec ⁇ tively, and through bores 154a and 156a in the end plates 180 and 182.
• the downstream gas detectors 158 and 160 pro ⁇ vide a control over the productivity of the reactor 12 and the reactivation of catalyst 20 in the tubes 18a-h.
• the gas detectors 158 and 160 indicate whether hydrogen is being generated within each set of four tubes 18a, c, e and g, and 18b, d, f and h.
• a gas detector 158 or 160 shows little, or no hydrogen is being con ⁇ veyed through the appropriate conduit 154 or 156, Jih ⁇ s i normally indicates that the catalyst 20 in the operatively connected tubes 18 has been deactivated.
• the sequencing of valves 134, 136, 140 and 142 in the upstream control circuit 102 then is set to provide hydroge and not steam to the appropriate set of tubes to reactivate or 0 regenerate the. catalyst.20,..therein...
• the gas indica ⁇ tors 158 and 160 are read by an operator and the valves 134, 136, 140 and 142 are set and reset manually. It is 0 within the scope of this invention to provide for automa ⁇ tic means to open and close the valves 134, 136, 140 and 142 responsive to the detection of hydrogen or other fluids in the conduits 154 and 156.
• automa ⁇ tic means can be _ electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical, or a com ⁇ bination of such means. Downstream of the quencher 152 and gas detec ⁇ tors 158 and 160, the cooled fluids are separated with the hydrogen and oxygen ready for use or collection.
• the separators 162 and 164 are those disclosed in my earlier United States Patent No. 3,967,589. Each separator 162 or 164 in ⁇ cludes a tubular housing 214 in which there is dis ⁇ posed an active microporous asymmetric membrane 216.
• the membrane 216 is a thin, selectively permeable film having a porous supporting substrate which has been rolled to form a tubular asymmetric microporous membrane.
• These membranes are sold by the Roga Division of Univer ⁇ sal Oil Products Company, 2980 Harbor Drive, San Diego, California 92101 and are described in its brochure, Mem- brane Production of Nitrogen Enriched Air For Fuel Tank Blanketing Applications, dated September 1974.
• each membrane 216 and from the downstream end of the housing 214 Extending through each membrane 216 and from the downstream end of the housing 214 is a conduit 218 having perforations 219 (Figure 14) along the length - which lies within the membrane 216. Also, extending from the downstream side of each housing 214 is a con ⁇ duit 220 which opens into space between the membrane 216 and housing 214.
• each membrane 216 is such so as to allow only hydrogen to be diffused therethrough.
• the separated hydrogen then passes through the perfora ⁇ tions 219 in each conduit 218 and is conveyed downstream ready for use.
• each housing 214 about each membrane 216 is conveyed downstream by the conduit 220 where the oxygen can be separated from the water and used as desired.
• the separated hydrogen in each conduit 218 and the oxygen and water vapor in each conduit 220 can be fed into the appropriate collectors and separators 166, 168, 170 and 172.
• valves 134, 136, 140 and 142 are closed. Water, as needed, is supplied to the boiler 14 through conduit 38 and fuel is supplied to the burner 44 and ignited, to thereby provide heat for the generation of steam and heat for the tubes 18a-h and catalysts 20 therein.
• valve 136 is opened and the steam at a controlled pressure and flow rate is supplied to a set of four tubes, ' e.g., tubes 18a, c, e and g, via the upstream conduit 146"'and manifold' 96,"'wherein “ “ ' the steam is elevated to temperatures at which it re ⁇ acts with the catalyst 20 in these tubes 18 to form hydrogen and minor amounts of water vapor and oxygen.
• valve 136 is closed and valve 140 is opened to provide hydrogen to the tubes 18a, c, e and g via upstream con ⁇ duit 146 and manifold 96 to regenerate the catalyst 20 therein.
• Concurrently valve 134 is opened to provide steam to the other set of tubes 18b, d, f and h, via the upstream conduit 150 and manifold 98, wherein the steam reacts with catalyst 20 therein to produce hydro ⁇ gen gas and minor amounts of water vapor and oxygen.
• the heat from the exothermic reaction occurring in tubes, 18b, d, f and g is used to generate hydrogen occurring in the adjacent tubes 18a, c, e and g. Also, the amount of fuel being supplied to the burner 44 can be reduced because of the heat fro ⁇ r the exothermic reaction is being used to generate hydrogen.
• the generated hydrogen and minor amounts of oxygen and water vapor are conveyed from tubes 18b, d, f and h through the conduits 100b, d, f and h into the quencher chamber 196.
• fluids, water vapor and gases are conveyed from the reactor tubes 18a, c, e and g, wherein the catalyst is being reactivated, through the downstream conduits 100a, c, e and g into the quencher chamber 194.
• the fluids- in the quencher 152 are cooled by the water flowing there- through to reduce the temperature thereof to inhibit re ⁇ formation of the gases.
• the fluids in chambers 194 and 196 are fed into the separators 162 and 164 via conduits 154 and 156 for recovering the hydrogen generated in tubes 18b, d, f and h, as well as any residual amounts of 5 hydrogen not consumed in the reaction in regenerating the catalyst 20 in tubes 18a, c, e, and g.
• hydrogen diffuses through each membrane 216 and perforations 219 in the centrally positioned conduit 218 and is conveyed into collectors 10 166 and 168 ready for use. Simultaneously the fluids which cannot permeate the membrane 216, e.g., water vapor and oxygen, pass about the membranes 216 and through the conduits 220 into the separators 170 and 172.
• the reactor 12 is about 15 inches in length and 6.15 inches in diameter, while the centrally positioned boiler 14 is about 10 Inches in diameter.
• the reactor tubes 18a-h which also are about 15 inches in length, are about 0.875 in diameter.
• the water quencher 152 is about 5.0 inches in length and about 10 inches in diameter, and the inner tube 202 has a diameter of about 3.125 inches.
• the manifold 190 has a length of about 4.0 inches, and an outer,diameter ⁇ of about 6.5 inches.
• a metering device 221 at the upstream ends of each of the tubes 18a-h is provided which controls the flow of steam and hydrogen thereinto.
• a foametal catalyst of iron Is used.
• the foametal catalyst of iron is wound in a spiral sheet 46 as shown in Figure 5 as shown in Figure 5, its length can be about 2.0 inches and its diameter can be from about 0.5 to 0.625 inches.
• the foametal catalyst of iron is the form of a series of juxtaposed discs as shown in Figure 6, each disc can be about 0.125 in thickness and the combined length of the juxtaposed discs also can be about 2.0 inches in length.
• the temperature of the steam in the reactor is raised to about 1000°F.-1800°F. , at which temperature, and with such catalysts, the steam dis- associates and hydrogen is generated.
• the required quantities of fuel for the burner 44 and the regenerating agent for the deactivated catalysts are substantially 10 less than the hydrogen generated, resulting in an effic ⁇ ient system.
• platinum type catalysts which normally do not 15 need regeneration, can be used to achieve even greater efficiencies.
• steam is fed from the steam generator 14 into the downstream end of the reactor 12 wherein the steam flows in a ser ⁇ pentine path through interconnected tubes 18a-h contain ⁇ ing platinum type-catalyst sytems 20.
• steam is conveyed to the downstream radial bore 28h of the reactor 12 by the steam conduit 42 which includes a valve 222 and pressure guage 224 that monitors and controls the pressure and ,_ flow of steam therethrough.
• a second set of trans ⁇ verse bores 24e-h in the downstream portion of the reactor 12 connect alternate pairs of longitudinal reactor tubes, i.e., 18b-c, 18d-e, 18f-g and 18h-a (See Figure 16) .
• transverse bores 24e-h also are threaded and are connected to threaded, transverse access bores 25e-h. In each- of- these bores, moreover, removable plugs 29 are provided.
• platinum type catalyst sys ⁇ tems 20, such as illustrated in Figures 8-10, can be used.
• the burner 44 or other source of heat, effects the generation of steam within the boiler 14 and the steam is fed from the boiler 14 to the reactor tubes 18a-h through the conduit 42 under a control led rate of flow and pressure, e.g., 3 p.s.i.g.
• the flow rate and pressure is ⁇ sufficient * or- passage of steam ' through the interconnected tubes 18a-h and for disassocia- tion of steam to hydrogen.
• any remaining steam and disassociated.oxygen moves in a serpentine path through the remaining steam and dis- associated oxygen moves in a serpentine path through the remaining tubes 18f-18a and transverse bores 22c-a and 24g-e for further disassociation.
• the diffused hydrogen in the conduits 62 and in the tubes 18a-h flows as indicated from the reactor 12 through the conduits lOOa-h into the quencher chamber 194.
• residual steam and disassociated oxygen in the last tube 18a are conveyed from the downstream end of the reactor 12 through reactor bore 226 into a conduit 228 connected thereinto in a fluid type relationship.
• a valve 230 in the conduit 228 regulates the flow there ⁇ through by throttling, to control, by back pressure, the pressure of the fluids within the reactor tubes 18a-h and optimize the generation of hydrogen therein.
• each of the conduits 62 of the catalyst systems 20 also can be connected at their other ends, in a fluid type relationship, with a manifold 231 which includes a control valve 232.
• this control valve 232 can be opened and closed to provide a positive or negative pressure; as- desired, for urging -hydrogen - - * ⁇ ** gas in the catalyst conduits 62 into the quencher 152 or for exhausting gases from the catalyst conduits 62 through the manifold 231.
• the cooled hydrogen gas can be fed into and through the pre ⁇ viously described separator 162 to further ensure the separation of hydrogen from any residual fluids which may have diffused through the platinum type catalyst - - along with the hydrogen.
• FIGURES 18-20 In Figure 18 there is shown an embodiment of the invention with a single upstream manifold 240 that provides steam to the tubes 18a-h for generation of hydrogen
• the system includes 5 the previously described hydrogen generating reactor 12, steam generator 14, downstream conduits lOOa-h and quencher 152.
• the steam is conveyed from the generator 14 by the conduit 42 to the top of the single upstream manifold 240 which includes a circular conduit 242 and
• conduits 244a-h threadably and removably connected to the reactor tubes 18a-h, as has been described and illustrated for the dual mani ⁇ folds 96-98 (see Figure 11).
• a conduit 246 and valve 248 are 5 provided for drainage or for conveying gases or liquids from a source (not shown) to the reactor 12.
• manifold 250 is provided to control flow and pressure in the manifold 250 and tubes 18a-h. By controlling the opening in the manifold 250 the pressure of the fluids in the tubes 18a-h can be increased or decreased for optimizing disassociation and diffusion of hydrogen through
• the hydrogen gas is conveyed from the reactor 12, through conduits lOOa-h and into quencher chamber 194.
• the cooled hydrogen gas is fed into conduit 154 and, if desired, into and through the separator 162.
• the steam from conduit 42 is fed into the conduits 62 of the catalyst system 20, wherein the hydrogen diffuses outwardly into the tubes 18a-h while the disassociated oxygen and residual steam flows through closed ended conduits 62 into the downstream manifold 250 through interconnecting radial passageways 28a-h.
• the diffused hydrogen flows about the catalyst systems 20 downstream and into the conduits lOOa-h for quenching and separation, if desired, ready for use upon demand.
• I n tne following embodiments of the invention-, - we describe illustrative overall systems which incorporate the hydrogen generating systems. -These overall systems include boilers, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, wankel engines, Stirling engines andhydrogen cells.
• FIG. 21 there is shown a boiler 300 within -which the-energy-system-1-0-of the invention is positioned.
• the boiler 300 includes an upright cylindrical tank 302 on supporting legs 304. Water is supplied to the bottom of the tank 302 by an inlet conduit 306, and steam for heating and working purposes in conveyed from the tank 302 from the outlet conduit 308 extending from the top thereof.
• OM Centrally positioned within the tank 302 is the reactor 12, in an upright position, with vertical tubes 18a-h and catalyst systems 20 about a vertical heat generating chamber 16. Extending into the chamber 16 is the burner 44 providing an air-fuel mixture to the lower portion therof. As shown, the catalyst systems 20 are in the lower portions of the tubes 18a-h and the burning air-fuel mixture from the burner 44 impinges on said portion.
• baffle 310 is centrally positioned within the chamber 16 above the burning air-fuel mixture.
• the baffle 310 is a spiral wound coil with its outer periphery secured to the outer wall 312 of the chamber 16. Any residual heat that does escape is exhausted - - ⁇ from the chamber 16 through the exhaust pipe 45.
• Compressed air for the burner nozzle 44 is pro ⁇ vided in this embodiment by a motor driven-centrifugal blower 314 having a duct 316 extending from the blower outlet 318 into the- chamber 16.
• Fuel for- the burner - - - nozzle 44 is supplied by the generated hydrogen as here ⁇ after described and by fuel lines 319 having a supply and return conduits 320 and 322 connected to a fuel pump 324, and a conduit 326 connected to a common fuel-hydrogen conduit 328.
• the common conduit 328 extends through the duct 316 to the burner 44 centrally positioned at the outlet of the duct 316 in the lower portion of the cham ⁇ ber 16.
• OMH tubes 18a-h to and through a manifold and a conduit 333 which, in turn, is connected to the common conduit 328.
• Control means check valves 334 and 336, are connected into the fuel and hydrogen conduit 326 and 333 to control the flow of fuels to the burner 44.
• the hydrogen check valve 336 is closed and the fuel check valve 334 is open.
• the fuel at the burner 44 is ignited, and with the compressed air supplied by the blower 314 throughout the operation, burns to provide heat for the generation of steam in the tank 302.
• conduit 302 has been raised and steam is being generated, it is simultaneously conveyed from the tank 302 by conduit 308 for heating and working purposes, and by conduit 330 for generating hydrogen.
• the steam in conduit 330 is fed into the lower (upstream) portion of selected- reactor • - " tubes 18, as previously described, wherein the steam at the super heated temperatures reacts with the catalyst 20 to produce hydrogen.
• the generated hydrogen is then conveyed through the upper (downstream) end of the reactor 12.
• the hydrogen check valve 336 is opened and the fuel check valve 334 can be partially or entirely closed so that hydrogen, with or without- fuel, is conveyed to the burner 44 via the common conduit 328.
• the gas turbine 400 includes an air compressor 402, a combustion chamber 404, and a turbine wheel 406 within the chamber 404, wherein the compressed air and fuel form a combustible mixture which drives the turbine wheel 406.
• the compressor 402 and turbine 406 are mounted on a common shaft 408 which extends from the gas turbine 400 and which when rotated by the turbine wheel 406, generates mechanical power useful in generating electricity.
• the reactor 12 Extending downstream from and connected to the combustion chamber 404 is the reactor 12 with its central heating chamber 16 for receiving the hot exhaust gases of combustion before they are exhausted downstream through exhaust pipe 45.
• the boiler 14 With the reactor 12 is the boiler 14 with its conduit 38 for supplying water and with its con ⁇ duit 42 for supplying steam to the reactor 12 through an upstream manifold 240.
• fuel Prior to the generation of hydrogen within the reactor 12, fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber 404 from a fuel line 412 having fuel supply and return conduits 414 and 416 connected to a fuel pump 418. Down ⁇ stream of the pump 418 the fuel line 412 is connected to a hydrogen-fuel mixer 420 from which a conduit 422 extends to the burner 44 in the chamber 404..
• a conventional starter motor 424 rotates the shaft 408 so that air is sucked in and compressed by the rotating compressor 402 and conveyed into the combustion chamber 404.
• fuel is supplied by the line 412 to the burner 44 and ignited.
• the compressed air and ignited fuel mixture burns and rotates the turbine wheel 406 to drive the shaft 408, independent of the starter motor 424, for providing the desired mechanical power.
• the gases of combustion reach temperatures within the reactor 12 to generate steam in the boiler 14 and hydrogen fuel from steam in the reactor tubes 18a-h, as. previously -- described.
• the steam is elevated to disassociation temperatures in the presence of a pre ⁇ viously described catalyst system to produce hydrogen fuel which is conveyed from a downstream manifold 410 and conduit 154 to the hydrogen-fuel mixer 420.
• the amount. ⁇ of fuel needed from the fuel line 412 is reduced or cut off by the mixer 420 and is conveyed back to the return fuel conduit 416.
• the -generated hydrogen, with or without fuel from line 412 is delivered to the burner 44 from the mixer 420 by conduit 422 to provide the combustible mixture for the combustion chamber 404.
• FIG 23 there is shown the energy system 10 being used to produce hydrogen fuel for the four cycle piston driven internal combustion engine 500 for land and marine vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, farm equip ⁇ ment and boats.
• the engine 500 is of the conventional type and includes an engine block 502 having cylinders and pistons, not shown, and a fan 504 for an air cooled radiator 506 having conduits 508 and 510 for convey- ing water to and from the engine block 502, and a con ⁇ duit 512 for providing water to the radiator 506 as needed.
• a carburetor 514 within which the air-fuel mixture is formed for driving the pistons, and a mani- fold 516 for exhausting the hot gases of combustion.
• Initially fossil fuel e.g., gasoline
• the fuel is supplied to the carburetor 514 by a fuel line 518 and a fuel pump 520.
• hydrogen is generated by-the system 10 and Is used s— a fuel for driving the engine 500.
• the system 10 includes the reactor 12 through which the ex ⁇ haust manifold 516 extends to provide heat for the pror duction of hydrogen and from which conduit 522 extends to provide generated hydrogen to the carburetor 514.
• an interconnecting conduit 524 extends from the hot water conduit 508 to a flasher-526 -connected to the anifold- 516.
• the heat from the exhaust manifold 516 generates " steam in the flasher 526, and the steam is conveyed from the flasher 526 to the reactor 12 by conduit 528.
• a valve 536 in the fuel line 518 can cut off or decrease the supply of fossil fuel, as desired.
• fossil fuels initially drive the engine until the " engine reaches-operating tem - peratures when hydrogen from the reactor 12 can be used to drive the engine 500.
• the engine 600 is of a conventional type, and includes a block 602 for the rotor and combustion chamber, not shown, a fan 604 for an air cooled radiator 606 hav ⁇ ing conduits 608 and 610 for conveying water to and from the block 602 ⁇ , a water-pump-612 in the conduit 608 for circulating the water, a carburetor 614 within which the air-fuel mixture is formed for driving the rotor, a fuel line 616 with a fuel pump 618 therein for provid ⁇ ing fossil fuel to the carburetor 614, and a manifold 620 for exhausting the hot gases of combustion.
• the hydrogen gener ⁇ ating system 10 which includes the reactor 12, the steam generator 14, the conduit 38 and valve 40 for providing water to the steam generator 14, the conduit 42 for con- 5 veying steam from the generator to the reactor 12, the water quencher 152 for cooling the hydrogen generated within the reactor 12 and conveyed thereto by the con ⁇ duits lOOa-h, and the conduit 154 for conveying the cooled hydrogen to the carburetor 614 for driving the 0 rotor of the engine 600.
• the water for the system 10 is delivered from a reservoir 622 by pump 623 connect ⁇ ed to the conduit 38. 5
• fossil fuel initially is provided to the carburetor 612 via the fuel line 616 and fuel pump
• valve 40 When the engine reaches operating temperatures the valve 40 is o opened, and the exhaust- gases -flowing through the ani- ⁇ fold 620 and through the system 10 are sufficient to generate steam within generator 14 from the water sup ⁇ plied therein and to generate hydrogen within the reactor 12 in the presence of previously described catalyst sys- 5 tern.
• the generated hydrogen is conveyed via conduits lOOa-h into the water quencher 152 where the hydrogen is collected and cooled and de ⁇ livered to the conduit 154.
• the generated hydrogen can be used to drive the rotary engine- 600- with or without fossil fuel.
• the control valves 624 and 626 in lines 154 and 616 are regulated to provide the desired quantities of hydrogen and fossil fuels.
• Stirling engines utilize a working gas, such as hydrogen or helium, in a closed system to drive pistons connected to the drive shaft of the engine.
• the working gas moves continuously back and forth between the hot space above the piston in one cylinder and the cold space beneath the piston in the next cylinder. Between these two spaces the gas passes through a heater which heats the gas, a regenerator which stores and gives off heat from the gas, and a cooler which cools the gas.
• the Stirling engine 700 includes heaters 702 which are positioned in the upper chamber 704 and which are connected between the regenera- tor 706 and upper side of-the cylinders 708. Below the regenerators 706 are coolers 710 which are connected to the opposite side of the cylinders 708 via passageways 712 (only partially shown) .
• the heat for the heater 702 is provided by the combustion of an air-fuel mixture in the upper portion of the chamber 704.
• Fuel is supplied by a fuel injector 714 connected to a fuel line 716, and air is supplied through a turbulat ⁇ r 718 which provides flow patterns-suitable for combustion.
• the hot exhaust gases from the combustion of the air-fuel mixture pass about the heater 702 so that heat is transferred to the interior working gas.
• This illustrative Stirling engine is described in greater de ⁇ tail in a brochure published by United Stirling (Sweden) AB&CO.
• the system 10 for the engine 700 is positioned within the upper chamber 704 of the engine 700, and includes the steam generator 14 in the form of a coil and the reactor 12 positioned within the generator 14. Water is supplied to the steam generating coil 14 from a water reservoir 720 by a pump 722 through the conduit 38 connected therebetween.
• the reactor 12 is in the upright position and includes ver ⁇ tical reactor tubes 18a-h.
• there are seven transverse bores at opposite ends of the tubes 18a-h transverse bores 22a-g and 24a-g) for interconnect ⁇ ing the tubes 18a-h.
• upper transverse bores 22a, c, e and g and lower transverse bores 24b, d and f are closed while the other transverse bores (upper trans ⁇ verse bores 22b, d and f and lower transverse bores 24a, c, e and g) are opened.
• valve 726 in the fuel-line- 716 is opened and the valve 728 in the conduit 154 is closed.
• fuel such as fossil fuel or other stored fuel
• the heat from the products of combustion within the upper chamber 704 concurrently heats the working gas in the heaters 702 as well as the water in the steam generator 14 and the steam in the reactor 12 by passing therearound and therethrough the generator 14 and reactor 12.
• the hydrogen and other fluids generated in the reactor 12 flow through the conduit 154 to the separa- tor 162 where only hydrogen is allowed to flow down ⁇ stream.
• valve 728 in the conduit 154 is opened and the valve 726 in the fuel line 716 can be closed or throttled.
• the valve 726 is closed, then only generated hydrogen will be supplied to the fuel injector 714 as the fuel for the combustible mix ⁇ ture.
• the valve 726 in the fuel line 716 is only throttled, then the hydrogen and the other fuel will be mixed and supplied to the fuel injector 714 as the fuel for the combustible mixture.
• the heat for the working gas for the engine 700 is used to generate hydrogen which can be used as fuel for the combustible mixture once the-engine is at-operating temperatures.
• a fuel cell electricity is generated by a chemical reaction in which the reactants are continuously fed to the cell as the reaction proceeds.
• One reactant is a fuel, such as hydrogen
• the other reactant is an oxidant, such as air or oxygen. So long as the reactants, hydrogen and oxidant, are fed-into the cell and the re- action product, water, is removed from the cell, the fuel cell generates power in the form of direct current electricity.
• the fuel cell 800 includes a housing 802 and a pair of spaced electrodes 804 and 806, such as porous nickel electrodes.
• the electrodes 804 and 806 divide the housing 802, into three chambers, 808, 810 and 812.
• the intermediate chamber 810 contains an electrolyte 814, such as potassium hydroxide, which is conveyed to and from the chamber 810 and a reservoir 816 through conduit 818.
• air or oxygen is fed to and unreacted air or oxygen is fed from the outer chamber 812 through a con ⁇ duit 820.
• Simultaneously hydrogen gas is fed to the outer and opposite chamber 808 through an upper inlet conduit 822, and the unreacted hydrogen gas is conveyed from the chamber 808 by a lower conduit 824.
• a collector 825 is provided in the con ⁇ duit 824. The direct current electricity generated within the cell 800 is conducted between the electrodes 806 and 804 and the illustrative circuit 826.
• the hydrogen gas is provided by hydrogen generating system 10 which in ⁇ cludes the reactor 12 and the steam generator 14.
• Water for the steam generator 14 is provided from a reservoir 828. Make up line 830 is connected to a source of water not shown. Pump return line Is 832. Water for the generator 14 is conveyed from -the- reservoir_, - 828 by a pump 836 through the conduit 38 and control valve 40 into the generator chamber 32.
• Heat from burner 44 raises the temperature in the reactor 12 to about 1000°F. to 2000°F., whereupon steam is generated in the generator 14
• OMPI OMPI and conveyed to the reactor 12 through the conduit 42, radial bore 28h and into tube 18h.
• the configurations of the bores within the reactor 12 is similar to that shown in Figure 17 so that the steam passes about the catalysts 20 in the reactor tubes 18h-a in a serpentine path as previously described.
• the steam disassociates into hydrogen and oxygen, and hydrogen passes through the catalysts 20 into the conduits 62, interconnecting con ⁇ duits lOOa-h and into the quencher 152.
• Pump 837 pro ⁇ vides cooling water from the reservoir 834 through the conduit 210 to a cooling chamber 176, and water is re ⁇ turned to the reservoir 834 through conduit 212.
• conduit 838 which includes control valve 840 for such purposes.
• the cooled hydrogen gas - is conveyed to the separator 162 by the conduit 154 where only hydrogen is allowed to diffuse through the membrane 216 and into conduit 218. Any residual oxygen and water passes about the membrane 216 into the conduit 220 which is connected at its other end into the reservoir 828.
• conduit 218 Downstream, the conduit 218 is connected to conduit 842.
• conduit 842 In the conduit 842 there is a pump 846 for conveying the hydrogen to both conduits 822 and 844.
• One way valves 845 in conduits 218, 824, 844 and 822 insure the flow of hydrogen in the direction indicated by the arrows.
• the hydrogen conveyed to conduit 822 enters the fuel cell chamber 808 to generate electricity while the hydrogen in. the conduit 844 is used with the pump 846 to increase the yield of hydrogen in the reactor 5 12 as will presently be described.
• the hydrogen is fed into a manifold 848 connected to the conduits 62 of the cat ⁇ alyst systems 20 in a fluid tight relationship as 0 schematically shown in Figure 27.
• the pump 846 influences the quantities of hydrogen gas diffused through the cat ⁇ alysts 20 in the reactor tubes 18a-h by creating a nega ⁇ tive pressure in the conduits 62 relative to the positive steam pressure flowing about the catalyst 20 in these-
• the generated hydrogen is used simultaneously to generate electricity in a fuel cell and to increase the yield of the generated 5 hydrogen itself.
• the hydrogen generated-by the system 10 of the invention 0 can be used as a chemical in forming products and in chemical processes.
• the generated hydrogen can be used in the manufacture of ammonia, nitrates, amines and alcohols (e.g., methanol) , as well as in the hydrogenation of organic compounds.
• the generated hy- 5 drogen also can be used in steel making and other metal industries, the gasification and liquification of coal, the recovery of shale oil, the production of protein foods, and in total water management programs.

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