Stability control of a hydrogen generating system and method

• US 10,167,563 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marine Power Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Marine Power Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Carey, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Brian W
• Application Number:
  US14/707,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20150240371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00006 Large-scale industrial plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00144 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/8926 Copper and noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/02 by wet methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0203 from inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/04 by decomposition of inorganic compounds, e.g. ammonia C01B3/0005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/02 Process control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for efficient on-demand production of H₂ and O₂ from water and heat using environmentally safe metals are disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus for hydrogen generation through water-decomposition reaction includes a main reactor, an oxidizer reactor, and a computer-control system. The computer system is configured to control each of the components of the hydrogen gas production system for stable hydrogen-gas production.

Claims

1. A device for maintaining a performance of an electric-catalytic-hydrolysis system comprising:

a. a reactor core comprising a basic solution maintained within the reactor core,

wherein the basic solution contains a hydrogen generating catalyst, wherein the hydrogen generating catalyst contains an aluminum complex, a copper complex, and a silver complex, and wherein the basic solution is maintained at a pH value below 9.5;

b. a controller to control a reaction condition such that a hydrogen generation reaction is optimized;

c. an oxidizer reactor; and

d. a light providing device in the oxidizer reactor configured to perform photolysis to regenerate the silver complex.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises maintaining the pH value of the basic solution in the reactor core below 8.5 in the reactor core.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises maintaining the pH value between 8.5 and 9.5 in the oxidizer reactor.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises increasing a regeneration rate of the hydrogen generating catalyst.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the regeneration rate of the hydrogen generating catalyst comprises a rate of converting a reacted hydrogen generating catalyst back to the hydrogen generating catalyst.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises optimizing a regeneration rate of an Ag⁰.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises optimizing an amount of Ag⁰, Ag¹⁺, Ag²⁺, Ag³⁺, or a combination thereof.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises increasing a rate of dissociating oxygen from the silver complex within the oxidizer reactor.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises increasing a rate of conversion of a hydroxide to an oxide by the silver complex within the oxidizer reactor.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises increasing a rate of dissociating a hydroxide from the copper complex within the oxidizer reactor.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein to regenerate the silver complex comprises optimizing a light providing duration, a light providing intensity, a light providing frequency, or a combination thereof through the light providing device.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises optimizing a heat providing duration, a heat providing amount, or a combination thereof through a heat providing device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein controlling a reaction condition comprises optimizing a voltage providing rate, a voltage providing amount, or a combination thereof through an electric energy providing device.