Hydrogen producing apparatus utilizing excess heat from an industrial facility

• US 20060275894A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harry R. Diz, Justin Felder, Mitchell S. Felder
• Original Assignee: Harry R. Diz, Justin Felder, Mitchell S. Felder
• Inventors: Felder, Mitchell S., Felder, Justin, Diz, Harry R.
• Application Number:
  US11/444,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20060275894A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/289.100
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/04 for producing gas, e.g. biogas digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/26 of pH
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/28 of redox potential
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/20 Heating; Cooling heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/18 Gas cleaning, e.g. scrubbers; Separation of different gases separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00; separation of gases or vapours B01D53/00; gas washing apparatus for laboratory uses B01L5/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

The present invention provides a hydrogen production apparatus, where a bioreactor is combined with an industrial facility such that the industrial facility heats an organic feed material prior to conveyance of the organic feed material into the bioreactor. The apparatus includes a bioreactor, a feed container, a heating means such as a heat exchanger and an industrial facility with a heat waste source.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing hydrogen from an organic feed material comprising:

a bioreactor adapted to receive therein the organic feed material to produce the hydrogen from microorganisms metabolizing the organic feed material,

means for heating the organic feed material before it is introduced into the bioreactor, wherein methanogens in the organic feed material are substantially killed or deactivated, and

means for removing the hydrogen from the bioreactor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means is a heat exchanger associated with a heat waste source.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a gas/liquid heat exchanger and a liquid/liquid heat exchanger.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, including a container for holding the organic feed material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the container is selected from the group consisting of a reservoir or an equalization tank.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, including treatment means for treating the organic feed material.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, including a pump in combination with a passage to provide a controlled flow of the organic feed material.

7. The apparatus of claim 7, including an electronic controller having at least one microprocessor adapted to process signals from a one or a plurality of devices providing water parameter information, wherein the electronic controller is connected to the at least one actuatable terminal and is arranged to control the operation of the heat exchanger and the temperature of any contents therein.

9. An industrial facility that produces byproducts of an organic feed material and heat, the industrial facility being adapted to convert the organic feed material into hydrogen, the industrial facility comprising a bioreactor adapted to receive the organic feed material and to produce the hydrogen from microorganisms metabolizing the organic feed material, means for heating the organic feed material before it is introduced into the bioreactor, wherein methanogens in the organic feed material are substantially killed or deactivated, and means for removing the hydrogen from the bioreactor.

10. The industrial facility of claim 9, wherein the industrial facility includes a juice industrial facility.

11. The industrial facility of claim 9, wherein the industrial facility includes a sewage treatment plant.

12. The industrial facility of claim 9, wherein the heat is conveyed to a heat exchanger and thereafter as the means for heating the organic feed material.