APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING ENERGY USING A STREAM OF LIQUID ALKALI METAL
First Claim
1. An apparatus for producing energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a feeder module that conveys a stream of liquid alkali metal to a reaction chamber containing water, the liquid alkali metal and the water interacting in the reaction chamber;
a first electrode that is in electrical communication with the stream of liquid alkali metal;
a second electrode that is in electrical communication with the water in the reaction chamber; and
a terminal coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for capturing electrical energy from a process designed for producing hydrogen. An electrode is placed within a stream of liquid alkali metal that flows through a titration module and interacts with water to produce, among other byproducts, hydrogen. Another electrode is placed within a reaction chamber that houses the water. The electrodes can then be coupled to a terminal, and during the hydrogen generation process (when the liquid alkali metal and water interact) the stream of liquid alkali metal acts as an anode and the electrode in the water as a cathode. Current flows, and energy is captured and made available as electrical energy at the terminal, which can be connected to electrical loads. The terminal may be connected with the terminal of a fuel cell that is consuming the hydrogen that is being produced, thus providing additional voltage and/or current.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for producing energy, the apparatus comprising:
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a feeder module that conveys a stream of liquid alkali metal to a reaction chamber containing water, the liquid alkali metal and the water interacting in the reaction chamber; a first electrode that is in electrical communication with the stream of liquid alkali metal; a second electrode that is in electrical communication with the water in the reaction chamber; and a terminal coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for producing energy, the system comprising:
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a reaction chamber that retains water at a level sufficient to react an alkali metal with the water; a heating module that heats the alkali metal to a temperature above a melting point of the alkali metal, wherein the alkali metal is converted to a liquid form; a titration module that separates the liquid alkali metal into alkali metal droplets, the alkali metal droplets separated at a distance selected to avoid re-association of the alkali metal droplets, the titration module controlling a size of the alkali metal droplets such that the alkali metal droplets completely react with the water before the alkali metal droplets reach a surface of the water; a feeder module that conveys the alkali metal to the reaction chamber at a rate selected to control the reaction of the liquid alkali metal with the water; a first electrode situated within the liquid alkali metal; a second electrode situated within the water in the reaction chamber; a terminal coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode; and a fuel cell that uses hydrogen gas created in the reaction chamber as a fuel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for producing energy, the method comprising:
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conveying a stream of liquid alkali metal to a reaction chamber, the liquid alkali metal interacting with water in the reaction chamber; situating a first electrode within the stream of liquid alkali metal such that the first electrode is in electrical communication with the stream of liquid alkali metal; situating a second electrode within the water in the reaction chamber such that the second electrode is in electrical communication with the water; and coupling a terminal to the first electrode and to the second electrode.
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Specification