Gas generator with regulated current source
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-cell gas generator assembly comprising in combination:
- a housing defining a cavity,a plurality of chambers within the cavity of said housing, each chamber defining a gas generating cell,adjacent chambers being separated by electrode plates,each chamber having inlet and outlet ports,a gas and electrolyte separating tank means for receiving an electrolyte and comprising inlet and first and second outlet port means,said first outlet port means of said tank means being connected to said inlet ports of said chamber and said outlet ports of said chambers being connected to said first inlet port means of said tank means,said second outlet port means of said tank means being positioned above the surface of electrolyte placed in said tank means for discharging gas generated from said tank means, andmeans for connecting a variable voltage power source to electrical terminals across said chambers to achieve the desired rate of gas generation in said chambers,said means comprising a current regulator incorporating a series transistor operated in a variable-resistance, current-limiting mode.
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Abstract
An improved apparatus for gas generators producing oxygen and hydrogen or oxyhydrogen gas, the apparatus comprising a solid state current limiting circuit in combination with an assembly of electrolytic cells. The current-limiting circuit replaces the variable auto-transformer commonly heretofore employed for adjusting cell current and regulates cell current.
38 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A multi-cell gas generator assembly comprising in combination:
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a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of chambers within the cavity of said housing, each chamber defining a gas generating cell, adjacent chambers being separated by electrode plates, each chamber having inlet and outlet ports, a gas and electrolyte separating tank means for receiving an electrolyte and comprising inlet and first and second outlet port means, said first outlet port means of said tank means being connected to said inlet ports of said chamber and said outlet ports of said chambers being connected to said first inlet port means of said tank means, said second outlet port means of said tank means being positioned above the surface of electrolyte placed in said tank means for discharging gas generated from said tank means, and means for connecting a variable voltage power source to electrical terminals across said chambers to achieve the desired rate of gas generation in said chambers, said means comprising a current regulator incorporating a series transistor operated in a variable-resistance, current-limiting mode. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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2. The multi-cell gas generator assembly set forth in claim wherein:
said current regulator comprises means for adjusting and controlling cell current.
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6. A multi-cell gas generator assembly comprising in combination:
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a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of chambers within the cavity of said housing, each chamber defining a gas generating cell, adjacent chambers being separated by electrode plates, each chamber having inlet and outlet ports, a gas and electrolyte separating tank means for receiving an electrolyte and comprising inlet and first and second outlet port means, said first outlet port means of said tank means being connected to said inlet ports of said chamber and said outlet ports of said chambers being connected to said first inlet port means of said tank means, said second outlet port means of said tank means being positioned above the surface of electrolyte placed in said tank means for discharging gas generated from said tank means, means for connecting a variable voltage power source to electrical terminals across said chambers to achieve the desired rate of gas generation in said chambers, said means comprising a current regulator, said means including a rectifier having positive and negative terminals connected in series with a current limiter across the cells of said chamber, and a ripple filter consisting of a capacitor or inductor-capacitor connected across positive and negative terminals of the rectifier.
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7. A multi-cell gas generator assembly comprising in combination:
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a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of chambers within the cavity of said housing, each chamber defining a gas generating cell, adjacent chambers being separated by electrode plates, each chamber having inlet and outlet ports, a gas and electrolyte separating tank means for receiving an electrolyte and comprising inlet and first and second outlet port means, said first outlet port means of said tank means being connected to said inlet ports of said chamber and said outlet ports of said chambers being connected to said first inlet port means of said tank means, said second outlet port means of said tank means being positioned above the surface of electrolyte placed in said tank means for discharging gas generated from said tank means, and means for connecting a variable voltage power source to electrical terminals across said chambers to achieve the desired rate of gas generation in said chambers, said means comprising a current regulator, said means including a rectifier having positive and negative terminals connected in series with a current limiter across the cells of said chamber, said current limiter comprises a transistor comprising emitter, collector and base terminals;
a sensing resistor;
an error amplifier having two input terminals and an output terminal and a reference voltage source,said collector terminal of said transistor being connected to the positive terminal of said rectifier, said emitter terminal being connected in series with said sensing resistor to one of said terminals of said chambers and the other of said terminals of said chambers being connected to the negative terminal of said rectifier, said amplifier having one of its input terminals connected to the junction of said sensing resistor and the emitter terminal of said transistor and its other input terminal connected through said voltage source to the junction of said sensing resistor and said one of said terminals of said chambers and its output terminal to the base terminal of said transistor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification