Controlled gas generator system

• US 4,433,633 A
• Filed: 04/16/1982
• Issued: 02/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Hoffman, Robert T., Hackman, Donald J., Myers, John R., Caudy, Don W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Application Number:
  US06/368,933
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 423/657, 423/648 R, 114/52, 114/53, 114/54, 441/31, 441/98, 441/99, 422/112, 422/114, 422/236, 422/305
• US Class Current: 114/54
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/02 by wet methods
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 7/10 using inflatable floats external to vessels or objects
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/065 from a hydride
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

A controlled gas generator system is provided which has a reaction chamber,he reaction chamber having top and bottom ends. A bed of reactant material is disposed within the chamber intermediate its top and bottom ends. Liquids are located within the chamber, one of the liquids being nonreactive with the reactant. The liquids are dissimilar in specific gravity so that the liquids interface substantially along a cross-sectional plane of the chamber. With this arrangement, gas will be produced when the interfacial plane is vertically disposed on one side of the bed of reactant material, and gas will not be produced when the interfacial plane is vertically disposed on an opposite side of the bed of reactant material. Provision is made for selectively adjusting the vertical position of the interfacial plane above or below the bed of reactant material so that gas can be selectively generated.

Claims

1. A gas generator comprising:

a reaction chamber having top and bottom ends;

a perforated member mounted transversely across the entire reaction chamber for containing a reactant material between the perforated member and one end of the reaction chamber;

the reaction chamber being adapted to contain liquids which have dissimilar specific gravities, one of the liquids being reactive with the reactant and another of the liquids being nonreactive with the reactant, the reactive and nonreactive liquids having a mutual interface;

means connected to the reaction chamber for selectively moving the interface of the liquids above or below the perforated member;

a resilient diaphragm mounted transversely across the reaction chamber; and

a line connected into the reaction chamber for introducing fluid on one side of the diaphragm so as to reduce the volume between the diaphragm and the perforated member.

2. A gas generator comprising:

a reaction chamber having top and bottom ends;

a perforated member mounted transversely across the entire reaction chamber for containing a reactant material between the perforated member and one end of the reaction chamber;

the reaction chamber being adapted to contain liquids which have dissimilar specific gravities, one of the liquids being reactive with the reactant and another of the liquids being nonreactive with the reactant, the reactive and nonreactive liquids having a mutual interface;

means connected to the reaction chamber for selectively moving the interface of the liquids above or below the perforated member, said means including;

a first reactive liquid line having a portion which transversely extends into the reaction chamber in a spaced parallel relationship to the perforated member and having an outer end which is adapted to be connected to a pump;

a nonreactive liquid storage chamber disposed at a level which is different than the level of the reaction chamber, the storage chamber having top and bottom ends;

a first nonreactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber on one side of the perforated member with the nonreactive liquid storage chamber for allowing the nonreactive liquid to flow by gravity between the chambers;

a valve interconnected in the first nonreactive liquid line;

a second nonreactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber on the same side of the perforated member with the nonreactive liquid storage chamber; and

a pump and a valve interconnected in the second nonreactive liquid line.

3. A gas generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for selectively moving the liquid interface further includes:

a second reactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber on an opposite side of the perforated member with the nonreactive liquid storage chamber;

a third reactive liquid line connected through one end of the storage chamber and having an outwardly extending portion; and

an intake check valve and a relief valve interconnected in parallel in the outwardly extending portion of the third reactive liquid line.

4. A gas generator as claimed in claim 3 including:

the reactant material and the liquids.

5. A gas generator as claimed in claim 4 including:

the specific gravity of the nonreactive liquid being greater than the specific gravity of the reactive liquid;

the storage chamber being located above the reaction chamber;

the first and second nonreactive liquid lines being connected into the reaction chamber below the perforated member, and the first nonreactive liquid line being connected through the bottom of the storage chamber;

the second reactive liquid line being connected into the top of reaction chamber.

6. A gas generator as claimed in claim 5 including:

the reactant material being located below the perforated member and having a specific gravity less than the specific gravity of the nonreactive liquid; and

the reactant material being in nodular form of a size larger than the perforations in the perforated member so that the nonreactive material buoys the nodules of reactant material up against the bottomside of the perforated member.

7. A gas generator as claimed in claim 6 including:

a diaphragm sealably connected across the reaction chamber below the perforated member; and

a line connected into the bottom of the reaction chamber and having an outer end which is connectable to a pump for introducing fluid into the bottom of the reaction chamber to reduce the volumetric space between the diaphragm and the perforated member.

8. A gas generator as claimed in claim 7 including:

the reactant being lithium hydride;

the reactive liquid being water; and

the nonreactive liquid being fluorocarbon oil.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including:

a lift bag pontoon having a top and a bottom when inflated;

a relief valve connected in the top of the lift bag;

a water and gas line interconnecting the top of the reaction chamber to the lift bag;

a water discharge line connected to the bottom of the lift bag;

a valve and a relief valve interconnected in series in the water discharge line; and

a water intake line connected to the lift bag and having an outer end which is connectable to a pump.

10. A gas generator comprising:

a reaction chamber having top and bottom ends;

a bed of reactant material disposed within the chamber intermediate its top and bottom ends;

liquids heated within the chamber, one of the liquids being reactive with the reactant and the other liquid being nonreactive with the reactant;

the nonreactive liquid having a higher specific gravity than the reactive liquid so that the liquids interface substantially along a cross-sectional plane of the chamber whereby gas is produced when the interfacial plane is vertically disposed on one side of the bed of reactant material and gas is not produced when the interfacial plane is vertically disposed on an opposite side of the bed of reactant material;

the reactant material being nodular and having a specific gravity which is less than the specific gravity of the nonreactive liquid;

a perforated member mounted transversely across the reaction chamber and having perforations which are smaller in size than the size of the reactant material;

the reactant material being disposed in the nonreactive liquid so as to be buoyed up against the bottom of the perforated member; and

means for selectively adjusting the vertical position of the interfacial plane above or below the bed of reactant material so that gas can be selectively generated.

11. A gas generator as claimed in claim 10 wherein the selective adjusting means includes:

a first reactive liquid line which has a portion which extends transversely into the reaction chamber in a spaced relationship above the perforated member and which has an outer end which is connectable to a pump.

12. A gas generator as claimed in claim 11 wherein the selective adjusting means further includes:

a nonreactive liquid storage chamber disposed above the reaction chamber;

a first nonreactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber below the perforated member with the bottom of the nonreactive liquid storage chamber for allowing nonreactive liquid to flow by gravity from the nonreactive liquid storage chamber to the reaction chamber;

a valve interconnected in the first nonreactive liquid line;

a second nonreactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber below the perforated member with the nonreactive liquid storage chamber;

a pump and a valve interconnected in the second nonreactive liquid line.

13. A gas generator as claimed in claim 12 wherein the selective adjusting means further includes:

a second reactive liquid line interconnecting the reaction chamber above the perforated member to the nonreactive liquid storage chamber;

a third reactive liquid line connected into the top of the nonreactive liquid storage chamber and having an outwardly extending portion; and

an intake check valve and a relief valve interconnected in parallel in the outwardly extending portion of the third reactive liquid line.

14. A gas generator as claimed in claim 13 including:

the reactant being lithium hydride;

the reactive liquid being water; and

the nonreactive liquid being fluorocarbon oil.

15. A gas generator as claimed in claim 14 including:

the first reactive liquid line having a plurality of openings therealong.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 including:

a water pump;

a lift bag pontoon having a top and a bottom when inflated;

a relief valve connected into the top of the lift bag for venting expanding gas therefrom;

a water and gas line interconnecting the top of the reaction chamber with the lift bag;

a discharge water line connected to the bottom of the lift bag and having an outer ambient end;

a discharge valve interconnected in the bag discharge water line and a relief valve interconnected in the same water line between the bottom of the lift bag and the discharge valve;

an intake water line interconnecting the pressure side of the pump with the lift bag; and

a valve interconnected in the lift bag intake water line.

17. A method of generating gas comprising the steps of:

providing a reaction chamber having a top and a bottom with a perforated member mounted transversely therein between said top and bottom;

disposing reactive and nonreactive liquids in the reaction chamber;

the nonreactive liquid having a specific gravity which is greater than the specific gravity of the reactive liquid;

disposing reactant nodules in the nonreactive liquid below the perforated member with a nodular size which is larger than the size of the perforations in the perforated member; and

selectively adjusting the levels of the liquids in the proximity of the perforated member to generate gas.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 including the steps of:

selectively disseminating reactive liquid into the reaction chamber above the perforated member.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 including the steps of:

selectively decreasing the chamber volume for the reactant as the reactant is used up.