Passive hydrogel fuel generator

• US 4,511,450 A
• Filed: 03/05/1984
• Issued: 04/16/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Neefe
• Inventors: Neefe, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/586,352
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 422/186, 204/128, 204/129, 204/278, 204/DIG. 3, 204/157.1 R, 429/111, 48/62 R
• US Class Current: 204/278
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/55 Photoelectrolysis
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 204/03 Auxiliary internally generated electrical energy

Abstract

A passive hydrogen oxygen generator in which the long wavelength infrared portion of the sun'"'"'s spectrum heats water to provide circulation of the water within the generator. The shorter wavelength portion of the spectrum to which water is transparent is used in splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by photoelectrolysis.

Claims

1. A hydrogen-oxygen generator comprising a first water chamber wherein water is heated by infrared radiation from the sun and by convection;

a heat exchanger which removes heat from the water and exchanges the heat to the atmosphere;

a second, cooler water chamber; and

a sun screen provided to prevent the sun'"'"'s radiation from reaching the heat exchanger.

2. A hydrogen-oxygen generator as in claim 1 including means for removing the released hydrogen and oxygen gas from the generator.

3. A hydrogen and oxygen generator comprising a first chamber having transparent front and rear surfaces, through which water is circulated and heated by absorbing the infrared portion of the sun'"'"'s spectrum and dissolved hydrogen and oxygen are released from the over-saturated heated water;

means for moving the heated water upward by convection in the first chamber;

heat exchanger means for cooling the water and passing the heat to the atmosphere;

a second chamber for receiving the lower temperature water and separated from the first heated chamber by an insulating layer of air, said second chamber having a transparent front surface supporting a plurality of photoactive receptors imbedded in a hydrophilic polymer, whereby sunlight is allowed to enter the layer of photoactive receptors and provide dissolved hydrogen and oxygen by photoelectrolysis of the water present in the second chamber, hydrogen and oxygen dissolved in water passing from the second chamber to the first heated chamber through a passageway provided at the lower edges of said chambers.

4. A hydrogen-oxygen generator as in claim 3 including means for removing the released hydrogen and oxygen gas from the generator.

5. A generator as in claim 3 wherein a sun screen is provided to prevent the sun'"'"'s radiation from reaching the heat exchanger.