Device for electrochemical generation of gases for the transportation of fluids and similar mediums

• US 5,242,565 A
• Filed: 07/10/1991
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: August Winsel
• Original Assignee: August Winsel
• Inventors: Winsel, August
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORGOS, KATHRYN L
• Application Number:
  US07/727,877
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 204/252, 204/283, 204/284, 204/253, 204/266, 204/258, 204/290 R, 204/292, 204/291, 204/264, 204/400, 429/44, 429/42, 429/27, 429/229, 429/54, 429/50, 429/90, 429/61, 429/66, 429/150, 429/224, 429/206, 429/186, 429/18, 429/190, 429/209
• US Class Current: 204/265
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 11/10 by pressure of another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/00 Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/26 Cells without oxidising active material, e.g. Volta cells

Abstract

The device according to the present invention comprises a galvanic cell including a gas generating electrode, a counter electrode and an aqueous electrolyte enclosed in a housing. The device has one or more openings, by which the generated gas is released to the environment. The device also contains means for electrically connecting said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode and for establishing a current flow between said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode for generating a predetermined quantity of gas by said gas generating electrode for release from said opening of said galvanic cell. The objective of the cell is to generate and release oxygen or hydrogen gas, thereby defining a new type of cell. The device is referred to as a "gas generator cell."

Claims

1. A device for electrochemically generating a hydrogen gas or an oxygen gas in an adjustable quantity, comprising:

a galvanic cell including an enclosed housing having a base and at least one side wall integral with said base, a cover, a seal positioned between and in contact with said cover and said side wall of said housing, and an opening for releasing gas from said housing, said galvanic cell further including;

a gas generating electrode forming a part of said housing and including an electron-conducting porous body contained within said housing;

a counter electrode including an oxidizable metal or a reducible oxide or nitrate which serves in countercapacity to said gas generating electrode;

separator means between said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode; and

an alkaline electrolyte present in an amount sufficient to provide reactions in said gas generating electrode and in said counter electrode; and

means for electrically connecting said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode, and means for supplying a current flow between said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode for generating a predetermined quantity of gas by said gas generating electrode, for release from said opening of said galvanic cell.

2. An actuating apparatus for means for dispensing solids and fluids, or transporting mediums, including the device defined in claim 1, which also possesses means connecting said opening of said galvanic cell and said dispensing means or said transporting medium, for supplying gas to said actuating apparatus for operating said dispensing means or said transporting medium.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein an electrical circuit and adjustable resistance is provided to control gas generation.

4. The device defined in claim 2 containing means to open the circuit provided by direct current upon reaching a predetermined gas pressure and to close said circuit when said gas pressure falls below a predetermined value.

5. The device defined in claim 2 that releases the generated gas in pulses.

6. The actuating apparatus defined n claim 2 wherein said means includes a barostatically operated device containing a pressure operated switch that opens an electrical circuit contained with said system when a predetermined pressure is reached and closes when the pressure drops below a predetermined value.

7. The actuating apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said means includes external electrical circuit which connects said device with a container that emits gas pulses from an opening in said container, said container interiorly having a plurality of springs adjacent one another and means in concert with said springs to seal off an opening in said device from the container at the location where said device and container are connected, the emission of a gas pulse from said opening in said container being the result of the completion of the electrical circuit that includes said device.

8. The apparatus having means defined in claim 2 for taking electrochemical measurements in working combination with a nonreactive tube having an opening at one end, and having a hydrogen electrode that is inserted into an open end of said nonreactive tube, the device that generates said hydrogen gas being secured to said tube at the other end thereof.

9. The apparatus including means defined in claim 2 for dispensing fluid in working combination with a container comprising a cylinder having a movable piston located therein, means connecting said piston at one end to a valve located at the opening through the end of said cylinder at the other end of said means, wherein as the said piston in said cylinder moves away from said valve, said connecting means causes said valve to open and releases hydrogen produced by said device into the atmosphere.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the connecting means is attached at one end to an electric switch.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the valve comprises a non porous thread that moves in an opening through a plate fixed at the end of said cylinder adjacent said cell, thus forming a valve to the atmosphere which is closed as long as said non porous thread has not moved through said opening.

12. The apparatus defined n claim 10 wherein said connecting means comprises a plurality of balls attached to a wire forming a chain, said chain being capable of moving through an elastic pipe situated at the end of said cylinder adjacent said cell, the length of said pipe being sufficient to contain two balls of the chain therein to seal off said pipe, said balls forming a valve like action in said pipe, the valve being opened when the last ball of said chain has passed through said pipe.

13. The device defined in claim 1 for generating hydrogen gas in an adjustable quantity wherein said electron-conducting porous body of said gas generating electrode forming a part of said housing includes a hydrophilic, electrolyte-receiving portion and a hydrophobic, gas-receiving portion, and a porous hydrophobic layer adjacent to and in engagement with said porous body, for preventing electrolyte from leaving the galvanic cell;

and wherein said counter electrode includes an oxidizable metal which serves in countercapacity to said gas generating electrode;

and includes means for excluding air from said galvanic cell, and for excluding oxygen from the pores of the gas generating electrode.

14. The device defined in claim 13 wherein said oxidizable metal is selected from the group consisting of zinc, calcium, lead and copper.

15. The device defined in claim 14 wherein said oxidizable metal is zinc powder or zinc gel and said cell operates at a voltage of about 0.4 V or less.

16. The device defined in claim 15 wherein said zinc cell is short circuited via low resistance and contains sealing means to prevent entrance of air into said cell when said cell starts generating gas to actuate said means for dispensing or transporting.

17. The device defined in claim 15 wherein said oxidizable metal is zinc gel containing said electrolyte is situated within said housing.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein said porous body of said gas generating electrode comprises a metal from Group VIII of the Periodic Table of elements selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium and nickel, alone or in combination with carbon, said metals having low overvoltage with respect to the evolution of the gas at said electrode.

19. The device defined in claim 1 for generating oxygen gas in an adjustable quantity wherein said electron-conducting porous body of said gas generating electrode forming a part of said housing includes a hydrophilic, electrolyte-receiving portion and a hydrophobic, gas-receiving portion, and a porous hydrophobic layer adjacent to and in engagement with said porous body, for preventing electrolyte from leaving the galvanic cell;

and said counter electrode includes a reducible oxide which serves in countercapacity to said gas generating electrode; and

means for electrically connecting said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode, and for establishing a current flow between said gas generating electrode and said counter electrode for generating a predetermined quantity of gas by said gas generating electrode, for release from said opening of said galvanic cell.

20. The device defined in claim 19 wherein said reducible oxide is selected from the group consisting of manganese dioxide, silver oxide, mercury oxide and nickel oxide.

21. The device defined in claim 20 wherein the said reducible oxide is in the form of a porous tablet of a manganese dioxide and is situated within said housing.

22. The device defined in claim 19 wherein said reducible oxide is selected from the group consisting of nitrate is ammonium nitrate.

23. The device defined in claim 22 wherein charcoal powder is blended with said Raney nickel powder.

24. The device defined in claim 22 wherein said gas generating electrode generates oxygen gas and comprises Raney nickel powder in admixture with a hydrophobic resin powder selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene.

25. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said gas generating electrode comprises Raney-metals of the Group VIII of the periodic table or noble metals selected from the group consisting of Pt, Pd and platinum containing metals.

26. The device defined in claim 25 wherein said gas generating electrode generates hydrogen gas and comprises a Raney nickel powder bound with a porous foil of polytetrafluoroethylene metal rolled into a net of nickel, said rolled nickel net being a current conductor.

27. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said opening in said housing to releases generated gas resulting from electrochemical activity within said cell and air is excluded from said device by valves which allow a one directional flow of the generated gas to actuate.

28. A plurality of devices as defined in claim 1 connected in series and mounted in a potentiometer ring in working combination with a fluid dispenser comprising a cylindrical container having a dispensing opening at a first end and having within said container fluid material to be dispensed, and a piston, within said cylindrical container and said fluid being positioned between said piston and said dispensing opening said piston being electrically actuated to dispense said fluid through said opening, the resistance of said potentiometer serving to regulate the current thereby determining the dispensing rate of said fluid dispenser.