Pre-equilibrium chemical reaction energy converter

• US 6,700,056 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Inventors: Zuppero, Anthony C., Gidwani, Jawahar M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US10/038,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 136/253, 136/248, 136/291, 136/254, 136/252, 310/300, 310/314, 310/322, 607/21, 605/32
• US Class Current: 136/252
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66 Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 11/002 Generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

The use of newly discovered chemical reaction products, created when reactants combine to form products on the surface of a catalyst, to generate electricity, beams of radiation or mechanical motion. The invention also provides methods to convert the products into electricity or motion. The electric generator consists of a catalyst nanocluster, nanolayer or quantum well placed on a substrate consisting of a semiconductor diode, and a semiconductor diode on the surface of the substrate near the catalyst. The device to generate mechanical motion consists of a catalyst nanocluster, nanolayer or quantum well placed on a substrate, and a hydraulic fluid in contact with the non-reaction side of the substrate, with the surfaces of both the catalyst and substrate mechanically formed to enhance the unidirectional forces on the fluid. Both devices use a fuel-oxidizer mixture brought in contact with the catalyst. The apparatus converts a substantial fraction of the reaction product energy into useful work during the brief interval before such products equilibrate with their surroundings.

Claims

1. A method of generating energy comprising:

using a reactant to generate vibrationally energized species in the vicinity of the reactant; and

converting vibrational energy of the vibrationally energized species into a useful form of energy before the vibrationally energized species reaches thermal equilibrium, the converting being performed using a nanolayer, nanocluster, quantum well, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of generating energy as claimed in claim 1, further including collecting the form of energy.

3. The method of generating energy s claimed in claim 1, wherein the using a reactant includes using a catalyst to initiate a reaction to create the vibrationally energized species.

4. The method of generating energy claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of energized species is in contact with the reactant.

5. The method of generating energy a claimed in claim 1, wherein the form of energy includes one or more selected from the group of phonons, electromagnetic energy, and electrons.

6. The method of generating energy a claimed in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic energy is a photon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting is performed within several tens of nanometers of a reaction of the reactant.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing equilibrated species from the surface by using a catalyst.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrationally energized species include highly vibrationally energized species.