Current regulator for mobile water electrolyzer

• US 8,709,221 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew L. Smith
• Original Assignee: Andrew L. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Ho-Sung
• Application Number:
  US13/034,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 204/278
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/00 Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/02 Process control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/65 Means for supplying current; Electrode connections; Electric inter-cell connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis

Abstract

An embodiment of a system and method provides a current regulating device that controls or regulates the current provided to electrolysis chambers that produce hydrogen and oxygen gases. One embodiment of the current regulating device uses the temperature of the fluid in the electrolysis chambers to control the widths of the pulses delivered to the electrolysis chambers to regulate production. Another embodiment of the current regulating device regulates and limits the average current delivered to the electrolysis chambers by adjusting the pulse widths, according to the current demanded during each conduction pulse.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the production of gas by a water electrolysis chamber using pulsed DC current comprising:

a water electrolysis chamber;

a power supply;

an array of solid state power switches operably connected between the power supply and the water electrolysis chamber through a monitoring resistor, the voltage across the monitoring resistor being proportional to current flowing from the power supply to the electrolysis chamber;

a first connection configured to supply the voltage across the monitoring resistor through a sample/hold circuit comprising a capacitor to an offset adjustor;

a ramp generator adapted to generate a ramp voltage varying between a minimum voltage, V_rampmin, and a maximum voltage, V_rampmax;

a second connection to supply voltage to the offset adjustor configured to supply a reference voltage to the offset adjustor, the offset adjustor being configured to combine the voltage from the sample/hold circuit and the voltage from the second connection;

a third connection from the ramp generator to a first input of a voltage comparator;

a fourth connection configured to supply the combined voltage from the offset adjustor to a second input of the voltage comparator; and

a fifth connection from the voltage comparator to the array of solid state power switches, whereby the power switches supply pulsed DC current to the electrolysis chamber and maintain the pulsed DC current at or below a desired current magnitude.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of solid state power switches comprise semiconductor switches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of solid state power switches comprise a bank of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET) switches.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature sensor for receiving temperature information from the water electrolysis chamber; and

a detector, wherein an internal combustion engine is detected as operating.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a circuit to detect an over-current chamber condition.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a circuit to detect an add water chamber condition.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a circuit to detect a gas leak chamber condition.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in the electrolysis chamber; and

a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the electrolysis chamber.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor that monitors volume of gas production.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving temperature information from the water electrolysis chamber; and

means for detecting that an internal combustion engine is on.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in the electrolysis chamber; and

a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the electrolysis chamber.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed temperature.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed pressure.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor that monitors volume of gas production in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed volume of gas.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first connection further comprising supplying the voltage across the monitoring resistor through a fixed gain current amplifier, then through a scale adjustment resistor, and then through the sample/hold circuit;

a sixth connection from a Vcc regulator to the monitoring resistor; and

a seventh connection from an engine run detector to the ramp generator.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed temperature.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a pressure sensor for sensing pressure in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed pressure.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a sensor that monitors volume of gas production in the electrolysis chamber;

wherein the pulsed DC current provided to the electrolysis chamber through the array of solid state power switches is regulated using the sensed volume of gas.