Method of and device for optimizing a hydrogen generating system

• US 9,206,043 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marine Power Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Marine Power Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Carey, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Nicholas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Brian W
• Application Number:
  US13/904,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20130259798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 205628-639, 205746-747, 204237-238
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/087 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00006 Large-scale industrial plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00144 Sunlight; Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0801 Controlling the process
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0803 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/8926 Copper and noble metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/342 of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields, e.g. for magnetic separation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 7/02 by wet methods
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0203 from inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/04 by decomposition of inorganic compounds, e.g. ammonia C01B3/0005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/068 the hydrogen being generated from the water as a result of a cyclus of reactions, not covered by groups C01B3/063 or C01B3/105
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/02 Hydrogen or oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/02 Process control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/584 Recycling of catalysts

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for optimizing a hydrogen producing system is provided. The method of optimizing the hydrogen producing system comprises producing hydrogen gas using a hydrogen producing formulation and removing a chemical substance that reduces the hydrogen gas producing efficiency. Further, the hydrogen producing system comprises a hydrogen producing catalyst, a hydrogen generating voltage applied to the hydrogen producing catalyst to generate hydrogen gas, and a catalyst regenerating device to regenerate the hydrogen producing catalyst to a chemical state capable of generating the hydrogen gas when a hydrogen generating voltage is applied.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing a hydrogen producing system comprising:

a. producing hydrogen gas in a first reactor using a hydrogen producing formulation containing Al(OH)x, copper, and silver, wherein x is 1, 2, 3, or 4;

b. producing the hydrogen gas in an optimized condition by maintaining an applied voltage between 0.4V and 0.9V to a solution containing the hydrogen producing formulation in the first reactor;

c. removing a chemical substance that reduces the efficiency of the producing hydrogen gas; and

d. regenerating the hydrogen producing formulation using a photolysis reaction, a thermolysis reaction, or a combination thereof in a second reactor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical substance comprises Cl⁻

.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical substance comprises Na⁺.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical substance comprises a sediment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the chemical substance comprises using a filter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the filter comprises a reverse osmosis filter.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the filter comprises a PTFE membrane.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the filter comprises an ion exchange filter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the chemical substance comprises controlling a Cl⁻

concentration to prevent a formation of AgCl precipitation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen producing formulation is made by applying a voltage to an Al metal, a Cu metal, an Ag metal, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the voltage is no less than 1.1V.