Internal combustion apparatus and method utilizing electrolysis cell

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to the production of hydrogen and oxygen within an electrolysis cell having a coated anode such that these gases can be added to the fuel source (fossil fuel and / or alternative fuels) of a combustion engine system as a supplement for said fuel source(s) for increased performance.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60 / 726,049, filed Oct. 12, 2005, 60 / 819,293, filed Jul. 7, 2006, and 60 / 844,997, filed Sep. 15, 2006, each of which is incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the production of hydrogen and oxygen within an electrolysis cell such that these can be used in combination with a fuel source in a combustion engine system. The present disclosure can be best understood and appreciated by undertaking a brief review of the problems facing the world with respect to the operation of the millions of automobiles, trucks, buses, and other internal combustion engines utilizing hydrocarbon or fossil fuel as its energy source. [0003] One of the major problems facing the world is the atmospheric pollution caused by the noxious gases that are produced as combustion by-produc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0086] Another expected advantage of the present invention is less indirect maintenance on the engine 2 due to improved efficiency such that the exhaust system requires less maintenance due to decreased corrosion, engine oil levels require less frequent inspection due to easier running conditions, engine oil stays cleaner, and other aspects of vehicle maintenance repair are expected improved by use of the cell 1.

[0087] Some embodiments of the disclosure are expected to have an approximate 25% reduction in NOx emissions, while simultaneously not increasing the percentage of NO2 emissions. The NO2 emissions, according to some current regulations, must be 20% or less of the total emissions. Further, there is a substantial improvement in fuel mileage obtained, which results in less fuel being used and less environmental pollution that is added to the atmosphere. Also, dilute potassium hydroxide, which is environmentally friendlier than many alternatives, is used in the electrolyte solution within the electrolysis cell. These are just some of the advantages of the present disclosure.

[0088] The following examples further illustrate the advantages of some embodiments but, of course, should not be construed as in any way limiting its scope.

Problems solved by technology

One of the major problems facing the world is the atmospheric pollution caused by the noxious gases that are produced as combustion by-products from internal combustion engines.

Another major problem facing the world is the increasing shortage of fossil fuels on which vehicles and other engines operate.

The limited supply of fossil fuel is decreasing while the world-wide demand continues to increase at an unprecedented rate, thereby creating an economic burden on consumers and the national economies.

The shortage of the availability of fossil fuels has been a prolonged problem going back at least over 30 years to shortages in the 1970s.

Despite these benefits, neither hydrogen gas nor oxygen gas are being rapidly deployed as an alternative fuel source for several reasons including of significant technical and economic difficulties.

For instance, according to some U.S. governmental reports, hydrogen gas storage systems for vehicles are inadequate to meet consumer driving range expectations without intrusion into vehicle cargo or passenger space.

They can be very dangerous and environmentally unsafe when stored in bulk due to the explosive volatility of collected hydrogen gas.

Also, hydrogen gas is currently three to four times as expensive as gasoline and diesel fuels.

The fuel cells are about five times more expensive than internal combustion engines and do not maintain performance over the full useful life of the vehicle.

In addition, the investment risk of developing a hydrogen gas delivery infrastructure is understood to be too great given technology status.

However, on-board storage of hydrogen gas in a large tank presents tremendous and most likely insurmountable safety challenges as these systems are subject to the same difficulties as engines or fuel cells operating only on hydrogen.

Thus, such systems are similarly subject to the same deficiencies as other hydrogen gas cells and engines.

Despite the disclosures and efforts of others in the field, these disclosures and the art as a whole have failed to provide a device like the one disclosed herein which has overcome the problems in the art.

The prior art systems were not sufficiently environmentally safe and stable.

The chemicals used in the devices were often toxic or otherwise unsafe due to the dangerous accumulation or pressurization of the explosively volatile gases of hydrogen and oxygen.

The disclosures, with the interdependency of the various operating parameters, were unstable leading to dependence on various additional machinery that cause further unreliability and instability.

The prior art failed to solve the problem of overheating that occurred in such electrolysis chambers.

The prior art has similarly failed to solve the problems associated with the prolonged supply of hydrogen and oxygen to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

Many of the prior art disclosures involved pressurized hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, which led to a much more unstable and potentially dangerous system.

The prior art devices were prone to fluctuations and lack of control over the production and accumulation of explosive gases in chambers within the devices.

Some devices were subject to explosion due to uncontrolled heating, failure to dissipate gas, failure to control the pressure of the combustible gases, and other instabilities in the system.

Still further, the prior art failed to provide a device that had the ability to provide stable reliable efficiencies in the operation of the combustion engine.

The prior devices failed to offer designs that compactly provided controlled benefits of hydrogen and oxygen gases.

There was no efficient design for the electrolytic chamber where non-toxic substances could be employed without causing heightened safety risks.

The art often had complicated constructions wherein the chambers were constructed with the anodes and cathodes in such a manner that the thermal dynamics of the systems were not adequately controlled.

Similarly, such systems failed to recognize and address such parameters while also controlling the proper production of hydrogen.

The orientation of the prior art chambers was subject to electrical field deficiencies, failure to provide optimum electrolysis, failure to provide control, as well as failure to provide proper aqueous and conductor thermal dynamics while maintaining compact size and simple construction.

Such prior art systems were also unable to provide a system that was stable enough to be useful to normal consumers which are often called upon to monitor parameters of an engine (e.g., coolant, oil, etc.), but will not conduct such maintenance on a impermissibly short interval.

The failure to adequately control these dynamic conditions and provide for a non-toxic, easy to employ system has made prior devices impractical from the stand point of cost, complexity, usability, safety and the like.

For instance, if heat is not properly controlled on the cell, the resistivity and conductivity of the electrolyte solution may change and thereby deteriorate or adversely affect such parameters as thermal dynamics, liquid dispersion of heat, production of gases, stability of component parts and the like.

If the parameters cannot be controlled, the operating parameters of the device may be required to be toxic or dangerous.

The instability of the prior systems led some to disclose purported systems that dynamically changed the system.

However, such systems were similarly inherently unstable, impractical, unsafe and toxic.

For example, some devices in prior systems utilized solutions that were of high pH causing them to be toxic to users in order to be able to provide the necessary hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.

Indeed, the failure to adequately provide for stable and controlled systems can lead to deterioration of the cell and leaking or other disastrous conditions.

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