Deep water generation of compressed hydrogen

Abstract

A hydrogen generation vessel within which a reduction plate generates hydrogen by electrolysis of sea water. The hydrogen generation vessel operates at deep ocean levels to provide unexpected advantages. The operating depth is not limited because the hydrogen generation vessel includes openings at or near the bottom, and no pressure differential exists across the vessel walls. Pressure inside and outside are the same, and are determined by the depth at which the hydrogen generation vessel is positioned. Electrolysis, collection, and storage (temporary) take place in the same container. Since the hydrogen pressure is the same as the water pressure at the same depth, the hydrogen is pumped by simply opening a valve.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to:[0002]U.S. provisional application No. 61 / 195,786 entitled “Hydrogen Generation from Ocean Currents” filed by John E. Menear dated Oct. 10, 2008,[0003]U.S. provisional application No. 61 / 197,501 entitled “Hydrogen from Ocean Currents Using Deep Level Electrolysis” filed by John E. Menear dated Oct. 27, 2008, and[0004]U.S. provisional application No. 61 / 198,083 entitled “Deep Level Hydrogen Generation Vessel” filed by John E. Menear dated Nov. 3, 2008.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0005]Not ApplicableREFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX[0006]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0007]1. Field of the Invention[0008]This invention relates to renewable energy, and particularly extraction of hydrogen from ocean currents or from flowing conductive water with a predictable flow direction. The hydrogen is produced from water by electrolysis, and the energy required for electrolysis is derive...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0039]There is a compelling environmental-economic-political argument to utilize this worldwide resource. With a readily available hydrogen source, market acceptance of hydrogen cars will be facilitated.

[0081]f. produce hydrogen in a pre-compressed state, so that production vessels can be smaller than needed for production at 1 atmosphere,

Problems solved by technology

Air quality, global temperature concerns, oil shortages, political concerns, and economics combine to make fossil fuels less attractive.

But prior art references to ocean currents have failed to enable a practical method or apparatus for hydrogen production.

As a consequence hydrogen production ideas are overly complex, expensive to build, or cannot be scaled up to produce commercially useful quantities.

There are six problems with prior art proposals to create hydrogen from ocean currents.

The first problem involves electrolysis current requirements.

Practical electrolysis requires large current and energy input.

But such a small area is grossly inadequate for commercial purposes.

The second problem is collection.

If separate collection vessels are needed to store uncompressed hydrogen after generation, system complexity and cost become prohibitive.

Pressurized vessels (relative to atmospheric pressure at sea level) must be sealed, which drives costs upward.

Floating collection pods are examples of impractical hydrogen collection vessels.

Each expensive pod holds very little hydrogen.

Compression of hydrogen gas is a third problem.

Without compression at the time of generation, overly large (impractical) generation, collection and storage vessels would be needed.

Transport of the produced hydrogen is a fourth problem.

A fifth problem involves operating personnel.

On-site operators are expensive.

To accomplish this, generation equipment should be uncomplicated and reliable.

Many necessary steps could be accomplished with basic scientific principles, yet the prior art does not develop this.

A sixth problem with the prior art is that safety of marine life is not prioritized.

For example, if a flow-through rotary turbine is utilized (assuming useful hydrogen production quantities), marine life can become trapped, hurt, or killed.

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