Electrochemical Cell Generating Nitrogen-Enriched Air and Ozone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing onboard systems for vehicles face challenges in maintaining safety and reducing microbial contamination in protected spaces like fuel tanks and water systems, while also requiring substantial maintenance and increasing operating costs due to the need for additional treatment systems.
Innovation Solution
An electrochemical cell-based system that generates nitrogen-enriched air for inerting fuel tanks and produces ozone for antimicrobial treatment, which is stored and distributed within the vehicle to treat biologically active surfaces and materials, reducing the risk of combustion and microbial contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If membrane-based gas separators are used to generate nitrogen-enriched air, then inerting function is achieved, but additional compressed air source and system complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the inerting gas generation function and the antimicrobial treatment function into a single electrochemical cell system. The electrochemical cell simultaneously produces nitrogen-enriched air for inerting and ozone for antimicrobial treatment, eliminating the need for separate membrane-based gas separators and compressed air sources, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining inerting reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The electrochemical cell is designed to perform multiple functions: it generates nitrogen-enriched air for fuel tank inerting and simultaneously produces ozone for antimicrobial treatment of water systems and protected spaces. This multi-functionality reduces the overall system complexity by replacing multiple specialized components with a single versatile device
2Reliability
If dedicated treatment systems such as chlorination or reverse osmosis systems are added, then microbial contamination is reduced, but payload and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrochemical cell serves dual purposes: generating inert gas for fuel tank protection and producing ozone for antimicrobial treatment of water systems. By integrating these functions, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated treatment systems like chlorination or reverse osmosis equipment, thereby reducing payload while maintaining effective microbial contamination control
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses ozone, a strong oxidant, generated by the electrochemical cell to provide antimicrobial treatment. This approach replaces heavier dedicated treatment systems with a more compact ozone generation mechanism, reducing payload while achieving effective microbial control through the oxidizing action of ozone
3Use of energy by moving object
If electrochemical cell operates in fuel cell mode to provide electric power, then power consumption is reduced, but ozone production for treatment is eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The system includes an ozone storage system that stores ozone generated during electrolysis mode. This allows the electrochemical cell to operate in fuel cell mode for power generation without compromising antimicrobial treatment, as stored ozone can be deployed when treatment is needed, thus maintaining treatment reliability while reducing power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The electrochemical cell operates dynamically in different modes (electrolysis mode for ozone generation and fuel cell mode for power generation) based on system needs. This dynamic operation allows the system to optimize power consumption while maintaining antimicrobial treatment capability through coordinated mode switching and ozone storage/deployment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces the risk of combustion in fuel tanks by maintaining an inert environment and provides antimicrobial treatment, minimizing the need for additional maintenance and reducing operating costs by integrating inerting and treatment functions within a single system.
Implementation Method 1
Another type of gas separator is based on an electrochemical cell such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical cell, which produces NEA by electrochemically generating protons for combination with oxygen to remove it from air.
Implementation Method 2
an electrochemical cell-based system that generates nitrogen-enriched air for inerting fuel tanks and produces ozone for antimicrobial treatment
Implementation Method 3
Such separators contain a membrane that is permeable to oxygen and water molecules, but relatively impermeable to nitrogen molecules.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A system is disclosed for treating a biologically active surface or material and inerting a protected space (54). Water is delivered to an anode of an electrochemical cell (10) with the anode (16) and a cathode (14) separated by a proton transfer medium separator (12). A voltage difference is applied between the anode and the cathode to electrolyze water at the anode to form a mixture of protons and ozone. The protons are transferred across the separator to the cathode, and air is delivered to the cathode where oxygen is reduced to generate oxygen-depleted air, which is directed to the protected space. The ozone is transferred to an ozone storage or distribution system (34), and ozone is transferred from the ozone storage or distribution system to the biologically active surface or material.