Multiple electrode stack and structure for the electrolysis of water

Abstract

A cell assembly and a vertically disposed electrode stack within the cell chamber for the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen upon the application of electric current to the electrodes. The cell assembly is arranged to contain an electrode stack immersed in water, the stack consisting of at least two electrodes in the form of or having the shape of quadric surfaces such as cones or cylinders. The electrodes are mounted in close concentric proximity to one another and are positioned by support posts which may also serve as electrical connections and are mounted at the base of the cell chamber and extend upwardly through the base of each electrode. A lip structure to assist in gas dispersement disposed about the upper edge of the upper electrode is also disclosed.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/126,501 Filed May 6, 2008 which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention resides in the field of the electrolysis of water and more particularly relates to the configuration of electrodes used for that purpose.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are a substantial number of prior art devices adapted for the process of the electrolysis of water. Most are directed to electrode configuration, control of the volume of gas generation, and control of the use of the gases, hydrogen and oxygen, so produced. The present invention is concerned with electrode configuration and particularly with the rapid generation of gas in a limited space.

While the great majority of systems employ electrodes in the shape of plates, some employ quadric surfaces or shapes, particularly cylinders or cones. Several of these show a plurality of concentrically disposed electrodes. For example, a plurality of concentric cylinders is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,822, Cunningham, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,624, Heish. Also concentric cones or conical sections are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,601, Spirig, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,168, Verrierr.

In contrast to the prior art, the invention described herein provides a vertical stack of suitable generally cup shaped electrodes where one fits within and in close proximity to another and which are arranged in an ascending vertical relationship. A multiplicity of electrodes with a corresponding increase in electrode surface area for water disassociation or breakdown into gas is thereby made available in a more compact space than that found in prior art devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention may be summarized as apparatus for the electrolysis of water resulting in the disassociation of liquid water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. The invention consists of a chamber for containing water which is intended to be mounted such that it's longitudinal axis is substantially vertical and having mounted therein in close concentric relationship at least two electrodes of the same quadric form and shape. The preferable shapes of the electrodes are cylinders or cones. They are positioned in close proximity to one another, the bottom circumferential edge of the upper electrode residing below the top edge of the lower electrode to create, upon the application of electric current across the electrodes, an upward vortex flow of the resulting gases to be collected at the top of the chamber.

The gas produced at the lower electrode will function as it rises to sweep the gas produced at the upper electrode away from that electrode to allow fresh gas to be generated at an expedited rate as compared to prior art configurations employing, for example, horizontally disposed side-by-side plates.

The invention also provides two additional structural features which enhance the production and flow of gas. The first is a lip surrounding the upper circumferential edge of the upper electrode to create turbulence and churning of water within the cell as gas is produced resulting in a more rapid replenishment of water at the electrode surface.

The second is the employment of upwardly extending electrode support posts mounted at the base of the chamber. These alternately attach to a bottom surface which may form a part of each electrode. To achieve this, each electrode bottom has a pair of spaced apart ports of the same size or, optionally, one larger than the posts, the other about the size of a post. When employing ports of the same size, they must be larger than the diameter of the post.

When employing ports of a different size, contact is made with one post at the smaller of the ports to secure the electrode in position while the other larger port provides a passageway for the opposite post to the next electrode. The position of the ports then alternates from one electrode to another, larger above smaller, smaller above larger. The advantage of making one port about the size of one of the posts is ease of assembly and alignment to create the finished stack.

This arrangement also provides a means for electrically connecting the electrodes to voltages of opposite polarity by using the support posts as the electrical connectors for each electrode. The posts may also serve in this arrangement as additional electrode surfaces for generating the desired product gases.

These and other features and advantages, as well as the detailed structure of the invention will become more evident from the description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the drawings, which follows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3a is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3b is a perspective view of a component of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3c is a perspective view of an additional component of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3a; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an additional embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in which electrode stack 10 consisting of a plurality of electrodes 12, one above the other in a substantially vertical array, is disposed within chamber 16. The chamber is sealed except for designated inputs and outputs and is arranged to contain water and electrolyte for disassociation into hydrogen and oxygen gas.

The electrodes have the shape and form of a quadric surface, a conical section as shown, and each may have a lip 18 disposed about it's upper edge to agitate, disrupt, or chum the upward flow of the gasses generated at the electrode below by the electrolytic process. The electrodes are of alternating polarity, connected in a manner, as will be described below, to a source of DC electrical current 20 through terminals 22 and 24.

The upper portion 26 of chamber 14 is arranged to collect the product gasses of the process to be used in a selected manner. For example, in the assembly shown, a water/electrolyte expansion tank 28 and pressure gage 30, flash arrestor 32, and gas flow meter 34 are additionally provided to facilitate the gas generator and associated apparatus to supply hydrogen as a fuel in whole or in part to a motor vehicle or torch assembly.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cut-away perspective view of chamber 15 further including cooling fins 17 supplied to dissipate the heat generated by the electrolytic process in an enclosed space such as the motor compartment of a motor vehicle. Electrodes 12 are positioned one above the other in a concentric, stacked, nested configuration where the bottom surface 36b of one electrode is positioned a selected distance slightly above the bottom surface 36a of the one below it. This close proximity results in the efficient generation of a substantial amount of gas in a limited amount of space. Further, the electrodes are mounted in a unique way by the use of posts comprising threaded rods 38 secured to chamber base 40 which rods serve not only as support structures for electrodes 12 but electrical connections and additional electrode surfaces as well.

Referring to FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, perspective views of the components of the electrode stack of the invention are shown. Electrodes 12 are cupped shaped in the form of a conical section as illustrated in FIG. 3c and have bottom members 42 with unequally sized ports 44a and 44b, 44a being the larger of the pair. Port 44a will allow rod 38 to pass upwardly through bottom 42 without making contact with the circumferential edges of the port. Port 44b is closely equivalent in size to rod 38 so that the rod may contact the bottom to form an electrical connection in whole or in part. The electrodes may then be then be assembled and aligned without causing an inadvertent shorting of the electrical circuit through a bottom member when electrical current is applied to the rods. Ports 46 are also provided in bottom members 42 to facilitate the flow of water through the stack.

As further illustrated in FIG. 3b, the alignment position of the port pairs 44a and 44b alternate as electrodes are added to the stack providing not only a structural support mechanism for the electrodes, but also the means by which the polarity alternates from one electrode to another up and down the stack. The dual function of the rods, mechanical support and electrical connection terminals, eliminates the need for separate devices to fulfill these requirements, an economy not heretofore shown in any of the prior art disclosures known to applicant.

FIG. 3a illustrates the assembly of stack 10 incorporating the components described above. As shown, electrodes 12 alternating as to port orientation as shown in FIG. 3b are arranged one above the other and held in proximate fixed position by nuts 48 coupled with metal rods 38, in combination with metal washers 50 and electrically non-conducting washers 52 composed of, for example, plastic. Nuts 48 are shown spaced away from electrode bottoms 42 but, in final assembly, tightly clamp bottom 42 and washers 50 and 52 to hold each electrode firmly in place.

Metal washers 50 are used to complete the electrical contact between electrode bottoms 42 and rods 38 for those rods passing through ports 44b and non-conducting washers 52 are used to insulate electrode bottoms 42 from rods 38 for those rods passing through the larger ports 44a where electrical contact is prohibited.

FIG. 4 is a perspective cut-away view of the above described configuration showing the final assembly with washers 50 and 52 in place and nuts 48 tightened to hold electrodes 12 securely in a selected spaced apart relationship. The distance of separation of the electrodes may be controlled by the thickness of nuts 48 or additional intermediate spacers, not shown, or both. In this illustration, all of the ports 44 are of the same size and are larger than rods 38 so that no electrical contact will be made directly with electrode bottoms 42 but only through metal washers 50.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention showing an electrode stack configuration similar to that previously described using cylindrically shaped electrodes 54a-54e rather than cone shaped electrodes. Lips 55 are provided to assist in agitating the upward flow of the bubbling gases. They are, of necessity, of diminishing diameter in order to provide the nesting arrangement of the invention. Washers 56 and 58 provide electrical contact or insulation from threaded rods 60 in combination with nuts 62 which hold each of electrodes 54a-54e securely in a selected spaced apart stacked relationship with one another. As before, the distance of separation of the electrodes may be controlled by the thickness of nuts 62 or additional intermediate spacers, not shown, or both. In this illustration, the electrode ports 64 and 66 are of different sizes, 64 larger than rods 60 and the other 66 about the same size.

As variations in the above-described embodiments will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, the invention is accordingly defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An electrode stack for the electrolysis of water arranged to be vertically disposed within a chamber for containing said water and collecting the gaseous products of said electrolysis, said stack comprising in combination:

A. a first electrode having a form and shape comprising in substantial part a first selected quadric surface;

B. a second electrode comprising in substantial part a second selected quadric surface of the same form and shape as said first quadric surface, each of said electrodes having an upper and a lower edge;

C. electrical connecting means arranged to connect each of said electrodes to a source of direct electrical current, each of said electrodes connected to an opposite electrical polarity of said current of the other; and

D. electrode mounting means concentrically mounting said second electrode above said first electrode and in such proximity to said first electrode that the bottom edge of said second electrode is positioned below the upper edge of said first electrode, and the upper edge of said second electrode is positioned above the upper edge of said first electrode.

2. The stack of claim 1 wherein each of said surfaces is a conical section.

3. The stack of claim 1 wherein each of said surfaces is a cylindrical section.

4. The stack of claim 2 wherein said second electrode has a lip surrounding and extending outwardly from said upper edge.

5. The stack of claim 3 wherein said second electrode has a lip surrounding and extending outwardly from said upper edge.

6. The stack of claim 1 further including a base and wherein:

each of said electrodes has a bottom surface member, each having a pair of spaced apart ports;

said electrode mounting means comprises a pair of posts mounted in spaced apart relationship at said base arranged to pass through said ports; and

said ports are alternately connected to one of said electrode bottom surface members.

7. The stack of claim 6 wherein said posts further comprise said electrical connecting means.

8. The stack of claim 6 wherein said posts are equal in diameter and one of said ports is approximately equal to the diameter of said posts and the other of said ports is larger than the diameter of said posts.

9. A cell assembly for the electrolysis of water to be positioned vertically when in use, said assembly comprising in combination:

A. a chamber for containing said water;

B. means for collecting the gaseous products of said electrolysis from the upper portion of said chamber;

C. An electrode stack disposed within said chamber, said stack consisting of: i. a first electrode having a form and shape comprising in substantial part a first selected quadric surface; and ii. a second electrode comprising in substantial part a second selected quadric surface of the same form and shape as said first quadric surface, each of said electrodes having an upper and a lower edge;

D. electrical connecting means arranged to connect each of said electrodes to a source of direct electrical current, each of said electrodes connected to an opposite electrical polarity of said current of the other; and

E. electrode mounting means concentrically mounting said second electrode above said first electrode within the lower portion of said chamber and in such proximity to said first electrode that the bottom edge of said second electrode is positioned below the upper edge of said first electrode, and the upper edge of said second electrode is positioned above the upper edge of said first electrode.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein each of said surfaces is a conical section.

11. The assembly of claim 9 wherein each of said surfaces is a cylindrical section.

12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said second electrode has a lip surrounding and extending outwardly from said upper edge.

13. The stack of claim 11 wherein said second electrode has a lip surrounding and extending outwardly from said upper edge.

14. The stack of claim 9 further including a base and wherein:

each of said electrodes has a bottom surface member, each having a pair of spaced apart ports;

said electrode mounting means comprises a pair of posts mounted in spaced apart relationship at said base arranged to pass through said ports; and

said ports are alternately connected to one of said electrode bottom surface members.

15. The stack of claim 14 wherein said posts further comprise said electrical connecting means.

16. The stack of claim 15 wherein said posts are equal in diameter and one of said ports is approximately equal to the diameter of said posts and the other of said ports is larger than the diameter of said posts.