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US 11,447,879 B2Granted
Hydrogen generator
AssigneeUniversity of Surrey
InventorsBahman Amini Horri, Sai Gu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure relates to an electrolysis cell for producing hydrogen. The cell comprises an electrolyte compartment and an electrolyte disposed therein. The electrolyte comprises an aqueous alkaline solution comprising a transition metal ion or p block metal ion. The cell further comprises first and second spaced apart electrodes at least partially disposed in the electrolyte.
Claims20
An electrolysis cell for producing hydrogen, the cell comprising an electrolyte compartment;
- an electrolyte disposed in the electrolyte compartment, wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous alkaline solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and a zinc ion;
- first and second spaced apart electrodes at least partially disposed in the electrolyte, wherein at least one of the electrodes comprises at least a layer of zinc metal;
- and a power supply configured to apply a voltage across the first and second electrodes, wherein (a) the power supply is configured to supply a direct current to the electrodes and the cell comprises a control system configured to monitor the current flowing through the electrodes and to switch the direction of the current if it detects that the current has fallen below a predetermined level, or (b) the power supply is configured to apply a continuous alternating or oscillating current to the electrodes.
A method of producing hydrogen, the method comprising:
- providing an electrolysis cell, the electrolysis cell comprising:
- an electrolyte compartment;
- an electrolyte disposed in the electrolyte compartment, wherein the electrolyte comprises an aqueous alkaline solution comprising an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide and a zinc ion;
- two electrodes, wherein the electrodes comprise a cathode and a spaced apart anode and are at least partially disposed in the electrolyte and the anode comprises at least a layer of zinc metal;
- and
- applying a voltage across the two electrodes characterised in that the method comprises applying a continuous alternating or oscillating current to the electrodes or monitoring the rate of hydrogen production and/or the current and switching the direction of the current supplied to the electrodes when a drop in the rate of hydrogen production and/or the current is observed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.