US 12,441,644 B2 · System and method of generating electricity in a body of water

Abstract

A method of generating electricity in a body of water includes providing a colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria, a colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, and a colony of denitrifying bacteria submerged in the body of water. The colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria can be used to convert at least a portion of sulfates present in the body of water to hydrogen sulfide. The colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria can be used to convert the hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid, which can react with manganese to produce hydrogen gas. The colony of denitrifying bacteria can be used to convert at least a portion of nitrogen oxides in the body of water to nitrogen gas, which can be bubbled through a portion of water from the body of water to remove dissolved oxygen gas. The hydrogen gas and oxygen gas can be combined in a fuel cell generator to generate electricity.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of generating electricity in a body of water, comprising:

providing a colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria, a colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, and a colony of denitrifying bacteria, wherein the colonies are submerged in the body of water;
using the colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria, converting at least a portion of sulfates present in the body of water to hydrogen sulfide;
using the colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, converting the hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid;
reacting the sulfuric acid with manganese to produce hydrogen gas and manganese sulfate;
using the colony of denitrifying bacteria, converting at least a portion of nitrogen oxides in the body of water to nitrogen gas;
bubbling the nitrogen gas through a portion of water from the body of water to remove dissolved oxygen from the portion of water, thereby forming a mixture of the nitrogen gas and oxygen gas;
and
combining the hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in a fuel cell generator to generate electricity.

5 more elements

A system for generating electricity in a body of water, comprising:

a housing submerged or submergible in the body of water;
a colony of sulfur-reducing bacteria in or on the housing to convert sulfates in the body of water to hydrogen sulfide;
a colony of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in or on the housing to convert the hydrogen sulfide to sulfuric acid;
a reaction chamber at least partially enclosed by the housing to react the sulfuric acid with manganese to produce hydrogen gas and manganese sulfate;
a colony of denitrifying bacteria in or on the housing to convert nitrogen oxides in the body of water to nitrogen gas;
a bubbling chamber at least partially enclosed by the housing to bubble the nitrogen gas through water from the body of water to remove dissolved oxygen from the water, thereby forming a mixture of the nitrogen gas and oxygen gas;
and
a fuel cell generator connected to the reaction chamber and the bubbling chamber to combine the hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas, thereby generating electricity.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method of generating electricity in a body of water

Life of this patent

System and method of generating electricity in a body of water

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20