Hydrogen generating apparatus and components therefor

A hydrogen generating system for use in an internal combustion engine of a vehicle for increasing the efficiency of the engine and decreasing emissions from the engine, the hydrogen generating system comprising:

• at least one electrolysis cell for generating hydrogen and oxygen gases by electrolysis of an aqueous solution;
• a power source for providing electrical power to the electrolysis cell;
• an outlet flow means for introducing the generated gases into the intake manifold system of an internal combustion engine, the outlet flow means including a vacuum pump for drawing the generated gases under vacuum toward the internal combustion engine, the vacuum pump having an inlet tubing and an outlet tubing and a vacuum control arrangement for conveying supplemental gas from gas source and introducing the substantial gases to the generated gases in the inlet tubing to reduce the vacuum generated by the vacuum pump;
• a monitoring means for monitoring the operating conditions of the hydrogen generating system;
• and
• a control means in communication with the monitoring means and adapted to control the operation of the hydrogen generating system in response to the monitoring means.

A hydrogen generating system for use in an internal combustion engine of a vehicle for increasing the efficiency of the engine and decreasing emissions from the engine, the hydrogen generating system comprising:

• an plurality of electrolysis cells for generating hydrogen and oxygen gases by electrolysis of an aqueous solution, the electrolysis cells being electrically connected in series;
• a power source for providing electrical power to the electrolysis cells through an output circuit;
• an outlet flow means for introducing the generated gases into the intake manifold system of the internal combustion engine;
• a monitoring means for monitoring the operating conditions of the hydrogen generating system, the monitoring means including sensor for monitoring the integrity of the output circuit from the power source;
• and
• a control means in communication with the monitoring means and adapted to control the operation of the hydrogen generating system in response to the monitoring means, the control means including means in communication with the sensor for controlling operation of the hydrogen generating system based on the integrity of the output circuit.