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US 2012/0055422 A1Published application
Hydrogen supplemental system for on-demand hydrogen generation for internal combustion engines
AssigneeHNO Greenfuels, Inc.
InventorDonald Owens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrogen generation system for producing hydrogen and injecting the hydrogen as a fuel supplement into the air intake of internal combustion engines. Hydrogen and oxygen is produced with a fuel cell at low temperatures and pressure from water in a supply tank. The hydrogen is directed to the air intake of the engine while the oxygen is vented to the atmosphere. The device is powered by the vehicle battery. The system utilizes an engine sensor that permits power to the system only when the engine is in operation.
Claims18
A portable hydrogen supplemental system for supplying hydrogen gas to an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a housing unit;
- a fuel cell mounted inside the housing unit that converts water into hydrogen and oxygen gas;
- a water tank mounted inside the housing unit and positioned to supply water to the fuel cell;
- a power supply for supplying electrical power to the fuel cell;
- an engine sensor for detecting operation of the internal combustion engine and;
- an operator control switch,
- wherein the water tank includes at least one tank divider which separates the water tank into at least two sections that are both filled with water when water is placed into the water tank;
- wherein the water tank includes at least first and second gas collection cavities at a top portion thereof for collecting hydrogen and oxygen gas respectively, the gas collection cavities being formed by a top surface of the water tank, the tank divider and the water level in the water tank;
- wherein each gas collection cavity includes a fitting at the top thereof for distributing one of the hydrogen and oxygen gas out of the water tank;
- wherein the power supply supplies electrical power to the fuel cell when the engine sensor detects that the internal combustion engine is in operation and the operator control switch is activated;
- wherein the fuel cell, when supplied with electrical power, produces hydrogen and oxygen gases from the water being supplied to the fuel cell, said hydrogen and oxygen gases being directed through the water tank into the gas collection cavities at the top thereof for proper distribution of the gases such that the hydrogen gas is supplied to the internal combustion engine for combustion therein;
- wherein the water tank includes first and second dividers provided at opposite ends of the tank to divide the tank into a hydrogen section and an oxygen section;
- and
- wherein each divider is formed along an inner wall of the water tank and extends to a predetermined position from the bottom surface of the water tank such that when water is placed into the water tank, the water tank fills evenly on both sides of each of the dividers.
11 more elements
A method of supplying hydrogen gas to an internal combustion engine comprising:
- converting, by a fuel cell mounted inside a housing unit, water into hydrogen and oxygen gas;
- supplying, by a water tank mounted inside the housing unit, water to the fuel cell;
- detecting, by an engine sensor, operation of the internal combustion engine;
- supplying, by a power supply, electrical power to the fuel cell upon detecting that the internal combustion engine is in operation and an operator control switch is activated;
- producing, by the fuel cell, when supplied with the electrical power, hydrogen and oxygen gases from the water being supplied to the fuel cell, said hydrogen and oxygen gases being directed through the water tank into respective gas collection cavities at the top of the water tank for proper distribution of the gases;
- and
- supplying the hydrogen gas to the internal combustion engine for combustion therein,
- wherein the water tank includes at least one tank divider which separates the water tank into at least two sections that are both filled with water when water is placed into the water tank,
- wherein each gas collection cavity includes a fitting at the top thereof for distributing one of the hydrogen and oxygen gas out of the water tank,
- wherein the water tank includes first and second dividers provided at opposite ends of the tank to divide the tank into a hydrogen section and an oxygen section, and
- wherein each divider is formed along an inner wall of the water tank and extends to a predetermined position from the bottom surface of the water tank such that when water is placed into the water tank, the water tank fills evenly on both sides of each of the dividers.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.