Gas mixing device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorCharles B. Fortson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for mixing hydrogen and oxygen as a noncombustionable ixture of gases which avoids the hazard of a combustible mixing interface are disclosed as comprising a pair of cylinders which timely contains a water solvent within which said hydrogen and oxygen are respectively dissolved under pressurized and refrigerated conditions, in accordance with a predetermined program of operations. Then, the gas-saturated water of one of said cylinders is mixed with that of the other, thereby causing the gases therein to be mixed wthin the mixed water. The resultant gaseous mixture is subsequently separated from said water mixture, dried, and stores as a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases.
Claims4
Apparatus for preparing a breathable mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases in a predetermined ratio for use in deepsea diving, said apparatus comprising:
- a first cylinder defining a first chamber holding a predetermined first volume of water;
- a second cylinder defining a second chamber holding a second predetermined volume of water;
- a first piston operable in said first cylinder for varying the volume of said first chamber between a chamber volume greater than said first volume of water and a lesser chamber volume equal to said first volume of water;
- a second piston operable in said second cylinder for varying the volume of said second chamber between a chamber volume greater than said second volume of water and a lesser chamber volume equal to said second volume of water;
- means for introducing a predetermined quantity of gaseous hydrogen into said first chamber while operating said first piston to vary the volume thereof from said lesser chamber volume to said greater chamber volume;
- means for introducing a predetermined quantity of gaseous oxygen into said second chamber, in said predetermined ratio to said hydrogen in said first chamber, while operating said second piston to vary the volume thereof from said lesser chamber volume to said greater chamber volume;
- piston drive means, coupled to said first and second pistons, for moving said pistons in said cylinders so as to reduce the volumes of said first and second chambers, respectively, to said lesser chamber volumes, whereby said hydrogen and said oxygen form first and second solutions with said first and second volumes of water, respectively;
- refrigeration means, associated with said first and second cylinders, for cooling said water as said solutions are formed;
- mixing means, connected to said first and second cylinders, for mixing said first and second solutions to form a third solution containing both said hydrogen and said oxygen in said predetermined ratio;
- heating means, associated with one of said cylinders, for heating said third solution;
- and
- precipitator means, connected to said mixing means and said one of said cylinders, for separating said breathable mixture from said third solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.