Electrochemical process and apparatus for reducing oxidants of vehicle interior air
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorJoseph T. Kummer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A porous or nonporous hydrophilic, insoluble electrolyte allows a reducing condition to be produced at a negative electrode from a low content of moisture in the electrolyte and reduces oxidants by catalyzed production of water. A constant current with a low voltage is applied between a positive catalyzed electrode and a negative catalyzed electrode, each separated by a hydrophilic, insoluble, cationic exchange electrolyte therebetween containing moisture. The cell may consist of corrugated sheets of electrolyte, opposite sides of which may carry the catalytic electrode material; air to be treated is moved across the negative electrode only.
Claims21
An electrochemical method for selectively reducing gaseous oxidants of ozone, NO.sub.2, or peroxy nitrate contained in the air of a vehicle interior space at ambient temperature and pressure, comprising:
- (a) applying a constant current with a low voltage to an electrochemical cell comprised of a positive catalyzed electrode and a negative catalyzed electrode separated by a hydrophilic, protonic hydrogen ion conductor electrolyte therebetween containing moisture, said cell being effective to produce a reducing condition at said negative electrode by a concentration of hydrogen ions thereat;
- and
- (b) moving said oxidant laden air, for said vehicle interior space, across said negative electrode to reduce said oxidants and form water as a byproduct.
An apparatus for reducing the concentration of gaseous oxidants of ozone, NO.sub.2, or peroxy nitrate contained in the air of the interior passenger space of an automobile, comprising:
- (a) an oxidant decomposition cell consisting of a hydrophilic, protonic hydrogen ion conductor electrolyte separating a catalytic positive electrode and a catalytic negative electrode;
- (b) air blower means effective to selectively move air of the passenger space across said negative electrode;
- and
- (c) means for supplying a low voltage to said cell at a voltage level at or below which free hydrogen gas starts to evolve, and below the voltage at which free oxygen gas is rapidly reduced at the negative electrode.
An apparatus for reducing the concentration of gaseous oxidants of ozone, NO.sub.2, or peroxy nitrate contained in the air of the interior passenger space of an automobile, comprising:
- (a) an oxidant decomposition cell consisting of hydrophilic, protonic hydrogen ion conductor electrolyte separating a catalytic positive electrode and a catalytic negative electrode, the electrolyte comprising a honeycomb carrier having at least one wall containing pores, extending through said wall, filled with hydrophilic ion exchange resin to serve as said electrolyte, said honeycomb carrier being a cylinder having parallel axially extending passageways with a portion of said passageways blocked against flow when adjacent the positive electrode, said passageways formed as a result of interleaving corrugated sheets of material resistant to acid and rolling up said interleaved sheets to form said cylinder with such passageways in an axial direction of the rolling;
- (b) air blower means effective to positively and selectively move air of the passenger space across said negative electrode;
- and
- (c) means for supplying low voltage to said cell at a voltage level at or below which free hydrogen gas starts to evolve, and below the voltage at which free oxygen gas is rapidly reduced at the negative electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.