Electrolytic gas producer method and apparatus

Gas production apparatus including:

• a housing adapted to contain an electrolyte;
• electrodes at potential difference sufficient to cause electrolysis of said electrolyte to form a gas;
• supply means adapted to maintain said electrolyte;
• collection means for gases produced by said electrolysis, said collection means comprises a top portion of the housing having an aperture leading gas from the housing thereby and including separator means adapted to return at least some of an electrolyte mist entrained in the gas back to the housing, wherein said separator comprises a blind sleeve having a hollow conical collection member disposed on the blind end thereof, the apex of the conical collection member being directed substantially upstream of the gas flow, the conical surface having one or more delivery openings therethrough disposed away from the apex and providing a passage for gas downstream of the separator.

Gas production apparatus including:

• a housing adapted to contain an electrolyte;
• electrodes at potential difference sufficient to cause electrolysis of said electrolyte to form a gas;
• supply means adapted to maintain said electrolyte;
• collection means for gases produced by said electrolysis;
• and
• power supply means controlled by a control means, said power supply means selected to be responsive to one or more conditions of said apparatus wherein a plurality of housing portions each comprise a cell assembly and wherein each said cell assembly is provided with its own said controlled power supply means.

Gas production apparatus including:

• a housing adapted to contain an electrolyte;
• electrodes at potential difference sufficient to cause electrolysis of said electrolyte to form a gas;
• supply means adapted to maintain said electrolyte;
• collection means for gases produced by said electrolysis;
• and means adapted for extinguishing the effect of an ignition of the produced gases, said means comprising a flashback arrestor,
• wherein said flashback arrester comprises sensor means adapted to sense and output a flashback condition, the output of which is used to switch at least one high speed valve means and a current interrupting means.

A method of producing mixed hydrogen and oxygen gas comprising the steps of:

• providing a gas production apparatus comprised of a housing containing acidified water electrolyte and a plurality of substantially planar electrodes disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation in said electrolyte, the placement of the inter electrode being selected such that produced gases are constrained by an adjacent electrode, thereby causing turbulence in said electrolyte at the respective electrode, at a planar surface thereof;
• connecting alternate electrodes to respective poles of a direct current supply of a potential difference sufficient to cause electrolysis of said electrolyte;
• collecting produced gases from a top of said housing, and supplying make-up water to said housing to replace electrolyte that was electrolyzed to gas;
• an integrated control means adapted to control at least one of an electrolyte level, a composition and a temperature, a voltage and a current consumption, and a produced gas delivery pressure,
• wherein said control means comprises a programmable logic controller responsive to sensor inputs,
• wherein collection means collecting the gas from the housing is adapted to extinguish ignition of the produced gas;
• wherein said collection means includes a flashback arrester comprising an arrestor housing packed with stainless steel wool and adapted to be partially filled with water, a gas inlet led by a conduit to a point below a surface of the water, and a gas outlet collecting from a headspace above said water.