Mediated electrochemical oxidation process used as a hydrogen fuel generator

A process for treating and oxidizing biological and organic waste materials comprising producing hydrogen ions and oxygen from the waste gas, circulating anions of mediator oxidizing species in an electrolyte through an electrochemical cell, separating the electrolyte into an anolyte portion having an anode and a catholyte portion having a cathode, with a hydrogen ion-selective membrane, applying a direct current voltage between the anode and the cathode portion, and carrying current with the hydrogen ions from the anolyte portion to the cathode, and affecting anodic oxidation of reduced forms of reversible redox couples into oxidized forms, contacting the anions with the organic waste in an anolyte portion of the electrolyte in a primary oxidation process, involving super oxidizer anions, having an oxidation potential above a threshold value of 1.7 volts at 1 molar, 25° C. and pH1 wherein when the said superoxidizers are present there is a free radical oxidizer driven secondary oxidation process, adding energy from an energy source to the anolyte portion and augmenting the secondary oxidation processes, breaking down hydrogen peroxide in the anolyte portion into hydroxyl free radicals, and increasing an oxidizing effect of the secondary oxidation processes, wherein the current is carried by the hydrogen ions from anode to the cathode in the electrochemical cell, wherein hydrogen gas is formed from the hydrogen ions at the cathode and the hydrogen gas is used in a further device for producing energy.

Apparatus for the use of the mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) process comprising providing biological and organic waste materials to produce hydrogen ions and oxygen, an electrochemical cell, an aqueous electrolyte disposed in the electrochemical cell, a hydrogen ion-permeable selective membrane, disposed in the electrochemical cell for separating the cell into anolyte and catholyte chambers and separating the electrolyte into aqueous anolyte and catholyte portions, electrodes further comprising an anode and a cathode disposed in the electrochemical cell respectively in the anolyte and catholyte chambers and in the anolyte and catholyte portions of the electrolyte, a power supply connected to the anode and the cathode for applying a direct current voltage between the anolyte and the catholyte portions of the electrolyte, and oxidizing of the materials in the anolyte portion with a mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) process wherein the anolyte portion further comprises a mediator in aqueous solution for producing reversible redox couples used as oxidizing species and the electrolyte is an acid, neutral or alkaline aqueous solution, wherein current is carried by the hydrogen cell ions from anolyte portion to the cathode in the electrochemical cell, wherein hydrogen gas is formed at the cathode and the hydrogen gas is used in a further device for producing energy.

A biological and organic waste destruction system which provides hydrogen and oxygen, comprising a housing constructed of metal or high strength plastic surrounding an electrochemical cell, with electrolyte separating the electrolyte into an anolyte portion having an anode and a catholyte portion having a cathode with a hydrogen ion-selective membrane, applying a direct current voltage between the anolyte portion and the catholyte portion, an AC power supply with a power cord, a DC power supply connected to the AC power supply, the DC power supply providing DC voltage to the electrochemical cell, a control keyboard for input of commands and data, a monitor screen to display the systems operation and functions, an anolyte reaction chamber with a basket, status lights for displaying information about the status of the treatment of the organic waste material, a CO2 vent incorporated into the housing to allow for CO2 release from the anolyte reaction chamber, an atmospheric vent facilitating the releases of gases into the atmosphere from the catholyte reservoir, a hinged lid for opening and depositing the organic waste in the basket in the anolyte reaction chamber, a locking latch connected to the hinged lid, and in the anolyte reaction chamber an aqueous acid, alkali, or neutral salt electrolyte and mediated oxidizer species solution in which an oxidizer form of a mediator redox couple initially may be present or may be generated electrochemically after introduction of the waste and application of the DC to the electrochemical cell, hydrogen ions are produced from the destruction of the waste, wherein current is carried by hydrogen ions from the anolyte portion to the cathode in the electrochemical cell, wherein hydrogen gas is formed at the cathode and the hydrogen gas is used in a further device for producing energy.

A organic waste oxidizing process, comprising an operator engaging an ‘ON’ button on a control keyboard, a system controller which contains a microprocessor, running a program and controlling a sequence of operations, a monitor screen displaying process steps in proper sequence, status lights on the panel providing status of the process, opening a lid and placing the organic waste in a basket as a liquid, solid, or a mixture of liquids and solids, retaining a solid portion of the waste and flowing a liquid portion through the basket and into an anolyte reaction chamber, activating a locking latch after the waste is placed in the basket, activating pumps which begins circulating the anolyte and a catholyte, once the circulating is established throughout the system, operating mixers, once flow is established, turning on thermal control units, and initiating anodic oxidation and electrolyte heating programs, disposing an electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, separating the electrolyte into an anolyte portion having an anode and a catholyte portion having an cathode with a hydrogen ion-selective membrane, applying a DC voltage between the anolyte portion and the catholyte portion, energizing the electrochemical cell to electric potential and current density determined by the controller program, using programmed electrical power and electrolyte temperature ramps for maintaining a predetermined waste destruction rate profile as a relatively constant reaction rate as more reactive waste components are oxidized, thus resulting in the remaining waste becoming less and less reactive, thereby requiring more and more vigorous oxidizing conditions, activating ultrasonic and ultraviolet systems in the anolyte reaction chamber and catholyte reservoir, releasing CO2 from the biological and organic waste oxidizing process in the anolyte reaction chamber, monitoring progress of the process in the controller by cell voltages and currents, monitoring CO2, CO, and O2 gas composition for CO2, CO and oxygen content, decomposing the organic waste into water, hydrogen ions and CO2, the latter being discharged out of the CO2 vent, and discharging excess air out of an atmospheric vent, determining with an oxidation sensor that desired degree of waste destruction has been obtained, setting the system to standby, and executing system shutdown using the controller keyboard system operator, wherein current is carried by the hydrogen ions from the anolyte portion to the cathode in the electrochemical cell, wherein hydrogen gas is formed at the cathode and the hydrogen is used in a further device for producing energy.