Dual hydrogen production apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for the dual production of hydrogen, wherein organic feed material of a primary hydrogen production apparatus is heated with excess or diverted heat from a secondary hydrogen production apparatus, thereby substantially deactivating or killing methanogens within the organic feed material. Hydrogen producing microorganisms contained or added to the organic feed material metabolize the organic feed material in a bioreactor to produce hydrogen in a primary hydrogen production apparatus. As the methanogens are no longer substantially present to convert produced hydrogen to methane, a biogas that contains hydrogen without substantial methane can be produced.

1 . An apparatus for dually producing hydrogen, comprising: 
 a secondary hydrogen production apparatus including an apparatus that breaks down chemical compounds, wherein hydrogen is produced from one or a series of reactions using heated liquids, vapors or gases,    a primary hydrogen production apparatus operably combined with the secondary hydrogen production apparatus, the primary hydrogen production apparatus including a bioreactor adapted to produce hydrogen from microorganisms metabolizing an organic feed material, and    a heat exchanger operably associated with the primary and secondary hydrogen production apparatuses such that heat from the secondary hydrogen production apparatus is transferred to the primary hydrogen production apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated liquids, vapors and gases are selected from the group comprising of water, steam, hydrochloric acid, oxygen and sulfur dioxide.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated liquids, vapors and gases in the secondary hydrogen production apparatus are at a temperature in a range of about 100 to 1000° C.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the organic feed material is heated for a period of at least fifteen minutes.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the organic feed material is heated by the heat to a temperature of about 60 to 100° C.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the organic feed material in the bioreactor has a controlled pH by a pH controlling device.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary hydrogen production apparatus is a steam based high temperature electrolyzer.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary hydrogen production apparatus is a water based high temperature electrolyzer.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary hydrogen production apparatus is an apparatus conducive to sulfur iodide processes.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-exchanger is a gas/liquid heat exchanger.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the heat-exchanger is a liquid/liquid heat exchanger.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the primary hydrogen production apparatus further comprises a passage providing entry access to the bioreactor and providing removal access to the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further providing treatment means for treating an organic feed material contained within the primary hydrogen production apparatus.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an electronic controller having at least one microprocessor adapted to process signals from a one or a plurality of devices providing organic feed material parameter information, wherein the electronic controller is connected to the at least one actuatable terminal and is arranged to control the operation of the heat exchanger and the temperature of any contents therein.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a pump operably related to the passage.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus for dually producing hydrogen, comprising: 
 a secondary hydrogen production apparatus including an electrolyzer, wherein hydrogen is produced from one or a series of reactions using heated liquids, vapors or gases,    a primary hydrogen production apparatus operably combined with the secondary hydrogen production apparatus, the primary hydrogen production apparatus including a bioreactor adapted to produce hydrogen from microorganisms metabolizing an organic feed material, and    a heat exchanger operably associated with the primary and secondary hydrogen production apparatuses such that heat from the secondary hydrogen production apparatus is transferred to the primary hydrogen production apparatus.