Pulsed electrolysis apparatus and method of using same

Abstract

An electrolysis system ( 100 ) and method of using same is provided. In addition to an electrolysis tank ( 101 ) and a membrane ( 105 ) separating the tank into two regions, the system includes a plurality of metal members comprised of at least a first and a second metal member ( 121/123 ) contained within the first tank region and at least a third and a fourth metal member ( 125/127 ) contained within the second tank region. The system also includes a plurality of high voltage electrodes comprised of at least an anode ( 117 ) interposed between the first and second metal members and at least a cathode ( 115 ) interposed between the third and fourth metal members. The high voltage applied to the plurality of high voltage electrodes is pulsed.

1 . An electrolysis system comprising:
 an electrolysis tank;   a membrane separating said electrolysis tank into a first region and a second region, wherein said membrane permits ion and electron exchange between said first and second regions;   a plurality of metal members contained within said electrolysis tank, said plurality of metal members comprised of at least a first metal member and a second metal member contained within said first region, and said plurality of metal members comprised of at least a third metal member and fourth metal member contained within said second region;   a plurality of high voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, said plurality of high voltage electrodes comprised of at least a first high voltage anode contained within said first region and interposed between said first metal member and said second metal member, and said plurality of high voltage electrodes comprised of at least a first high voltage cathode contained within said second region and interposed between said third metal member and said fourth metal member;   a high voltage source electrically connected to said plurality of high voltage electrodes; and   means for pulsing said high voltage source voltage at a specific frequency and with a specific pulse duration.   
   
   
       2 . The electrolysis system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for cooling said electrolysis system. 
   
   
       3 . The electrolysis system of  claim 2 , wherein said cooling means is comprised of a conduit containing a heat transfer medium, wherein a portion of said conduit is in thermal communication with at least a portion of said electrolysis tank. 
   
   
       4 . The electrolysis system of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid within said electrolysis tank, wherein said liquid includes at least one of water, deuterated water, tritiated water, semiheavy water, heavy oxygen water, water containing an isotope of hydrogen, or water containing an isotope of oxygen. 
   
   
       5 . The electrolysis system of  claim 4 , further comprising an electrolyte within said liquid, said electrolyte having a concentration of between 0.05 and 10.0 percent by weight. 
   
   
       6 . The electrolysis system of  claim 1 , wherein said first metal member is comprised of a first material, wherein said second metal member is comprised of a second material, wherein said third metal member is comprised of a third material, wherein said fourth metal member is comprised of a fourth material, wherein said first high voltage anode is comprised of a fifth material, wherein said first high voltage cathode is comprised of a sixth material, and wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth materials are selected from the group consisting of steel, nickel, copper, iron, stainless steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, titanium, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, metal hydrides and alloys of steel, nickel, copper, iron, stainless steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, titanium, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite and metal hydrides. 
   
   
       7 . The electrolysis system of  claim 1 , further comprising a system controller coupled to said electrolytic system, wherein said system controller is coupled to at least one of said high voltage source, said pulsing means, a temperature monitor contained within said electrolysis tank, a pH monitor contained within said electrolysis tank, a resistivity monitor contained within said electrolysis tank, a liquid level monitor contained within said electrolysis tank, and a flow valve coupled to means for filling said electrolysis tank with liquid. 
   
   
       8 . A method of operating an electrolysis system comprising the steps of applying a high voltage to at least a first high voltage anode and a first high voltage cathode contained within an electrolysis tank, said high voltage applying step further comprising the step of pulsing said high voltage at a first frequency and with a first pulse duration, and wherein said first high voltage anode is interposed between at least a first metal member and a second metal member within a first region of said electrolysis tank, and wherein said first high voltage cathode is interposed between a third metal member and a fourth metal member within a second region of said electrolysis tank, said first and second regions of said electrolysis tank separated by a membrane. 
   
   
       9 . A method of operating an electrolysis system comprising the steps of:
 filling an electrolysis tank with a liquid;   positioning a plurality of metal members within said electrolysis tank, wherein said plurality of metal members is comprised of at least a first metal member, a second metal member, a third metal member and a fourth metal member, wherein said positioning step further comprises the steps of positioning said first and second metal members within a first region of said electrolysis tank and positioning said third and fourth metal members within a second region of said electrolysis tank, said first and second regions of said electrolysis tank separated by a membrane;   positioning a plurality of high voltage electrodes within said electrolysis tank, wherein said plurality of high voltage electrodes is comprised of at least a first high voltage anode and a first high voltage cathode, wherein said positioning step further comprises the steps of positioning said first high voltage anode between said first and second metal members within said first region of said electrolysis tank and positioning said first high voltage cathode between said third and fourth metal members within said second region of said electrolysis tank; and   applying a high voltage to said plurality of high voltage electrodes, said high voltage applying step further comprising the step of pulsing said high voltage applied to said plurality of high voltage electrodes at a first frequency and with a first pulse duration.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of selecting said liquid from the group consisting of water, deuterated water, tritiated water, semiheavy water, heavy oxygen water, water containing an isotope of hydrogen, or water containing an isotope of oxygen. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of adding an electrolyte to said liquid. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 fabricating said first metal member from a first material;   fabricating said second metal member from a second material;   fabricating said third metal member from a third material;   fabricating said fourth metal member from a fourth material;   fabricating said first high voltage anode from a fifth material;   fabricating said first high voltage cathode from a sixth material; and   selecting said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth materials from the group consisting of steel, nickel, copper, iron, stainless steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, titanium, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, metal hydrides and alloys of steel, nickel, copper, iron, stainless steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, titanium, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite and metal hydrides.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of selecting said high voltage to be within the range of 50 volts to 50 kilovolts. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of selecting said first frequency to be within the range of 50 Hz to 1 MHz. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of selecting said first pulse duration to be between 0.01 and 75 percent of a time period defined by said first frequency. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 monitoring pH of said liquid within said electrolysis tank; and   adding electrolyte to said liquid when said monitored pH falls outside of a preset range.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 monitoring resistivity of said liquid within said electrolysis tank; and   adding electrolyte to said liquid when said monitored resistivity falls outside of a preset range.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 monitoring a liquid level within said electrolysis tank; and   adding more of said liquid to said electrolysis tank when said monitored liquid level falls below a preset value.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 monitoring heat generation of said electrolysis system;   selecting an operating parameter from at least one of said high voltage, said first frequency, and said first pulse duration; and   optimizing said operating parameter of said electrolysis system in response to said monitored heat generation.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of achieving a preset value for said heat generation prior to performing said optimizing step.