Hydroxyl Gas Generation System for Enhancing the Performance of a Combustion Engine

Abstract

Described is a hydroxyl gas generation system for generating a hydroxyl gas by way of electrolysis, for limiting the corrosion of electrodes used in the electrolysis, and for making the hydroxyl gas available to be drawn into the air intake of a combustion engine. The hydroxyl gas generation system generates an electrolytic reaction by passing an electrical current between the electrodes by way of an electrolytic solution, the electrolytic reaction generating the hydroxyl gas. To limit the corrosion of the electrodes, the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrodes is periodically alternated. Additionally, the electrodes are constructed of or plated with platinum, a material that is substantially impermeable to the electrolytic solution.

1 . A hydroxyl gas generation system for enhancing the performance of a combustion engine, said hydroxyl gas generation system comprising:
 an electrolytic cell having an electrolysis chamber and an electrode structure disposed within the electrolysis chamber, the electrolysis chamber being adapted to contain an electrolytic solution, the electrode structure defining an open circuit, the electrolytic solution completing the open circuit defined by the electrode structure when the electrolysis chamber contains the electrolytic solution; and   a processor in electrical communication with the electrode structure, said processor applies a voltage to the electrode structure such that the electrode structure generates an electrolytic reaction when the electrolysis chamber contains the electrolytic solution, the electrolytic reaction producing a hydroxyl gas within the electrolysis chamber, said processor alternates the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrode structure such that corrosion of the electrode structure is substantially uniform, said electrolytic cell being in gaseous communication with the combustion engine such that the hydroxyl gas is drawn from the electrolysis chamber and to the combustion engine.   
   
   
       2 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 1  wherein the electrode structure includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode defining the open circuit. 
   
   
       3 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 2  wherein said processor applies a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode, said processor alternates the polarity of the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode such that the first electrode and the second electrode corrode at a substantially uniform rate. 
   
   
       4 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 2  wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are at least partially constructed of platinum. 
   
   
       5 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 1  further comprising a bubbler in gaseous communication with the electrolytic cell, said bubbler having a bubbler chamber adapted to contain water, the bubbler chamber receives the hydroxyl gas from said electrolytic cell, said bubbler bubbles the hydroxyl gas through the water when the bubbler chamber contains the water, bubbling the hydroxyl gas through the water removes any electrolytic solution from the hydroxyl gas, the hydroxyl gas is drawn from the bubbler chamber and to the combustion engine. 
   
   
       6 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 1  wherein said electrolytic cell includes an electrolytic cell float switch in electrical communication with said processor, the electrolytic cell float switch generates a low solution level signal when the amount of solution within the electrolysis chamber drops below a threshold defined by the electrolytic cell float switch, said processor receives the low solution level signal. 
   
   
       7 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 6  further comprising a water reservoir and a fluid pump, said water reservoir being adapted to house water and being in fluidic communication with said fluid pump, said fluid pump being in fluidic communication with said electrolytic cell and in electrical communication with said processor, said processor causes said fluid pump to draw water from said water reservoir and pump water into the electrolysis chamber of said electrolytic cell when said processor receives the low solution level signal. 
   
   
       8 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 7  wherein said water reservoir is adapted to house a calculated amount of water, the calculated amount of water being such that the depletion of the water housed by said water reservoir coincides with periodic maintenance requirements of the combustion engine. 
   
   
       9 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 1  wherein said processor is in electrical communication with a power source. 
   
   
       10 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 1  wherein said electrolysis cell includes a first member and a second member, the second member being adapted to be releasably secured to the first member such that the first member and the second member define the electrolysis chamber when secured, the electrode structure being disposed at the second member. 
   
   
       11 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 10  wherein the first member and the second member have respective cooperating threaded members such that the second member is adapted to be releasably secured to the first member. 
   
   
       12 . A hydroxyl gas generation system for enhancing the performance of a combustion engine, said hydroxyl gas generation system comprising:
 an electrolysis chamber adapted to contain an electrolytic solution, said electrolysis chamber having a gas port;   an electrode structure disposed within said electrolysis chamber, said electrode structure having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode defining an open circuit, the electrolytic solution completing the open circuit defined by said electrode structure when said electrolysis chamber contains the electrolytic solution; and   a processor in electrical communication with said electrode structure and a power source, said processor applying a voltage to said electrode structure such that an electrical current passes between the first electrode and the second electrode by way of the electrolytic solution, the electrical current passing through the electrolytic solution generates an electrolytic reaction that generates a hydroxyl gas within the electrolysis chamber, said processor alternating the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrode structure such that the first electrode alternates between being the anode and the cathode and such that the second electrode correspondingly alternates between being the anode and the cathode, the combustion engine draws the hydroxyl gas from the electrolysis chamber by way of the gas port.   
   
   
       13 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 12  whereby the first electrode and the second electrode are at least partially constructed of platinum. 
   
   
       14 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 13  whereby the first electrode and the second electrode are platinum plated. 
   
   
       15 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 12  further comprising a bubbler in gaseous communication with said electrolysis chamber, said bubbler receives the hydroxyl gas from said electrolysis chamber and bubbles the hydroxyl gas through water contained by said bubbler, the bubbled hydroxyl gas is drawn from said bubbler to the combustion engine. 
   
   
       16 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 12  further comprising a water reservoir and a fluid pump, said water reservoir being adapted to house water and being in fluidic communication with said fluid pump, said fluid pump being in fluidic communication with said electrolysis chamber and in electrical communication with said processor, said processor detecting when the electrolytic solution within said electrolysis chamber drops below a low solution threshold, said processor activating said fluid pump such that said fluid pump draws water from said water reservoir and pumps the water into the electrolysis chamber until the electrolytic solution within the electrolysis chamber satisfies the low solution threshold when said processor determines that the electrolytic solution within said electrolysis chamber drops below a solution threshold. 
   
   
       17 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 12  further comprising a master switch in electrical communication with said processor and the combustion engine, said processor activating said hydroxyl gas generation system when the combustion engine is activated, said processor deactivating said hydroxyl gas generation system when the combustion engine is deactivated. 
   
   
       18 . A hydroxyl gas generation system for enhancing the performance of a combustion engine, said hydroxyl gas generation system comprising:
 an electrolytic cell having an electrolysis chamber and an electrode structure disposed within the electrolysis chamber, the electrode structure defining an open circuit, the electrolysis chamber containing an electrolytic solution such that the electrolytic solution completes the open circuit, said electrolytic cell having a float switch defining a low solution threshold, the low solution threshold indicating the amount of electrolytic solution within the electrolysis chamber;   a processor in electrical communication with the electrode structure, the float switch, and a power source, said processor applying a voltage to the electrode structure such that an electrical current passes through the electrolytic solution, an electrolytic reaction occurring when the electrical current passes through the electrolytic solution such that a hydroxyl gas is produced within the electrolysis chamber, said processor alternating the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrode structure such that the corrosion rate of the electrode structure is substantially uniform;   a water reservoir adapted to house water;   a fluid pump in fluidic communication with said water reservoir and in electrical communication with said processor, said processor activates said fluid pump when the float switch indicates that the electrolytic solution within the electrolysis chamber is below the low solution threshold, the fluid pump draws water from the water reservoir and pumps the water to the electrolysis chamber when said fluid pump is activated;   a bubbler in gaseous communication with said electrolytic cell, said bubbler draws the hydroxyl gas from the electrolysis chamber and bubbles the hydroxyl gas through water such that the hydroxyl gas is purified of any electrolytic solution, the combustion engine draws the purified hydroxyl gas from said bubbler to the air intake of the combustion engine.   
   
   
       19 . The hydroxyl gas generation system of  claim 18  wherein the electrode structure includes a first electrode and a second electrode, said processor applying the voltage to the electrode structure such that the electrical current passes between the first electrode and the second electrode by way of the electrolytic solution, said processor alternating the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrode structure such that the first electrode alternates between being the anode and the cathode and such that the second electrode correspondingly alternates between being the cathode and the anode.