Power generator utitlizing circulated working fluid from a pulsed electrolysis system and method of using same

Abstract

A power generating system ( 100 ) and a method of operating the same is provided, the system utilizing an electrolytic heating subsystem ( 103 ). The electrolytic heating subsystem is a pulsed electrolysis system that heats a working fluid contained within a circulation conduit ( 107 ) in thermal communication with an electrolysis tank ( 109 ) of the electrolytic heating subsystem ( 103 ). As the working fluid is circulated through the circulation conduit, it is heated to a temperature above its boiling point, causing at least a portion of the working fluid to be converted to vapor (e.g., steam). The vapor is then circulated through a steam turbine ( 111 ), causing its rotation and, in turn, an electric generator ( 113 ) coupled to the steam turbine.

1 . A power generating system comprising:
 an electrolytic heating subsystem comprising:
 an electrolysis tank; 
 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, and water containing an isotope of oxygen; 
 a membrane separating said electrolysis tank into a first region and a second region; 
 at least one pair of low voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, wherein each pair of said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes includes an anode and a cathode; 
 at least one pair of high voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, wherein each pair of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes includes an anode and a cathode, wherein said anodes of said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes and said anodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes are contained within said first region, wherein said cathodes of said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes and said cathodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes are contained within said second region, and wherein a first separation distance corresponding to the distance between the electrodes of each pair of high voltage electrodes is greater than a second separation distance corresponding to the distance between the electrodes of each pair of low voltage electrodes; 
   a low voltage source with a first output voltage electrically connected to said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes;   a high voltage source with a second output voltage electrically connected to said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes, wherein said second output voltage is higher than said first output voltage; and   a pulse generator coupled to said low voltage source and to said high voltage source, wherein said pulse generator simultaneously pulses both said low voltage source and said high voltage source voltage at a specific frequency and with a specific pulse duration;   a circulation conduit containing a working fluid, wherein a portion of said circulation conduit is in thermal communication with said electrolytic heating subsystem;   a steam turbine coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein vapor formed from said working fluid and contained within said circulation conduit passes through said steam turbine; and   an electric generator coupled to said steam turbine.   
   
   
       2 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a condenser coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein said vapor passing through said steam turbine is cooled and condensed within said condenser. 
   
   
       3 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a separator coupled to said circulation conduit and interposed between a first region of said portion of said circulation conduit and a second region of said portion of said circulation conduit. 
   
   
       4 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second electrolytic heating subsystem, wherein a second portion of said circulation conduit is in thermal communication with said second electrolytic heating subsystem. 
   
   
       5 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a circulation pump coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein said circulation pump circulates said working fluid through said circulation conduit. 
   
   
       6 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a system controller coupled to said electrolytic heating subsystem, wherein said system controller is coupled to at least one of said low voltage source, said high voltage source, and said pulse generator. 
   
   
       7 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , wherein each low voltage cathode is comprised of a first material, wherein each low voltage anode is comprised of a second material, wherein each high voltage cathode is comprised of a third material, wherein each high voltage anode is comprised of a fourth material, and wherein said first, second, third and fourth materials are selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides and alloys of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides. 
   
   
       8 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic rate controller subsystem, said electromagnetic rate controller subsystem comprising:
 at least one electromagnetic coil, said at least one electromagnetic coil generating a controllable magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank; and   means for controlling magnetic field intensity of said magnetic field, wherein said controlling means is coupled to said at least one electromagnetic coil.   
   
   
       9 . The power generating system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one permanent magnet, said at least one permanent magnet generating a magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank. 
   
   
       10 . A power generating system comprising:
 an electrolytic heating subsystem comprising:
 an electrolysis tank; 
 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, and water containing an isotope of oxygen; 
 a membrane separating said electrolysis tank into a first region and a second region; 
 at least one pair of high voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, wherein each pair of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes includes an anode and a cathode, wherein said anodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes are contained within said first region, and wherein said cathodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes are contained within said second region; 
 a plurality of metal members contained within said electrolysis tank, wherein at least a first metal member of said plurality of metal members is contained within said first region and interposed between said anodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes and said membrane, and wherein at least a second metal member of said plurality of metal members is contained within said second region and interposed between said cathodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes and said membrane; 
 a high voltage source with an output voltage electrically connected to said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes; and 
 a pulse generator coupled to said high voltage source, wherein said pulse generator pulses said high voltage source voltage at a specific frequency and with a specific pulse duration; 
   a circulation conduit containing a working fluid, wherein a portion of said circulation conduit is in thermal communication with said electrolytic heating subsystem;   a steam turbine coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein vapor formed from said working fluid and contained within said circulation conduit passes through said steam turbine; and   an electric generator coupled to said steam turbine.   
   
   
       11 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising a condenser coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein said vapor passing through said steam turbine is cooled and condensed within said condenser. 
   
   
       12 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising a separator coupled to said circulation conduit and interposed between a first region of said portion of said circulation conduit and a second region of said portion of said circulation conduit. 
   
   
       13 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising a second electrolytic heating subsystem, wherein a second portion of said circulation conduit is in thermal communication with said second electrolytic heating subsystem. 
   
   
       14 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising a circulation pump coupled to said circulation conduit, wherein said circulation pump circulates said working fluid through said circulation conduit. 
   
   
       15 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising a system controller coupled to said electrolytic heating subsystem, wherein said system controller is coupled to at least one of said high voltage source and said pulse generator. 
   
   
       16 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , wherein each high voltage cathode is comprised of a first material, wherein each high voltage anode is comprised of a second material, wherein each metal member of said plurality of metal members is comprised of a third material, and wherein said first, second and third materials are selected from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides and alloys of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides. 
   
   
       17 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising an electromagnetic rate controller subsystem, said electromagnetic rate controller subsystem comprising:
 at least one electromagnetic coil, said at least one electromagnetic coil generating a controllable magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank; and   means for controlling magnetic field intensity of said magnetic field, wherein said controlling means is coupled to said at least one electromagnetic coil.   
   
   
       18 . The power generating system of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one permanent magnet, said at least one permanent magnet generating a magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank. 
   
   
       19 . A method of generating electricity, the method comprising the steps of:
 performing electrolysis within an electrolysis tank of an electrolytic heating subsystem;   heating a working fluid contained within a circulation conduit using said electrolytic heating subsystem, wherein said heating step further comprises the step of generating vapor as said working fluid is heated above the boiling point of the working fluid, and wherein at least a portion of said circulation conduit is in thermal communication with said electrolysis tank of said electrolytic heating subsystem;   circulating said vapor through a steam turbine, wherein said vapor circulating step causes rotation of said steam turbine; and   rotating a drive shaft of a generator, wherein said drive shaft is coupled to said steam turbine, and wherein said drive shaft rotating step causes said generator to generate electricity.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said electrolysis performing step further comprises the steps of:
 periodically measuring a temperature corresponding to said electrolytic heating subsystem;   comparing said measured temperature with a preset temperature; and   modifying at least one process parameter of said electrolytic heating subsystem when said measured temperature is above or below said preset temperature by more than a preset quantity.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said electrolysis performing step further comprises the steps of:
 periodically measuring a temperature corresponding to said working fluid within a region of said circulation conduit;   comparing said measured temperature with a preset temperature; and   modifying at least one process parameter of said electrolytic heating subsystem when said measured temperature is above or below said preset temperature by more than a preset quantity.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , said electrolysis performing step further comprising the steps of:
 applying a low voltage to at least one pair of low voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank of said electrolytic heating subsystem, said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes fabricated from a first material, wherein said low voltage applying step further comprises the step of pulsing said low voltage at a first frequency and with a first pulse duration;   applying a high voltage to at least one pair of high voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes fabricated from a second material, wherein said high voltage applying step further comprises the step of pulsing said high voltage at said first frequency and with said first pulse duration, wherein said high voltage pulsing step is performed simultaneously with said low voltage pulsing step, and wherein said low voltage electrodes of said at least one pair of low voltage electrodes are positioned between said high voltage electrodes of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes; and   selecting said first material and said second material from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides and alloys of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of generating a magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank, wherein said magnetic field affects a heating rate corresponding to said heat transfer medium heating step. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , said electrolysis performing step further comprising the steps of applying a high voltage to at least one pair of high voltage electrodes contained within said electrolysis tank, said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes fabricated from a first material, wherein said high voltage applying step further comprises the step of pulsing said high voltage at a first frequency and with a first pulse duration, wherein each pair of said at least one pair of high voltage electrodes includes at least one high voltage cathode electrode and at least one high voltage anode electrode, wherein each high voltage cathode electrode is positioned within a first region of said electrolysis tank and each high voltage anode electrode is positioned within a second region of said electrolysis tank, wherein at least a first metal member of a plurality of metal members fabricated from a second material is located within said first region of said electrolysis tank between said high voltage cathode electrodes and a membrane located within said electrolysis tank, and wherein at least a second metal member of said plurality of metal members is located within said second region of said electrolysis tank between said high voltage anode electrodes and said membrane, and further comprising the step of selecting said first material and said second material from the group consisting of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides and alloys of titanium, stainless steel, copper, iron, steel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, platinum, palladium, aluminum, lithium, magnesium, boron, carbon, graphite, carbon-graphite, and metal hydrides. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the step of generating a magnetic field within a portion of said electrolysis tank, wherein said magnetic field affects a heating rate corresponding to said heat transfer medium heating step.