Electrolytic hydrogen generating system

Abstract

A hydrogen generating system includes an electrode plate assembly including a plurality of electrode plates, a first connector and a second connector, each connector connected to at least some of the plates, an amperage sensor, a temperature sensor, and a controller capable of receiving signals from the amperage sensor and temperature sensor to monitor an amperage and a temperature of the hydrogen generating system. The controller includes a processor programmed to receive a target amperage, select, based on the target amperage, certain of the plurality of conductive plates to receive voltage input during a predetermined duty cycle, determine an actual amperage and an actual temperature resulting from the voltage input, compare the actual amperage and the actual temperature to a respective amperage threshold and temperature threshold; and adjust the duty cycle for applying voltage based on the comparison.

1 . A hydrogen generating system comprising:
 an electrode plate assembly including a plurality of electrode plates;   a first connector and a second connector, each connector connected to at least some of the plates;   an amperage sensor;   a temperature sensor; and   a controller capable of receiving signals from the amperage sensor and temperature sensor to monitor an amperage and a temperature of the hydrogen generating system, the controller comprising a processor programmed to:
 receive a target amperage; 
 select, based on the target amperage, certain of the plurality of conductive plates to receive voltage input during a predetermined duty cycle; 
 determine an actual amperage and an actual temperature resulting from the voltage input; 
 compare the actual amperage and the actual temperature to a respective amperage threshold and temperature threshold; and 
 adjust the duty cycle for applying voltage based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 1  wherein the process is programmed to conduct voltage to said certain of the conductive plates for a maximum predetermined duty cycle if the actual amperage is below a minimum amperage threshold and if the actual temperature is below an predetermined optimal temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is programmed to adjust the predetermined duty cycle to enable an average actual amperage to substantially equal the target amperage if the actual amperage exceeds a maximum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 1  wherein the processor is programmed to select, based on the target amperage, a quantity of the plurality of conductive plates required to receive voltage input. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 5  wherein the quantity of the plurality of conductive plates that receive the voltage input is based on at least one of the following: a temperature of an electrolytic solution, an amount of voltage applied, a distance between each of the plurality of conductive plates, and a type of electrolytic solution used. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 1  wherein the first connector is configured to be an anode or a cathode and the second connector is configured to be the other of an anode or a cathode. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrogen generating system of  claim 6  wherein the processor is programmed to select whether the first connector is an anode or a cathode and select the second connector as the other of an anode or cathode. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a hydrogen generating system having a plurality of conductive plates comprising:
 receiving a target amperage, a maximum amperage threshold, and a maximum temperature threshold;   selecting, based on the target amperage, certain of the plurality of conductive plates in the hydrogen generating system to receive voltage input for a predetermined duty cycle;   determining an actual amperage and an actual temperature resulting from the applied voltage;   comparing the actual amperage and the actual temperature to the maximum amperage threshold and the maximum temperature threshold, respectively; and   adjusting the duty cycle for voltage input based on the comparison.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein adjusting the duty cycle based on the comparison comprises applying a maximum predetermined duty cycle if the actual amperage is below the maximum amperage threshold and if the actual temperature is below the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising adjusting the duty cycle to enable an average actual amperage to substantially equal the target amperage if the actual amperage exceeds the maximum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising selecting, based on the target amperage, only a quantity of the plurality of conductive plates required to receive an applied voltage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the quantity of the plurality of conductive plates that receive the applied voltage is based on at least one of the following: a temperature of an electrolytic solution, an amount of voltage applied, a distance between each of the plurality of conductive plates, and a type of electrolytic solution used. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising selecting whether a first connector is an anode or a cathode, wherein a second connecter is the other of an anode or cathode, and wherein each connector is connected to at least some of the conductive plates in the hydrogen generating system. 
     
     
         14 . A computer readable medium having instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
 receive a target amperage, a maximum amperage threshold, and a maximum temperature threshold;   select, based on the target amperage, certain of a plurality of conductive plates in a hydrogen generating system to receive voltage input for a predetermined duty cycle;   determine an actual amperage and an actual temperature resulting from the applied voltage;   compare the actual amperage and the actual temperature to the maximum amperage threshold and the maximum temperature threshold, respectively; and   adjust the duty cycle for voltage input based on the comparison.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  wherein adjusting the duty cycle based on the comparison comprises applying a maximum predetermined duty cycle if the actual amperage is below the maximum amperage threshold and if the actual temperature is below the maximum temperature threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to adjust the duty cycle to enable an average actual amperage to substantially equal the target amperage if the actual amperage exceeds the maximum amperage threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to select, based on the target amperage, only a quantity of the plurality of conductive plates required to receive an applied voltage. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable media of  claim 17  wherein the quantity of the plurality of conductive plates that receive the applied voltage is based on at least one of the following: a temperature of an electrolytic solution, an amount of voltage applied, a distance between each of the plurality of conductive plates, and a type of electrolytic solution used. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable media of  claim 14  further comprising instructions recorded thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to select whether a first connector is an anode or a cathode, wherein a second connecter is the other of an anode or cathode, and wherein each connector is connected to at least some of the conductive plates in the hydrogen generating system.