Gas Production Device and Method

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and method which, with the use of dopamine in an alkaline aqueous medium, can be used to obtain nitrogen from moist air and to generate other gases, hydrogen in the free or combined state, such as ammonium. The reaction medium is ionic and reinforced by means of electrolysis, using electrodes of different metals and at a temperature and pressure close to ambient conditions.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method for producing a gaseous stream comprising:
 passing an initial moist gas stream through a semi permeable barrier comprising ilmenite to produce a reacted gas stream;   contacting the reacted gas stream on a surface layer of a solid catalyst and an ionic aqueous surface energized via electric current by metal electrodes at a temperature between approximately 12° C. and 80° C. to produce said gaseous stream.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of contacting the reacted air stream is performed at ambient pressure. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of contacting the reacted air stream is performed under vacuum. 
     
     
         27 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the moist gas stream reacts over the aqueous ionic surface formed by an electrolyte including:
 (a) dopamine;   (b) a hydroxide;   (c) a dissociable salt; and   (d) an oxide.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the dopamine is present in the amount of between approximately 0.5% and 15% by weight of the aqueous solution. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the dopamine is produced from the squeezing of banana plant and dopamine hydrochloride. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the oxide and hydroxide are water-insoluble. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the metal electrodes are monopolar, bipolar, granular or porous electrodes. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the metal electrodes are metal alloys selected from iron, nickel, copper, carbon, nickel, zinc, tin, magnesium, aluminum, titanium, gold and silver. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the anode is steel and the cathode is copper. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the supporting electrolyte is selected from sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and 1,2-dihydroxybenzene at a concentration between approximately 1N and approximately 2N. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the salt is selected from sodium tungstate (Na 2 WO 4 .2H 2 O) and sodium molybdate (Na 2 MoO 4 .2H 2 O). 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the oxides and hydroxides are selected from metals iron, nickel, barium, calcium and magnesium. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the initial gas stream is selected from air, nitrogen and steam. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the electrolyte is a halide salt of the first column of the periodic table, wherein a mixed or pure gas other than nitrogen and hydrogen are produced. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the electrolyte is a halide salt of the first column of the periodic table, wherein a mixed or pure gas other than nitrogen and hydrogen are produced. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gaseous stream produced is selected from ammonia, hydrogen and a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         41 . A device for producing a gaseous stream, comprising:
 a generally cylindrical tube ( 1 ) positioned substantially horizontally, with an inlet opening ( 2 ) opposite an outlet opening ( 3 ), each having reduced diameters;   a wire anode ( 4 ) connected to the positive pole of a power source;   a cathode ( 5 ), wound around the anode, connected to the negative pole of said power source,   a volume of electrolyte fluid deposited at the bottom of the horizontal tube covering the anode and cathode;   and a porous ceramic barrier ( 6 ) positioned between the inlet ( 2 ) and the anode and cathode.   
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein a moist gas stream passed through the inlet opening ( 2 ) and the barrier ( 6 ) reacts with ilmenite coating the ceramic surface thereby producing ammonia which passes through an active area caused by ions produced by the anode ( 4 ) and cathode ( 5 ) thereby forming an ionized vapor cloud which reacts on the barrier with atmospheric nitrogen, thereby forming a gaseous stream that is released from the outlet opening ( 3 ). 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the cylindrical tube ( 1 ) is coated internally with a metal catalyst layer.