Oxygen generating gas water heater assembly and method of operation for an oxygen generating water heater

Abstract

An oxygen generating gas water heater assembly and method of operation for an oxygen generating water heater is presented wherein the assembly includes a catalytic converter and a bioreactor fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter, the bioreactor containing an aqueous solution comprising algae.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas water heater assembly comprising:
 a gas water heater comprising:
 a tank defining an interior volume; 
 a gas burner in a combustion chamber, the gas burner coupled to a gaseous combustible fuel supply for generating a combustion gas; 
 a flue pipe fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber to support removal of the combustion gas to a duct; 
   a catalytic converter fluidly coupled with the duct; and   a bioreactor fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter, the bioreactor containing an aqueous solution comprising algae.   
     
     
         2 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic converter receives the combustion gas from the flue pipe and converts at least some of the combustion gas to carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         3 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 2  wherein the combustion gas from the flue pipe comprises carbon monoxide. 
     
     
         4 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter and the bioreactor. 
     
     
         5 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 4 , wherein an inlet conduit travels through the heat exchanger and fluidly couples to the tank. 
     
     
         6 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an induced draft blower coupled to the flue pipe and the duct. 
     
     
         7 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the induced draft blower pulls an ambient air through the combustion chamber, through the flue pipe, into the duct, and directs the ambient air to the catalytic converter. 
     
     
         8 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution in the bioreactor is a non-saline solution. 
     
     
         9 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the algae are a freshwater form. 
     
     
         10 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the algae is green algae. 
     
     
         11 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution in the bioreactor is a saline solution. 
     
     
         12 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the algae is a marine algae. 
     
     
         13 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the algae is a marine green algae. 
     
     
         14 . The gas water heater assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bioreactor is remote from the gas water heater. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operation for an oxygen generating gas water heater assembly, the gas water heater assembly comprising:
 a gas water heater comprising:
 a tank defining an interior volume; 
 a gas burner in a combustion chamber, the gas burner coupled to a gaseous combustible fuel supply for generating a combustion gas; 
 a flue pipe fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber to support removal of a combustion gas to a duct, the flue pipe and the duct fluidly coupled to an induced draft blower; 
   a catalytic converter fluidly coupled with the duct;   a heat exchanger coupled to the duct; and   a bioreactor fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger, the bioreactor containing an aqueous solution comprising algae, the method comprising:   generating combustion gas at the gas water heater;   inducing draft of combustion gas to the catalytic converter;   converting carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at the catalytic converter;   forming a CO 2 -enriched flue that gas flows through the heat exchanger;   reducing a temperature of the CO 2 -enriched flue gas; and   urging the CO 2 -enriched flue gas into the bioreactors containing algae to capture and consume CO 2 -enriched flue gas and emit oxygen.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the combustion gas is generated from combustion of a combustible gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the algae are a freshwater form. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the algae are a marine algae. 
     
     
         19 . A flue gas conversion system for use with a gas water heater appliance, the gas water heater appliance comprising a flue pipe to support removal of combustion gas to a duct, the flue gas conversion system comprising:
 an induced draft blower fluidly coupled to the duct for selectively urging the combustion gas through the flue pipe;   a catalytic converter fluidly coupled with the duct for receiving the combustion gas and converting carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at the catalytic converter, forming a CO 2 -enriched flue gas that is discharged from the catalytic converter; and   a bioreactor fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter, the bioreactor containing an aqueous solution comprising algae for consuming the CO 2  from the CO 2 -enriched flue gas to generate oxygen.   
     
     
         20 . The flue gas conversion system of  claim 19  further comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the catalytic converter and the bioreactor for extracting heat from the CO 2 -enriched flue gas.