Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improving electrolysers for hydrogen generation by electrolysis from water, by providing one or more electrodes with a shape substantial- ly following a logarithmic spiral or its hybrid and, thus, improving gas bubbles depar- ture from a surface of an electrode, and, hence, reducing the energy required for the hydrogen generation. The bubble departure is improved by a synergetic effect of the 3D logarithmic spiral shape of at least one electrode or an assembly of electrodes and rotational movement of one or more log spiral electrodes, turning inside the liquid, causing a vortex-like motion.

Without movement, the shape of the electrode itself would not produce the desired effect.

Background of the Invention

CN 110644015 A (UN1V ZHEJIANG TECHNOLOGY), 2020-01-03 discloses hy- drogen production by water electrolysis, comprising an electrode shaped by bending a metal (copper) sheet into the form of an Archimedean spiral, roughening the copper sheet, thereby introducing a nanostructured pattern in the electrode surface, and apply- ing a super hydrophilic coating to all parts of the electrode surface.

Still, the energy balance for the process (comprising nucleation, formation and de- tachment of hydrogen bobbles steps) could be improved.

Invention at issue differs from CN 110644015 in shaping one or more electrodes as 3- dimentianal logarithmic spirals or hybrids of 3-d log spirals and other mathematical functions. The technical effect of this novel shape is reduction of energy required for the process of hydrogen production by water electrolysis.

“The Natural 3D Spiral” article by Gur Harary and Ayellet Tal in EUROGRAPHICS 2011, volume 30 (2011 number 2, discloses all the current mathematical models of 3D log spirals, and suggests new' mathematical models to compliment the existing defini- tions. It also clearly explains the difference between 2D log spiral models (prior art in the technical field of the hydrogen production electrode shapes) and 3D log spirals that are the subject matter of this invention.

The use of spiral or helical electrodes, positioned coaxially and substantially parallel to each other, is disclosed for example in US2018163313 AA, presenting an electro- lytic process of decomposing water to hydrogen and oxygen in a spiral magnetic elec- trolyser under the surface of a water environment, where the dynamization of the wa- ter environment in the water supply electrolyser of the spiral magnetic electrolyser is induced by negative pressure resulting from water being decomposed at the outlet of the spiral magnetic electrolyser.

JP57185992A discloses smaller in size and higher in electric power efficiency electro- lysers, where the ferromagnetic fields are created by a cylindrical magnet with the decomposing currents of spiral electrodes arranged in multiple stages, thereby accel- erating the agitation of an electrolyte and ion speeds.

US4105528A discloses an apparatus for decomposition of liquid in which vortical negative and positive electrodes are arranged in a closed relation and these two elec- trodes are supplied with a power through external terminals. The electrolyte is placed to flow between the negative and positive electrodes under the function of the poten- tial magnetic field formed by the coil current, which is generated by the electrodes with active movement of an electrolytic ion, so that the electrolysis of water takes place smoothly under the spin functions of the atom and electron. The object of the invention is to provide an electrolyser that improves the art of efec- troiysers.

Description of the Invention

None of the prior art in the field of hydrogen generation by electrolysis from water suggests or points in the direction of spiral electrodes being logarithmic spirals, or a hybrid of a logarithmic spiral. This invention discloses this specific selection under possible spirals, and the technical benefits of in particular logarithmic spirals or hy- brids of logarithmic spirals, and a synergetic effect of the log spiral shape of an elec- trade when combined with a rotational movement of said electrode, efficiently reduces the energy required for generation of gas bubbles at said electrode.

The shape and rotational movement of electrodes for hydrogen generation improves departing of the gas bubbles from the electrode surface already in the nucleation or early growth phase by reducing the critical bubble size required for detaching of gas bubbles, thus, reducing the amount of electrical energy required for generating hydro- gen.

The logarithmic or hybrid logarithmic spiral 3D shapes of electrodes significantly reduce the critical size of bubbles necessary for their separation from the electrodes, because:

- Bubbles are detached from electrodes as soon as they begin to form, due to the kinetic energy of water flow through and around the cathode and anode using extremely efficient design pattern (logarithmic spiral centrip- etal movement) of an impeller-shaped at least one electrode or an assem- bly of two coaxial and essentially parallel electrodes.

Super-strong directed magnetic fields, nanoelectrode assemblies, super- hydrophilic and super-hydrophobic coatings (e g. naflon), electromagnet- ic energy stimulation in e.g. the infrared and other spectrums may in- crease the efficiency of the process even further.

The bubble departure is improved by a synergetic effect of the 3D logarithmic spiral shape of at least one electrode or an assembly of electrodes and rotational movement of one or more log spiral electrodes, turning inside the liquid, causing a vortex-like motion.

Without movement, the shape of the electrode itself would improve the efficiency some but would not produce the synergetic effect that can be achieved by combining log spiral shape of at least one electrode and rotational movement of said at least one electrode.

In one aspect, an electrolyser for producing hydrogen from water by electrolysis is disclosed, comprising at least one electrode, at least one electrode being cathode or anode, wherein that said at least one electrode has a 3-dimensional shape that is gov- erned by a logarithmic spiral or a hybrid of a logarithmic spiral with one or more of other types of spirals, selected from Archimedean, parabolic, hyperbolic, root, Fermat, Fibonacci and n ^th order polynomials.

A logarithmic spiral or a hybrid logarithmic spiral in this aspect, also called equiangu- lar spiral or growth spiral, is a self-similar spiral curve that often appears in nature. The logarithmic spiral was first described by Descartes and later extensively investi- gated by Jacob Bernoulli, who called it Spira mirabilis, "the marvellous spiral".

The logarithmic spiral is distinguished from the Archimedean spiral by the fact that the distances between the turnings of a logarithmic spiral increase in geometric pro- gression, while in an Archimedean spiral the distances are constant, In another aspect of the invention, the fabrication of a logarithmic spiral or its hybrid shape of at least one electrode is disclosed, by casting, 3D printing or micro fabricat- ing, or the at least one electrode is shaped into a logarithmic spiral or its hybrid shape by bending, or said electrode is assembled into a logarithmic spiral shape or its hybrid from prefabricated elements.

In a further aspect of the invention, the electrolyser further comprises a centre core shaft made of electrically non-conductive material, one or more electrodes being coax- ially attached to the centre core shaft, In a further aspect of the invention, the electrolyser further comprises a liquid-tight housing around the electrodes, and, optionally, the housing has liquid inlet and liquid outlet arrangements, and said housing is preferably designed after golden ratio and Fibonacci number sequence, most preferably, the housing is an egg-shaped vessel. The Golden Ratio in this aspect is its definition in mathematics. Two quantities are in the golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio of their sum to the larger of the two quantities. The figure on the right illustrates the geometric relationship. Expressed algebraically, for quantities a and b with a > b > 0, where the Greek Setter f represents the golden ratio. It is an irrational number that is a solution to the quadratic equation with a value of:

The golden ratio is also called the golden mean or golden section (sectio aurea in Lat- in). Other names include extreme and mean ratio, medial section, divine proportion (Latin: proportio divina), divine section (Latin: sectio divina), golden proportion, golden cut, and golden number.

In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers, commonly denoted Fn, form a sequence, called the Fibonacci sequence, such that each number is the sum of the two preceding ones, starting from 0 and 1. The beginning of the sequence is thus: 0 , 1 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 , 13 , 21 , 34 , 55 , 89 , 144 , ...

The Fibonacci spiral is an approximation of the golden spiral created by drawing cir- cular arcs connecting the opposite comers of squares in the Fibonacci tiling. Fibonacci numbers are related to the golden ratio: Binet's formula expresses the Fibonacci number in terms of n and the golden ratio, and implies that the ratio of two consecu- tive Fibonacci numbers tend to the golden ratio as n increases.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the centre core shaft is attached to the housing, with or without protruding the centre core shaft, most preferably, said centre core shaft is positioned at the bottom of the housing extending upwards.

In a further aspect of the invention, the electrolyser further comprises an electrical motor or a manual rotating gear attached to said centre core shaft to allow rotation of said centre core shaft while maintaining electrical contact with at least one electrode, and the electrolyser further comprises a DC power supply, providing power to at least one electrode, and, optionally, to the rotation of the centre core shaft. In a further aspect of the invention, the eiectrolyser further comprises one or more of permanent magnets and/or one or more of electromagnets within the centre core shaft and one or more of permanent magnets and/ or one or more of electromagnets at- tached to the walls of the housing. Preferably, one or more permanent magnets com- prising NdFeB are attached to the housing of the vessel and one or more magnetically opposing permanent magnets comprising NdFeB are placed within the centre core shaft. In case the permanent magnets are used, all magnets in the assembly of the ves- sel and the neodymium core of the centre core shaft are arranged in such a way that, upon rotation of the centre core shaft, a very strong electromagnetic flux is created that helps 1) the separation of gas bubbles from cathode and anode, and 2) rotating the centre core shaft with a minimum or no electrical input. The target is to use opposing and/or sequential magnetic pole changes that facilitate the rotation of the impeller as well as the growth and detachment of gas bubbles on the electrodes. In a further technical aspect of the invention, at least one electrode has one or more surfaces patterned with Nano-sized structures or patterns, having at least one feature dimension below one micrometre, or at least one electrode is a Nano-sized structure, having at least one feature dimension below one micrometre. In a further aspect of the invention, at least one electrode comprises one or more areas covered with one or more coatings selected from the group comprising super hydro- philic and super hydrophobic coatings in order to stimulate the water flow and accel- erate departure of hydrogen bubbles from the coated one or more areas or at its boundaries, further reducing the energy consumption.

In a further aspect of the invention, the eiectrolyser further comprises an electromag- netic source emitting energy for stimulation of the electrolysis in various spectrum s, such as UV, visible, infrared, preferably, in infrared spectrum in order to stimulate the hydrogen bubbles departure from an electrode surface, further reducing the energy consumption.

Description of the Drawing

An embodiment of the invention is described in figures 1 and 2. Fig. 1 illustrates an electroiyser (1), partially filled with water (2), with a coaxial as- sembly of electrodes (3 and 4) both electrodes having logarithmic spiral (6) shapes (5) positioned at the bottom of the housing in a vertical orientation of the axis. Fig. 2 illustrates the top and front view of the coaxial electrode (3 and 4) assembly around the centre core shaft (8).

Detailed Description of the Invention