METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING WATER INTO HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN FOR A HEAT AND/OR FUEL SOURCE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field Of The Invention

[0001] The present invention generally pertains to heat and fuel sources, and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method for breaking down water into its constituent parts, i. e. , hydrogen and oxygen.

2. Description Of The Related Art.

[0002] The process of electrolysis to separate hydrogen from water for use as a fuel or heat source is well known. Examples of previously issued U.S. patents related to this process include: U.S. Patent No. 4,184,931 (Inoue) entitled "Method of Electro lyrically Generating Hydrogen and Oxygen for Use in a Torch or the Like", U.S. Patent No. 4.457,816 (Galluzzo, et al) entitled "Electrolysis Method for Decomposing Water Into Hydrogen Gas and Oxygen Gas", U.S. Patent No. 5,244,558 (Chiang) entitled "Apparatus for Generating a Mixture of Hydrogen and Oxygen for Producing a Hot Flame", U.S. Patent No. 5,628,885 (Lin) entitled "Extraction Installation for Hydrogen and Oxygen", and U.S. Patent No. 6,689,259 (Klein) entitled "Mixed Gas Generator". But the processes and apparatus disclosed in these patents has proved to be too costly and inefficient since the amount of energy input required to separate the hydrogen from the water is greater than the amount of hydrogen energy created. As will become apparent from the following description and discussion, the present invention is directed to improved and more efficient devices and methods of separating hydrogen from water, for use as either a heat source or a fuel source, which are much more efficient than the prior art and economically viable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The summary of the invention is best understood with respect to the description and claims. One embodiment of the invention includes a water separation apparatus for separating hydrogen and oxygen from water. The water separation apparatus includes at least one reaction chamber. The reaction chamber includes a plurality of spaced apart conductive plates, a positive electrical terminal electrically connected to one of the conductive plates, and a negative electrical terminal electrically connected to another of the conductive plates, at least one of the conductive plates not being electrically connected to the positive terminal or the negative terminal. The

embodiment also includes a collector-separator including at least one inlet conduit in communication with the reaction chamber, and an outlet conduit; and a bubbler including an outlet port and a perforated tube, the perforated tube being in communication with the outlet conduit of the collector- separator. The embodiment further includes a non-conductive adjuster plate separating the reaction chamber into a front chamber and a rear chamber, the adjuster plate having at least one fluid passageway, and wherein a portion of the spaced apart plates are disposed in the front chamber and a portion of the spaced apart plates are disposed in the rear chamber. In the embodiment, the adjuster plate includes a moveable member adapted to adjust the cross-sectional area of fluid communication through the at least one fluid passageway between the front and rear chambers. [0004] In addition, in another embodiment, the water separation apparatus includes two reaction chambers, each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and wherein the controller includes a series/parallel switch wired to the terminals and adapted to switch the electrical connections between a series electrical flow through the reaction chambers and a parallel electrical flow between the reaction chambers. The embodiment may also include a pressure regulator in fluid communication with the collector-separator and the bubbler, and adapted to restrict electricity flow to the reaction chamber at a predetermined high pressure and allow electricity flow to the reaction chamber at a predetermined low pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of a portion of the hydrogen separation apparatus of the present invention, without the bubblers.

[0006] Figure 2 is a partially cut away schematic representation of a left side of the left chamber and left collector-separator, as shown in Figure 1.

[0007] Figure 3 is a side view of a plate rack adapted for installation within left and right reaction chambers of the apparatus of the present invention as shown in Figures 1 and 2. [0008] Figure 4 is a side view in partial cross section of a bubbler that may form part of the apparatus of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 5 is a perspective view of two bubblers tied together in tandem to prevent flash back.

[0010] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 2, and illustrates a specific embodiment of the adjuster plate of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 7 is a side view of a portion of a gate assembly having an adjustable gate for adjusting the size of a slot in the adjuster plate shown in Figure 6.

[0012] Figure 8 is a front view of the gate assembly as shown in Figure 7.

[0013] Figure 9 is a wiring diagram illustrating how the left and right reaction chambers may be wired in series.

[0014] Figure 10 is a wiring diagram illustrating how the left and right reaction chambers may be wired in parallel.

[0015] Figure 11 is an illustration of the pin positions of the 4-pole double throw "On-On" switch that may be provided as part of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 12 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in combination with one or more fuel cells. [0017] Figure 13 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in combination with any steam-driven device.

[0018] Figure 14 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in combination with a combustion engine.

[0019] Figure 15 is a schematic of a sample configuration in which an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention may be used in combination with a combustion engine in the automotive context.

[0020] Figure 16 is one embodiment of a water replenishing system of the present invention.

[0021] Figures 17a and 17b are another embodiment of an adjuster plate.

[0022] While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Similar parts will be labeled with the same numbers in the Figures though a person of skill in the art would appreciate that various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be substituted for such similar parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] As described above, the prior art techniques have attempted the process of separation of hydrogen and oxygen from water to generate a fuel source. However, each prior art technique has inefficiencies. In particular, the main problem is that it requires more power to separate the hydrogen and oxygen from the water than the energy produced for the fuel source. [0024] The present invention is a water separation apparatus 10 for separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen for use as a fuel source that overcomes the inefficiencies of the prior art. The invention accomplishes this task by using, inter alia, three main new components. First, the

invention includes one or more reaction chambers that each has a series of multiple conductive plates, such as stainless steel, that are only connected by a non-conductive support rack. In each reaction chamber, the conductive plates are separated in a first rack in a front chamber and a second rack in a rear chamber. Each of the front and rear chambers are filled with water and catalyst to form an electro lytically conductive water mixture. Of course, the amount of catalyst added can be adjusted to affect the conductivity of the mixture and the current flow depending on the application desired.

[0025] In one embodiment, the front and rear end caps of the reaction chambers have front and rear conductive terminals that are not connected to the conductive plates on the racks. The front conductive terminal is connected to a negative terminal or anode through which an electric current from a voltage source flows into the reaction chamber while the rear terminal is the positive terminal or cathode in which the electric current flows out of the reaction chamber. The electric current applied to the front and rear terminals flow through the electro lytically conductive water mixture in the reaction chamber. The electrical current along with the catalyst initiates the breakdown of the oxygen and hydrogen gas in the water around the conductive plates in the reaction chamber. The mixture of water and catalyst and capacitance of the conductive plates creates separation of the hydrogen and oxygen from the water.

[0026] Second, another feature of an embodiment of the invention is that the front and rear chambers are separated by a non-conductive adjuster plate that regulates the amount of water and catalyst that flows between the front and rear chambers and controls the electrical current flow. The adjuster plate can be adjusted to provide for a specific cross sectional area between the front and rear chambers of each reaction chamber to achieve the desired current flow and the optimal amount of hydrogen and oxygen production. [0027] Third, the reaction chambers may be configured to receive a set voltage in series or in parallel to control the current and gas outputs of the reaction chambers, and thus increase or decrease the output of hydrogen and oxygen. These and other important advantages of the embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with respect to the figures. [0028] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals denote similar elements throughout the several views, there is shown in Figure 1 a specific embodiment of a water separation apparatus 10 of the present invention denoted generally by the reference numeral 10. In this specific embodiment, the water separation apparatus 10 includes a left and a right reaction chamber 12 and 14, a left and a right collector-separator 16 and 18, a pressure regulator 20, and a controller 25. In

this specific embodiment, the water separation apparatus 10 may also include a first and a second bubbler 74 and 76, as shown in Figure 5.

[0029] In a specific embodiment, the left and right reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be of similar construction, as will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3, which illustrate the components of reaction chamber 12 of the water separation apparatus 10. Though Figures 2 and 3 illustrate reaction chamber 12 of the water separation apparatus 10, the reaction chamber 14 is of similar construction and has similar parts with similar functions. In addition, in other embodiments only one reaction chamber may be used or more than two reaction chambers may be used depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. [0030] Each reaction chamber 12 and 14 includes a housing 15, which, in this specific embodiment, is constructed from any non-conductive material, such as a section of PVC pipe. In a specific embodiment, the section of PVC pipe may have a diameter of 8 inches and a length of about 20 inches, but these dimensions and material are just examples of this embodiment and should not be taken as a limitation of all embodiments of the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be of various sizes and shapes and made of other materials depending again on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. In this specific embodiment, each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 has front and rear chambers 26 and 28. Each of the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 are provided with a plurality of conductive plates 36. The plurality of conductive plates may be supported for example by a plate rack 31, as shown in Figure 3. Each rack 31 may include a support member 32 that is configured, such as with a plurality of slots, to hold the plurality of plates 36. The racks 31 are preferably made from any non-conductive material, and in a specific embodiment may be molded as part of the housing 15. In a specific embodiment, the plates 36 may have a thickness of about 1/32 inches and are made of a conductive material such as stainless steel. The plates 36 may be thicker or thinner depending again on the requirements of the water separation apparatus 10. The conductive plates 36 may be rectangular in shape with dimensions of about 4 ¹ A inches by about 6 ¹ A inches, but this should not be taken as a limitation as the conductive plates 36 may be of any size or shape or thickness depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. In addition, the number of conductive plates 36 may be adjusted depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. The plates 36 are physically separated from each other and are not touching one another except by the non-conductive support rack member 32. In a specific embodiment, the plates 36 may be positioned about 1/8 to 1/2 inches apart from one another but again such dimensions may be modified depending on the application, capacitance and output desired, and catalyst used in the hydrogen generation apparatus 10.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, in an embodiment, the front chamber 26 and the rear chamber 28 of each reaction chamber 12 and 14 are separated by a non-conductive adjuster plate or partition 30.

The adjuster plate 30 can be adjusted to provide for a specific cross sectional area between the front chamber 26 and rear chamber 28 to achieve the desired current flow and the optimal amount of catalyst required to facilitate faster electrolysis with less power consumption. The adjuster plate 30 will be illustrated and discussed in more detail below.

[0032] As seen in Figure 2, in this specific embodiment, the reaction chamber 12 is sealably enclosed at each end with front and rear end caps 40 and 41, which are also preferably made of a non-conductive material, such as PVC. In a specific embodiment, each front and rear end caps 40 and 41 are each provided with a conductive plate 42 attached thereto and disposed within the chamber 12 and attached to the housing 15. The front and rear end caps 40 and 41 are connected to the housing 15. The conductive plates 42 on each front and rear end caps 40 and 41 are preferably of the same size, shape and material as the plates 36 and are preferably also generally aligned therewith when positioned on the front and rear caps 40 and 41. In a specific embodiment, the front and rear end caps 40 and 41 are also provided with front and rear terminals 46 and 48, respectively, each of which may extend from outside the reaction chamber 12 through its corresponding front and rear end cap 40 or 41 in a sealed manner (such as with rubber washers and silicone) and is connected to its corresponding conductive plate 42 inside the reaction chamber 12. In a specific embodiment, as shown in Figure 1 , the front terminal 46 may be the negative terminal or anode through which the electric current from the controller 25 flows into the reaction chambers 12 or 14 while the rear terminal 48 may be the positive terminal or cathode in which the electric current flows out of the chambers 12 or 14 to the controller 25. Of course, the front terminal 46 may be the positive terminal and the rear terminal 48 may be the negative terminal depending on how each of the terminals 46 and 48 are connected to the controller 25. [0033] As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, in this specific embodiment, the front end cap 40 is preferably provided with a fluid input passageway or port 50, which in a specific embodiment may be a PVC ninety degree elbow with a fill valve that is preferably located near the top of the end cap 40. The housing 15 is preferably provided with a sight tube 52 so that the fluid level within the chamber 12 can be monitored as the chamber 12 is being filled with fluid through the fluid input port 50, as will be further discussed below. In this specific embodiment, the front end cap 40 is also preferably provided with a drain hole and valve 54, which is preferably located near the bottom of the end cap 40.

[0034] The collectors 16 and 18 function to collect hydrogen and oxygen gas from the chambers 12 and 14 and separate any liquid from the gas. This process will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In this specific embodiment, each collector-separator 16 and 18 is similar in construction. Figure 2 shows the details of the left collector-separator 16 but a person of skill in the art would appreciate that collector-separator 18 has a similar design and components. In a specific embodiment, the collector-separator 16 includes a housing 17 which may be made from a non- conductive material, and in a specific embodiment may be made from a section of PVC pipe. In a specific embodiment, the section of PVC pipe may have a diameter of about 3 inches and a length of about 10 inches, but this should not be taken as a limitation as the housing 17 may be of any size or shape or material depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. In a specific embodiment, each end of the housing 17 may be enclosed with an end cap. In this specific embodiment, the collector-separator 16 may include front and rear inlet conduits 56 and 58 connected to reaction chamber 12, and an outlet conduit 60. In a specific embodiment, each of the inlet conduits 56 and 58 and the outlet conduit 60 may be made from a section of PVC pipe. In a specific embodiment, the section of PVC pipe may have a diameter of about Vi inches and a length of about 4 inches, with a 2-inch section of each inlet conduit 56 and 58 disposed between the collector-separators 16 and 18 and the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and the remaining 2-inch section of the inlet conduit 56 and 58 disposed inside the collector-separators 16 and 18. Again, these dimensions are just examples of a specific embodiment and are not limiting as the conduits 56/58/60 may be of any size or shape or material as a person of skill in the art would appreciate depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. Each inlet conduit 56 and 58 are disposed through inlet ports 59 in the bottom of the housing 17 and also through exit ports 62 in the top of reaction chambers 12 andl4. The exit ports 62 are preferably located on opposite sides of the adjuster plate 30 so that the front inlet conduit 56 will be positioned above the front chamber 26 and the rear inlet conduit 58 will be positioned above the rear chamber 28. In a specific embodiment, each inlet conduit 56 and 58 may extend inside the collector-separator 16 so that the upper end of each inlet conduit 56 and 58 is spaced approximately one inch from the internal top wall of the housing 17. Each inlet conduit 56 and 58 includes a drain aperture 63 that may be transversely disposed through the wall of the inlet conduit 56 and 58 at a position preferably just above the bottom of the housing 17 of the collector-separators 16 and 18. Water that enters into or recombines from the hydrogen and oxygen inside the collector-separators 16 and 18 will drop to the bottom of the housing 17 and travel through one of the drain apertures 63 and back into the reaction chamber 12 or 14 through the inlet conduits 56 and 58. Of course, these dimensions are a specific

embodiment and other dimensions or mechanisms of water drainage from the collector-separators 16 and 18 may be used depending on the application.

[0035] In a specific embodiment, the outlet conduit 60 may be disposed through an exit port 64 in the top of the housing 17. In a specific embodiment, the outlet conduit 60 may extend inside the collector-separator 16 so that the lower end of the outlet conduit 60 is spaced approximately one inch from the internal bottom wall of the housing 17. As shown in Figure 1, in a specific embodiment, the top of the outlet conduit 60 is preferably provided with a ninety-degree elbow and connected to a transverse conduit 66 that connects to the corresponding outlet conduit 60 that exits the top of the right collector-separator 18 and the left collector -separator 16. In a specific embodiment, the transverse conduit 66 may be provided with a "tee" fitting about midway between the left and right collector-separators 16 and 18 and connected to a parallel conduit 68. The parallel conduit 68 may include a pressure gauge 70 and be connected to the pressure regulator 20. In this embodiment, the parallel conduit 68 is connected to a transfer conduit 72 that leads to the first and second bubbler 74 and 76, which will be described below with respect to Figure 5. In a specific embodiment, each of the conduits 66, 68 and 72 may be made from Vi inch PVC pipe, though of course different dimensions and materials may be used for the conduits depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10.

[0036] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, in this specific embodiment, each bubbler 74 and 76 may be in the form of an inverted, generally "T" shaped pipe assembly and include a horizontal leg 78 and a vertical leg 80. One of the functions of the bubblers 74 and 76 is to serve as a barrier between any point of ignition of hydrogen leaving the water separation apparatus 10 and the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The bubblers 74 and 76 may be of various configurations rather than a T shaped pipe assembly as shown to perform this function. If the gas were to become ignited within the line 90 or other further lines connected further down from line 90, the flames would not be able to penetrate past the two bubblers 74 and 76 into the reaction chambers 12 and 14. Two bubblers 74 and 76 are preferred for fail safe redundancy, but one may be used or more than two may be used depending on the application. In this embodiment of the invention, the two bubblers 74 and 76 are preferably filled with a liquid 79, as seen in Figure 4, such as water. The liquid 79 has a level 81 that is about 4 inches below the top end 85 of the vertical leg 80 of the bubblers 74 and 76. Other levels may also be used in different embodiments. In this specific embodiment, the bubblers 74 and 76 may be constructed from metal pipe. In a specific embodiment, the horizontal leg 78 may be made from 2 Vi inch diameter metal pipe and have a length of about 16 inches. In a specific embodiment, the vertical leg may be made from 2 Vi inch diameter metal pipe and have a length of

about 20 inches. Again, these dimensions are representative only, and non-limiting, as the legs 78 and 80 may be of other sizes or shapes or materials depending on the application of the hydrogen separator apparatus 10.

[0037] In a specific embodiment, each bubbler 74 and 76 may be provided with a perforated tube 82 within the horizontal leg 78 of each bubbler 74 and 76, which, in a specific embodiment, may be made from A inch diameter copper tubing. Each of the tubes 82 in the bubblers 74 and 76 enter on the right end 84 of the horizontal leg 78 and extend through the horizontal leg 78. An enclosed end 83 of the tube 82 is located near the left end 86 of the horizontal leg 78 of each bubbler 74 and 76. The right end 84 of the horizontal leg 78 may be provided with appropriate reducer fittings to mate with the tube 82. In this specific embodiment, the tube 82 is connected to the transfer conduit 72 shown in Figure 1, which transfers the hydrogen and oxygen gas from the collector-separators 16 and 18 to the first bubbler 74.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the hydrogen and oxygen gas flows through the tube 82 and exits through the perforations 89 in the tube 82 in the form of small separated bubbles 88, which float upwardly through the liquid 79 and out of the first bubbler 74 through an exit tube 90 at the top end 85 of the vertical leg 80. Though a perforated tube 82 is shown in this embodiment, other configurations may be used to pass the hydrogen and oxygen gases, such as a screen, that separates the gas bubbles from the transfer conduit 72 and collector-separators 16 and 18. In a specific embodiment, the exit tube 90 may be a A inch section of copper tubing through other sizes and materials may be used depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. The top end 85 of the vertical leg 78 is preferably provided with appropriate reducer fittings to mate with the exit tube 90, and also a check valve 87.

[0039] The check valve 87 in each of the bubblers 74 and 76 assumes a normally closed position due to pressure created within the bubblers 74 and 76 during operation of the apparatus. But in the case of flashback (i.e., if the gases exiting the bubblers 74 or 76 are ignited), a vacuum will be formed in the space above the water level 81 , which will briefly accelerate the rate at which the bubbles will rise from the perforated tube 82 and will also cause the check valve 87 in that bubbler to open and allow the pressure inside the bubblers 74 and 76 to equalize with the pressure outside the bubblers 74 and 76. The electrolysis process will then begin again on its own without harm to the reaction chambers 12 and 14 or ignition of a dangerous amount of gas in the collector-separators 16 and 18. Pressure will build back up and the check valve 87 in the bubbler 74 or 76 will return to its normally closed position, and the apparatus will automatically return to normal operation.

[0040] In a specific embodiment, the exit tube 90 of the first bubbler 74 is connected to the right end 84 of the second bubbler 76 and extends into the horizontal leg 78 of the second bubbler 76 in the same manner as discussed above (i.e., with perforations 89 through which the gas can bubble upwardly). The gas exiting the exit tube 90 on the second bubbler 76 is ready for use as a fuel or heat source. The redundant bubblers 74 and 76 are preferably used as a safety feature so as to prevent any potential flash back from reaching the collector-separators 16 and 18. [0041] Referring now to Figures 2, there is an adjuster plate 30 that is within each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and separates each reaction chamber 12 and 14 into a front and rear internal chambers 26 and 28. The adjuster plate 30 in each reaction chamber 12 and 14 will now be described in more detail. In an embodiment shown in Figures 6-8, the adjuster plate 30 is made from a non-conductive material, such as plastic, and is of appropriate size and shape to sealably fit within the chambers 12 and 14. As shown in Figure 6, the adjuster plate 30 may be circular in shape and sealably welded to the internal wall of the housing 15 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The top of the adjuster plate 30 is preferably provided with a generally horizontal or straight edge 92 so as to form an opening 94 between the top of the housing 15 and the edge 92 so that separated gasses may flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The adjuster plate 30 also preferably includes two conductive plates 96, which are attached to opposite sides of the adjuster plate 30, such as by welding. The conductive plates 96 are preferably of the same size, shape and material as the plates 36 and 42 discussed above, and are preferably generally aligned therewith.

[0042] With reference to Figure 6, the adjuster plate 30 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 is also preferably provided with at least one fluid passageway, such as a left slot 98 and a right slot 100, or the adjuster plate 30 could alternatively be provided with other types of valves, such as gate, ball, globe or butterfly valves, of the type well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In a specific embodiment, each slot 98 and 100 may be in the shape of a generally inverted triangle, having a width of about ¹ A inch at the lower tip, a width of about 1 inch at the top, and a height of about 3 inches, or other shapes depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. In another embodiment, there may simply be holes drilled through the plate 30 as more fully discussed below. In a specific embodiment, the adjuster plate 30 may also be provided with a left gate assembly 102 and a right gate assembly 104.

[0043] In a specific embodiment, each gate assembly 102 and 104 on the adjuster plate 30 includes a gate 106, an adjusting rod 108, and an exterior support 110. The gate 106 is preferably made from a non-conductive material, and may have an inverted "L" shaped side profile. The gate

106 may have a flange 107 shown in Figure 7 that has a threaded hole 109 adapted for threadable engagement with a threaded end 112 of the adjusting rod 108. The top of the rods 108 may be rotatably mounted to the supports 110 outside of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 so that rotation of the rod 108 by the supports 110 will cause the gate 106 to move up and down within guide tracks 114 that are connected to the adjuster plate 30. In this specific embodiment, the adjuster plate 30 may include two guide tracks 114 for each gate 106, with each track 114 being located away from the slots 98/100 so that the tracks 114 will not obstruct fluid flow through the slots 98/100. As further discussed below, the position of the gates 106 can be adjusted to regulate the cross-sectional area of contact between the liquid in the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 of each reactive chamber 12 and 14. This allows for precision control of the current flow or amperage draw to control the capacitive reactance between the plates 36/42/96 in the front and rear chambers 26/28, which allows control over the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas supplied to the bubblers 76/78. It also ultimately allows control over the amount of catalyst needed to be added to the water in the reaction chambers 12 and 14 depending on the cross-sectional area of the gates 106 selected for the application of the water separation apparatus 10. It can now be seen that there is a direct relationship between the surface area exposed through the adjuster plate 30 and the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas generated by the water separation apparatus 10. Thus, the adjustments to the cross-sectional areas of the gates 106 in the adjustor plate 30 between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 controls the amounts of current flow through the adjustor plate 30 as well as the amount of gas produced by the water separation apparatus 10. As the mixture of water and catalyst and current flow is increased, the capacitance of the conductive plates is increased and creates more separation of the hydrogen and oxygen from the water.

[0044] There are at least two methods of adjusting or controlling the electrical flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. First, the exposed cross-sectional area through the adjuster plate 30 may simply be holes drilled through the plate 30, e.g., slots 98 and 100. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to have a means of closing or covering the holes 98 and 100, such as a gate valve or the gate assemblies 102 and 104. Instead, the electrical flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 is controlled by the cross-sectional area of the holes 98 and 100 through the adjustor plate 30 in each reaction chamber, and/or by the composition of the mixture of the electrolyte (or catalyst) in the water. For example, to increase the electrical flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, the number and/or size of the holes 98 and 100 in the adjuster plate 30 could be increased, and/or the amount of electrolyte/catalyst could be increased in the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. Similarly, to decrease the electrical flow

between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, the number and/or size of the holes 98 and 100 in each of the adjuster plates 30 could be decreased and/or the amount of the electrolyte/catalyst could be decreased in the reaction chambers 12 and 14. In this manner, the electrical flow within the chambers 26 and 28 can be controlled, which will thus allow the operator to control the amount of gases exiting the water separation apparatus 10 , and thus enable control over the amount of electricity or heat or other fuel source being produced.

[0045] Second, any adjustable device (e.g. , a gate valve or the gate assemblies 102 and 104) can be used to create a variable adjustment through the adjuster plate 30 to the exposed surface area between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, which will affect the amount of electrical current flow through this direct relationship of surface area between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. This adjustment in surface area of the adjuster plate 30 may also allow the optimum amount of electrolyte/catalyst to be used in the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The electrical current in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can thus be adjusted by controlling the surface area exposed between the front chamber 26 and rear chamber 28, and will optimize the water separation apparatus 10 to its fullest potential for separation of hydrogen and oxygen gas.

[0046] The adjustment of the gates 106 can be accomplished mechanically by an operator who physically adjusts the adjusting rod 108 using exterior support 110 shown in Figure 6. Alternatively, the adjustment of the gates 106 can be controlled automatically by a control signal from controller 25. The controller 25 would include an amperage control unit that would monitor the amperage through the reaction chambers 12 and 14. If the amperage falls below a certain level, the controller 25 can signal the gates 106 or 108 of the reaction chamber having low amperage to open or increase cross-sectional area to increases the amount of current flowing through the affected chambers 12 and 14 and thus, increase the rate at which the hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced. On the other hand, if the amperage control unit in the controller 25 determines that the amperage in one or both of the reaction chambers exceeds an amperage operating point, the controller 25 can signal the gates 106 to decrease cross-sectional area to decrease the amount of current flowing through the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and thus, decrease the rate at which the hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced. [0047] If the amperage falls too far below a set operating point, then a check light could be initiated by the controller 25 for an operator to check the water separation apparatus 10 for any problems. In addition, if the amperage in one or more of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 exceeds a safe operating point, the controller 25 can initiate an automatic shutdown of that reaction chamber.

[0048] Another embodiment of the adjuster plate 30 is shown in Figures 17a and 17b. In this embodiment the adjuster plate 30 includes a first plate 250 and a second plate 252 coupled by a rod 254. The first plate 250 may be circular in shape and coupled to the internal wall of the housing 15 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14. In an embodiment, the top of the first plate 250 may include a generally horizontal or straight edge to form an opening between the top of the housing 15 and the edge 92 so that separated gasses may flow between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28 in each of the reaction chambers 12 and 14. The second plate 252 is attached by the non-conductive rod 254 to the first plate 250 such that the second plate 252 may be rotated with respect to the first plate 250. A positioning arm 256 attached to the second plate 252 by attachment 258 is used to rotate the second plate 252 with respect to the first plate 250. The first plate 250 and the second plate 252 form a plurality of openings 260. When the second plate 252 is rotated, the cross-sectional area of the plurality of openings is adjusted. As such, the contact area between the front chamber 26 and the rear chamber 28 may be adjusted. [0049] Thus, an important improvement in this embodiment of the invention is that the amount of hydrogen and oxygen gas produced by the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can be quickly regulated by adjusting the adjuster plate 30 in each reaction chamber to control the cross-sectional contact area between the front chamber 26 and the rear chambers 28. As explained previously, by increasing the cross-sectional area between the front chamber 26 and the rear chamber 28, additional current flow or amperage is allowed to flow between the two chambers. Thus, the adjustment of the adjuster plate 30 provides for precision control of amperage draw to control the capacitive reactance between the plates 36/42/96 in the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. As the cross-sectional area increases between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28, the liquid and catalyst contact area increases between the conductive plates 36 and 42 and 96. This increase in the amount of current flowing through the chambers 12 and 14 will also increase the rate at which the hydrogen and oxygen gases separate from the water. Likewise, as the contact area decreases, the current flow and creation rate of the gases will also decrease. Though several embodiments of the adjuster plate 30 have been described herein, other embodiments of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be implemented that adjustably regulate the contact area between the front and rear chambers 26 and 28. As best seen in Figures 2 and 6, in a specific embodiment, each reaction chamber 12 and 14 also includes two cooling tubes 116 and 118, one on each side of the reaction chamber 12 and 14, that may be disposed in generally parallel relationship and run the full length of each reaction chamber 12 and 14 and extend outside of each end of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and function as heat exchangers. Water or other fluids may be passed through the cooling tubes 116 and 118 to transfer heat away

from inside the reaction chambers 12 and 14. Though cooling tubes 116 and 118 are shown in this embodiment, any other suitable heat exchangers can be used depending on the application. [0050] The controller 25 and the manner in which it is electrically connected to the various components of the water separation apparatus 10 will now be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 9-11. Referring first to Figure 1 , the controller 25 includes an on/off switch 122 that is wired to the pressure regulator 20. The pressure regulator 20 may be any off-the-shelf pressure regulator that allows regulation of pressure within a minimum and maximum range. There are many makes and models of available pressure regulators on the market that may be used, as will be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. By way of example only, such a pressure regulator may be Part No. 9013 GSG2 made under the "Square D" brand by Schneider Electric, of Paris, France. In a specific embodiment, the pressure regulator 20 is located between the collector-separators 16 and 18 and the bubblers 76 and 78. In this specific embodiment shown in Figure 1, the pressure regulator 20 is plugged into an 110V wall outlet though a person of skill in the art would appreciate many other voltage sources at different voltage levels may be used depending on the application. For example, a battery, alternator, fuel cell, solar panel, etc may provide the current necessary to operate the water separation apparatus 10. The pressure regulator 20 is configured to allow current to flow through to the controller 25 when certain predetermined "high" and "low" pressures from the collector-separators 16 and 18 are present. For example, the regulator 20 may be configured to cut power to the water separation apparatus 10 at a high pressure of 50 p.s.i. and turn power back on when the pressure reaches a low pressure of 35 p.s.i. Of course these specific high and low pressure levels may be adjusted depending on the application of the water separation apparatus 10. In addition, the pressure regular 20 may be adjusted by a device to control the controller 25 to adjust the current to the water separation apparatus 10 to provide more or less hydrogen production as needed. [0051] In a specific embodiment, the controller 25 may include a full wave rectified DC converter that can be frequency pulsed, and convert the AC power coming from the regulator 20 into variable pulsing DC power which is provided to the reaction chambers 12 and 14. [0052] In a specific embodiment, the controller 25 may also include a 4-pole double throw On- On switch 124. As best shown in Figures 9-11, the chambers 12 and 14 may be configured such that the reaction chambers 12 and 14 are arranged in series with respect to the voltage source or alternatively switched by switch 124 to be configured in parallel with respect to the voltage source. Switching the reaction chambers 12 and 14 from series to parallel with respect to the voltage source will result in a marked increase in the electrical flow through reaction chambers, which will increase

the amount of gas being generated by the water separation apparatus 10, and thereby increase the power or heat generated through the use of the water separation apparatus 10. Thus, the reaction chambers 12 and 14 may be controlled by the switch 124 to be configured in "series" with respect to the voltage source for slow or idle requirements, and may be switched to "parallel" with respect to the voltage source for a higher demand of delivery of hydrogen and oxygen.

[0053] The manner of operation of the specific embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 1-11 will now be described. With reference to Figure 1, the left and right chambers 12 and 14 are filled with a liquid mixture of water and catalyst that forms an electro lytically conductive water mixture. The catalyst may be one or more of any appropriate catalyst for creating an electrolyte in the water, such as potassium hydroxide or any other suitable catalyst now known to or later developed by those of ordinary skill in the art. In the specific embodiment described above, an example of a water-catalyst mixture that could be used may comprise 4 ¹ A gallons of water mixed with 17 /4 ounces of potassium hydroxide depending on the embodiment of the water separation apparatus 10. The catalyst is used to regulate the electrolytic effect between the plates 36 and 42 and 96. The catalyst is also used to break down the surface tension of the water so the individual atoms (of hydrogen and oxygen) can more quickly travel to the surface inside the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and be extracted for use. The catalyst does not enter into the reaction so it stays in the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and only the hydrogen and oxygen are extracted. The amount and type of catalyst added to the reaction chambers 12 and 14 affects the current flow in the reaction chambers and the amount of hydrogen and oxygen generated and so can be another control for the production of the water separation apparatus 10.

[0054] In a specific embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the adjuster plate 30 also preferably includes a liquid leveling hole 120 at the bottom of the adjuster plate 30. The liquid mixture is poured into the reaction chambers 12 and 14 through the fluid input passageway 50. The fluid mixture will enter the front internal chamber 26 and flow through to the rear internal chamber 28 through the liquid leveling hole 120 in the adjuster plate 30. The sight tubes 52 are used to assist in filling the reaction chambers 12 and 14 to the desired level. With reference to Figure 6, in this specific embodiment, it is preferred that the reaction chambers 12 and 14 be filled to a level about 3/4 inches below the top edge 92 of the adjuster plate 30. The pressure regulator 20 is plugged into the wall outlet (or connected by other means to another voltage source as explained above) and the controller 25 is switched to the "On" position. The 4-pole switch 124 is also set to the desired setting (i.e., series or parallel) depending on the required amount of gas per minute or the load requirements of the system or device to which the hydrogen is supplied from the water separation

apparatus 10 . For lower gas requirements the switch 124 will be set to the "series" position and for higher gas requirements the switch 124 will be set to the "parallel" position. In a specific embodiment, if the regulator 20 is reading a pressure of the "minimum" setting (e.g., 35 p.s.i.) or lower, then current will flow to the reaction chambers 12 and 14 and through the water/catalyst mixture, and the electrolysis process will commence. As the water comes into contact with the conductive plates, the water breaks down into its hydrogen and oxygen components. The hydrogen and oxygen gases will bubble upwardly through the liquid mixture and into the space above the liquid fluid level and out of the reaction chambers 12 and 14 through the inlet conduits 56 and 58 and into the collector-separators 16 and 18. The gases and any associated liquid will flow out of the tops of the inlet conduits 56 and 58 and into the collector-separators 16 and 18. Any liquid that does seep up through the inlet conduits 56 and 58 will drop to the bottom of the collector-separators 16 and 18 and flow through the small holes 63 in the inlet conduits 56 and 58 that are just above the bottom of the housing 17 (see Figure 2). [0055] The gases will then circulate down and up into the bottom of the outlet conduit 60 and then through the conduits 66, 68 and 72 to the first bubbler 74. The gases will flow through the tubes 82 and bubble through the water 79 in each of the bubblers 74 and 76. The separated hydrogen and oxygen gas streams exiting the exit tube 90 of the second bubbler 76 is ready for use "on demand" for whatever purpose desired (e.g., as a fuel or heat source). These gases can be produced for immediate use, on demand, and may be produced at low pressures, such as more or less than 50 p.s.i.

[0056] A working model of the specific embodiment of the present invention has been built, tested and proven to generate hydrogen on demand in a manner far more efficient. With the present invention, the energy into the system is much less than the generated energy out of the system, in the form of hydrogen gas. It is expected that the present invention will have a significant impact on the way in which energy is generated around the world, and thus have a significant impact on the world economy. This follows from the fundamental premise that there is a direct relationship between the amount of energy a country generates and its gross national product. Indeed, it is believed that the present invention will usher in and form the foundation of the new era of the hydrogen-based economy President Bush spoke of in his February 2, 2006 letter announcing the American Competitiveness Initiative. And the present invention has a vast number of uses. At a very basic level, it can be used as a fuel source or as a heat source. A few specific examples of how the present invention can be used are described below.

[0057] One way in which the present invention could be utilized is in combination with one or more fuel cells to generate electricity. In this regard, as shown in Figure 12, the exit tube 90 of the apparatus 10 may be connected to a proton exchange membrane, also known as a polymer electrolyte membrane ("PEM") 130. The hydrogen and oxygen gases flow from the apparatus 10 through the exit tube 90 and into the PEM 130. The PEM 130 separates the hydrogen and oxygen gases into a hydrogen gas stream and an oxygen gas stream. The PEM 130 is connected to a fuel cell 136. More specifically, a hydrogen conduit 132 is connected between the PEM 130 and the fuel cell 136 to feed the hydrogen gas stream from the PEM 130 to the appropriate portion of the fuel cell 136, and an oxygen conduit 134 is connected between the PEM 130 and the fuel cell 136 to feed the oxygen gas stream from the PEM 130 to the appropriate portion of the fuel cell 136. The fuel cell 136 includes a negative terminal 138 and a positive terminal 140. The electricity generated through the fuel cell 136 may be used for any purpose. For example, the fuel cell 136 could be connected to an electric motor for powering a car, a boat or a lawnmower. One of the advantages of the use of the water separation apparatus 10 in a car, boat or a lawnmower is that it will decrease the noise currently associated with boat motors, car engines and lawnmowers. The present invention can also be used to supply electricity to a commercial building, a private residence or an entire city. For example, instead of paying the local electric company on a monthly basis for the amount of electricity used each month, a homeowner could install a system such as shown in Figure 12 to supply electricity to the house, instead of connecting to the local power grid. [0058] Still referring to the fuel cell example, the number of fuel cells can be varied or provided in a "stacked" manner depending on the current and voltage requirements for any particular application. The fuel cell configuration is environmentally friendly, in that it will put oxygen back into the atmosphere, as opposed to the undesirable ozone-creating "Greenhouse" emissions of a hydrocarbon powered engine on a car or boat or lawnmower. The fuel cell 136 may further include an oxygen outlet 142 and a water outlet 144. The water from the water outlet 144 may be piped back to the apparatus 10 for separation into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Another advantage of this fuel cell example, such as in the car or boat context, is that it entails no moving parts other than an electric motor. [0059] Another way in which the present invention could be put to use is in combination with any steam-driven device. In this regard, for example, as shown in Figure 13, the exit tube 90 of the water separation apparatus 10 may be connected to a burner 146, where the gases from the apparatus 10 are ignited and burned to heat a vessel of water to create steam. The steam may be supplied to any steam-driven device. For example, the steam could be used to power a steam-driven train. As

another example, as shown in Figure 13 , the steam may be supplied through a steam conduit 148 to a steam-driven turbine 150. The steam will cause the turbine to rotate, which will rotate a turbine output shaft 152. The shaft 152 may be used to power any device desired. For example, as shown in

Figure 13, the shaft 152 could be connected to a generator 154 to generate electricity. The electricity can be provided to any device or system desired through negative and positive terminals

156 and 158. For example, this configuration could be used on a large scale in a power plant to supply electricity to an entire city. As another alternative, instead of connecting the turbine output shaft 152 to a generator, it could be used as a drive shaft to rotate the wheels on any type of vehicle.

Other examples that involve the use of flames created by igniting the gases may include disposal of waste materials, in ovens, in gas burners and in distillation and desalinization processes. For example, the flames can be used to heat salt water from the ocean to produce steam that can be collected and condensed into fresh water at extremely low costs.

[0060] Figure 14 shows another embodiment where the water separation unit 10 may be used alone to run a fuel cell stack to create enough energy to operate an electric motor. In this regard, for example, as shown in Figure 14, the exit tube 90 of the water separation apparatus 10 may be connected to an engine 160, such as by feeding the hydrogen gas stream from the water separation apparatus directly into the engine's carburetor to be used as the engine's fuel source. An output shaft 162 of the engine 160 may be connected to any device or system powered through the use of rotary motion. For example, as shown in Figure 14, the output shaft 162 may be connected to a generator 164 having negative and positive terminals 166 and 168, respectively. In the same manner as explained above, the electricity generated by the generator 164 may be used to energize any device or system that runs off of electricity. In the marine industry, the output shaft 162 could be on an inboard or outboard boat motor for boats or lawnmowers that will run efficiently. Again, the general approach represented in Figure 14 has the same advantages as described above, including that there are no undesirable emissions that are harmful to the atmosphere.

[0061] In each of the above embodiments, the water separation unit may be used alone or in combination with another fuel source, such a gasoline fuel with a combustion engine if an additional energy source is needed. Even if used with a combustion engine using gasoline, the water separation unit 10 will help reduce green house effects and help the atmosphere and economy by reducing the need for use of gasoline and its byproducts.

[0062] Another way in which the present invention may be used in combination with a combustion engine is in the automotive context. For example, as shown in Figure 15 a car 170 is shown having a combustion engine 180 (i.e., just like nearly every car and truck on the road today).

But what is different about the car 170 shown here is that it also includes an embodiment of the water separation apparatus 10 of the present invention with the exit tube 90 connected to the engine 180 so that the hydrogen and oxygen gas stream generated by the apparatus 10 can be used as the fuel source for the engine 180 or as a supplemental fuel source in addition to gasoline as explained above. In this example, the gases from the exit tube 90 may be fed directly into the carburetor, as explained above. Since the hydrogen gases burn more rapidly and hotter than conventional hydrocarbon fuels, changes to a typical car engine may be implemented, such as advancing the timing to make sure the valves are closed during the combustion cycle, and modifying the intakes to accommodate a gas fuel instead of a liquid fuel. The car 170 may also be provided with a tank 171 for holding water. The water is fed to the apparatus 10 through a conduit 176. The apparatus 10 may be provided with a mixer for controlling fluid flow and mixture composition flowing to the reactions chambers of the apparatus 10. At periodic automotive check-ups, the percentage of catalyst in the water in the tank 171 may be checked and adjusted if necessary on an as needed basis. [0063] In this automotive example, the series/parallel switch 124 may be located on the dashboard of the car 170 so that the driver may switch to parallel mode when a higher boost of on- demand power is needed. Alternatively, the switch between series and parallel may be automatically accomplished through an acceleration system that requires no manual input. For example, if the automobile needs extra acceleration, the automobile will automatically switch to parallel mode. [0064] This automotive example also represents a significant improvement over the way in which the automotive industry is currently using hydrogen as a fuel source. In more particular, hydrogen-powered cars currently use high pressure canisters of stored hydrogen on-board the car. Drawbacks to the current approach are that these high pressure canisters present a potential safety hazard (e.g., through rupture), and also that the canisters need to be replenished at a hydrogen gas station. With the present invention, on the other hand, the hydrogen is produced on board and not until it is needed, and the only "fuel" that needs to be replenished is water. An added benefit of the present invention is that the stored water tank 171 can be used as a crash-dampening design for safety as water does not have the volatility of gasoline. Yet another advantage is that a car that is powered by hydrogen gas created using the present invention does not have any harmful or detrimental emissions. There will be no harmful and detrimental emissions only if the car's power is generated by fuel cells. If the gas supplements a gasoline burn, then we will still have some harmful and detrimental emissions from the gasoline burn. Another advantage of this approach is that gas consumption will be reduced and efficiency will be increased through higher miles per gallon of gasoline. Another advantage is that horsepower will be increased.

[0065] In one embodiment of the invention, a method of regulating the water level in reaction chambers 12 and 14 is shown in Figure 16. Reaction chamber 12 includes water level control actuator 200 while reaction chamber 14 includes water level control actuator 202. Both water level control actuators 200 and 202 measure the level of water in their respective reaction chambers 12 and 14. When a low level of water is detected, the water level control actuators signal the solenoids 210 and 208. So for example, if water level actuator 200 in reaction chamber 12 detects a low water level, then the water level actuator 200 signals solenoid 208 over wire 204. Similarly, if water level actuator 202 in reaction chamber 14 detects a low water level in reaction chamber 14, then the water level actuator 202 signals solenoid 210 over wire 206. The solenoid 208 or 210 which has been signaled with a low water level, then signals fill pump 216 over lines 212 or 214 respectively. The fill pump 216 then initiates pumping of water 220 from water reservoir 218 through pipe 222 through fill pump 216 to Y pipe 224. The solenoid 208 or 210 that signaled the low water level will open its valve while the other solenoid 208 or 210 will maintain its valve closed. Thus, the water from Y-pipe 224 will only flow through the solenoid 208 or 210 that has received a low water signal from its respective actuator. For example, if water level actuator 202 in reaction chamber 14 signaled a low water level over wire 206, then solenoid 210 would open its valve and water would flow from the pump 216 through solenoid 210 into pipe 226. The water would then enter the reaction chamber 14 through inlet conduit 50. During the filling stage, the pressure in the reaction chambers 12 and 14 can be maintained at a similar level due to the pump used to overcome the chamber pressure for fill and that the reaction chambers 12 and 14 are connected by the collectors 16 and 18.

[0066] If both water level actuators 200 and 202 detect a low water level in both reaction chambers 12 and 14 concurrently, then both solenoids 208 and 210 would open and water would flow into both reaction chambers 12 and 14. The water reservoir 218 may be placed in a bumper, part of a frame of a car or any spare hollow space. It could also be used as a safety device to dampen crash impact.

[0067] It should further be understood that the above description provided one embodiment of the present invention and the described embodiment is not limited to any particular shape, dimensions or size or materials. For example, while specific dimensions have been provided for the specific embodiments described above, those dimensions do not limit the scope of the invention, and the invention may be provided on any scale. For example, if the invention is to be used to supply electricity to an entire city, then the invention would be constructed on a much larger scale, and may also include numerous units "stacked" or grouped together depending on the amount of electricity

needed. As just one non-limiting example, five (or any number) of the dual-chamber systems shown in the Figures could be stacked or grouped together and the hydrogen exiting each of the second bubblers 76 may be transmitted to the same target device or system intended to use the hydrogen, whether for a heat or fuel source. By implementing this stacking or grouping approach, in the event of a failure of one of the units, the failed unit can be removed for repair without ceasing operation of the other units. The water separation apparatus 10 may also be designed for a variety of standard load ratings and be treated as an off-the-shelf item with the particular unit being selected on a case- by-case basis depending on the load requirements of each application. The apparatus 10 may also be provided with any number of reaction chambers, not just the two reaction chambers 12 and 14 as shown for example in Figure 2.

[0068] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the chambers 12/14 are cylindrical in shape and have been used as part of a preferred embodiment to incorporate the higher pressure holding capability of curved surfaces. But the present invention is not limited to chambers having curved surfaces, and also covers other shapes, including but not limited to square or rectangular boxes and enclosures of any other shape or configuration. Similarly, while the specific embodiment shown in Figures 1-11 is provided with two collector-separators, it could also be provided with a single collector-separator that with inlet ports in fluid communication with each of the chambers 12/14. Accordingly, the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.