Solar hydrogen generator

Page 1 — bibliographic record

Page 2

Drawing sheet — no readable text.

Page 3

Drawing sheet — no readable text.

Page 4

cules and undecomposed water molecules remain con

SOLAR HYDROGENGENERATOR tained within the globe.

A collector tube completely encloses the globe and

ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION traps the hydrogen molecules which have permeated The invention described herein was made by employ through the globe. An outlet tube is sealably inserted ees of the United States Government and may be man into the globe for removing the oxygen molecules and ufactured and used by or for the Government for gov undecomposed water molecules. ernmental purposes without the payment of any royla BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ties thereon or therefor.

10 FIG. 1 is a section view taken along line x-x of FIG.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 2; and 1. Field of the Invention FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the present invention. This invention generally relates to hydrogen generat DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ing devices and, more particularly to devices using 15 EMBODIMENT solar energy to dissociate water molecules. The hydro Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a pre genthus generated may then be liquefied and stored for ferred embodiment of the invention as it would be used later use as a clean-burning fuel. to decompose water and to separate the resulting hy 2. Description of the prior art drogen molecules from the other byproducts of water The uses of solar radiation as an energy source are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,141,330 to Abbott, for 20 decomposition. As readily seen in FIG. 1, the apparatus example, teaches a distilling apparatus in which solar basically includes an inlet tube 10, an outlet tube 20, a energy is used to heat water to its boiling point. Simi collector tube 30 and a reflector 40. larly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,931 to Coffey et al teaches a endInlet12.

tube 10 has a hollow globe 11 sealably affixed to

In the preferred embodiment, inlet tube 10 is still which uses solar radiation as the power source for 25 manufactured the distillation process. Typical of other devices using rial suitable forfrom stainless steel although any mate conveying steam may be used. Mterials solar energy are hot water heaters for home or com capable of withstanding the temperatures required to mercial use and a variety of solar heat collectors. dissociate water molecules (approximately 2800 K.) While these earlier developments use solar energy as a power source for various processes, they lack the 30 are used to manufacture globe 11. In addition, the material used for globe 11 must be pervious to hydro aspects of the present invention wherein solar radiation gen is used as the exclusive power source in a hydrogen othermolecules products while being essentially impervious to the of water decomposition. The high tem generating device.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to the reactive nature toof the peratures required dissociate water molecules and gases being produced make provide a device for generating hydrogen using solar 35 oxide ceramics suitable choices for the manufacture of energy as the only power source. globe 11. In the preferred embodiment, for example, A further object of the present invention is a device globe 11 is manufactured from thorium oxide although using the energy from solar radiation to dissociate zirconium oxide could also be used.

water molecules. Reflector 40 is used to concentrate solar energy on An additional object of the present invention is a 40 globe 11 and in the preferred embodiment is a para device for storing solar energy by collecting the hydro bolic mirror of conventional design. By concentrating gen products produced from the decomposition of the solar radiation onto globe 11, the temperature of water for later use as a fuel. globe 11 is increased to the dissociation temperature of These and other objects of the invention will be Water.

readily apparent when considered in reference to the 45 Outlet tube 20 is positioned concentrically inside following description and claims and when taken in inlet tube 10 having one end protruding into globe 11. connection with the attached drawings to which they A plurality of tubular supports 21 are annularly spaced relate. between outlet tube 20 and inlet tube 10 thereby hold SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ing outlet tube 20 in place. Any suitable material such 50 as stainless steel may be used to manufacture outlet

According to the present invention an inlet tube is tube 20.

provided having a hollow globe fixably fastened to one Collector tube 30 is positioned concentrically around end thereof with the other end of the inlet tube commu inlet tube 10 and is held in place by tubular supports nicating with a source of water. The water is pumped 31. Collector 30 has an enlarged end 32 which sealably through the inlet tube and into the hollow globe. As 55 encloses globe 11. In the preferred embodiment collec used in this specification the term water includes both tor tube 30 and enlarged end 32 are manufactured the liquid and gaseous states of water molecules. Thus, from Pyrex glass.

either steam or liquid water may be introduced into the OPERATION inlet tube.

The globe is manufactured from a material which is 60 Referring now to FIG. 2, collector tube 30 is sup pervious to hydrogen molecules but which is essentially ported by a plurality of rigid supports 31' such that the impervious to oxygen molecules and the other products center of globe 11 coincides with the center of para of the decomposition of water. A parabolic reflector bolic reflector 40 which is held in place by supports 41. concentrates solar radiation on the globe thereby heat Pumps 50, 52 and 54 communicate with tubes 10, 20 ing the water contained therein. When the water 65 and 30, respectively, for purposes to be described be reaches its dissociation temperature it decomposes into low.

hydrogen and oxygen molecules. The hydrogen mole Pump 50 communicates with inlet tube 10 and cules pass through the globe while the oxygen mole pumps water from water supply source 51 through inlet

Page 5

tube 10 and into globe 11 generally following path W. tube 20 and collector tube 30, respectively, to be trans Reflector 40 concentrates solar radiation on globe 11 ferred arrangements to the lower temperature water in inlet tube 10.

thereby heating the water contained therein until the Other themselves to one of tubes 10, 20 and 30 may suggest skilled in the art. It will be under water reaches its dissociation temperature (approxi stood that the foregoing descripton mately 2800°K.) at which time the water molecules embodiment of the invention and isistherefore of the preferred merely decompose into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. The representative. Obviously, there are many variations hydrogen molecules permeate through globe 11 and and modifications of the present invention in the light generally follow path H. To facilitate the flow of hydro gen molecules a pump 52 communicates with collector 10 of the above teachings. It is to be understood that tube 30 thereby maintaining the interior of collector within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically de tube 30 at a lower pressure than the interior of globe scribed.

11. Pump 52 also serves to pump the hydrogen mole What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by cules into hydrogen storage facility 53 for storage and Letters Patent of the United Stated is: later use.

Outlet tube 20 communicates with pump 54 which hydrogen gas byfordissociating 15 1. Apparatus using solar energy to manufacture water molecules into hy maintains the interior of outlet tube 20 at a lower pres sure than the interior of globe 11. Thus, the oxygen drogen and oxygen molecules comprising: an inlet tube means for transporting water;

molecules which are not permitted to pass through globe 11 enter outlet tube 20 and are removed gener 20 a hollow tube globe means affixed to one end of said inlet means for receiving the water, said globe ally following path O. means being pervious to hydrogen molecules and The rate at which hydrogen is produced is in part a being impervious to oxygen molecules and undisso function of the diameter of globe 11 and of the hydro ciated water molecules; gen diffusion rate of globe 11. The diameter of globe 11 in turn depends upon the diameter of reflector 40. 25 anand outlet tube means extending into said globe means being concentrically positioned within said

Knowing the direct solar radiation falling on the reflec inlet tube means;

tor 40, it is possible to use the Stefan-Boltzmann law to a reflector means for concentrating solar energy on determine the degree to which reflector 40 must con said globe means thereby heating the water con centrate the available solar energy. According to the tained in said globe means to the dissociation tem Stefan-Boltaman law W = e o (T1-T?) where: 30 perature of said water whereupon the water de W = solar energy available composes into hydrogen and oxygen molecules; the e = emissivity of the absorbing body hydrogen molecules permeate through said globe O = Stefan-Boltzmann constant means and the oxygen molecules and undissociated (5.7 x 10 ergs cm sec') water enter said outlet tube means for removal 35 from said globe means; a collector tube means for

T = Temperature of radiating body collecting the hydrogen molecules after the hydro T = Temperature of absorbing body gen molecules pass through said globe means; In the present invention the absorbing body is globe 14 said collector tube means having an enlarged closed which is heated to the dissociation temperature of end which encases said hollow globe means and a water (2800 K approximately) and the radiating body 40 end tubular length extending from said enlarged closed is the sum which has a temperature of approximately concentrically positioned about said inlet tube 6000°K. The concentration which must be achieved by means; thereby transferring heat from the hydro reflector 40 is determined by using the Stefan-Bolt gen molecules to the water in said inlet tube means and zmann equation as follows: 45 wherein said collector tube means is constructed of

material transparent to solar radiation to thereby

permit solar radiation to pass through said collec tor tube means to reach said hollow globe means.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said where 50 reflector means is a parabolic mirror. K= concentration required 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said For example, assuming the direct solar energy falling outlet tube means is connected to a first pump which on reflector 40 is 0.6 watts/cm (W) and the emissivity maintains the interior of said outlet tube means at a (e) of globe 11 is 0.2 the Stefan-Boltzmann law indi lower pressure than the interior of said globe means cates that a solar concentration of approximately 2000 55 thereby increasing the flow of oxygen molecules and is required. For a parabolic reflector the solar concen undissociated water molecules through said outlet tube tration is equal to the square of the ratio of the diame means and wherein the concentric arrangement of said ter of the reflector to the diameter of the area heated inlet and outlet tubes causes heat transfer from the (i.e., the diameter of globe 11). Thus, if a solar concen oxygen molecules and undissociated water molecules tration of 2000 is required and the reflector 40 has a 60 in said outlet tube means to the water in said inlet tube diameter of 45 cm the diameter of the globe 11 should leaS.

be approximately 1 cm. Water should then enter globe 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said 11 at a rate equal to the rate at which hydrogen diffuses collector tube is connected to a second pump which through a 1 cm diameter globe. maintains the interior of said collector tube at a lower Tubes 10, 20 and 30 are arranged concentrically in 65 pressure than the interior of said globe means. the preferred embodiment to efficiently utilize the heat 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said contained in the oxygen and hydrogen molecules. The second pump communicates with a hydrogen storage concentric arrangement permits the heat in the higher means for receivingskthek hydrogen > molecules.

temperature oxygen and hydrogen molecules in outlet