Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: HYDROGEN GENERATING APPARATUS AND COMPONENTS
THEREFOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a hydrogen
generating apparatus and in particular a hydrogen
generating apparatus for use in motor vehicles to increase
the performance of the engine of the motor vehicle. The
present invention is also directed to components useful in
the hydrogen generating apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of hydrogen as a supplemental fuel in
motor vehicle engines has been proposed to increase the
performance of the engine. Hydrogen and oxygen, when used
as part of the air/fuel mixture for the operation of the
engine, have been found to increase the performance of the
engine by increasing the mileage and by reducing the amount
of emissions from the engine. The hydrogen and oxygen may
be generated through electrolysis of an aqueous solution
with the gases given off being mixed with the charge of
fuel and air supplied to the engine.
The generation of small quantities of hydrogen
and oxygen using an electrolysis cell with the hydrogen and
oxygen generated then being combined with the usual
air/fuel mixture to improve the efficiency of internal
combustion engines has been proposed in a number of prior
patents. Some systems of these prior patents utilized the
alternator or an auxiliary generator attached to the engine
to provide the electrical power for the system.
One example of such a system is shown in U.S.
Patent No. 4,271,793. This patent describes an internal
combustion engine having a fuel system for feeding an
air/fuel mixture to the combustion chamber and an
electrical generation system, such as an alternator. An
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electrolysis cell was attached adjacent to the engine to
generate hydrogen and oxygen upon the application of a
voltage between the cathode and the anode of the
electrolysis cell. A gas feed connected the cell to the
engine fuel system for feeding the hydrogen and oxygen to
the engine combustion chambers. The electrolysis cell was
placed under a predetermined pressure to prevent the
electrolyte from boiling off. The cell also included a
cooling system and other safety features.
Another electrolysis cell is disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 5,231,954. The electrolysis cell of this patent
was used for generating hydrogen and oxygen gases which
were added to the fuel delivery system as a supplement to
the gasoline or other hydrocarbons burned therein. The cell
was designed to reduce the hazard of explosion by
withdrawing the gases through a connection with the vacuum
line of the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system of
the engine and by utilizing a slip-fitted top cap for the
electrolysis cell.
A further example of an electrolysis cell for use
in connection with an internal combustion engine, for
generating hydrogen and oxygen gases is shown in U.S.
Patent No. 5,458,095. This system utilized an electric pump
to draw the hydrogen and oxygen gases out of the cell,
where the outlet side of the pump was connected to the air
intake manifold using a hose having a terminating insert.
The insert was formed from copper tubing bent at an
appropriate angle to insure that the hydrogen and oxygen
gas outlet from the pump was in the same direction as the
downstream airflow in the air intake manifold.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a hydrogen
generating system for use in internal combustion engines
for increasing the efficiency of the engine and decreasing
emissions from the engine. The hydrogen generating system
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of the present invention comprises an electrolysis cell for
generating hydrogen and oxygen gases by electrolysis of an
aqueous solution, a power source for providing electrical
power to the electrolysis cell, an outlet flow means for
introducing the generated gases into the intake manifold
system of an internal combustion engine, a monitoring means
for monitoring the operating conditions of the hydrogen
generating system and the internal combustion engine, and a
control means connected to the monitoring means for
controlling the operation of the hydrogen generating system
in response to the monitoring means.
In an aspect of the invention there is provided a
controller for controlling a hydrogen generating system for
use in an internal combustion engine for increasing the
efficiency of the engine and decreasing emissions from the
engine. The controller comprises at least one interface
means for receiving information on the operating conditions
of the hydrogen generating system or the internal
combus.tion engine; at least one control means for
controlling a parameter of the hydrogen generating system;
and a logic circuit connected to the interface means and
control means for providing instructions to the control
means in response to the information received from the
interface means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention
are illustrated in the attached drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the hydrogen generating system of the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of a gas generator
box of the hydrogen generating system of the present
invention;
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Figure 3 is a block diagram of the electronic
process controller of the hydrogen generating system of
Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the
electronic process controller of Figure 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of a hydrogen generating
system of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1.
The hydrogen generating system includes one or more
electrolysis cells 10 which are used to generate the
hydrogen and oxygen gases by electrolysis of a suitable
aqueous medium. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1,
four such electrolysis cells 10 are utilized, however other
numbers of cells are possible. The number of cells 10
utilized in the system depends upon the capacity of the
cell 10 for generating hydrogen and the requirements of the
engine to which the system is attached. Thus for passenger
cars and light duty trucks utilizing gasoline engines, one
or two cells 10 each having a capacity up to about 500 cm3
of hydrogen per minute would be utilized. For heavy duty
trucks and other heavy equipment, especially those
utilizing diesel engines, four, six or eight cells 10 each
having a capacity up to about 1000cm3 of hydrogen per
minute are preferred.
The gases generated by the electrolysis cells 10
are fed through a moisture collector 12 which is connected
to the cell 10 by a suitable tubing 14. The output of the
moisture collector 12 is connected to a gas scrubber 18 by
means of a suitable tubing 20 which is provided with a
check valve 22 to prevent back flow of fluids. From the gas
scrubber 18 the gases flow through tubing 24 to an
automatic safety shut-off collector 26 which has a ball
float valve which shuts off the flow of gas if the liquid
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level in the shut-off collector 26 rises to the top of the
collector 26.
The output of the shut-off collector 26 is
connected through tubing 30 to a low flow vacuum pump 32
which pumps the gases to a suitable part of the intake
system of the engine and is adjustable to regulate the flow
of the gases. The gases may be injected by the pump 32
into the intake system of the engine before the carburetor
or injector by connecting the tubing 34 on the outlet of
the pump 32 to the air breather box of the intake system of
the engine upstream from the air filter. Alternatively the
gases may be injected directly into the carburetor or other
fuel delivery system of the intake system of the engine or
may be injected into the intake manifold of the intake
system after the carburetor or fuel delivery system if a
proper filtering system is provided.
As illustrated in Figure 1 the hydrogen
generating system of the present invention includes
suitable control and monitoring means provided in the
preferred embodiment by an electronic process controller
40. The controller 40 provides for control of the operation
of the hydrogen generating system to provide for maximizing
efficiency under all conditions of operation of the engine
as well as monitoring the system to provide for safe
operation. For example, one parameter of operation of the
hydrogen generating system which is preferably monitored by
the controller is the level of electrolyte solution in the
electrolysis cells 10. As described in detail below, the
electrolysis cells 10 are preferably provided with a level
sensor which provides feedback to the controller 40 on the
level of electrolyte solution in the electrolysis cell 10.
If the level of the electrolyte solution in the
electrolysis cell 10 drops to a level which would cause
enough exposure of the electrodes of the cell, the cell
could be damaged or production of gases becomes
inefficient. In this situation, the controller 40 will
shutdown operation of the hydrogen generating system. Other
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parameters of the hydrogen generating system controlled by
the controller 40 will be explained in detail below.
The hydrogen generating system is also provided
with a dash module 42 which is mounted in the motor vehicle
in a location easily accessible by the operator of the
motor vehicle. The dash module 42 allows the operator of
the motor vehicle to control and monitor the hydrogen
generating system as required or desired. The dash module
42 is connected to the ignition of the motor vehicle with a
suitably sized fuse 44.
For safety reasons, the hydrogen generating
system is also provided with one or more safety shutoff
switches 46 which will shutdown the system. The engine
compartment is provided with a shutoff switch 46 mounted
such that raising the hood of the engine compartment will
cause the switch 46 to open and shutdown the hydrogen
generating system. If the hydrogen generating system is
mounted in the trunk compartment a second shutoff switch 46
would also be located there such that raising the hood of
the trunk compartment will shut off operation of the
system.
The hydrogen generating system of the present
invention also includes a means of determining that the
engine is running so that if power is applied to the
controller 40 but the engine is not actually running, no
electrolysis will take place. The means to determine that
the engine is running could be a sensor monitoring one or
more of the engine conditions when the engine is operating.
For example, a sensor could be used to monitor vacuum or
oil pressure which is present in an operating engine.
Preferably, for gasoline engines, a vacuum safety switch 48
is utilized to insure that the engine is running, while for
diesel engines, the sensor is preferably an oil pressure
switch. The vacuum safety switch 48 monitors the vacuum,
preferably from a different source than the vacuum intake
line to the engine. While there are numerous sources of
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vacuum on the engine, the preferred source for monitoring
of engine vacuum is the heater vacuum line. The vacuum
safety switch 48 is adjusted such that should the level of
engine vacuum drop below a preset level, the safety switch
48 will interact with the electronic process controller 40
to shut down the hydrogen generating system.
The hydrogen generating system is also provided
with a first relay or solenoid 54 which is operated by the
various switches, such as the dash module 42, oil pressure
switch or vacuum safety switch 48 and hood trunk switch 46
to provide for the activation and deactivation of power to
the electronic process controller 40 and in turn the
electrolysis cell 10 and vacuum pump 32 of the hydrogen
generating system. In a preferred embodiment the relay 54
may be incorporated into the electronic process controller
40 as described in detail below.
The hydrogen generating system preferably also
provides for visual feedback to the operator of the motor
vehicle. The dash module 42 may be provided with one or
more LED displays 50, for example one LED display
indicating when the power is turned on to the system, and a
second LED display to indicate trouble with the system,
such as for example, if the level of electrolyte in the
electrolysis cell 10 decreases to a level to cause
potential problems. Preferably, the system is provided
with a display module which would include a alphanumeric
display, which can display system messages provided by the
electronic process controller 40. For example, as
described in detail below, on operation of the system after
the ignition is turned on, the electronic process
controller 40 could perform a system scan for proper
operation of the components of the system and display
various messages on the alphanumeric display.
The hydrogen generating system of the present
invention has a number of safety features built in. As
noted above, one such feature is the detection of the level
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of electrolyte in the electrolysis cell 10. If the level
of the electrolyte is below a specified limit, then a
warning would be displayed to advise the operator to add
fluid, preferably steam distilled water, to the cell 10.
If the fluid is not added and the level is not brought up
above the limit within a set period of time, the electronic
process controller 40 would shut the system down and
indicate the system failure. To provide an indication of
the length of time the system is operating, an hour meter
52 is connected to the electrolysis cells 10, to monitor
the operating time of the cells 10.
Another monitoring routine of the system could be the
temperature of the electrolyte solution in the electrolysis
cell 10. If the temperature of the fluid in the cell
exceeds a certain limit, boiling of the electrolyte
solution may occur or the cell may be damaged. The safety
temperature limit is set according to many factors, such
as, cell design and capacity, expected operating conditions
and the nature of the electrolyte solution. Preferably
with the design of the preferred embodiment described
below, the temperature of the electrolyte in the
electrolysis cell 10 should not exceed 160 F. In order to
monitor the temperature in the cell, a temperature probe
may be provided to provide a feedback on the electrolyte
solution temperature. If the temperature increases above a
preselected set point, the electronic process controller 40
could limit the current to the cell 10 to reduce the amount
of electrolysis taking place, and thereby reduce the
temperature of the cell 10. Should the temperature not
reduce or continue to rise above the set point, the
electronic process controller 40 could shut down the
electrolysis cell 10 by disrupting the power being provided
to the cell 10 and restore functioning of the system once
the appropriate temperature is attained.
The hydrogen generating system of the present
invention also monitors the engine operation through the
oil pressure or vacuum safety switch 48, as described
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above. If the engine vacuum or oil pressure drops below a
preset level, then the electronic process controller 40
will shut down the system. In addition, as the preferred
embodiment of the present invention utilizes the vacuum
pump 32, the process controller 40 could also monitor the
operation of the vacuum pump 32, particularly with respect
to the electrical power being provided to the pump 32.
Should the electric circuit to the pump 32 be interrupted,
then the electronic process controller 40 will shut down
the system by stopping the electrical power supplied to the
electrolysis cell 10. In addition, should the gas supply
line of the gases generated by the electrolysis cell 10
become blocked such that the pressure in the line
increases, then the electronic process controller 40 will
sense that through the pump circuit and shut down the power
supplied to the electrolysis cell 10.
When the electronic process controller 40 shuts
down the operation of the electrolysis cells, it is
preferred if the residual energy stored in the cells 10 be
removed. This is preferably accomplished by a second relay
56 in conjunction with a capacitor 58 and resistor 60.
When the power to the electrolysis cell is removed by the
electronic process controller, the relay 56 is activated
and connects the cells to ground to bleed off any residual
energy stored in the cells 10.
The electrolysis cell 10 utilized in the hydrogen
generating system of the present invention is preferably
the cell described in detail in PCT Application No.
CA99/00590, filed June 29, 1999, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference. Electrolysis cell 10,
preferably has a cylindrical shaped case 62, constructed of
a suitable material which would be inert to the electrolyte
solution and would not be affected by the voltages or
temperatures encountered in the electrolysis cell 10. The
case 62 should also preferably have a co-efficient of
expansion which does not cause significant expansion of the
dimensions of the cell 10 under the operating conditions of
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the hydrogen generating system. Preferably, the case 62 of
the electrolysis cell 10 is a polyvinyl chloride.
The electrolysis cell 10 is provided with a cap
64 which is welded to the sidewall once the components of
the electrolysis cell have been assembled. The cap 64 is
provided with an outlet 66 to which the tubing 14 is
connected. Cap 64 is also provided with a fill plug 68
which is removable to allow the addition of distilled water
or electrolyte solution to the cell as the level of fluid
in the electrolysis cell 10 decreases. Preferably, the
fill plug 68 also incorporates a pressure release mechanism
to provide for relief of the pressure within the cell 10
should the interior pressure increase beyond a set limit.
The electrolysis cell 10 is provided with an
electrode assembly which is described in detail in PCT
Application No. CA99/00590. The electrodes that make up
the electrode assembly are provided as a monocell monopolar
assembly of an anode and a cathode. The outside cathode
and anode electrode plates are provided with an adapter for
electrical connection to the positive and negative supply
from the motor vehicle electrical system. When the
electrode assembly is placed within the case the adapters
are in alignment with terminal 70.
The electrode assembly provides for a monocell
monopolar electrode assembly for increased efficiency of
the electrolysis reaction in the electrolysis cell 10. The
materials from which the electrode assembly is constructed
are selected to minimize the effects of different
coefficients of expansion of the materials, withstand
strong corrosive action of the electrolyte solution and
provide effective and efficient electrolysis process.
Thus, preferably, the electrode plates are a suitable
stainless steel material, most preferably nickel plated
stainless steel.
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The electrolyte solution utilized within the
electrolysis cell 10, is preferably a basic aqueous
solution to provide for increased efficiency of the
electrolysis reaction. Preferably, the solution is also
adjusted to remain in solution form and not freeze at
extremely low temperatures, down to -40 or more. Most
preferably, the electrolyte solution is a 20 to 30% KOH
solution. The solution within the gas scrubber 18 is
preferably a silicate free solution with a viscosity to
allow the bubbles to break to the surface quickly and not
accumulate within the solution.
It is preferred for ease of installation and
increased safety that the hydrogen generating system of the
present invention be provided as a modular apparatus as
illustrated in Figure 2. In this preferred embodiment, the
system includes a gas generator box which contains the
electrolysis cells, the power source, and a block of
sensors to monitor operation of the electrolysis process.
The intelligent electronic process controller, a pump
module, and a block of sensors mounted on the
vehicle/chassis are provided as separate modules. The box
is provided with a closable and lockable lid and is also
provided with a safety switch which shuts down the system
if the lid is opened.
By adopting a modular structure for the hydrogen
generating system, installation of the system is simplified
as the gas generator may be easily installed and connected
to the other components. By providing the gas generator in
its own box, the electrolysis cells may be shielded for
potential damage from impact in the event that the vehicle
is involved in an accident. The use of the gas generator
box also allows for ease in varying the number and size of
electrolysis cells to match the requirements specific to
every individual application. The size and total number of
cells installed in the gas generator box defines maximum
capacity of hydrogen/oxygen rates and this is a function of
engine size and its operating parameters. For smaller
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engines the system is provided with only one cell, larger
engines may demand a multitude of such cells connected in
series, allowing operation at lower current values.
The gas generator box also includes a controlled,
regulated power supply preferably a DC-DC power converter
working in current limit with a logic interface is the main
component of this device. This power supply is capable of
varying the current output to a profile supplied by the
intelligent process controller, which will result in
optimum hydrogen and oxygen quantities being produced and
then delivered to the engine. This allows output of system
to be adjusted to optimum profiles, according to the
demand.
A set of sensors is installed in the gas
generator box to monitor operation of the hydrogen
generating system as described above. Such sensors monitor
one or more of temperature, vacuum, voltage current,
temperature and pH. The information is sent via an
appropriate wiring harness to the electronic process
controller.
An automatic filler may also be provided to
supply the necessary water to the electrolysis cells in
order to increase the autonomy of operation of this system.
The operation of this filler is controlled by the
electronic process controller in response to the level
sensor and is preferably provided with a means of heating
the water during the winter.
The hydrogen generating system of the present
invention is commanded, monitored and controlled by the
electronic process controller. This device consists of at
least the following parts:
an internal power module which supplies power to
the internal circuits of the electronic process controller
and to the sensors, and
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a logic module including interfaces, a
microcontroller and volatile or non-volatile memory.
The interfaces are one or more interfaces to
interface the sensors to the electronic process controller.
The interfaces may include A/D converters to convert analog
signals to digital signals, a multiplexer to expand the
number of channels that can be monitored and an engine
scanner/computer engine interface to allow the electronic
process controller to read the engine's operating
parameters (rpm's, speed, mass air flow, throttle position,
etc.) and read and write into engine's computer (injector's
pulse width, valve timing, ignition timing, etc.).
The volatile or static memory includes an EPROM
storing the software subroutines for the microcontroller.
The microcontroller reads all the information and defines
the output profile for the power source. This controller
can work in both open/closed loops, Various output profiles
for the power source can be stored in the EPROM and in this
case the electronic process controller matches these
profiles to the instant signal set received. The electronic
process controller may also have a "smart" regime similar
to the devices that use artificial intelligence. In this
case the electronic process controller changes the output
to the power supply in a sequential manner reading the
signal set and adjusting for optimal efficiency. Using this
'self-governing' mode is recommended mainly because the
electronic process controller can actually determine the
best output profile specific to every particular engine and
duty cycle.
The electronic process controller may also be
provided with the following optional components:
a data-logger to assist the microcontroller in
monitoring performance of the hydrogen generating system
and the engine/vehicle,
a display module (preferably as part of the dash
module) to provide a text or graphical interface displaying
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performance data and troubleshooting information
related to operation of the engine, and of the
hydrogen generating system, and
a downloading interface to allow data transfer 5 from
the electronic process controller's memory to
conventional or specialized computers.
A preferred embodiment of the controller 40 of the
present invention is illustrated in block diagram in Figure
3. The controller 40 is provided with a logic circuitry
100 to control the operation of the controller. Logic
circuitry 100 includes the programmed instructions for
operation of the controller preferably stored within a non-
volatile memory which may be part of the logic circuitry
100 or may be provided as a separate component of the
controller 40. Controller 40 also includes suitable
interfaces for interfacing the logic circuitry 100 to the
sensors and switches of the hydrogen generating system.
Depending upon the nature of the sensor or switch, the
interface may be a simple interface to communicate to the
logic circuitry that a signal is or is not present from the
sensor or switch or the interface may provide an indication
of the signal level from the sensor or switch.
For example, for sensors which provide a digital
output, such as a TTL level sensor used as a fluid level
sensor in the electrolysis cell 10, the output of the
sensor could be directly connected to the logic circuitry.
The signal could be converted into a "0" or "1" logic
signal. The level of the fluid inside the electrolysis
cell is then considered to be "full" or "not full". When a
"not full" signal is present, the logic circuit will
extrapolate the results to estimate the actual level of
electrolyte inside the cell as described below.
Other sensors may provide a variable output depending
upon the conditions being monitored such as a temperature
sensor whose output varies in direct proportion to the
temperature sensed. In these circumstances, the
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interface is preferably an analog/digital converter which
converts the level of the signal from the sensor to a
digital word which may then be processed by the logic
circuitry 100. The non-volatile memory would include
digital words corresponding to predetermined levels for the
signals from the various sensors to enable the logic
circuitry to determine if the signal is within acceptable
ranges and hence whether the component of the hydrogen
generating system is operating within an acceptable range.
The controller 40 is also provided with a power
circuit to regulate the electrical power provided to the
electrolysis cell. The controller 40 is connected to the
electrical system of the motor vehicle to provide a source
of electrical power for operation of the hydrogen
generating system. A voltage sensing block is connected to
the electrical power input to allow the logic circuit to
measure and possibly compare voltage drops. The power
circuit has an output to provide electrical power to the
electrolysis cell at the proper level, the level of
electrical power being under the control of the logic
circuitry which interfaces with the power circuit. The
amount of power supplied to the electrolysis cell controls
the electrolysis reaction. As the amount of power being
supplied is controlled by the controller, the controller
can regulate the electrolysis reaction in response to
monitored conditions including engine demand.
The controller may optionally be provided with
variable power regulator for the pump to enable the logic
circuitry to regulate the electrical power provided to the
pump, and hence the flow rate of the pump, if a pump is
included as part of the system. In addition in those
systems which utilize a variable flow control valve, the
controller may be able to control the flow setting of the
valve by means of an interface between the logic circuitry
and the flow control valve. Another option available would
be in those systems in which the output gases of the
electrolysis cell are separated before introduction into
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the intake system of the motor vehicle. In those
situations, the amount of one or both of the gases in the
mixture being provided to the engine could be regulated.
Preferably, the mixture of gases would be controlled by
controlling the amount of oxygen in the mixture. This
could be accomplished by providing an oxygen valve which
would be controlled by the logic circuitry through an
interface to regulate the amount of oxygen in the mixture.
The excess oxygen produced by the electrolysis cell could
be vented to the external environment.
Many later model motor vehicles utilize on-board
controllers or computers to control various parameters of
the operation of the engine of the motor vehicle
particularly with respect to controlling exhaust gas
pollution. For example, many vehicles are provided with
sensors to determine the makeup of the exhaust gases or the
fuel/air mixture being introduced into the engine. The on-
board controller is capable of controlling the fuel/air
mixture in response to monitored conditions to attempt to
minimize as much as possible the amount of pollutants in
the exhaust gas of the engine.
As illustrated in Figure 3 the controller 40 of the
present invention is preferably provided with an interface
for the on-board controller to receive signals from the on-
board controller as well as to provide signals to the on-
board controller. For example, as the gases being
generated by the electrolysis cell and introduced into the
intake system of the engine would be high in oxygen
content, such that an on-board controller that was
monitoring oxygen content of either the fuel/air mixture or
the exhaust gas may determine that the fuel/air mixture is
too lean and may attempt to regulate the mixture to make it
richer. In this situation, the controller 40 could provide
a signal to the on-board controller to tell it that the
high oxygen level is from the electrolysis reaction and not
to adjust the richness of the mixture. The interface
between the controller 40 and the on-board controller could
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also be utilized to monitor engine conditions to enable the
controller 40 to control the electrolysis reaction
depending upon engine conditions and demand. Thus under
high load conditions, the rate of electrolysis could be
increased to increase the efficiency of the engine under
high demand typical combustion conditions. In idle
conditions the combustion would require different hydrogen
amounts.
The controller 40 is also provided with an
interface for a display module which is preferably provided
as part of the dash module 42 mounted in the cab of the
motor vehicle. Display module is as described above
capable of displaying at least alphanumeric messages to
provide the operator and diagnostic technician of the motor
vehicle with an indication of the operation of the system
and a warning of any problems which may arise in the
system. The display module may also have the capability of
displaying graphical images to graphically display the
operation of the system and any problem areas. This would
be particularly useful with those controllers which include
an interface with an on-board controller used in later
models motor vehicles.
The operation of a preferred embodiment of the
controller of the present invention is illustrated in the
flow chart of Figure 4. On startup the controller resets
certain of the variables stored in memory for example by
setting the time to 0 and the variable for the sensor
number to 1 and, if desired, reads values from the non-
volatile memory. The controller then reads the level
electrical power available for the system preferably by
reading the level of the input voltage to determine if the
level of the voltage is sufficient for proper operation of
the system. While the level of voltage is the simplest to
monitor, other indicators of electrical power including
current could also be used. If the voltage level is below
a preset level, typically about 12 volts, then the
controller will display a system failure message such as
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the "Low Battery" message shown in the Figure on the
display and stop operation of the system. If desired, the
controller could be programmed to recheck the electrical
power level on a preprogrammed interval rather than merely
stopping the system. This could be useful if the system
was running on an auxiliary power source which may have to
be recharged by the main electrical system of the motor
vehicle. So long as the electrical power is below the
operational level a message would be displayed to indicate
this.
If the level of electrical power available for
the system is acceptable, then the controller displays that
the level is acceptable and proceeds to check the logic
circuitry. If the logic circuitry is not functioning
properly, then the controller will cause a message to be
displayed and will stop operation of the hydrogen
generating system. If the logic circuitry is functioning
properly, then this will be displayed and the controller
proceeds to test the connection with the on-board emission
control module if provided. If the connection is not
functioning properly, the connection may be retested at
preselected intervals for a preselected period of time. If
after this retesting, the connection cannot be established,
a communication error message is displayed and the system
stopped.
Once a successful connection is established with
the on-board emission control module, then the specific
parameters selected for monitoring are scanned. These
parameters can include engine rpm, speed of the vehicle,
fuel rate, etc. The optimum operating conditions of the
hydrogen generating system are then calculated based upon
the capacity of the system and the values of the operating
parameters. The power output to the electrolysis cells is
then adjusted to achieve the optimum operating condition of
the hydrogen generating system. Based upon the operating
parameter, the control module may calculate and display a
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performance impact indicator, such as fuel savings achieved
with the hydrogen generating system.
The logic circuitry also reads the values continually
from the sensors employed as monitoring means for
monitoring the main safety features or operating parameters
of the hydrogen generating system. Such safety features or
operating parameters include the hood open switch, oil
pressure or vacuum level switch, electrolyte level sensor,
etc. If a positive signal is received from any of these
sensors or if the value from the sensor is not within the
normal operating range, the system is automatically shut
down.
The controller has stored in memory the identification
of the various sensors and includes an indication of the
number of such sensors used in the system. The controller
uses a count up or count down function to test the sensors
in sequence, the controller testing each sensor in sequence
and then counting up or down until. either the number equal
to the total number of sensors or the counter reaches zero.
Preferably, the controller uses a count up counter with the
total number of sensors stored in memory. As illustrated
in Figures 4, the controller checks the signal from the
first sensor, and if the signal is acceptable, displays the
message, increments the counter and test the next sensor.
This is repeated until all of the sensors have been tested
and found acceptable. Should any of the sensors not be
functioning properly, the controller displays the failure
message and stops operation of the system.
It may be preferred that the operation of the
electrolysis cells not be started until the system has
checked all of the operating parameters. It may also be
preferred if a positive input from the user is required to
start the electrolysis operation. In those circumstances,
once the controller has tested all. of the sensors, the
controller could display a message to prompt the user to
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power on the main hydrogen generating system. The
controller would then wait until a signal is received
indicating that the main power switch has been turned on.
Alternatively, the controller could automatically proceed
with power up of the system once the main operating
parameters have passed the functional test or a manual
override could be instigated by the operator of the system.
Once the signal for main power up is received by
the controller, the controller turns on the power supply
and then proceeds to monitor the output of the on-board
emission control module and the sensors employed as
monitoring means to monitor the operating conditions of the
hydrogen generating system. These sensors include the
level sensor and temperature sensor for monitoring the
level and temperature of the solution in the electrolysis
cell and for those systems using a pump to introduce the
gases into the engine intake system, a pump sensor.
The controller reads the signal from the level
sensor to determine the level of solution in the
electrolysis cell. If the level is acceptable, the
controller proceeds to read the signal from the next sensor
monitoring the operating conditions of the hydrogen
generating system. If the level of solution in the
electrolysis cell is below acceptable levels, then the
controller will calculate the amount of distilled or de-
ionized water required to be added to the cell to bring the
level up to within an acceptable range. The calculation is
based upon the shape and overall volume of the electrolysis
cell as well as the operating time elapsed since the level
initially dropped below the acceptable range. For the
preferred embodiment of the electrolysis cells illustrated
in the figure being a cylinder of 4 in. diameter, 9 in.
height and containing about 1.4 1 of electrolyte solution,
the formula would be:
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Where tl is elapsed time since the logic signal "not full"
received
i = i(t) and T=T(t) - current and temperature profile over
tE (0, t1) H 0 <_ t<_ tl
The controller monitors the time in hours since the level
initially dropped below the acceptable range and utilizes
this elapsed time in the formula. If the elapsed time is
sufficient to cause the level to decrease to the minimum
safety level based upon the operating conditions of the
hydrogen generating system, then the controller will stop
the operation of the system and display a warning message.
In order to properly monitor the elapsed time when the
vehicle is being used for intermittent operation, the
elapsed time is preferably stored in non-volatile memory.
The controller also monitors the temperature of
the solution in the electrolysis cell to maintain the
temperature within an acceptable range. As noted above,
the acceptable temperature range will vary according to
cell design, materials and nature of electrolyte solution.
The temperature in the cell should be below 170 F and
preferably below 160 F. If the temperature is above 160
F, then the controller reduces the electrical power to the
cell to slow down the electrolysis reaction. Preferably
the electrical power to the electrolysis cell is controlled
by controlling the current applied to the cell. When the
temperature is above 160 F, the controller reduces the
current by a factor of 15% and then monitors the
temperature to ensure that the temperature decreases to
acceptable levels. If the temperature has not decreased
within a specified time, typically on the order of 30
minutes, then the controller reduces the current further
and continues monitoring the temperature. If the
temperature has not reduced after a predetermined number of
repetitions or if the temperature ever is above 170 F, the
controller stops operation of the system and displays a
fault message.
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For those hydrogen generating systems which
employ a pump for introduction of the gases into the intake
system of the engine, the controller also monitors the
operation of the pump. Preferably, the controller monitors
.the operation of the pump by reading a signal corresponding
to the current draw of the pump. If the current draw is
within a range which indicates proper operation of the
pump, then the controller displays this on the display
module. If the current draw is not within acceptable
range, either being too low, indicating a pump malfunction
or too high indicating a pump blockage, then the controller
displays a pump failure message and stops operation of the
system.
If all of the components of the system are
functioning properly as indicated by the signals from the
various sensors provided to the controller, the controller
will display a System OK message on the display module.
The controller continues to monitor both the sensors for
the main safety features as well as the sensors for the
operating parameters of the system while the system is in
operation. So long as all components are functioning
properly, the controller continues to display the System OK
message. Should the controller determine that one of the
components is not functioning properly or is not operating
within acceptable range, then the relevant problem message
is displayed and the controller carries out the programmed
steps in accordance with the problem according to the flow
chart shown in Figure 4. Should one of the main safety
sensors indicate a problem, such as the hood open switch
indicating that the hood has been opened, then the
controller immediately stops the operation of the system
and displays the relevant trouble message.
The electronic process controller described above
provides for an intelligent performance enhancement system
having the ability to determine, produce and deliver
optimum quantities of fuel enhancers to the engine. While
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in the specific embodiment described, the enhancer is
hydrogen, the delivery of other enhancers in the form of
gaseous, liquid or solid substances such as but not limited
to hydrocarbons, alcohols, etc. may also be controlled by
the electronic process controller of the present invention.
The electronic process controller of the present
invention is also useful in other gas generating systems.
In one possible application, the electronic process
controller and hydrogen generating system may be used to
produce hydrogen gas for use in hydrocracking of petroleum
products. In these systems, the controller could monitor
the incoming feed stock and the output of the operation and
adjust the generation of the hydrogen gas as needed. Other
applications of the electronic process controller of the
present invention would be apparent to those skilled in the
art.
In the preferred embodiment, the present
invention describes a hydrogen generating system that uses
hydrogen and oxygen gasses to enhance the properties of the
fuel obtaining better combustion efficiency resulting in a
cleaner burn and better fuel economy, The reliability of an
engine outfitted with such system will increase
considerably, resulting in a longer life span, delivering
more power and exhausting fewer pollutants.
The hydrogen generating system of the present
invention provides for a efficient generation of hydrogen
and oxygen by electrolysis of water within the electrolysis
cell 10. The electrolysis reaction is under the control of
the electronic process controller 40 to adjust the rate of
the reaction in response to engine conditions. This may be
accomplished by regulating the amount of electrical energy
provided to the cell 10 to regulate the electrolysis
reaction and the amount of gases being generated from the
reaction. In addition, the flow control valve 30 may also
be an adjustable valve with the flow rate being controlled
by the process controller 40. The hydrogen generating
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system of the present invention may optionally be provided
with a separator to separate the hydrogen and oxygen gases
given off in the electrolysis reaction, if desired. In
this way, the amount of the hydrogen and oxygen gas
provided to the engine may be regulated by the electronic
process controller 40 to maximize the performance of the
engine.
Prototype models of the hydrogen generating
system of the present invention were installed on various
vehicles including a GMC Suburban, Ford Bronco and Cummins
diesel engine for testing purposes. In all cases there was
a significant reduction in carbon monoxide emission levels,
particularly at engine idle, where the levels decreased up
tp 95%. Decreases in the level of the carbon monoxide
emissions were observed over the full operating range of
the engine and carbon monoxide emissions at some of these
levels were so low they were not able to be detected.
Similarly, hydrocarbon emission levels were also reduced
significantly with reductions as high as 90% being
observed. The use of the hydrogen generating system of the
present invention also resulted in increased performance of
the engines with engine torque shown to increase by as much
as 10% and increases of up to 10% in the horse power output
of the engine were also observed. Increases in mileage of
up to 17% were also observed.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
present invention have been described herein in detail, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
variations may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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