Patent Application
20250011942
The present disclosure relates to electrolysis reactions, and more particularly to hydrolysis reaction, where yields of the reactions are enhanced by performing the reaction within a magnetic field.
Hydrogen provides a potentially climate-friendly source of energy. Commercial hydrogen production primarily occurs through thermochemical processes including steam reforming of natural gas and other light hydrocarbons, biomass gasification, biomass liquid reforming, methane pyrolysis, and electrolysis of water. Electrolytic processes can generate hydrogen via photoelectrochemical and photobiologic processes, but all such lytic processes operate through free radical mechanisms in which hydroxy radicals and hydrogen radicals are key intermediaries.
In statistical terms, the most likely outcome of the generation of free radicals is that they recombine within a femtosecond time scale. More specifically, pairs of free radical entities having compatible electron spin vectors (so-called up and down spins) will typically recombine exceedingly rapidly. However, if the lifetime of such free radical entities could be extended, the efficiency and yield of such electrolytic reactions could be enhanced.
The present disclosure is directed to the enhancement of electrolytic processes by conducting the electrolytic process within a magnetic field having a specific and appropriate energy, so that the spin state of free radical entities generated by the electrolytic process are altered sufficiently that recombination is precluded, or at least the lifetimes of the free radical entities is extended. The result of this effect is an increase in the effective radical reactive yield within the magnetic field, and higher yields for the associated electrolysis reactions.
Free radical entities possess an unpaired electron, and are therefore subject to the effects of an applied magnetic field. In particular, free radical entities precess in a magnetic field of a specific strength. The magnetic field strength required for such precession is dictated by the quantum state of the radical within the magnetic field. Precession in the magnetic field is comparable to classical Larmor Precession, while the dynamics of free radical behavior in quantum terms is governed by the Pauli Exclusion Principle by virtue of the electron spin state of the radical.
In the method claimed here, the application of a magnetic field having a low field strength (10-500 Gauss) is used to extend the lifetime of free radical entities. This low field strength has been described as a paradoxical low field effect, and arises as symmetry breaking favors singlet state degeneracy, and favors singlet to triplet interconverson with a range of vector states that are incompatible with recombination. The singlet/triplet interconversion is not favored by magnetic field strengths that exceed the hyperfine energy levels of the radicals. The energy level seen in the Zeeman effect relates to the hyperfine levels.
In one exemplary embodiment, an electrochemical apparatus consisting of two electrodes (an anode and a cathode) are immersed in an electrolyte solution which includes the electrolytic reactant, and may additionally include one or more photocatalysts. Electrodes useful for the present apparatus may include carbon, for example as graphite, or one or more inert metals or metal alloys. Where the electrode is a metal electrode it may include gold, silver, and/or platinum. Alternatively, or in addition, the metal electrode can include one or more platinum group metals, such as copper, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium silver, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, and mercury.
The electrochemical apparatus is connected to a suitable power source such that an electric current passes through the apparatus at a potential appropriate for the electrolytic cleavage of the electrolytic reactant. During the electrolysis reaction, at least the electrolyte reservoir is continuously exposed to an appropriate low-strength magnetic field provided by one or more Helmoltz coils so as to extend the lifetimes of free radical entities generated by the electrolytic reaction.
It may be particularly advantageous to apply the present method and apparatus to the hydrolysis of water. In this instance, the electrolyte solution is an aqueous solution, and the water in the solution acts as both solvent and hydrolysis reactant, such that electrolytic cleavage of the water molecules yields H2 gas and O2 gas.
It may be additionally advantageous to generate the electric current for the electrolysis reaction using a solar photovoltaic collector.
The method and apparatus described and disclosed herein can be applicable to a range of electrolytic processes, and should not be deemed to be limited to hydrogen production by photolysis of water to produce hydrogen.
For any of the techniques described herein, the magnetic field generated during magnetic field exposure of the electrolysis apparatus can have a field strength of between 1-500 gauss. In one aspect of the disclosed methods, the strength of the applied magnetic field can be between 10-100 gauss. In another aspect of the disclosed methods, the strength of the applied magnetic field can be between 30-50 gauss.
The magnetic field applied to the electrolytic apparatus can be generated by a magnetic field device. A magnetic field device typically includes a magnetic field generator, a magnetic field sensor, a data entry panel that permits a user to input time periods and electromagnetic field strengths for an electromagnetic field production regime, and a data processor including non-transitory computer readable memory, adapted to control said magnetic field generator to output a magnetic field in accordance with data received from said data entry panel.
The requisite magnetic field can be generated by any appropriate magnetic field source, such as for example ferrimagnets or Helmholtz coils. In one aspect, the magnetic field sources are arrayed such that the magnetic field can be contoured to fit the desired topography of the electrolytic apparatus. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more magnetic field sensors connected to the control station can be used to monitor the magnetic field in multiple axes. In one embodiment, the magnetic field sensors are Hall probes.
An engineer of ordinary background and education with regards to electromagnetic field generation devices can design and fabricate apparatus having electromagnetic coils that are capable of generating sufficiently uniform and/or contoured magnetic fields of the specific field strength, as described herein, and which would be suitable for the electrolytic methods described herein.
In the description and the claims, the term “substantially” means a deviation of up to 10% of the stated value, if physically possible, both downward and upward, otherwise only in the appropriate direction; in the case of degrees (angle and temperature), and for indications such as “parallel” or “normal,” this means ±10°. For terms such as “substantially constant” etc., what is meant is the technical possibility of deviation which the person skilled in the art proceeds from, and not the mathematical one. For example, a “substantially L-shaped cross-section” comprises two elongated surfaces, which merge at one end into the end of the other surface, and whose longitudinal extensions are arranged at an angle of 45° to 120° to each other.
All given quantities and percentages, in particular those relating to the limitation of the invention, insofar as they do not relate to specific examples, are understood to have a tolerance of ±10%; accordingly, for example: 11% means 9.9% to 12.1%. With terms such as “a solvent,” the word “a” is not to be considered to represent a singular numeral, but rather is to be considered an indefinite article or pronoun, unless the context indicates otherwise.
The term: “combination” and/or “combinations,” unless otherwise stated, mean all types of combinations, starting from two of the relevant components up to a plurality or all of such components; the term “containing” also means “comprising.”
Although the present methods and apparatus have been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of new claims in related applications. Such new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63511942 | Jul 2023 | US |
