Patent Application
20080187819
Not Applicable.
1. The Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to the use of sulfur as a consumable fuel in an electrochemical cell. More particularly, this invention produces energy by oxidizing sulfur in the presence of a liquid electrolyte. In the alternative, this invention can be configured to produce energy by using sulfur as the oxidizing agent to oxidize a metal in the presence of a liquid electrolyte. Thus, this invention allows sulfur to be utilized as a consumable fuel while avoiding the harmful gaseous by-products associated with burning sulfur.
2. Description of Related Art
The search for an effective utilization of energy sources has been of critical importance to civilization since the beginning of the industrial age. At the present time, most usable energy comes from the following principal sources: solar, in the form of photovoltaic cells and in growing vegetable and other organic matter that is either burned by humans or consumed by living organisms as a primary energy source; nuclear, in which the heat of a controlled nuclear fission reaction is used to generate electricity; and, the burning or “oxidation” of hydrocarbons contained in fossil fuels such as coal and oil. (wind and hydroelectric can also be considered a subcategory of the solar group in that it is the heat produced by solar radiation on the earth's surface that supplies the energy to drive these processes).
Of these sources, the burning of fossil fuels is by far the most significant to industrialized societies in terms of the percentage of energy produced and consumed. However, the burning of fossil fuels as the primary energy source for modern civilization possesses severe limitations that include the following. First, the supply of fossil fuels is finite. Thus, as a theoretical matter, fossil fuels will eventually become depleted. Second, the burning of fossil fuels produces deleterious byproducts including carbon dioxide. For example, because carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can theoretically slow the radiation of heat from the earth's surface, it is thought that an increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can result in an increase in the mean temperature of the earth's surface and surrounding atmosphere. Finally, fossil fuels are not distributed evenly throughout the earth's surface. This uneven distribution of an essential resource is associated with certain social and political dislocations observed in the world today.
Thus, it would be helpful to industrialized society to discover and utilize an additional energy source, currently existing on earth that can be utilized in place of, or in addition to, the existing energy sources in use today. Most of the elements contained at or below the earth's surface are not suitable as energy sources. Energy is most readily extracted from an atom or molecule by oxidizing it—usually in the form of burning. As used herein, burning refers to the combination with oxygen in the atmosphere to produce heat. When a molecule is burned, some, or all of its atoms combine with oxygen and, in the process release some of the potential energy contained within the electron bonds of the molecule in the form of heat.
The problem in finding a new fuel source to replace or supplement hydrocarbons is that most of the elements capable of being oxidized are already in an oxidized state due to their exposure to oxygen in the atmosphere. Hence, elements such as silicon, aluminum, zinc and iron, although plentiful at or near the earth's surface, already exist primarily in an oxidized state. Because they are already in and oxidized they are not usable as consumable fuels in any type of oxidation/reduction reaction. As used herein, a consumable fuel is defined as and element or compound as to which the following two conditions apply:
In contrast, elements such as silicon aluminum, zinc and iron, although plentiful at or near the earth's surface, already exist primarily in an oxidized state. Therefore, these elements must be refined in order to put them in a state suitable for participating in an oxidation/reduction reaction. And, the energy necessary to refine these elements is at least as great as or greater than the energy released in their oxidation/reduction reactions. Therefore, while these elements can serve as energy storage media in their refined states, they do not represent consumable fuels as that term is used in this disclosure.
Of all the oxidizable elements present in large quantities at or near the earth's surface, sulfur is the only one that exists in relatively large quantities in an unoxidized state. In addition, according to present day geological theory, sulfur is constantly being produced in an unoxidized or “reduced” state by the volcanic activity within the earth. Sulfur is a major product of volcanic eruptions, and is constantly being pumped to the surface through volcanic structures such as volcanic heat vents on the ocean floor. Large deposits of sulfur are also produced by bacterial action where they remain in an unoxidized form. Sulfur also occurs in varying quantities in conjunction with various hydrocarbons such as crude oil and coal. Sulfur dioxide emissions associated with the burning of sulfur containing coal and oils and gas has resulted in mandated removal of sulfur either prior to the burning of the hydrocarbon or after burning via scrubbing of the emissions. Government mandated sulfur removal from fuels has created a glut of sulfur that is presenting increasing disposal problems for oil and gas refiners. This problem will probably become exacerbated as refiners rely more and more on high sulfur content crude oil as supplies of lower sulfur crude oil become depleted. Finally, Sulfur occurs in very large quantities in oil shale regions of the world. For example, it is estimated that the Colorado Plateau region contains approximately 600 billion tons of sulfur. Assuming this sulfur can be economically extracted, it would provide a tremendous source of zero emission energy. Because of these characteristics, sulfur fits the definition of a consumable fuel as defined herein.
It is well known that sulfur can be readily burned and is thus readily oxidizable in an exothermic reaction. The potential energy it possesses makes it a theoretical source of consumable fuel. The drawback to utilizing sulfur as a consumable fuel in this manner is that the by-products of burning sulfur in the atmosphere are extremely toxic. Burning sulfur produces sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide gas, both of which are toxic. When these gases react with water, they produce sulfuric acid, the principal component of acid rain. Because of the harmful byproducts of burning sulfur, it has never qualified as a useful energy source, despite the potential energy it possesses. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a way to release the potential energy in sulfur by oxidizing it without producing the harmful by-products associated with burning it in the atmosphere. Thus, the current invention teaches using sulfur as a consumable fuel by harvesting its energy in an electrochemical oxidation/reduction reaction.
The current disclosure teaches an effective way to utilize sulfur as a consumable fuel in an electrochemical cell.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different views identify identical structure elements of the disclosure. While the present disclosure is described with respect to what is presently considered to be exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
Furthermore, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, which is limited only by the appended claims.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the disclosure, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.
As used herein, a consumable fuel is defined as an element or compound as to which the following two conditions apply:
One alternative to burning a fuel in the atmosphere is to oxidize the fuel in an electrochemical cell. It is a well known phenomenon that electrical energy can be produced by the chemical reaction that takes place when a reducing element is combined with an oxidizing element in an oxidation/reduction reaction in an electrochemical cell. Whereas the byproduct of atmospheric oxidation/reductions is heat energy, the byproduct of an electrochemical oxidation/reduction reaction is electric current.
There are a wide variety of electrochemical cells known in the art. Some of the more common electrochemical cells include what are commonly called storage batteries. Batteries of the Lead/acid, zinc/copper and sodium/sulfur type are some of the more commonly known types of storage batteries.
In the apparatus 2 of PBSO4+H2O. The energy of this reaction drives the electrons that are produce through the electron conductor 10 with a force that allows the electrons to do work on the resistor 18 located at a point along the electron conductor.
A defining characteristic of Storage batteries of the type depicted in
Another type of electrochemical cell is known as the fuel cell. In a fuel cell, the electrical energy is continually produced by constantly introducing a fuel into the system. The fuel reacts in the presence of an electrolyte in an oxidation/reduction reaction to produce an electric current.
The most common fuel cell is the hydrogen fuel cell.
The apparatus 24 has a second electrode 46 comprising a cylindrical tube 48, open at both ends and containing platinum fibers 50 in its interior. The second electrode 46 is immersed in the electrolyte solution 28 such that the platinum fibers 50 are immersed in the electrolyte solution 28. A hollow tube 52 extends into the electrolyte solution 28 such that its first end 54 extends into the bottom opening 56 of the cylindrical tube 48. A second end (not shown) of the hollow tube 52 is attached to a hydrogen source (not shown) such that the hollow tube 52 channels hydrogen from the hydrogen source (not shown) into the bottom opening 56 of the cylindrical tube 48. The hydrogen, upon being released into the bottom opening 56 of the cylindrical tube 48 bubbles up through the electrolyte solution 28, past the platinum fibers 50, such that the hydrogen molecules make intermittent contact with the platinum fibers 50.
The first electrode 30 has an electron conductor 60 inserted through the top opening 62 of the cylindrical tube 34 such that the electron conductor 60 makes electrical contact with the stainless steel fiber 36. This electron conductor 60 is made of a material that conducts electricity. A second electron conductor 64 is inserted through the top opening 66 of the cylindrical tube 46 such that the second electron conductor 64 makes electrical contact with the platinum fibers 50. Both the first electron conductor 60 and the second electron conductor 64 are in electrical contact with a resistor 68.
As oxygen is introduced into the first electrode 30 it reacts with the electrolyte solution 28 as it contacts the stainless steel fibers 36 according to the following reaction: O2+2H2O+4e−− 4OH−. The OH− ions produced by this reaction travel through the electrolyte solution 28 to react with the hydrogen where it contacts the platinum fibers 50 according to the following reaction 2OH+H2
2H2O+2e−. The electrons generated by this reaction travel through the second electron conductor 64 where they do work on a resistor 68. The electrons then travel through the first electron conductor 60 to the first electrode 30 where they participate in the reaction whereby the oxygen goes into reaction whereby the oxygen goes into solution as OH−.
Unlike storage batteries, fuel cells do not need to be recharged. A fuel cell is “recharged” by reloading it with fuel. In the apparatus of
The strands of electron conducting material 90 are also situated so that each strand of electron conducting material 90 is in contact with at least one other strand of electron conducting material 90 such that each strand of electron conducting material 90 is ultimately in electrical contact with the post 94.
Returning now to
The second electrode can also be in any form and comprise any material known in the art sufficient to ionize oxygen in an electrolyte solution.
The second electrode 100 is connected to the first electrode 78 via an electron conductor 114. As oxygen is pumped into the second electrode 100, electrons 116 travel via the electron conductor 114 to the second electrode 100 where they ionize the oxygen molecules in contact with the second electrode 100 according to the following formula: O2+2H2O+4e− 4OH−. The OH− ions migrate through the electrolyte to combine with the elemental sulfur in the first electrode 78 according to the following reaction S+2OH−−
SO2+H2+2e−. The electrons 116 produced via this reaction travel again through the electron conductor 114. A resistor 120 is located within path of the electron conductor 114 on which the electrons 116 do work before returning to the second electrode 100. When the sulfur in the first electrode has been reacted, the first electrode can be replaced. It is also important to note that sulfur in a solid, liquid or gaseous state could be used in conjunction with this electrodes as well as various sulfur compounds.
Without being bound to any single theory, it appears that the reaction at the first electrode involves the ionization of sulfur in the presence of the electrolyte to form one or more forms of Sulfur Hydroxide ions or one or more hydroxide ions containing Sulfur or copper. These ions then react to oxidize the aluminum to form one or more of the Sulfate class of compounds in which one or more sulfur atoms or combination of sulfur and copper atoms are bonded to one or more aluminum atoms. Generally, however, it appears that the principal reaction products are aluminum sulfate, electrical energy and hydrogen. When the sulfur in the first electrode has been reacted, the first electrode can be replace.
An alternative embodiment of this invention is depicted in
The publications and other reference materials referred to herein to describe the background of the disclosure, and to provide additional detail regarding its practice, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, with the following exception: In the event that any portion of said reference materials is inconsistent with this application, this application supercedes said reference materials. The reference materials discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as a suggestion or admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior disclosure, or to distinguish the present disclosure from the subject matter disclosed in the reference materials.
In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Disclosure by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/885,642 filed Oct. 31, 2006 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/899,270 filed Feb. 1, 2007 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced provisional application is inconsistent with this application, this application supercedes said above-referenced provisional application.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60885642 | Jan 2007 | US | |
| 60899270 | Feb 2007 | US |
