ace cell a new hydrogen gas generator ( ace = ac electrolysis...
TRANSCRIPT
Page 1ACE2 9/21/2015
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Cell Current
ACE cell
A new hydrogen gas generator
( ACE = AC Electrolysis )Cell Temp
This document describes a new hydrogen production method that uses low-cost metals(iron or aluminum) and catalytic carbon (CC) in an electrolysis system, called an ACEcell. The ACE cell produces hydrogen gas and virtually no oxygen gas.
This document describes the Mark II version of the
ACE cell. This document may be updated from
time to time. This file was initially posted on 8/24/
2015. Updates will be posted online:
www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ACE2.pdf
The Mark II is a more advanced design of the ACE cell.
The earlier Mark I version of the ACE cell is described on-line at www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ACE1.pdf
The upgrades and modifications, from Mark I to the Mark II version
of the ACE cell are described on-line at www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ACE1A.pdf
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Kind regards,
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Executive Summary and Introduction.................................................................................................... 5
Mark II -- ACE cell ................................................................................................................................... 6
Upgrades and improvements ................................................................................................................... 6
Cell fabrication.......................................................................................................................................... 8
Proprietary flashback prevention method ............................................................................................ 11
Other changes and modifications include: ........................................................................................... 11
Injection of hydrogen into the engine ................................................................................................... 11
ACE cell system design ........................................................................................................................... 12
What is the major benefit of the upgrades incorporated into the Mark II version of the ACE cell?
13
How can an ACE cell be designed to produce hydrogen at a rate of more than 100 LPM?............ 14
The ACE cell is a new AC Electrolysis hydrogen production technology that is very flexible; it can
operate either with or without Catalytic Carbon. ......................................................................... 17
The ACE cell technology and the CC-HOD technology can be blended to design systems using the
best of either technology. .................................................................................................................. 19
QUEST and ACE cell development history .......................................................................................... 19
Separator cells based on membrane separation are not needed to produce adequately-pure hydro-
gen gas ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Sacrificial anode chemistry .................................................................................................................... 20
Electrolysis of most metals in water can produce hydrogen ............................................................... 20
Iron oxide in the water ........................................................................................................................... 21
Cleanup and separation of the iron oxides from the water ................................................................. 22
The ACE cell uses iron electrodes, water, an electrolyte and, optionally, catalytic carbon (CC) and
large electrode area to generate hydrogen at high rates ............................................................... 22
The ACE cell does not produce red gunk in the water container. ...................................................... 22
Simplified explanation of the ACE cell chemistry: .............................................................................. 23
SBS electrolyte chemistry ....................................................................................................................... 23
Catalyst .................................................................................................................................................... 24
How much metal surface area is the “minimum required” to produce hydrogen? .......................... 24
ACE cell fabrication -- How to connect iron to copper ..................................................................... 25
APPENDIX A -- Hydrogen production and anode metal variations in electrolysis cells ................ 29
Electrolysis of water when inert electrodes are used ........................................................................... 30
Electrolysis of water when aluminum electrodes are used .................................................................. 31
Electrolysis of water when Gold electrodes are used ........................................................................... 31
Summary -- oxygen concentrations ....................................................................................................... 32
Iron anode electrolysis produces almost no oxygen bubbles ............................................................... 32
Electrolysis of water when iron electrodes are used............................................................................. 32
Contents
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Why is the inverter required to run at a frequency of approximately 0.1 Hz? ................................. 34
Space charge effects cause current transients in the ACE cell to decay with long time constants,
which must be matched by the inverter frequency........................................................................ 35
Bubble formation also contributes to the current decline ................................................................... 36
Three reasons for the transient current decline in an electrolysis cell following the application of
voltage ................................................................................................................................................ 36
Space charge formation near the electrodes also contributes to the current decline immediatly
after application of voltage to the cell. ............................................................................................ 36
For the ACE cell electrodes, iron is preferred for the following reasons ............................................ 36
APPENDIX B -- ACE cell characteristics and the use of “boost mode” hydrogen fuel supplemen-
tation in automobiles ........................................................................................................................ 37
ACE cell technology does NOT require modification of oxygen sensors on automobiles. ............... 38
ACE cell technology does NOT vent any gas into the atmosphere. ................................................... 38
Lower cost and hardware simplicity ..................................................................................................... 38
Safety........................................................................................................................................................ 39
APPENDIX C -- Air-fuel ratios and oxygen sensors .......................................................................... 40
Engine management systems ................................................................................................................. 42
Counter-intuitive realization regarding using hydrogen as a fuel supplement for automobile en-
gines (boost mode operation) ........................................................................................................... 43
Typical performance improvement: 34 MPG is an MPG gain of approximately 31% ................... 43
APPENDIX D -- Car test results -- 30% fuel savings ......................................................................... 43
Measurement of Test Vehicle performance ........................................................................................... 44
Temperature measurement .................................................................................................................... 45
Temperature effects ................................................................................................................................ 45
How to make black water....................................................................................................................... 46
The ACE cell system performance can be improved -- Any ACE cell can use CC with very large-
area electrodes to reduce the required electrolysis current and increase the hydrogen produc-
tion rate. ............................................................................................................................................. 46
CC can be obtained in either of 3 ways ................................................................................................ 47
Beneficial effects of using CC in ACE cells with large electrode area ................................................ 47
APPENDIX E -- Electrical details of the Mark II ACE cell system .................................................. 48
What’s in the INV box?.......................................................................................................................... 49
Inverter in a box...................................................................................................................................... 50
Inverter circuit ........................................................................................................................................ 51
Inverter circuit design notes .................................................................................................................. 52
How to obtain an inverter ...................................................................................................................... 57
The following pages provide information about parts used to build the inverter ........................... 58
The above information describes parts, prices and sources via eBay for the inverter circuit. ........ 60
The information below describes parts, prices and sources via eBay for other parts of the ACE
system ................................................................................................................................................. 61
Where can I find cast iron pipe? ........................................................................................................... 62
MPG measurement ................................................................................................................................. 64
Temperature control ............................................................................................................................... 65
Residual effect ......................................................................................................................................... 66
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APPENDIX F -- Iron anode chemistry ................................................................................................ 67
What kind of iron oxide does DC electrolysis produce? ...................................................................... 68
Chemical forms of iron oxides ............................................................................................................... 68
Current spike........................................................................................................................................... 68
Voltage waveform for ACE cells ............................................................................................................ 69
What kind of iron oxide does AC electrolysis produce? ...................................................................... 69
Magnetic removal of iron oxide from the cell ....................................................................................... 70
Fe3O4 nanoparticles ............................................................................................................................... 71
Chemistry of Fe3O4 ................................................................................................................................ 72
Production of hydrogen and Fe3O4 ...................................................................................................... 72
Double advantage of using iron electrodes in the ACE cell ................................................................ 73
APPENDIX G -- Electrode lifetime ...................................................................................................... 74
Fe3O4 has commercial value ................................................................................................................. 77
Are there uses for Fe3O4 ? ..................................................................................................................... 77
APPENDIX H -- Commercial and novel uses of Fe3O4 ..................................................................... 77
Novel uses of Fe3O4 -- Voltage-controlled window research ............................................................ 78
Now, we consider catalytic carbon ........................................................................................................ 78
Fe3O4 and Catalytic Carbon ................................................................................................................. 79
New discovery / invention ...................................................................................................................... 79
APPENDIX I -- Related Research ........................................................................................................ 80
Will hydrogen improve the fuel economy on a large truck? ............................................................... 81
Peterbilt hydrogen system -- 30% improvement in MPG! ................................................................. 82
APPENDIX J -- Plans for the future .................................................................................................... 83
Possible Applications of the ACE cell .................................................................................................... 84
Current State of the Art -- ACE cell demonstration ............................................................................ 85
HYDROGEN -- Take it to the people ................................................................................................... 86
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Executive Summary and Introduction
Three main messages in this document can be summarized as:
1. A new hydrogen-producing carbon catalyst, CC, can be used to produce hydrogen
from water and scrap metals. The new hydrogen production process can be used to
generate hydrogen at commercially-useful rates. For more information, please seewww.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/PR11.pdf
2. The ACE cell, a new hydrogen-producing apparatus using only scrap iron and
water for fuels can be designed to produce hydrogen at any rate, even above 100 LPM.
The new hydrogen production process can be designed to use CC, or not, depending on
the desired rate of hydrogen output.
3. The ACE cell is simple and can be built by anyone, including amateur
experimenters. The DIY plans for building an ACE cell are described in this
document. 30% MPG improvement has been demonstrated.
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Mark II -- ACE cell
Upgrades and improvements
This document describes the Mark II version of the ACE cell, which incorporates thefollowing changes:
The outboard shelf is no longer needed / used. The MarkII is an all-under-the-hood system. The test vehicle is a2004 Buick Park Avenue, EPA rated 26 MPG highwayand 14 MPG city driving. That was the actual fuelconsumption performance before using hydrogen. Theuse of hydrogen resulted in a 30% fuel savings = 30%cost savings for the cost of fuel.
Typical operating conditions: 12 VAC, 5 to 10Amperes; 200 to 300 milliliters/minute output fromthe ACE cell and input to the engine. Results: 30%fuel savings!
The water container and the hydrogen cell are locatedunder the hood, in front of the radiator.
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The water container and the hydrogen cellare a single unit, which, together, comprise
the ACE cell.
The inner part of the telescoping PVC structureis shown and the electrode array is shown.
The electrode array is an iron “hardware spike” surrounded by aniron pipe, with insulation to prevent shorting..
Iron pipe
Iron hardware spike
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Cell fabrication
The ACE cell can be designed with many variations. The photos below show one variationof the cell that was designed for use on a diesel engine. These photos show the cell duringthe fabrication so that details can be shown before the cell is fully assembled.
Center electrode = iron rod
Outside electrode = cast iron pipe
Water tank
Port hole connecting the
water tank to the PVC
Photo showing the solder connections to the twoelectrodes. Check the resistance between thecopper wire and the electrode. The resistance
should be less than 0.2 ohms. For this cell, theoutside electrode was 1/2-inch cast iron pipe.Other cast-iron pipe sizes (3/4” and 1”) have been
used in different cells with good results.1/2 inch
pipe
Thermal sensor wire (black)
AC
wir
es
AC wires
AC wires
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Above: Plastic tubing and rubber cement were used to insulate and chemically passivatethe electrodes. The same method was used for the outside electrode (shown in the photobelow). Both the plastic and the rubber cement hold up indefinitely in the electrolysisenvironment, which is controlled to a temp of 80C (180F) by use of the temperaturecontroller (DTC).
Above: The center electrode was placed inside the outer electrode. Plastic tubing and
rubber cement were used to insulate and chemically passivate the wires feeding throughthe smaller PVC pipe (white pipe in thephoto above). The electrically-connected assemblyis shown below.
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Right top photo: The bottom of the cell assembly is shownwith the two concentric electrodes nested inside the 1.25” PVCpipe. There is plenty of room to allow for the wires to be coiledand housed in the top end of the PVC pipe.
Middle photo: The top end of the PVC pipe illustrates how the1.25” PVC pipe fits nicely into the 2” PVC pipe. This snug fitprevents excessive sloshing of water out of the cell when thevehicle is operated on bumpy roads. Note that rubber cementhas been used to seal the pipe fitting (hydrogen output) and thewire holes (thermal sensor and AC input wires)
Left photo: The completed assembly isshown, ready for adding electrolyte andmounting on the vehicle.
Plastic pipe fitting. Hydrogen gas is collectedat the top of the 1.25” pipe and routed to theengine. The vacuum from the engine preventsleakage of hydrogen from the cell.
Note that the entire cell operates atatmospheric pressure (1 Atm = 1 bar). Alsonote that no gas is vented into the atmosphere.
The space between the PVC pipes is not
sealed. This space allows the space insidethe PVC pipes to operate at 1 Atm.This non-sealed assembly can be easily
disassembled for inspection and maintenenceif needed.
The vent hole allows the water container tooperate at 1 Atm
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Injection of hydrogen into
the engine
The hydrogen is injected intothe air filter system. This wasmade possible when wedetermined that for our testvehicle (Buick) the fuelinjection system stopsflashback under all testconditions. This may not bethe case for other vehiclesunless they have tight fuelinjection systems.
A flashback arrestor can beused to prevent any possibleignition of the hydrogen in theair filter system and in theACE cell via the plastic tube.
Proprietary flashback prevention method
There is a new and novel way to prevent flashback, with no requirement for a flashbackarrestor. This new technology is not described in this document, because it was not invented
and developed by Phillips Company.
Other changes and modifications include:
o The temp sensor is located at the top of the hydrogen column, because that is thewarmest location in the ACE cell. This is illusrated on the previous page.
o The electrical connections (AC and thermal sensor wires) to the electrode array aremade through the top of the hydrogen column. This is illusrated on the following
page.
A complete list of upgrades (from Mark I to Mark II) is available online:www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ACE1A.pdf
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Ele
ctro
de
arra
y
Wateroverflows
Water level
Venthole
Water tank,1 Atm.
DTC
+
- AutoBattery( 12 V)
INV
Ground
+12 VDC when ignition is ON
Fuse orCircuitBreaker
Temp Sensor
Waterlevel
1.25 inch PVC
2 inch PVC
ACE cell system design
A
Meter
An OBD-2 scan gauge is used toprovide accurate MPG data. Thescan gauge can measure eitherinstantaneous MPG or andaverage value of MPG for anyperiod desired. Modern autosdisplay MPG, so for modern autos,
a scan gauge is not needed. ADC meter is wired as shown (withmeter shunt) in the diagram above.Our Buick test vehicle has the scanguage, the meter and the DTC
mounted on the dashboard.
On/Off
AC
AC
H2 to engineair intake
Shunt
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What is the major benefit of the upgrades incorporated into the Mark II version of
the ACE cell?
The following section describes how the ACE cell can be used to design systems having ahydrogen output rate greater than 100 LPM.
The blend of ACE cell and CC-HOD technology is a new method that can use ironelectrodes (bulk metal; not powder) to produce hydrogen at very high rates, not limited byhigh electrolysis currents. Higher hydrogen rates, with lower electrolysis current requiresa much larger electrode area, as explained on the following page. The hydrogenproduction rate using this technology is limited only by the electrode plate area and thehardware design.
The performance (current; area; LPM) of the ACE cell is envisioned as a 3-
dimentional relationship
The hydrogen output (LPM) will depend on the current to the cell and the AREA of theelectrodes.
A very large-area electrode cell could have iron electrodes with 50 square metersof area, which would produce hydrogen at a HIGH LPM, with low current.
A small-area electrode cell could have iron electrodes with 0.1 square meters ofarea, which would produce hydrogen at a lower LPM, with higher current.
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Are
a o
f ir
on
ele
ctro
des
| | | | |
0 LPM 1 10 100 1000 LPM
Hydrogen production rate, liters / minute
Non-linear scale
This design space has been demonstratedby an ACE cell on a test vehicle
This designspace has been
demonstrated byCC-HODhydrogen
production
The design space using the CC-HOD technology has been demonstrated (see the on
the graph above). The world's first 30 gallon-per-minute (114 liters per minute) processusing aluminum metal (in powder form) and catalysts for producing hydrogen for fuel waspublicly demonstrated by Phillips Company. Ref: www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/
HYDROGEN.html
The blend of ACE cell and CC-HOD technology is a new method that can use ironelectrodes (bulk metal; not powder) to produce hydrogen at very high rates, not limited byhigh electrolysis currents. The hydrogen production rates using this technology is limited
only by the hardware design.
The focus of this document is the ACE cell. The ACE cell is now being demonstratedusing an automobile, with results shown by on the above graph.
Ele
ctro
lysi
s cu
rren
t re
qu
ired
How can an ACE cell be designed to produce hydrogen at a rate
of more than 100 LPM?
The design concept shown below describes how the ACE cell technology and the CC-HOD technology can be blended to design systems using the best of either technology.
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Ele
ctro
lysi
s cu
rren
t re
qu
ired
Electrolysis current
Area of i
ron el
ectro
des
Small systems,
ACE cell. CC
not required
Large systems, ACE cell
using CC-HOD
| | | | |
0 LPM 1 10 100 1000 LPM
Hydrogen production rate, liters / minute
ACE cell design space
Non-linear scale
Design concept: The ACE cell can use conventional electrolysis for small-hydrogen-flow-rate applications (automobiles, trucks), and the ACE cell with CC-HOD technology canbe used for large-hydrogen-flow-rate applications (locomotives, ships, large motor-
generator systems for powering island nations).
For a conventional electrolysis cell, an increase in hydrogen output rate requires morecurrent -- but that is true ONLY if the area of the electrodes remains approximatelyconstant. The CC-HOD technology has shown that if the metal area is LARGE, the
electrolysis current can be virtually zero, and the water splitting energy can be suppliedchemically. These are two extremes of the design space can be blended as illustratedabove.
Are
a o
f ir
on
ele
ctro
des
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Electricalenergy
Chemical
energy
Heatenergy
High current,
30 to 50 Amps
Medium current,
10 to 30 Amps
Low current
1 to 10 Amps
Ele
ctri
cal C
urr
en
t
Lim
ited
ran
ge
Chemical
energy
Pro
du
cti
on
rate
, L
PM
The maximum production rate ofhydrogen, LPM, is less whenonly electrical energy is used.The limitation is because of theexcessive current required; thepractical limit being about 50Amperes. Higher hydrogenproduction rates can be obtainedwith the addition of chemicalproduction of hydrogen. Thiscan be done by simply increasingthe area of the electrodes.
H2
LP
M
Heat
energy
Ele
ctri
cal
Mo
reL
ess
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Using the ACE cell described in this document, hydrogen input to the test vehicle rangesfrom 200 to 300 milliliters/minute, when travelling at a velocity of 60 MPH, consuming fuelat a rate of 34 MPG, obtaining a fuel savings of 30%. The fuel consumption rate is 34 MPGdivided by 60 MPH = 0.57 gallons/hour.
Electricalenergy
Chemical energy Thermal energy
Conventional
electrolyzers
CC-HOD
ACE cell
(ACE cell can be
designed to operate
anywhere in the
entire yellow area.
Small-area
electrodes
Very-large-area
electrodes
The use of the ACE cell described in this document uses electrolysis with small-area electrodes;not CC-HOD. For the ACE cell, the ratio of electrically-produced hydrogen to chemicallyproduced hydrogen is approximately = E/C = 0.01 = 1%. Therefore, the calculation results
of Mr. Moholkar, when applied to the ACE cell, approximates the production of hydrogen at250 milliliters/minute, corresponding to the following: The rate of iron consumption is
0.0039 g/min, water is consumed at a rate of 0.0017 g/min and Fe3O
4 is produced at a rate of
approximately 0.0054 g/min.
Limited hydrogen output.
Automobile & small engine
Large hydrogen output.
Large truck, bus, tractor, diesel generator,
locomotive, cargo ship, & power plant
ACE Cell
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The ACE cell is a new AC Electrolysis hydrogen production
technology that is very flexible; it can operate either with or
without Catalytic Carbon.
The characteristics of the ACE cell are summarized below:
1 ACE cell is the name of a new hydrogen production technology that uses AC (notDC) to power the cell.
2 The reason the ACE cell works better than conventional electrolyzers is thatCONVENTIONAL WISanatorOM about electrolysis cells overlooked somebasic chemistry.
3 When the basic chemistry is taken into account, the ACE cell design is MUCHless complex and far LESS expensive -- neutral plates are optional (not required),no need for parallel plates; no need for stainless steel plates to minimizecorrosion.
4 It only needs two electrodes, but can use more electrodes for use in specialapplications.
5 It uses CC to best advantage, but does not REQUIRE CC, as it can run as aconventional electrolyzer.
6 It produces only hydrogen; virtually no oxygen (that is also the case with the CC-HOD technology), but
7 It is NOT a separator cell in the conventional sense. It does not use physicalseparation, with membrane technology, to separate oxygen from HHO. The ACEcell does function as a separator cell, but it uses chemical separation to keep theoxygen in the liquid in the form of metal oxides.
8 It requires no powder (a big cost savings, compared to CC-HOD which required
30 micron aluminum for fuel),
9 It can use ANY metal for electrodes, but some metals work better than others(different anode chemistry). Because iron is cheap, cheap, the ACE cell wasdeveloped using iron electrodes. The ACE cell can also use aluminum.
10 The electrodes are in the form of bulk metal (no powder). Iron can be used for
electrode material. Iron is cheap, cheap and available from the hardware store orfrom scrap metal dealers.
11 The BEST iron for electrodes is old cast iron (cheap, cheap),
12 But, if the iron is galvanized, that will work too. Eventually, the galvanized layer(usually zinc) will be corroded away, after which the ACE cell will work evenbetter.
13 It uses tap water; not deionized water; not distilled water. In fact, tap waterworks BETTER than DI water or distilled water. Again, the reason for this isanode chemistry that uses corrosion to advantage (to sequester oxygen).
14 It works at atmospheric pressure, so safety is better than working with apressurized system. It CAN be used with a pressurized design, which can thenfuel vehicles using pure hydrogen (no liquid petroleum fuel).
15 Using the ACE cell at atmospheric pressure, preliminary tests with the Buick testvehicle has shown that getting 30% mileage improvement is easy -- or, it is easyto get a 30% reduction in gasoline fuel cost (same thing).
16 It can be built SMALLER than conventional HHO cell systems, so fitting underthe hood is an easier job.
17 The cost of materials is about $30 to $50 -- a bit less than typical (conventional)HHO electrolyzer systems.
18 It runs at any temperature from room temp to about 180F, but optimizedperformance is obtained at about 180F. I use a Digital Temperature Controller(Cost = $15) for temperature control. The DTC is about half the cost of materialsfor the whole system.
19 The ACE cell runs on 12 volts AC. An inverter is needed to convert DC to 12VAC. No need for a PWM power source.
20 The ACE cell is totally HOD, so there is no need to collect and store hydrogen.
21 The ACE cell technology and the CC-HOD technology can be blended to designsystems using the best of either technology.
As noted earlier in this document, the ACE cell without CC can use electrolysis for small-hydrogen-flow-rate applications (automobiles, trucks). The ACE cell with CC technology
can be used for large-hydrogen-flow-rate applications (locomotives, ships, large motor-generator systems for powering island nations).
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The ACE cell technology and the CC-HOD technology can be blended to design
systems using the best of either technology.
Catalytic Carbon (CC) is a new material that has given rise to new applications useful inthe generation of hydrogen from water.
QUEST and ACE cell development history
The CC-HOD hydrogen production method uses electrolysis to keep the metal clean andfree of oxide films. This is done when the electrolysis dissociates the oxide films on themetal. The electrolysis current required is less than 1 Ampere, and the hydrogenproduction rate can exceed 100 LPM.
One problem with the CC-HOD technology is that it requires aluminum metal in the formof small granules, with a particle diameter of about 30 microns. This makes the fuelsomewhat expensive.
A second CC-HOD problem is that it is difficult to stop the hydrogen-producing reactionsince the hydrogen is produced chemically. Adding electrolysis to the process can makethe process “half electrical” and half chemical.
The QUEST project describes a new hydrogen-on-demand technology using catalyticcarbon to produce hydrogen (no oxygen) at very high rates, limited only by the design ofthe apparatus. That technology is called CC-HOD. Under proper conditions, the CC-HOD process can produce hydrogen with very low power input In the early developmentof the CC-HOD hydrogen-production technology, the only fuels used by the CC-HOD
process were water and aluminum in the form of powdered metal granules.
Water is cheap, but aluminum powder is available at some cost. The QUEST project goalwas to find a less expensive substitute for the aluminum fuel. For more information, pleasesee the QUEST document, available on-line at http://PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ALS.pdf.
The ACE cell technology provides one answer to the QUEST objective -- no aluminum isrequired (but can be used), and no powdered material (fuel) is used, thereby providing a
cost reduction advantage.
Adding electrolysis to the process can enable the process to use a wider range of metals --not just aluminum. Specifically, it allows the ACE cell to use iron electrodes.
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Separator cells based on membrane separation are not needed to produce
adequately-pure hydrogen gas
The ACE cell produces hydrogen using a simple design that can reduce both complexityand cost of producing hydrogen. It does not use physical separation, with membranetechnology, to separate oxygen from HHO.
The ACE cell does function as a separator cell -- it uses chemical separation to keep theoxygen in the liquid in the form of metal oxides.The ACE cell does not require aconventional physical separator-cell design to produce adequately-pure hydrogen gaswithout the excessive production of oxygen gas.
The good things about producing hydrogen using an ACE cell, are that (1) virtually all thegas that is produced is hydrogen; (2) virtually no oxygen gas is liberated.
Sacrificial anode chemistry
The novel aspect of this new cell design is that it uses the metal anode as a fuel (along withwater). Most HHO experimenters use stainless steel and other metals to REDUCE thecorrosion of the anode metal. The cell described in this document makes beneficial use ofanode corrosion chemistry to produce hydrogen with virtually no oxygen gas production,thereby eliminating the need for membrane separator cell designs to separate the oxygengas and hydrogen gas.
Electrolysis of most metals in water can produce hydrogen
The ACE cell uses only two things for fuel -- metal and water. Most metal anodes in anelectrolysis cell can result in the production of hydrogen (at the cathode) as a result ofwater splitting and corrosion of the metal. The ACE cell works with most metals, when
the anode metal is used as a sacrificial anode. We have chosen iron for one embodiment ofour sacrificial anode for the ACE cell because scrap iron is cheap, non-toxic and plentiful -- and it can be used in bulk-metal form with no requirement to grind it into a powder.
Rusting (corrosion) of iron consists of the formation of hydrated oxides, including Fe3O
4
and Fe2O
3. In an ACE cell, some Fe
2O
3 formed, but the most important oxide formed is
Fe3O
4 .
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The chemical process is complex and will depend in detail on the prevailing conditions, forexample, in the presence of oxygen (from water splitting), the anodic oxidation will be
Fe + H2O Fe + OH-1 + H+1 (1)
The electric field in the water then sweeps the H+1 toward the cathode and the OH-1 towardthe anode. In the ACE cell, hydrogen gas is formed as follows:
Fe + OH-1 + H+1 Fe3O
4 + H2 (2)
Overall: Fe + 2H2O Fe
3O
4 + H2 (3)
Equation (3), in balanced form, is:
3Fe + 4H2O Fe
3O
4 + 4H
2 (4)
This is an efficient reaction. Three iron atoms (3Fe) provides eight hydrogen atoms (4H2),
while at the same time sequestering four oxygen atoms (O4 ). No hydrogen is sequestered
in the water or the electrolyte. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen
Iron oxide in the water
The water container is shown after operation in the test vehiclefor 10 days of normal driving. Important observations are:
1 The amount of water used during the 10-day trial is low.
When water expands to become hydrogen vapor, the vaporvolume can occupy more than 1000 times the volume ofwater used to create the hydrogen gas. This factor of1000 is called the volume expansion ratio.
2 The presence of some Fe2O
3 is shown by the orange/red
color of the water.
3 In an ACE cell, the most important oxide formed is Fe3O
4.
The Fe3O
4 oxide has a black color, and accumulates in
the bottom of the water container.
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Cleanup and separation of the iron oxides from the water
Two methods can be used. Gravity separation works well, as shown in the photograph onthe previous page. A second method is to use magnetic separation. Just drop a magnet inthe water container, and the iron oxide will accumulate at the bottom of the watercontainer, around the magnet. The ACE cell can use both methods.
The ACE cell uses iron electrodes, water, an electrolyte and, optionally, catalytic
carbon (CC) and large electrode area to generate hydrogen at high rates
In the ACE cell design, water and oxygen are plentiful. The oxygen is supplied by thewater-splitting effects of both electrolysis and the water-splitting action of catalytic carbon.
The use of CC is optional for small-hydrogen-flow-rate applications, and required for large-hydrogen-flow-rate applications.
As explained earlier in this section, small-hydrogen-flow-rate applications can includeautomobiles and trucks; and the ACE cell with CC-HOD technology can be used for large-hydrogen-flow-rate applications (locomotives, ships, large motor-generator systems forpowering island nations)
The ACE cell does not produce red gunk in the
water container.
This is the same water container shown on the previouspage. But, this bottle has a magnet in the water container.The bottle is backlit with a hand-held flashlight to showthe light transmission through the water.
This photo shows the water container on the Buick testvehicle. Prior to this photo, the ACE cell had been inoperation for about a week of normal driving.
This photograph shows that, in an ACE cell, the most
important oxide formed is Fe3O
4. The Fe
3O
4 oxide has
a black color, and accumulates in the bottom of the water
container. Fe2O
3has a red color but it appears in low
concentration as an oxidation product of an ACE cell.
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The ACE cell produces hydrogen gas and virtually no oxygen gas. The Fe3O
4 oxide
compound stays in the water, and acts to sequester oxygen and prevent the production andrelease of oxygen gas. This is how the ACE cell acts as a separator cell -- by splittingwater to obtain hydrogen gas, while keeping the oxygen in the water.
Simplified explanation of the ACE cell chemistry
When an iron anode corrodes, hydrogen gas is produced at the cathode and iron oxidesprevent the production of oxygen gas.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2
O2
) and/or hydronium (H3
O+
) may be produced in the ACE
cell
A hydronium ion (H3
O+
) is what happens when you add a proton to a water molecule.They have been the object of much study these days, partly because of their emergingimportance in battery systems.
In chemistry, hydronium is the common name for the aqueous cation (H3
O+
), the type ofoxonium ion produced by protonation of water. It is the positive ion present when anArrhenius acid is dissolved in water, as Arrhenius acid molecules in solution give up aproton (a positive hydrogen ion, H+) to the surrounding water molecules (H
2
O).
From Wikipedia:
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While the hydronium ion contains the hydrogen ion in its structure, the hydronium ionitself is surrounded by yet more water molecules. This serves to spread the positivecharge further, stabilizing the system to a greater extent. The number of moleculeshttps://cleantechnica.com/2017/02/21/osu-stakes-claim-worlds-first-hydronium-ion-energy-storage-system/
A chemistry-lab quantitative analysis can be done to determine the hydrogen peroxide and/or hydronium ion concentration, if this might be of interest to cell builders.
SBS electrolyte chemistry
The electrolyte we have chosen, for use in the ACE cell, is sodium bicarbonate (bakingsoda), sometimes called SBS. The water-based mixture is Catalytic Carbon in SBS(Saturated Baking Soda). Other electrolytes can be used.
If foaming occurs, use 50% SBS and 50% tap water. Tap water contents depend onwhere the tap water is obtained. Depending on the tap water, the hydrogen output cansometimes contain a bit of foam. Foam can be propagated through the hydrogen hose tothe engine -- not a good thing. This can be prevented by reducing the concentration of theelectrolyte, by using 50% SBS and 50% tap water.
Surprise! You might expect the resistance of the hydrogen cell to double, if instead ofSBS, you use 50% SBS and 50% tap water. You might be surprised that the differencewill be much less. 50% SBS and 50% tap water may produce about 80% of the currentfrom the hydrogen cell, compared to the use of SBS. The reason for this is believed to bethat the current in an electrolysis cell can be partially or mostly “diffusion limited.”
Sodium bicarbonate contains no chlorine. Chlorine pits and eats away at both steel engine
blocks and aluminum engine blocks. This is why other technologies, such as that used byNovofuel, Inc. and AlumiFuel Power Corporation are less suited for producing hydrogenfuel for engines. Their patent (US 8,974,765 B2) describes the use of “sodium chloride,
potassum chloride and combinations thereof.” Their technologies are, however, excellentfor their intended uses, “such as filling balloons for meteorological or militaryapplications.” For their applications, they do not require CC.
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The purpose for the CC is to provide very high rate of water splitting, especially when thecell is operated at temperatures in the range of 180F or above. This provides a higher rateof hydrogen production resulting from chemistry described as CC-HOD.(Ref: http://PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HYDROGEN.html)
Catalyst
The ACE cell works well without CC, but the use of CC can provide a higher hydrogenproduction rate at any given current level, when the ACE cell is operated at a temperaturein the range of 180F or above, especially when the iron electrodes have a very high surfacearea.
The surface area is a design variable and can be varied and specified (selected) to providethe hydrogen production rate (LPM) for a specific application..
The CC works well in the CC-HOD mode of hydrogen production, which requires a highmetal surface area.
How much metal surface area is the “minimum required” to produce hydrogen?
Answer: More than about 1.5 square meters. For more information:www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/APA.pdf
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ACE cell fabrication -- How to connect iron to copper
We selected iron as the anode material for our first proof-of-principle prototype.Aluminum may be separately considered as a special case for reasons described on-line( Ref: http://PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HYDROGEN.html ).
The rate of extra hydrogen production is dependent on the metal and the metal area that isused for the ACE cell electodes, as explained in Appendix A.
As explained later in this document, we use electrodes composed of either a metal rodinside a pipe; or a small pipe inside a slightly larger pipe.
We have found that it is easy to make a good metalurgical connection between the castiron electrode and a copper wire. Here is one method we have used:
Step 1. Cut a slot in the pipe andremove the rust and oxide trom thearea where the copper wire will besoldered into the slot. Do not cutthe slot all the way through thepipe.
Step 2. Put the copper wire in theslot, and tap it into place with a fewlight taps of a hammer. Theassembly is being held by a vice-
grip tool.
Copper wire
Cast iron
electrode
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Step 3. Put the assembly in an oven,with the assembly near the front of theoven so that later, it will be convientwhen applying the solder. Next, closethe door and heat the assembly.
We use a temperature of about425 F because most acid-coresolder materials melt attemperatures between 360F to400F.
Step 4. When the oven reaches a tempof 425F, open the door and apply
solder. We use acid-core solder. Itworks well to bond to both cast ironand copper.
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This solder job is not yet complete.The application of solder was stoppedto take this photograph at a stagewhen both the cast iron and coppercan be viewed. As shown, the solderbonds very well to both metals. Afterthis photo was taken, more solder wasapplied to cover all the copper wire.
This photo (right) shows a solder jobnot yet completed. This bond couldNOT be pulled apart.
Step 5. Solder a flexible, strandedcopper wire to the copper “stud.” Acommon electronics soldering ironmay be used because the stud is longenough to prevent excess heat sinking
(cooling) by the large iron pipe.
If your soldering iron producesinsufficient heat for this step, the
burner on an electric cookstove canbe used as shown here.
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This photo shows the layout of the electrodesbefore being inserted into the 1.25” PVC tube.
Step 7. Next, the electrode assembly can be inserted into the 1.25” PVC tube (1). The topof the 1.25” PVC cap is fitted for hydrogen export (2), the electrode wires (3) and thetemperature sensor (4). Rubber cement can be used to prevent hydrogen leaks.
Step 8. Next, the 1.25” PVC tube can be inserted into the 2” PVC tube (5). The 1.25” endcap fits snugly into the 2” PVC tube. This junction operates at atmospheric pressure -- easydissambly when needed.
1
3
4
5Small vent hole in capallows the water container
to operate at atmosphericpressure.
2
The result is a good low-electrical-resistanceconnection suited for high-current use.
Step 6. Insulate all copper wire from theelectrolysis bath. This is necessary to preventexcessive copper corrosion when the electrodeshave voltage applied (normal operation of theACE cell). We use Tygon plastic tubing and agood quality rubber cement
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APPENDIX A -- Hydrogen
production and anode
metal variations in
electrolysis cells
The ratio of hydrogen gas to oxygen gas can be measured using this kind of apparatus.This appendix provides data obtained using inert electrodes and sacrificial anodes(aluminum and iron). Sacrificial anodes can be used to sequester the oxygen and producehigh-purity hydrogen.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFf0vP3Dtb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvskT3WFFfc
Electrolysis of water when inert electrodes are used
When inert electrodes are used to electrolyze water, the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2.
HHO gas is 1/3 or 33% oxygen. One type of inert metal is gold. Electrolysis of water
using gold electrodes is shown on the following page.
Note the 2:1 ratioof hydrogen tooxygen. This onlyoccurs when inertelectrodes areused.
O2
H2
O2
H2
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Amount ofoxygen producedwhen Aluminumis used forelectrodes.
This HHO gas is
1/5 or 20%oxygen.
Amount of
hydrogenproduced whenAluminum is
used forelectrodes.
When aluminum is used for electrodes, the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ_m2K_29zk
Electrolysis of water when aluminum electrodes are used
Amount ofoxygenproduced whenGold is used forelectrodes.
This HHO gasis 1/3 or 33%oxygen.
Amount ofhydrogenproducedwhen Gold isused forelectrodes.
When gold is used for electrodes, the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2.
Electrolysis of water when Gold electrodes are used
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Hh0fD6ZX4
When gold is used for electrodes, the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2.
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Almost zero oxygengas is producedwhen iron is used forelectrodes. Thematerial produced isiron oxide.
This HHO gas is lessthan 5% oxygen.
Amount ofhydrogenproduced wheniron is used forelectrodes.
When iron is used for electrodes, the ratio of hydrogen to other material is almost 20.
Electrolysis of water when iron electrodes are used
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLB7lWWyFn4
Summary -- oxygen concentrations
21% oxygen -- oxygen in air.33% oxygen -- oxygen in HHO produced using electrolysis with inert-anode.20% oxygen -- oxygen in HHO produced using electrolysis with aluminum anode.Less than 5% oxygen -- the amount of oxygen in HHO produced using electrolysis withiron electrodes; specifically an iron-anode.
The percent oxygen data above are approximations and the % figures can vary, depending
on electrolysis experimental conditions.
Iron anode electrolysis produces almost no oxygen bubbles
No bubbles at the anode means no oxygen gas is being liberated at the anode. In our lab
(Phillips Company), we evaluated this using experimental methods. The results are shownon the following page.
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Iron
Lead
Cathode
SBS
12 to 35 volts DC;
2 amps
Very few
oxygen
bubbles
High bubble
production rate
Lead Cathode is difficult to see, becauseof the cloud of fine H2 bubbles.
Iron anode after many days ofcontinuous DC electrolysis. Ironoxide definitely is forming! Note:The oxidation products aredifferent when AC is used, as in theACE cell.
Iron oxide sequesters oxygen.Result: Very few bubbles areproduced at the anode, but highhydrogen production occurs at thecathode (see below).
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0 30 sec 1 min
Iron Anode
Zinc Anode
Aluminum Anode
I = 0
Time
Cell current.
Typically, Imax = 5
to 30 Amperes.
This sketch illustrates the effects of space charge formation and anode surfaceoxide formation at the initial onset of electrolysis. Iron oxides can be partiallyremoved from the electrode surface if phase reversal is used. Other metals,
including zinc and aluminum, can quickly form a protective oxide layer whichtends to limit the current in the cell.
Phase reversal every 5 secondscorresponds to a frequency of 0.1 HZ.Phase reversal using a square wave is best.
Why is the inverter required to run at a frequency of approximately 0.1 Hz?
Space charge formation near the electrodes is a major factor which contributes to thecurrent decline immediatly after application of voltage to the cell. Relaxing time is long(time constant of 4 to 10 seconds) because ions move slowly as they are being swept outof the space charge region under the influence of the electrical field near the electrode.The phase reversal period must match the time constant of the cell chemistry for bestresults. Phase reversal every 5 seconds corresponds to a frequency of 0.1 HZ. Phasereversal using a square wave is best.
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Space charge effects cause current transients in the ACE cell to decay with long time
constants, which must be matched by the inverter frequency
Space charge effects on the currents in liquids have been studied to form a good theoreticalknowledge of the space-charge formation and how ion mobility affects the currents in anelectrolysis cell.
Figure 23. Ionic current at cathode / anodehttp://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/148036.pdf
The data in the above graph was aquired with a partially-conducting oil dielectric(electrolyte). The author says, “The asymmetry in the electric field distribution depends on
the polarity. That suggests the existence of different mobilities of the positive andnegative ions rather than injection of charges at the electrodes “
It is well known that when water is split into H and OH, the mobilities of the H and OHare different in a liquid.
The timing of the current transients depend on the chemistry and configuration of the
electrodes in the cell. For our ACE cell, the observed current relaxing time is long (timeconstant of 4 to 10 seconds) because ions move slowly as they are being swept out of thespace charge region under the influence of the electrical field near the electrode.
Therefore, we have chosen a polarity reversal period of 5 to 10 seconds for the invertersdesigned to apply AC to the ACE cell.
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Bubble formation also contributes to the current decline
When the cell is started, it produceshydrogen bubbles. The bubbles donot conduct electricity as well as thewater/electrolyte combinationwithout bubbles. Consequently,until steady-state bubble productionis achieved, the current will declineas shown in the sketch. Steady stateoperation is usually realized withinabout 1 minute, with variationdepending on the cell construction.
Space charge formation near the electrodes also contributes to the current decline
immediatly after application of voltage to the cell.
The mechanism of space charge formation is beyond the scope of this document, but thetheory is well understood in the field of solid state physics.
This effect can be used to good advantage, as is done in the ACE cell, if polarity reversal(low frequency AC) is used to power the cell.
For the ACE cell electrodes, iron is preferred for the following
reasons
1. Iron is cheap. Both new iron and corroded iron work well. Interestingly,corroded iron works well because its surface can be rough, providing more surface
area than new iron pipe.
2. The iron oxides do not form an electrically-insulating layer.
Three reasons for the transient current decline in an electrolysis
cell following the application of voltage
The three reasons are oxide formation, bubble formation and space charge effects. Thesethree mechanisms are discussed below.
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APPENDIX B -- ACE cell
characteristics and the use
of “boost mode” hydrogen
fuel supplementation in
automobiles
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ACE cell technology does NOT require modification of oxygen sensors on
automobiles.
Modern fuel-injection automobile engines use oxygen sensors to optimize the air/fuel ratioand the performance of engine. The engine control computer is designed to obtain oxygenfrom air, which is 21% oxygen. If hydrogen is introduced into the air intake manifold inthe form of HHO containing 33% oxygen, the oxygen sensors must be modified tocompensate for the difference. Without modification, the engine will run “rich” and usemore fuel than is needed, thereby defeating the fuel-saving objective that can be obtainedwhen hydrogen is introduced into the air input.
However, if hydrogen is introduced into the air intake manifold in the form of HHOcontaining less than 21%, the oxygen sensors do not require modification or adjustment tocompensate for the difference.
ACE cell technology can introduce hydrogen into the air intake manifold in the form ofHHO containing much less than 21% oxygen. This can be done with most metals whenused as sacrificial anodes. Of special interest are ACE cell anodes made from iron andaluminum; both of which can be used in cells that do NOT require any kind of complicatedseparator-cell apparatus designed to separate oxygen from hydrogen.
ACE cell technology does NOT vent any gas into the atmosphere.
Separator cells are usually designed to vent oxygen into the atmosphere. ACE celloperation does not require venting oxygen (or any other gas) into the atmosphere.
Lower cost and hardware simplicity
Lower cost, safety and hardware simplicity are the reasons why ACE cell technology canbe considered for fuel-cost-saving applications in modern automobiles.
The ACE cell technology can blend seamlessly into modern automobiles to provide the
advantages discussed above. The discussions in this document require a basic knowledgeof how modern computer-controlled fuel injection systems use data from oxygen sensors.The following section (Appendix C) discusses Air-fuel ratios and oxygen sensors.
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Safety
The ignition key should not be in the ON position without the engine running. The ACE2system produces hydrogen when the ignition is ON, and produces no hydrogen when theignition is OFF. The system should be operated only when the engine is running.
We recommend you use a flashback arrestor. We use a more risky approach -- the hydrogenis injected into the air filter system. This was made possible when we determined that for ourtest vehicle (Buick) the fuel injection system stops flashback under all test conditions. Thismay not be the case for other vehicles unless they have tight fuel injection systems.
ANY use of hydrogen can be a safety hazard and we encourage all users of hydrogen tolearn about the safety issues and practice good design and operation of hydrogenequipment.
Martin provided information on this topic via his post on HODinfo.com:
“In a carbburator engine the flash-back runs back to the carb via the manifold space.Diesels and PI petrol engines have no input manifold void that is filled with a combustibleair/fuel mixture as the fuel is directly injected. So in theory, a flash-back would not bea reality in normal use.
However, if you were to unfortunately flood the engine (or it turns over without starting)some fuel vapor could conceivably escape into the inlet manifold and provide anopportunity for a flash-back in exactly the same way excess unburnt fuel entering theexhaust manifold can cause a back-fire "bang". I'd err on the side of caution becauseyou never know!”
ANY use of hydrogen can be a safety hazard and we encourage all users of hydrogen to
learn about the safety issues and practice good design and operation of hydrogenequipment.
A hydrogen or HHO explosion is similar to a methane gas explosion. A methand gasexplosion is shown online at: http://www.bu2z.com/petard-dans-bouse-de-vache
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APPENDIX C -- Air-fuel
ratios and oxygen sensors
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Air–fuel ratio (AFR) is the mass ratio of air to fuel present in a combustion process suchas in an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace. If exactly enough air is providedto completely burn all of the fuel, the ratio is known as the stoichiometric mixture. Forprecise AFR calculations, the oxygen content of combustion air should be specifiedbecause of possible dilution by ambient water vapor, or enrichment by oxygen additions/variations. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio)
The introduction of hydrogen using the ACE cell is an important oxygen-to-fuel variation which
the computer WILL take into consideration.
The AFR is an important measure for anti-pollution and performance-tuning reasons. Thelower the AFR, the “richer” the mixture.
In theory, a stoichiometric mixture has just enough air to completely burn the availablefuel. In practice this is never quite achieved, due primarily to the very short time availablein an internal combustion engine for each combustion cycle. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio)
Hydrogen supplementation helps solve this problem because of the high flame frontvelocity of hydrogen-air combustion.
Most of the combustion process completes in approximately 4–5 milliseconds at an enginespeed of 6,000 rpm. (100 revolutions per second; 10 milliseconds per revolution) This isthe time that elapses from when the spark is fired until the burning of the fuel–air mix isessentially complete after some 80 degrees of crankshaft rotation. Catalytic converters aredesigned to work best when the exhaust gases passing through them are the result of nearlyperfect combustion. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio)
Hydrogen supplementation can improve the performance of the catalytic converter becauseof the high flame front velocity of hydrogen-air combustion, which leads to more completecombustion of the gasoline fuel.
A stoichiometric mixture unfortunately burns very hot and can damage engine componentsif the engine is placed under high load at this fuel–air mixture. Due to the high
temperatures at this mixture, detonation of the fuel–air mix shortly after maximum cylinderpressure is possible under high load (referred to as knocking or pinging). Detonation cancause serious engine damage as the uncontrolled burning of the fuel air mix can create veryhigh pressures in the cylinder. As a consequence, stoichiometric mixtures are only usedunder light load conditions. For acceleration and high load conditions, a richer mixture
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(lower air–fuel ratio) is used to produce cooler combustion products and thereby preventdetonation and overheating of the cylinder head.
Hydrogen supplementation can improve the performance of the engine because of the highflame front velocity of hydrogen-air combustion, which leads to more completecombustion of the gasoline fuel even when the engine is operated at non-stoichiometricAFR mixtures.
Engine management systems
The stoichiometric mixture for a gasoline engine is the ideal ratio of air to fuel that burnsall fuel with no excess air. For gasoline fuel, the stoichiometric air–fuel mixture is about15:1 -- for every one gram of fuel, 15 grams of air are required. The fuel oxidation reactionis:
(Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio)
Any AFR mixture greater than ~15 to 1 is considered a lean mixture. Any AFR mixtureless than ~15 to 1 is a rich mixture – given perfect (ideal) “test” fuel (gasoline consisting ofsolely n-heptane and iso-octane). In reality, most fuels consist of a combination of heptane,octane, a handful of other alkanes, plus additives including detergents, and possiblyoxygenators such as MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) or ethanol/methanol. Thesecompounds all alter the stoichiometric ratio, with most of the additives pushing the ratiodownward (oxygenators bring extra oxygen to the combustion event in liquid form that isreleased at the time of combustion. For MTBE-laden fuel, a stoichiometric ratio can be aslow as 14.1:1).
Vehicles that use an oxygen sensor or other feedback loop to control fuel to air ratio
(lambda control), compensate automatically for this change in the fuel’s stoichiometric rateby measuring the exhaust gas composition and controlling fuel volume. Vehicles withoutsuch controls (such as most motorcycles until recently, and cars predating the mid-1980s)
may have difficulties running certain fuel blends (especially winter fuels used in someareas) and may require different jets (or otherwise have the fueling ratios altered) tocompensate. Vehicles that use oxygen sensors can monitor the air–fuel ratio with an air–fuel ratio meter.
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APPENDIX D -- Car test
results -- 30% fuel savings
Counter-intuitive realization regarding using hydrogen as a fuel supplement
for automobile engines (boost mode operation)
The following is an explanation of the counter-intuitive optimization improvementthat can result from the use of hydrogen as a fuel supplement (boost mode) forautomobile engines:
If hydrogen is introduced into the air intake manifold in the form of HHOcontaining less than 21%, the engine will run lean (saving gasoline) and the
improved combustion efficiency of the gasoline, aided by the injectedhydrogen can provide the extra power needed for proper operation. This iscalled “boost mode” operation.
The reason for improved combustion efficiency of the gasoline, aided by the
injected hydrogen, is that the flame-front velocity of hydrogen-air combustionis much greater than that for gasoline-air combustion. These factors and theresulting fuel cost savings are explained in more detail on-line
(Ref: http://PhillipsCompany.4T.com/SFS.pdf)..
Typical performance improvement: 34 MPG is an
MPG gain of approximately 31%
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ACE cell current
65 MPH
34 MPG
Measurement of Test Vehicle
performance
At a cell current of approximately 8 Amperes,and at a speed of 65 MPH, the gas mileagewas measured to be 34 MPG.
34 MPG is an MPG gain
of approximately 31%.
This is typical, although the MPGmeasurement is subject to changebecause of terrain (lower MPG
uphill; higher MPG downhill).
The hydrogen flow rate, beingdelivered to the engine, is less than200 mL/minute of hydrogen, at this
cell current.
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Temperature measurement
The cell current meter and the Digital Temp Controller (DTC) are mounted on the Buickdashboard as shown below.
These data were taken during the warm-up, soon after the Buick reached a highway speedof 65 MPH. At this moment, the cell temperature was 61.8C, with an upper-limit goal of80C (approximately 180F).
Temperature effects
There are two mechanisms of hydrogen production in the ACE cell.
1. One mechanism is to produce hydrogen using electrolysis. In the ACE cell, theoxygen is retained in the water, and the cell output is mostly hydrogen and
virtually no oxygen. This is done without using any kind of separator-cell
design, as explained later in this document.
2. The second mechanism of hydrogen production is based on the CC-HODtechnology, using iron instead of aluminum powder for fuel. The CC-HODtechnology, described elsewhere, was originally based on aluminum-waterchemistry:
2Al + 6H2O + CC = CC + 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2
For a full explanation of the CC-HOD technology, please see
www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HYDROGEN.html
If high hydrogen generation rates are required, the ACE cells described in this documentuse a new version of the CC-HOD technology, in which iron is substituted for aluminum,and electrolysis is combined with this iron-anode chemistry to produce hydrogen. When
the CC-HOD mode of operation is used, the cell temperature should be maintained near180F (approximately 80C) for best performance.
If high hydrogen generation rates are NOT required, the cell can be operated at anytemperature from 35F up to 180F (approximately 80C) for best performance.
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The ACE cell system performance can be improved -- Any ACE
cell can use CC with very large-area electrodes to reduce the
required electrolysis current and increase the hydrogen
production rate.
There are two mechanisms of hydrogen production in the ACE cell.
One mechanism is to produce hydrogen using electrolysis.
The second mechanism of hydrogen production is based on the CC-HOD technology
For a full explanation of the CC-HOD technology, please seewww.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HYDROGEN.html
CC means Catalytic Carbon. The ACE cell uses water with catalytic carbon and anelectrolyte. I use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) for a dielectric. It is effective andcheap, usually costing about $1 per box at any grocery store. For carbon, I use crushedcoal, but any carbon will work just fine including crushed charcoal (typically fuel used foryour barbecue grill) or GAC sold for use as a water filter.
You can buy CC or you can make your own CC. Making CC is easy. The method is on-line at http://www.google.com/patents/WO2013016367A1?cl=en
How to make black water
1. Begin by selecting any convenient-size container; either plastic, metal or glass.
2. Fill the container with water to the 3/4 full level with any water -- tap water,ocean water, distilled water, dirty water -- ANY water.
3. Add baking soda until no more of it will dissolve. It is OK to leave a fewtablespoons of un-dissolved baking soda in the bottom of the container.
4. Fill the container to the 90%-full level with CC. Mix and stir.
5. When adding black water to the ACE cell water tank, use the POUR-OFFmethod. Pour the liquid, but do not pour the dregs into the ACE cell water tank.
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Hydrogen rateproduced by the
ACE cell
Temperature,degrees C
Roomtemp
80C(approximately.180F)
The additional hydrogen produced (becauseof the presence of CC) can range from
negligible to large, depending on the designand operation of the ACE cell (iron anodearea and operating temperature).
This additional contribution to the hydrogen production rate can ONLY be achieved if theelectrode surface area is very large. The area is a design variable.
The increase in hydrogen production rate (shown as in the above figure) can only beobtained with the use of CC in the ACE cell, with very-large-area iron electrodes..
CC can be obtained in either of 3 ways
1. You can make your own CC using the method explained on-line:
Method: http://www.google.com/patents/WO2013016367A1?cl=en
2. Or, you can purchase CC as a quick way to get started building your ACE cell. CCpurchasing information is on-line at:
How to get CC from the USA: www.PhillipsCompany.4t.com/MCC.pdf
How to get CC from the UK: www.PhillipsCompany.4t.com/ENGLAND.pdf
3. Or, you can add carbon granules to the ACE cell, and, over time, the electrolysisenvironment will activate the carbon and it will become CC. The activation requires about6 Ampere-hours of cell operation.
Beneficial effects of using CC in ACE cells with large electrode
area
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APPENDIX E -- Electrical details
of the Mark II ACE cell system
To the reader: Before reading this section, you are enthusiastically
encouraged to first read www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/NH.pdf
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What’s in the INV box?
The ACE cell (AC Electrolysis) is defined byusing AC to power the electrolysis cell.
+12 VAC out,to cell electrodes
Ground (0 V)
+12 VDC in from either afuse or a circuit breaker.
+12 VDC from the DTC,when DTC signals theelectrolysis cell to be inthe POWER-ON state.
INV
INVERTER:
12 VDC input.
12 VAC output.
Frequency = 0.1 Hz
INVERTER Model: Mark II Use: Hydrogen ACE cell
Input: 12 VDC
Output: 12 VAC, 0 to 30 Amperes, Frequency = 0.1 Hz
Phillips Company: www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/ACE2.pdf
2” PVC16 inches long
AC
out
Input: +12Vand ground.Red wire is
+Vs controlfrom the DTC.
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Inverter in a box
AC outSquare Wave2 blue wires
+12V
0V
DC input+12 V from batteryand Ground..White wires
Red wire is control from DTC.
+12 VDC input = Inverter ON
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1.5K 1.5K1.5K
Switching;
(DC in; AC to
Electrodes)
+Vs(Note A)
Oscillator
12K
LEDs
Q4MJE15030
8A, 150V
2N2222
12K
Note A: This voltage (+Vs) is +12V supplied via the DTC.
This is a low-current voltage source.
C3 = 3300Mfd
150R+Vcc ~ 11 VDC
2N2222
Q5MJE15030
8A, 150V
Relay
Driver
+Vs(Note A)
+12 VDCfrom battery
(high current)
Electrodes
Inverter circuit
5.6K
C1
C2
5.6K
12K
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Inverter circuit design notes
n This circuit has been modified to remove the LEDs from the OSCILLATOR sectionof the inverter. Reasons for this change are: (1) Improved circuit reliability because offewer parts, and (2) with this change, the base drive current for Q3 and Q4 are not limitedby LED current. If desired, LEDs can be used as an oscillator visual indicator duringcircuit troubleshooting or oscillator evaluation. This can be done by using a test probe,connected to the collector of Q1 and the collector of Q2. The test probe can be configuredas shown below.
The connections shown above can be temporary (test probe) or the circuit can be apermanent part of the circuit if desired, to ALWAYS provide a visual indication ofoscillator operation.
n Frequency adjustment: Pull-up resistors have been added between the base of Q1and Q2 to the Vs power supply, to increase stability of the oscillator and to providefrequency adjustment. Lower resistance provides a lower time constant, higher frequency,and shorter polarity reversal time. R = 5.6 K ohms is shown on the diagram -- the value ofthese resistors can be changed to force the oscillator to oscillate at lower of higherfrequencies, as desired.
n This simple circuit uses relays. Inexpensive “cube” relays, available on eBay, carrya specification of 1 million cycles, which is good. Even so, an advanced design of this
inverter could be all-solid-state design, using semiconductors to replace theelectromechanical relays.
n C1, C2 and C3 are all 3300 Mfd, 25 volt electrolytic capacitors. Note thepolarization of the capacitors.
n Note that both ACE cell electrodes are grounded when the system is OFF (when Vs
=0). This is a better OFF condition than the alternative of having both ACE cell electrodesat a voltage of +12 volts when the system is OFF.
n These LEDs can be of different colors.
18KTo collectorof Q1
To collector ofQ2
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n This inverter is a “power efficient” design. It does not dissipate as much heat aswould be the case if the relays are replaced with semiconductors. Therefore, for thisdesign, large heat sinks are not required for cooling the power transistors, Q3 and Q4.
Optioinally, heat sinks can be provided for Q3 and Q4. These heat sinks will normally notbe required if the inverter is placed in a cool place, such as the space between the grill andthe radiator. Heat sinks for Q3 and Q4 may be needed if the inverter is located in a hotplace, such as inside the engine compartment.
There is one condition where having heat sinks may be needed for Q3 and Q4. This is asituation when low voltage is used to operate the inverter. This condition can occur if thebattery voltage is low, and the alternator is not charging the battery sufficiently. Under thiscondition, the drive current can become insufficient to keep Q3 and Q4 in saturation. This
will result in excessive heat dissipation for Q3 and Q4 when either of these transistors arenormally ON.
n The relays do not feed back to the oscillator. Therefore, if a relay occasionally failsto make good contact, the system continues to run.
We use one white and one red LED tosignal when the phase reversal occurs.
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n At first look, the circuit may appear to offer the possibility of a short circuit,depending on the state of the relays. But, no short is possible. Below is the truth table forthe relays:
This is a required feature of the design, because mechanical relays often have variations inpull-in current, drop-out current and mechanical characteristics. This feature of the designalso allows the relay contact to, on occasion, not make good electrical contact because of anumber of reasons -- dirty contacts, worn contacts, etc. When the relays occasionally failto make good electrical contact, the inverter continues to work, and the next cycle willprobably result in good electrical contacts -- until the useful life of the relay is exceeded.
n Trouble-shooting the switching section of the inverter
I’ve had an input from cell builders that have had difficulty sorting out the switchingsection of the inverter (shown below).
AB
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n You can trouble shoot the problem by isolating and disconnecting the SWITCHINGsection from the other parts of the circuit. If you ground A (but not B), then the left relayshould pull in. If you ground B (but not A), then only the right relay should pull in. Inboth those cases, the output voltage (potential difference) to the hydrogen cell should be12 volts, but different polarity as you first ground only A, and then ground only B. Ifneither A nor B is grounded, both electrode terminals should be at ground potential. Ifboth A and B are grounded, then both electrode terminals should be at +12 volts.
n No latching or ground-to-12 volt shorting is possible when the circuit is wired asshown above.
Inverter fabrication in a PVC pipe: This design is laid out on a metal strip. It is long, tofit into a PVC pipe when completed. This photo shows the switching relay section only;with quick-ties used to hold the components until glue dries.
1. Relays2. Harness wiring3. Control wires to Q3/Q44. DC (+12V from battery)5. AC out
1 2 34
5
This is the completed electronics section of the inverter. This fabrication method usesflying-wire construction, to conserve space so that it will fit into a PVC tube.
A MUCH BETTER construction method, by Frank Taylor, is shown on the following page.
6
1
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n Inverter first success confirmed! Frank Taylor’s oscillator and relay drivermodule is shown below (with permission). Frank was the first to successfully build andtest the inverter, based on the circuit diagram shown earlier in this section. Frank, inAustralia, can be reached by email: [email protected]
Frank Taylor’s oscillator and relay driver sections of the0.1 Hz inverter
C1 C2C3
Q1 Q2
Q3 Q4
DCinput
ToRelays
Relay
driver
Oscillator
Frank would win the INTERNATIONAL HYDROGEN PRIZE, if only we had such aprize to award. Why? The ACE cell invention and the inverter circuit were first posted on
August 24, 2015. Frank had the circuit constructed and tested in less than a week! WOW!
LEDs
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How to obtain an inverter
You have two choices:
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN INVERTER AS A DIY PROJECT
orI WILL FABRICATE AN INVERTER AND MAIL IT TO YOU.
For a few selected cell builders: Until someone else begins to sell kits or
ACE inverters, I will supply cell builders with the inverter if you want one butdon’t have time to build one as a DIY project. The inverter will be like the oneshown below, in a box. I will incorporate all current upgrades and designimprovements when it is fabricated.
International cell builders: I an only ship the inverter to USA addresses. Can you supplya USA address of a friend that can ship it to you?
For more information, please see www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/INV.pdf
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Transistors: The simple inverter circuit uses only 4 transistors. The 2N2222 is a garden-variety transistor and almost any small-signal silicon npn transistor can be used. TheMJE01530 is a medium-power npn transistor. Many medium-power transistors in thisclass will work just fine in this circuit, including the MJE13007A. The beta (current gain)must be greater than 30 for use in this inverter circuit.
The following pages provide information about parts used to
build the inverter
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Don’t forget to include the cost of LEDs, a circuit board, and a few pennies for hook-up wire and solder.
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The above information describes parts, prices and sources via
eBay for the inverter circuit.
NC – Normally Closed
NO – Normally Open
COM – Common
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The information below describes parts, prices and sources via
eBay for other parts of the ACE system
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Single-ended commercial oscillator
The above oscillator, available via eBay, can oscillate as the required frequenty. It can beused as an alternate to the oscillator shown earlier in this section. Complete invertersystem circuit diagrams are not available from Phillips Company.
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Where can I find cast iron pipe?
Cast iron works best for use as ACE cell electrodes. Homes built before 1960 usedgalvanized steel or cast iron DWV (drain/waste/vent) pipe systems. Cast iron DWV pipeis preferred for ACE electrodes.
Cast iron was commonly used before 1950 for the vertical drain, vent stacks, andsometimes the horizontal drain lines. Cast iron is durable, but can rust over time. Whenbrowsing through a scrap metal yard, look for rusty pipe -- that’s what you need.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-recognize-different-types-of-pipes.html
When shopping for cast iron, take a magnet with you. Cast iron is attracted by a magnet.Stainless steel and other steel metal is not strongly attracted to a magnet. You don’t wantstainless steel. In fact, you do not want any kind of steel. Steel contains carbon. For ACE
cell electrodes, you do not want iron that has carbon in it.
When shopping for cast iron in a hardware store or a scrap yard, try to find an old man tohelp you. Old men know exactly what cast iron is. It’s about the only kind of iron pipeavailable in the 1950s and before that.
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Fifty years ago, cast iron was about the only kind of iron pipe available in a hardwarestore. Now, cast iron (cheap) pipe has been mostly replaced by more-expensive “blackpipe” for gas lines or galvanized pipe for general use. For ACE cell electrodes, you do notwant black pipe or galvanized pipe. You want cheap cast iron DWV pipe, with no paint oranti-corrosion outer layer. Remember we WANT our electrode to corrode, in the sameway a sacrificial anode is intended to corrode.
Machine shops often use KEY STOCK iron. It is perfect cast iron, sometimes called softiron. Key stock iron is usually found as flat-plate stock; not in the form of pipe. You maybe able to find cast iron pipe in a hardware. But, in your area, cast iron may be moreplentiful in scrap yards. A perfect place to find cast iron pipe is where an old building isbeing torn down; especially if the building was built before 1950.
Below is a photo of cast iron pipe removed from a 50-year-old building.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb4js6aP72c
Summary: The ACE cell works best with cast iron electrodes. Cast iron pipe can usuallybe found in scrap yards in the form of rusty pipe that is strongly attracted to a magnet.Take a small magnet with you when you shop for cast iron. Cast iron is often distinguisedby price. Cast iron will probably be the cheapest iron (per pound) in the scrap yard, or inthe hardware store.
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MPG measurement
The typical DIY builder will not need a scan gauge. The reason I use a scan gauge is thatthe ACE cell development was a engineering project, and I wanted more data than atypical DIY builders might want.
I use the “ScanGauge II” to provide accurate MPG data. The scan gauge can measureeither instantaneous MPG or and average value of MPG for any time period desired.
Battery voltage (Volts)Miles per gallon -- measures
accurately from 0 MPGthrough 100 MPG.
The ScanGuage owner’s manual on-line at:http://scangauge.com.au/support/pdfs/SGMan5_1.pdf
Photo from the ownersmanual. This is not intendedto be a data photo. I’venever driven 129 MPH in mylife!
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Temperature control
I use a digital temperature controller (DTC) to control the temperature of the ACE cell. Ithas a relay output that can be used to control a larger power relay in the inverter, which, inturn switches high currents to the ACE cell.
This DTC is typically found on eBay for a price in the $15 range.
For ACE cell typical operation, I set the DTC for an upper limit of 80C or about 180F. Whenthe cell reaches that temp, the ACE cell is switched OFF until it cools to about 175F, at which
time the power is re-applied to the ACE cell.
A diode can be used as a clamp to limit sparks from back-EMF when the power relay coil isswitched off. This can extend the lifetime of the DTC relay.
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ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON
Heat Cool Heat Cool Heat Cool Heat
15 Amps
0 Amperes
Current(ACE cell)
Time0 minutes 60 minutes
Typical switching of ACE cell current
The DTC typically results in the following switching control
Residual effect
Many DIY hydrogen cell builders have reported that after operating on hydrogen, the mileageimprovement continues even after the hydrogen is switched off. This is not completely
understood (by me), but I typically see this effect on the Buick test vehicle. When I measurethe instantaneous MPG, it remains virtually unchanged when the ACE cell is switched fromON to OFF. I suspect this effect is not due to the ACE cell, but rather it is caused by the ECUcomputer in the engine assembly.
ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON
Heat Cool Heat Cool Heat Cool Heat
175 to 180F
Cool from180F to 175F
Time0 minutes 60 minutes
Typical switching of ACE cell current
The ON/OFF timing will depend on experimental conditions and ambient temperature.A good place to locate the ACE cell is in front of the radiator to benefit from aircooling. This results in more ON time and less OFF time.
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APPENDIX F -- Iron
anode chemistry
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Iron(III) oxide or ferric oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Fe2O
3. It is one
of the three main oxides of iron, the other two being iron(II) oxide (FeO), which is rare,
and iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O
4), which also occurs naturally as the mineral magnetite. The
mineral known as hematite, Fe2O
3 is the main source of the iron for the steel industry.
Fe2O
3 is ferromagnetic, dark red, and readily attacked by acids.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120302112413AANm3Du
The form of iron oxide produced in an electrolysis cell depends on many factors, includingthe applied voltage. AC electrolysis produces different results than DC electrolysis.
What kind of iron oxide does DC
electrolysis produce?
For DC electrolysis, the oxidationproducts appear to be both Fe2O3 and
Fe3O
4. In our lab, we oxidized iron over
a period of weeks at a current of 5Amperes and an applied voltage of 12 to35 volts. The iron anode is shown here,with the appearance of both red oxide and
black oxide. For DC electrolysis, theoxidation products appear to be both red
Fe2O
3 and black Fe
3O
4.
Current spike
The application of DC voltage to an electrolysis cell results in a current spike (transienthigh current) followed by a slow decay, over a period of 5 seconds to 30 seconds, to asteady state current. The ACE cell operates in a way that uses current during this transient
to produce hydrogen. This is done with the use of an inverter to convert DC to AC at aphase reversal frequency of approximately 0.1 Hz.
Sacrificial anode
corrosioin from DC
electrolysis
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Voltage waveform for ACE cells
The results reported below were obtained with ACE cells built using two iron electrodes,composed of two pipes, one smaller than the other, arranged in a coaxial configuration. Theform of iron oxide can be different, depending on whether AC or DC electrolysis is used tooxidize the iron. In our ACE cell, we use AC electrolysis (phase reversal) at a low frequency,typically less than 1 Hz. In these cells, we apply power only during the initial peak-currentperiod. Then, the voltage polarity is reversed after a few seconds, before the current becomesconstant = steady state, or DC electrolysis. The following discussion describes the black
Fe3O
4 produced in our ACE cells.
What kind of iron oxide does AC electrolysis produce?
For AC electrolysis, the primary oxidation product of iron electrodes appear to be Fe3O
4. In
our tests, we oxidized iron in our test vehicle over a period of several days, under normaldriving conditions, at a current of 5 to 10 Amperes and an applied voltage of 12 volts AC, 0.1Hz. The iron oxide produced in these tests had the appearance of only black oxide, as shownbelow.
The black residue is Magnetite, Fe3O
4. It is quite inert, non toxic and can be disposed of
down the drain. http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/57761-Electrolysis-residue
One of the two magnets (left side) is clean, and has not beenexposed to the black oxide. The magnet on the right showshow the black oxide is attracted to a magnet.
The particles of black oxide are NOT magnetically attracted toeach other. This is shown by the uniform distribution of theblack particles in the water. The saucer contains liquid removedfrom our ACE cell after operating the cell for a period of severaldays, under normal driving conditions, at a current of 5 to 10
Amperes and an applied voltage of 12 volts AC, 0.1 Hz.
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The coin on the bottom of the bowl is aquarter. The black particles, assumed to be
Fe3O
4, are not attracted to the non-magnetic
metals in the quarter.
A magnet was placed under the bowl, but notin the water. The black particles, assumed
to be Fe3O
4, ARE attracted to magnetic field
from the magnet under the bowl.
The black particles were dried in air to
become black powder. The particles showno indication of attracting each other viamagnetic forces.
Magnetic removal of iron oxide from the cell
The results shown below illusstrate that a magnet can be used to remove the iron oxide fromthe ACE cell, to keep it clean.
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The black particle sizes were measured using a measuring microscope. The results shownabove show that the particle diameter is much less than 20 microns, probably in the range of0.001 to 1 microns, or 1 to 1000 nanometers.
Fe3O
4 nanoparticles
It appears that the ACE cell produces nanoparticles.
Iron oxide nanoparticles are iron oxide particles with diameters between about 1 and 100
nanometers. The two main forms are magnetite (Fe3O
4) and its oxidized form maghemite
(gamma-Fe2O
3). They have attracted extensive interest due to their superparamagnetic
properties and their potential applications in many fields (although Co and Ni are also highlymagnetic materials, they are toxic and easily oxidized).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_oxide_nanoparticles
Electrical insulator: The dry Fe3O
4 was bunched
together and the electrical resistance was measured.The resistance is VERY high. This is desirable as aby-product of electrolysis in the ACE cell, because
the formation of Fe3O
4 does not lead to short circuits
between the electrodes. This was confirmed byoperating the ACE cell in our test vehicle.
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Chemistry of Fe3O
4
Magnetite has an inverse spinel structure with oxygen forming a face-centered cubic crystalsystem. In magnetite, all tetrahedral sites are occupied by Fe3+ and octahedral sites areoccupied by both Fe3+ and Fe2+. Maghemite differs from magnetite in that all or most ofthe iron is in the trivalent state (Fe3+) and by the presence of cation vacancies in the octahedralsites. Maghemite has a cubic unit cell in which each cell contains 32 O ions, 211/3 Fe3+ ionsand 22/3 vacancies. The cations are distributed randomly over the 8 tetrahedral and 16octahedral sites. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_oxide_nanoparticles
Due to its 4 unpaired electrons in the atomic 3d shell, an iron atom has a strong magneticmoment. Ions Fe2+ have also 4 unpaired electrons in 3d shell and Fe3+ have 5 unpairedelectrons in 3d shell. Therefore, when crystals are formed from iron atoms or ions Fe2+ andFe3+ they can be in ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic states. In theparamagnetic state, the individual atomic magnetic moments are randomly oriented, and thesubstance has a zero net magnetic moment if there is no magnetic field. These materials havea relative magnetic permeability greater than one and are attracted to magnetic fields. Themagnetic moment drops to zero when the applied field is removed. But in a ferromagneticmaterial, all the atomic moments are aligned even without an external field. A ferrimagneticmaterial is similar to a ferromagnet but has two different types of atoms with opposing magneticmoments. The material has a magnetic moment because the opposing moments have differentstrengths. If they have the same magnitude, the crystal is antiferromagnetic and possesses nonet magnetic moment. The ordering of magnetic moments in ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic,and ferrimagnetic materials decreases with increasing temperature.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_oxide_nanoparticles
Production of hydrogen and Fe3O
4
Lavoisier produced hydrogen for his experiments on mass conservation by reacting a flux ofsteam with metallic iron through an incandescent iron tube heated in a fire using the followingchemical reactions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen
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We know from results (ACE2.pdf) that most of the reaction product will be Fe3O4, andnot Fe2O3. So, for a good engineering estimate, we can concentrate only on the thirdequation.
But, to speed up the reaction rate, we want to add CC and operate the cell at 80C.
Then, the primary chemical equation to be used for the research project becomes:
3 Fe + 4 (H2O) + CC --> CC + Fe
3O
4 + 4 H
2
Double advantage of using iron electrodes in the ACE cell
We know from results (ACE2.pdf) that most of the reaction product will be Fe3O4, and notFe2O3. So, for a good engineering estimate, we can concentrate only on the third equation:and that can be the focus on the students' research project.
1. Oxygen is sequestered in the liquid, therefore the ACE cell produces only hydrogen,and virtually no oxygen (no HHO).
2. The production of Fe3O
4 can produce hydrogen, as described on the previous page.
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APPENDIX G -- Electrode
lifetime
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Using the ACE cell described in this document, hydrogen input to the test vehicle rangesfrom 200 to 300 milliliters/minute, when travelling at a velocity of 60 MPH, consuming fuelat a rate of 34 MPG, obtaining a fuel savings of 30%. The fuel consumption rate is 34 MPGdivided by 60 MPH = 0.57 gallons/hour.
Using CC-HOD, at a hydrogen production rate of 250 milliliters/minute ( = 0.25 LPM ), thecalculations performed by Mr. Akshay Moholkar show that the rate of iron consumption is
0.39 g/min, water is consumed at a rate of 0.17 g/min and Fe3O
4 is produced at a rate of
approximately 0.54 g/min.
The use of the ACE cell described in this document uses electrolysis with small-area electrodes;
not CC-HOD. For the ACE cell, the ratio of electrically-produced hydrogen to chemicallyproduced hydrogen is approximately = E/C = 0.01 = 1%. Therefore, the calculation resultsof Mr. Moholkar, when applied to the ACE cell, approximates the production of hydrogen at250 milliliters/minute, corresponding to the following: The rate of iron consumption is
0.0039 g/min, water is consumed at a rate of 0.0017 g/min and Fe3O
4 is produced at a rate of
approximately 0.0054 g/min.
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If an electrodes is made of 3/4-inch iron pipe, the weight/foot is approximately 1.13 pounds.If the active-area length of the electrode is 8 inches (2/3 foot), the weight of the pipe in theactive region is approximately 0.75 pounds. There are 453.59232 grams in a pound, so theweight of the pipe in the active region is approximately 0.75 x 454 = 340 grams.
The active area is operated at a 50% duty cycle as an anode, because of polarity switchingresulting from the use of AC (not DC). This means the anode will be consumed (as fuel) atthe rate of 0.5 x 0.0039 g/min = 0.002 g/min.
We can assume that the anode is worn out when it is 90% consumed, and that will occurwhen 0.9 x 340 grams = 306 grams of iron anode is consumed.
The operating time required to consume 306 grams of iron anode is 306 grams divided by0.002 grams/min = 153000 minutes = 2500 hours of operation. This is approximately 100
days of operation of the electrodes, if they were operated 24 hours/day to produce
hydrogen at a rate of 250 milliliters/minute. At a higher rate of hydrogen production, the
result would be a proportionally shorter lifetime of the electrodes.
The above calculations for the small-electrode-area ACE cell assumed the ratio of electrically-produced hydrogen to chemically produced hydrogen to be approximately = E/C = 0.01 =
1%.
If E/C is assumed to be approximately = E/C = 0.02 = 2%, the operating time required toconsume 306 grams of iron anode is 306 grams divided by 0.004 grams/min = 1250 hours of
operation. 1% < C/D < 2% seems consistent with experimental observation for small-area-electrode ACE cells such as the one described in this document.
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APPENDIX H --
Commercial and novel uses
of Fe3O4
Fe3O
4 has commercial value
Fe3O
4 is sold as both a retail and wholesale product. Amazon.com is a seller of Fe
3O
4 .
Are there uses for Fe3O
4 ?
Fe3O
4 can be recycled to produce iron. Fe
3O
4 has found unique uses in a wide ranging field
of research. One field of research uses Fe3O
4 to vary the light transmission through windows,
using voltage control, as explained below.
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Fe3O
4 nanoparticle
Novel uses of Fe3O
4 -- Voltage-controlled window research
One field of research has shown that Fe3O
4 nanoparticles can be used to make windows that
transmit light (or not) by controlling a voltage that is applied directly to the windows.
Figure 15. Transmission vs. wavelength of Fe3O4 nanoparticle device at different voltages.http://www.seas.upenn.edu/sunfest/docs/papers/13-Knight-report.pdf
Now, we consider catalytic carbon
The information in this Appendix does not involve Catalytic Carbon. Below are someconsiderations combining Fe
3O
4 and Catalytic Carbon technologies.
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Fe3O
4 and Catalytic Carbon
The far-future research field includes the unusual reactions between nanoparticles andcarbon. We have not investigated this field of interest, but it seems interesting because wehold the patent for catalytic carbon.
The following is a photo and a reference from this field of research.
Figure 7. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of Fe3O4 nanoparticle in acarbon shell. During the heating process, carbon forms (light grey color) a shellaround the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. This combines the individually smaller Fe3O4nanoparticles (dark color) into a bigger particle shown.http://www.seas.upenn.edu/sunfest/docs/papers/13-Knight-report.pdf
New discovery / invention
The ACE cell is a new and less-costly method for fabrication of Fe3O
4 nanoparticles.
In the above voltage-controlled window research, 0.3g of Ferrocene (Fe(C5H
5)2 was added
to 30g (22ml) of acetone in an ultrasonic bath for 1 minute to ensure particle dispersion.
Next, 1.5ml of H2O
2 was added to the solution. The solution was then transferred to a
Teflon-lined enclosure and afterwards to an autoclave enclosure. The contents were heated at
200 degrees Celsius for 48 hours. The chemical reaction that takes place creates the Fe3O
4
nanoparticles. This appears to be a much more complex and expensive process for fabricating
Fe3O
4 nanoparticles than if an ACE cell were used. Summary: The ACE cell is a new and
less-costly method for fabrication of Fe3O
4 nanoparticles. This is not the purpose of the
cell, but rather a discovery that can make the development of nanotechnology less
expensive.
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APPENDIX I -- Related
Research
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Duayne wrote to me, saying, “This is the Peterbuilt that I am testing and getting 30% plusimprovement in mileage. The unit is in the black box.” This is not an ACE cell. Duaynehas experimented with both conventional membrane separator-cell electrolyzers and withCC-HOD. The experiments have shown that “hydrogen is hydrogen,” no matter how it isgenerated.
Will hydrogen improve the fuel economy on a large truck?
The answer is “yes.’ This work is being done by a colleague, Mr. Duayne Weiler, Tel. 707980 1187. He attended a hydrogen cell-design conference sponsored by Phillips Company.Soon after that, he began independently experimenting with his own hydrogen cell designon this large truck.
Peterbilt 2008.Hydrogen unit is inthe black box.
30 % mileage improvement experimentally
demonstrated using this truck.
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Duayne’s video is online athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hLPwW9Q2_w&feature=youtu.be
Peterbilt hydrogen system -- 30% improvement in MPG!
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APPENDIX J -- ACE cell
design in India
ACE cell designs are getting better as the ACE technology evolves. None is better thanwhat the CHES team in India is doing.
Advanced ACE cell design. Data provided with permission of the CHES group.
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CHES contact information:
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APPENDIX K -- Plans for
the future
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Possible Applications of the ACE cell
Large
MediumSmall
The ACE cell can be designed to operate in any of the three modes. For more informationon each mode, please see Fig A, Fig B, and Fig C on the previous pages.
For ACE cell engineering design and fabrication information:
www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HCC.pdf
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Current State of the Art -- ACE cell demonstration
Small Medium Large
Design Design Design
Cell fabriction Yes* Not yet Yes
Cell test Yes* Not yet Yes
Hardware application Yes* Not yet Not yet**Demonstrated. (Automobile)
* This document** For more information, please see www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/SFS.pdf
For ACE cell engineering design and fabrication information:
www.PhillipsCompany.4T.com/HCC.pdf
These plans for the future are the focus of several research groups
worldwide. They will lead; Phillips Company will assist.
Strategic alliances welcome.
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Our main business is pharmaceuticals. Business plan
information for that segment of our company:
http://www.phillipscompany.4t.com/BM.pdf
http://www.phillipscompany.4t.com/Plan.html
Email: [email protected]
Tel. 580 746 2430
HYDROGEN -- Take it to
the people
Phillips Company is an FDA-registered
pharmaceutical manufacturing company; the
world’s only not-for-profit pharmaceutical
company. We have licensed 21 new
pharmaceutical products to other companies
since 2009. We are not an energy company. We
are not a hardware-products company. We plan
to encourage other companies to take our
hydrogen fuel technology to the world.
Concept
- Application, opportunity, SWOT
- Improvement on SOTA
- Need for catalyst to obtain hydro-
gen fuel from water, using little
energy, once heated to start the
reaction.
Discovery and Development
- Formulation
- Patent issued for CC, August 2015
- Encourage inventors and developers to take
this technology to the people.
Field testing
- Buick test vehicle.
- Prove higher MPG
Commercialization
- Invite selected companies to
develop products using ACE cell
technology.
- Provide an easy-to-license
business environment.
- Allow commercialization by
other companies to “take it to the
world.”
Independent tests
- 45 evaluators, world wide
- Hydrogen purity tests
Value added
Establish strategic alliances
- Phillips Company is not a
hardware-product company.
- Invite other companies to
evaluate and develop the
technology.