Electrolytic supplemental fuel generation for motor vehicles

Claim 1

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water, said gas producing means having a separate tank system for storing an aqueous electrolyte solution in reservoirs and for separately storing each component gas decomposed from the aqueous electrolyte solution, said gas producing means further having an electrolyzing system including a series of electrolysis cells having closely spaced electrodes in a stacked array and including means piping derived gases from the electrolysis cells to the respective reservoirs and means piping aqueous electrolyte solution from the reservoirs to the series of electrolysis cells, said means forming said gases by the electrolysis of water, said device further comprising a means to generate linear alternations of electrical current for conduction to said gas producing means, said means to generate electrical current being activated by heat from exhaust means of said internal combustion engine, said electrical generating means being positioned adjacent said exhaust means, means for conducting said electrical current to said gas producing means and means to transport said gases from the separate tank system to the internal combustion engine, each of the electrolyte cells comprising a gas barrier performing as an ion exchange member when sandwiched between two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes, hollow annular members in turn sandwiching the assembly of electrodes and the gas barrier, and an elastomeric gasket bounded and sealed about said cells.

Claim 2

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water, said gas producing means having a separate tank system for storing an aqueous electrolyte solution in reservoirs and for separately storing each component gas decomposed from the aqueous electrolyte solution, said gas producing means further having an electrolyzing system including a series of electrolysis cells having closely spaced electrodes in a stacked array and including means piping derived gases from the electrolysis cells to the respective reservoirs and means piping aqueous electrolyte solution from the reservoirs to the series of electrolysis cells, said means forming said gases by the electrolysis of water, said device further comprising a means to generate linear alternations of electrical current for conduction to said gas producing means, said means to generate electrical current being activated by heat from exhaust means of said internal combustion engine, said electrical generating means being positioned adjacent said exhaust means, means for conducting said electrical current to said gas producing means and means to transport said gases from the separate tank system to the internal combustion engine, each of the electrolyte cells comprising a gas barrier performing as an ion exchange member when sandwiched between two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes, hollow annular members in turn sandwiching the assembly of electrodes and the gas barrier, and an elastomeric gasket bounded and sealed about said cells.

Claim 5

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, the series of electrolysis cells being comprised of a series of high temperature thermal set plastic discs between a pair of which is an electrode package of two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes separate by an ion exchange membrane gas barrier means and electrically insulating separator disc means interposed between an adjacent pair of discs.

Claim 6

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, the series of electrolysis cells being comprised of a series of high temperature thermal set plastic discs between a pair of which is an electrode package of two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes separate by an ion exchange membrane gas barrier means and electrically insulating separator disc means interposed between an adjacent pair of discs.

Claim 7

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, and means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, each of the cells has their electrodes and the gas barrier means sealed by a rubber gasket.

Claim 8

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, and means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, each of the cells has their electrodes and the gas barrier means sealed by a rubber gasket.

Claim 9

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, each of the electrolyte cells comprising a gas barrier performing as an ion exchange member when sandwiched between two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes, hollow annular members in turn sandwiching the assembly of electrodes and the gas barrier, and an elastomeric gasket bounded and sealed about said cells.

Claim 10

A device in combination with an internal combustion engine for electrolytically supplying supplemental fuel thereto comprising means to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas from water by the electrolysis of water and having a series of electrolysis cells, each of the cells having a pair of closely spaced electrodes contained in a supply of water and further having separate oxygen and hydrogen ports for exiting the respective gases, the respective ports being positioned in each of the cells adjacent a respective one of the closely spaced electrodes, means applying a different electrical potential to each of the electrodes in each of the cells for the cells to produce oxygen and hydrogen gas, separate storage container means supplying water to the series of electrolysis cells and separately collecting the oxygen and hydrogen gas from the separate oxygen and hydrogen ports, means to generate linear alternations of electrical current coupled to the respective electrodes of the gas producing means and the means generating electrical current being so integrally positioned in the path of the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine to be activated by direct heat exchange means, means to transport said gases from the respective oxygen and hydrogen ports to a carburetor of the internal combustion engine, each of the electrolyte cells comprising a gas barrier performing as an ion exchange member when sandwiched between two solid nickel wire mesh electrodes, hollow annular members in turn sandwiching the assembly of electrodes and the gas barrier, and an elastomeric gasket bounded and sealed about said cells.