Process and device for producing hydrogen

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and a device for producing hydrogen gas from water and carbon. The process is characterized by introducing steam and powdered carbon in stoichiometric ratio of carbon to water into a preheated oxidization chamber ( 2 ) in such a way that a gas plasma is produced in which the steam is decomposed into its hydrogen and oxygen gas components and oxygen is combined with carbon to form carbon dioxide gas in an exothermic reaction at temperatures above 2000° C., and separating the carbon dioxide gas from the hydrogen gas. Accordingly, the device for conducting this process comprises an oxidization chamber ( 2 ) defined in a hollow body ( 1 ) made of a material withstanding temperatures above 2000° C., said oxidization chamber being provided with means ( 3, 16 ) for preheating the oxidization chamber and having at least one inlet port ( 9 ) for introducing steam into the oxidization chamber, at least one inlet port ( 10 ) for introducing powdered carbon into the oxidization chamber, and at least one exit port ( 14 ) for carrying off generated hydrogen gas and/or generated carbon dioxide gas from the oxidization chamber.

1 . Process for producing hydrogen gas from water and carbon, comprising: 
 introducing steam and powdered carbon in stoichiometric ratio of carbon to water into a preheated oxidization chamber ( 2 ) in such a way that a gas plasma is produced in which the steam is decomposed into its hydrogen and oxygen gas components and oxygen is combined with carbon to form carbon dioxide gas in an exothermic reaction at temperatures above 2000° C., and    separating the carbon dioxide gas from the hydrogen gas.    
     
     
         2 . Process according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 preheating the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) by introducing a fuel gas into the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).    
     
     
         3 . Process according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the gas plasma is present in the form of an implosion vortex having a high spin rate.  
     
     
         4 . Process according to one of  claims 1  to  3 , further comprising: 
 recirculating of partially oxidized carbon particles and/or carbon monoxide gas into the gas plasma.  
 
     
     
         5 . Process according to one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the separation of the generated hydrogen gas from other gas components and/or carbon particles is caused by the gas plasma forming an implosion vortex having a high spin rate.  
     
     
         6 . Process according to one of  claims 1  to  5 , further characterized by the use of an electrostatic arc across the gas plasma in order to fill valence electrons into the gas plasma constituents.  
     
     
         7 . Process according to one of  claims 1  to  6 , further characterized by cooling the generated hydrogen gas in a heat exchanger, and using the heat carried off in the heat exchanger for the preheating of water which is transformed into steam.  
     
     
         8 . Process according to one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the generated hydrogen gas is treated with magnetic fields to spin synchronize and stabilize as the hydrogen gas is cooled.  
     
     
         9 . Device for producing hydrogen gas from water and carbon, which comprises: 
 an oxidization chamber ( 2 ) defined in a hollow body ( 1 ) made of a material withstanding temperatures above 2000° C., said oxidization chamber ( 2 ) being provided with means ( 3 ,  16 ) for preheating the oxidization chamber and having at least one inlet port ( 9 ) for introducing steam into the oxidization chamber,    at least one inlet port ( 10 ) for introducing powdered carbon into the oxidization chamber, and    at least one exit port ( 14 ) for carrying off generated hydrogen gas and/or generated carbon dioxide gas from the oxidization chamber.    
     
     
         10 . Device according to  claim 9 , wherein the means for preheating the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) consists of at least one inlet port ( 3 ) for introducing air and fuel and of means ( 16 ) for igniting an air-fuel mixture.  
     
     
         11 . Device according to  claim 9  or  10 , wherein the at least one inlet port ( 9 ) for introducing steam into the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is designed to produce a vortex in the oxidization chamber.  
     
     
         12 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  11 , wherein the at least one inlet port for introducing steam into the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is provided with an omni nozzle ( 9 ) and a vortex generator ( 7 ).  
     
     
         13 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  12 , wherein a steam generating chamber ( 5 ) is arranged around the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         14 . Device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the steam generating chamber ( 5 ) is arranged concentrically with respect to the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         15 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  14 , wherein the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is provided with a recirculation path ( 12 ) arranged around the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) for recirculating partially oxidized carbon particles and/or carbon monoxide gas into the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         16 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  15 , wherein the hollow body ( 1 ) defining the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is composed of a high densified ceramic construction.  
     
     
         17 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  16 , wherein the hollow body ( 1 ) defining the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is composed of several sections that are fused together into a monolithic unit.  
     
     
         18 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  17 , wherein the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is provided with electrodes ( 16 ,  17 ) for producing an electrostatic arc within the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         19 . Device according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrodes consist of a tungsten ring ( 17 ) arranged adjacent to the exit port ( 14 ) for carrying off generated hydrogen gas, and of two further electrodes ( 16 ) arranged adjacent to an inlet port ( 3 ) for introducing fuel gas into the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         20 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  19 , further comprising a heat exchanger for cooling the generated hydrogen has.  
     
     
         21 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  20 , further comprising means for producing magnetic fields to spin synchronize and stabilize the generated hydrogen gas as the hydrogen gas is cooled.  
     
     
         22 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  21 , wherein the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is provided with an exit port ( 14 ) for carrying off generated hydrogen gas from the oxidization chamber, said exit port ( 14 ) being arranged adjacent to the inner wall of the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         23 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  22 , wherein the oxidization chamber ( 2 ) is provided with an exit port ( 15 ) for carrying off generated carbon dioxide gas from the oxidization chamber, said exit port ( 15 ) being arranged adjacent to the centre line of the oxidization chamber ( 2 ).  
     
     
         24 . Device according to one of  claims 9  to  22 , further comprising a separator for separating generated hydrogen gas from generated carbon dioxide gas, said separator having a chamber with at least one inlet port for introducing combined hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases into the chamber of the separator, at least one exit port for carrying off separated hydrogen gas from the chamber of the separator and at least one exit port for carrying off separated carbon dioxide gas from the chamber of the separator, with the inlet port of the chamber of the separator being connected via a conduit with the exit port of the oxidization chamber.