Improvements in or relating to apparatus for effecting a gas/liquid reaction

摘要

Apparatus in which reaction takes place between a gas and a liquid within a porous substance contains means for effecting oscillatory motion of the gas/liquid interface within the pores of the substance. The porous substance may be a catalyst and/or an electrode. The motion may be obtained by (1) applying a pulsating pressure to the gas; as shown in Fig. 4, a fuel cell comprises container 20 with porous electrodes 21 separating liquid electrolyte 22 from gas spaces 23, the pressure in one of which is varied by applying a pulsating pressure by piston 25 via pipe 24; (2) applying an alternating electric field across the gas/liquid interface; as shown in Fig. 5, an alternating potential is applied from source 35 through leads 34 to electrodes 31; (3) applying sonic or supersonic vibrations to the liquid; as shown in Fig. 6, sonic or ultrasonic signals are applied to transducer 44 in liquid electrolyte 41. Fuel gases referred to are hydrogen, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, and oxidants referred to are air and pure oxygen. Liquid electrolytes referred to are molten alkali metal carbonates and aqueous solutions of potassium hydroxide.