METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING HYDROGEN

摘要

Electrodes are immersed within oil which forms a layer over a quantity of water. Means are provided to maintain a constant distance between the electrode ends and the liquid interface which forms between the oil layer and quantity of water. When current is passed between the electrodes which are held to a predetermined gap from the interfacial surface between the oil and water, water is caused to undergo electrodecomposition. Gaseous hydrogen is then recovered in the sealed space above the oil-water layers and the oxygen is caused to react with constituents in the oil layer. Consequently there is produced continuously a quantity of hydrogen which is separately collected and is usable in gaseous form. The utility of the present invention is that it provides a ready means for producing hydrogen from petroleum stock by utilizing electrical energy only. While it is known to effect electrical decomposition of water by passing a current therethrough, this is the first teaching of a method of using both an oil layer and a water layer with the electrodes disposed a critical distance from the immiscible boundary between the oil layer and the water layer and effecting by electrical means a decomposition which produces a reliable supply of hydrogen.