DESC:FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a method of high purity oxygen production/generation using electrolytically stable aqueous salts in presence of catalyst. The invention further relates to fabrication of oxygen maker that enables to generate high purity oxygen both on small scale and industrial scale in medical emergencies using electrolytically stable aqueous salts in presence of catalyst in a cost effective manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
High purity oxygen is a crucial for treatment of patients with severe lung function. One of the symptoms is breathlessness which can be followed by pneumonia as the lungs fill with fluid and could result in death.

Getting oxygen supply in hospitals for individuals who are in respiratory distress is critical. Many poor and middle class families cannot afford the price of oxygen cylinders or re-filling costs.

The chemically generated oxygen is generally produced from Potassium super-oxide/Sodium chlorate iron mixture, catalytically decomposing oxygen rich compounds or electrolysing water. The oxygen produced by electrolysis of water using NaOH is very less and cannot resolve the oxygen demand during any medical emergency created.

Therefore, providing pure, contaminant-free supplemental oxygen in medical emergency or other situations by reliable and simple-to-operate system is essential and need of the art.

To meet the huge demand for oxygen in such medical emergencies the present inventors researched diligently towards a method of making pure oxygen in a cost effective manner which could help in reducing the Oxygen Shortage in hospitals and medical centers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In accordance with the above the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method of generating maximum amount of high purity oxygen using electrolytically stable aqueous salts in presence of catalyst.

In an aspect, the present invention provides a method of generating oxygen at working electrodes by electrolysis of aqueous salt solution containing cobalt salt as catalyst. After electrolysis the dissolved oxygen is measured with a dissolved oxygen (DO) meter.

Accordingly, the method of producing oxygen comprises;
1. Passing the current (AC) to the step down transformer wherein the output current from the transformer is fed to the positive and negative inputs of the diode bridge;
2. Converting the AC current passed into the diode bridge to DC current and passing the output current of the diode bridge to the cathode and anode dipped in aqueous salt solution containing the catalyst;
3. Collecting the oxygen evolved at cathode through the oxygen outlet and releasing the hydrogen evolved at anode through hydrogen outlet in air.

In another aspect, the present invention provides the oxygen maker comprising of two electrical major components;
1. Step down transformer which reduces the voltage at output( secondary coil) end after receiving high voltage at Input (primary coil); and
2. Diode bridge also called as rectifier that converts AC current to DC current.

Accordingly the oxygen maker device assembly of the present invention comprises;
1. Step down transformer which reduces the voltage at output( secondary coil) end after receiving high voltage at Input (primary coil);
2. Diode bridge also called as rectifier that converts AC current to DC current;
3. The container within the cylindrical box containing the two screws as electrodes wherein one screw is connected to the positive output of diode bridge and another is connected to the negative output of the diode bridge, and
4. A cylindrical box with both end closed except three outlets to collect oxygen and hydrogen and inlet of water containing the said container with electrodes and the electrolyte.

The oxygen maker of the present invention comprises the following components;
1. 5 Gauge Red wire ( positive indication) & Yellow Wire ( Negative indication)
2. Conducting Two Screw of 10 inch long and 1/4 inch radius that act as electrodes
3. One Transformer ( IN 240V and Out 24V with 2A current )
4. One Diode Bridge of 6A and 500V
5. One CVC pipe small
6. One Transparent Cylindrical Box
7. One Cyphonically connected water inlet.
8. Water
9. Mixture of Cobalt Salts and Base as catalyst
10. NaOH solution and 1-10 mg of persulfate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Fig 1: Cyclic Voltammogramm of 0.05M concentration of NaOH solution and 1-10 mg of persulfate for blank experiment.
Fig 2: Cyclic voltammogram of Cobalt acetate used as a catalyst for O2 evolution.
Fig 3: Cyclic voltammogram of Cobalt chloride
Fig 4: Cyclic voltammogramof Ruthenium chloride
Fig 5: Cyclic voltammogram of Ferric chloride
Fig 6: Cyclic voltammogram of mixture of Cobalt chloride, Ruthenium chloride and Ferric chloride
Fig 7: The amount of dissolved oxygen in each of the electrolyzed solutions.
Fig 8: Step Down transformer
Fig 9: Diode bridge also called Rectifier
Fig 10: Electrolysis of water
Fig A: Assembly of Step down transformer connected to the diode bridge
Fig B: Assembly of Step down transformer connected to the diode bridge connected to two screws (cathode and anode)
Fig C: The assembly of Step down transformer connected to the diode bridge connected to two screws (cathode and anode) connected to the AC current input.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to optional and preferred embodiments so that various aspects of the invention will be more clearly understood, however, should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention relates to a method of generating/producing pure oxygen at working electrodes using electrolytically stable aqueous salts and the catalyst. The method of the present invention is simple, cost effective, can be implemented at home as well as is scalable. The method of producing oxygen by the present invention could meet the demand for supplemental oxygen in medical emergencies.

The present invention further relate to the oxygen maker comprising only two electrical major components for electrolysing the water and generating Oxygen and Hydrogen.

Experimental:
1. Method of producing oxygen:
With reference to the Figs A, B and C, the step down transformer (Fig A) is connected to the positive output of diode bridge and another to the negative output of the diode bridge (B), which together forms a rectifier circuitry. The diode bridge (6A, 500V) (Rectifier) is connected to the cylinder box or the container containing an electrode assembly, wherein the cathode, and the anode of the electrode assembly are dipped in aqueous salt solution as electrolyte and cobalt salt as catalyst (Fig C). The oxygen maker described above is then connected to the power supply (AC) of 220V. The voltage at the primary side of the step down circuit is 220V, whereas the voltage at the secondary side of the step down circuit is 24V, which is further fed to the rectifier circuit.

The rectifier circuit converts AC current to DC current for a fixed voltage and current supply. The output of the rectifier circuit is fed to two screws of 10 inch long and 1/4inch radius, which act as electrodes, positive and negative each. The current flows directly into the electrodes dipped in the aqueous salt solution as electrolyte and cobalt salt as catalyst. Oxygen is evolved at the cathode (positive output of the diode bridge connected to a screw kept inside a both open end container kept in a big container both end sealed except two outlets) and hydrogen at anode ( negative output of the diode bridge connected to a screw kept inside a big container both end sealed except two outlets). The evolved oxygen is collected through the pipe fitted on to the jar and the hydrogen is released in the air. The oxygen outlet and the hydrogen outlet are maintained at a distance since hydrogen can ignite on its own.

The amount of oxygen evolved is measured in terms of dissolved oxygen using DO meter.

The oxygen generated /produced by the process of the present invention is pure and of medical standard for use in medical emergencies. Using the present oxygen maker device and the process in proximity with the individual needing oxygen, so that once flowing a patient may begin to breathe the oxygen via a mask or nasal cannula in fluid communication with the device.

The present invention further relates to Oxygen evolution reaction catalyst comprising the cobalt salts selected from cobalt acetate or cobalt phosphate.

The aqueous salt solution in the process is selected from Cobalt chloride, Ruthenium chloride, Ferric chloride or mixtures thereof of suitable concentration.

The catalyst in the process is selected from cobalt salts such as cobalt acetate, cobalt phosphate in suitable amount.

Experimental studies show that maximum amount of dissolved oxygen of about 38.52mg/L was obtained in the process using cobalt acetate as catalyst (Fig 7).

2. Comparison of cyclic voltammogram of aqueous salt solution containing cobalt acetate as the catalyst and cyclic voltammogram of the aqueous salt solutions alone.

The cyclic voltammogram of oxygen evolution using cobalt acetate as catalyst was performed (Fig 2).

The cyclic Voltammetry with 0.05M concentration of NaOH solution and 1-10 mg of persulfate was run as blank. Persulfate was used to stabilize the redox reduction (Fig 1).

Figure 3,4,5 and 6 represents the cyclic voltagramm of Cobalt chloride, Ruthenium chloride, Ferric chloride and a mixture of all of them.

It is observed that cobalt acetate induces better electron transfer during the redox reaction that results in higher amount of oxygen evolution.

3. Oxygen Maker Device:
The oxygen maker device of the present invention which comprises of two major electrical components is described herein below:

a) Step Down Transformer
As shown in Fig 8, the step down transformer comprises input primary coil and the output secondary coil. The step down transformer reduces the voltage at output (secondary coil) end after receiving high voltage at Input (primary coil) from AC source.
b) Diode bridge also called Rectifier
The Diode Bridge has four arms as described in Fig 9. Rectifier is a device used to convert AC current into DC current. The Output current of Step down transformer is AC current. Now, to turn AC current into DC the Diode Bridge is used. The Positive DC output is fed to one screw pipe inside the box and Negative to another screw attached directly inside and with the box.
c) Container with the diodes
The container within the cylindrical box is an open end container on both sides containing the two screws 10 inch long and 1/4 inch radius as electrodes wherein one screw is connected to the positive output of diodebridge and another is connected to the negative output of the diode bridge.
d) Cylindrical box
The cylindrical box is closed or sealed at both ends except three outlets to collect oxygen and hydrogen and inlet of water. The inlet is connected cyphonically to balance the level of the solution (water, catalyst).
Advantages:
• Use of catalyst that results in higher production of oxygen both on small scale as well as on commercial scale;
• Use of only two major electrical components in the oxygen maker device which makes it economical and feasible both on small scale as well as on commercial scale.
Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be limited by the claims.
,CLAIMS:1. A cost effective process of producing oxygen of high purity comprising electrolysis of the aqueous salt solution selected from Cobalt chloride, Ruthenium chloride, Ferric chloride or mixtures thereof as electrolyte in presence of cobalt salt as catalyst, wherein the evolved oxygen at the cathode is collected and the hydrogen evolved at anode is released in the air.
2. The cost effective process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cobalt salt is cobalt acetate or cobalt phosphate.
3. The cost effective process as claimed in claims 1 and 2, comprising;
(i) Passing the current (AC) to the step down transformer wherein the output current from the transformer is fed to the positive and negative inputs of the diode bridge;
(ii) Converting the AC current passed into the diode bridge to DC current and passing the output current of the diode bridge to the cathode and anode dipped in said aqueous salt solution containing said catalyst; and
(iii) Collecting the oxygen evolved at cathode through the oxygen outlet and releasing the hydrogen evolved at anode through hydrogen outlet in air.
4. An apparatus for production of pure oxygen comprising:
an electronic circuitry adapted to generate a required electrical power, wherein the circuitry comprises of a step down circuit and a rectifier circuit;
an electrode assembly configured to receive the required electrical power generated by the electronic circuitry, and is dipped in a solution containing an aqueous salt solution as a stable electrolyte and the catalyst, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a positive electrode and a negative electrode; and
a cylindrical container provided with at least three inlets, wherein a first inlet is adapted to receive oxygen, a second inlet is adapted to receive hydrogen after electrolysis, and a third inlet adapted to receive water.
5. Oxygen evolution reaction catalyst comprising the cobalt salts selected from cobalt acetate or cobalt phosphate.