DESC:[0022] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0023] The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for generating clean and safe oxyhydrogen mixture in-situ at the point of application.
[0024] The proposed invention which is unique in comparison with the existing methods of oxyhydrogen generation from alkaline electrolysis. In most of the applications which utilize hydrogen as a fuel, the compressed hydrogen bottles are used. Hydrogen produced from different energy sources is filled into these pressure bottles and they are transported to the various locations of hydrogen requirement. Storage of pressure bottles with compressed hydrogen is very dangerous. In the proposed method the generation of oxyhydrogen mixture is in situ at the point of application and this avoids the need of storage of any combustible gas.
[0025] Further to this, in the aerospace research domain, the hydrogen and oxygen gases are mixed during the time of operation and this mixing is almost always not homogeneous. In the present disclosed method, the hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced in stoichiometric quantity and there exists no problem of proper mixing ratios of the combustible gases.
[0026] Finally, the design of an oxyhydrogen generator using water electrolysis that allows the buildup of pressure in the system has not yet been reported earlier before. Most commercially available oxyhydrogen generators do not allow the accumulation of gases. Hence the proposed method of generating oxyhydrogen mixture is in situ and at the point of application is novel and unique.
[0027] The apparatus for generating the oxyhydrogen mixture in situ and at the point of application comprises of an electrolysis unit, a buffer chamber and one or more recirculation pipes connecting the electrolysis unit and the buffer chamber. The electrolysis unit generates the oxyhydrogen mixture through alkaline electrolysis process. Inside the electrolysis unit, at least four neutral plates are stacked between two sets of electrode plate. These set of 6 plates constitutes one electrolysis cell. Similarly, 6 cells are stacked and connected in series. Electrode plates and neutral plates are made out of stainless steel plates and an equal spacing of ~2 mmis maintained between the electrodes and the neutral plates by using electrical insulators.
[0028] In the electrolysis chamber, about 7M potassium hydroxide solution (400 g of KOH in 1 l of distilled water) is used as electrolyte for producing oxyhydrogen gas. The chemical reactions at the anode and the cathode during electrolysis are indicated below:

Reaction at the cathode:
2H2O(l) + 2e- ? H2(g) + 2OH-(aq)
Reaction at the anode:
4OH- (aq) ? O2(g) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-
The overall reaction of the water electrolysis can be written as
2H2O(l) ? 2H2(g) + O2(g)

[0029] During the electrolysis process, the hydrogen and the oxygen gases are produced at the cathode and the anode, respectively. Since both these electrodes are confined to a single chamber, the hydrogen and the oxygen gases get collected above the electrolyte solution.
[0030] The electrolyte circulates from the buffer chamber to the electrolysis unit by means of the recirculation pipes. The generated oxyhydrogen mixture is collected above the electrolyte level in the buffer chamber by the downward displacement of the electrolyte. This ensures that only clean oxyhydrogen bubbles are out in the electrolyte. The generated oxyhydrogen mixture can be tapped from the top of the buffer chamber and drawn out through oxyhydrogen gas outlet.
[0031] Further, the power requirement for the generation of oxyhydrogen mixture is quite low in comparison with the commercially available oxyhydrogen generators. A voltage and current rating of 10V and 10 A is sufficient for this application and the outer vessel and the valves are capable of withstanding high pressures of the order of 500 bar.

[0032] FIG.1 illustrates a schematic view of the overall assembly of the oxyhydrogen generation according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment, the oxyhydrogen generator comprises of the electrolysis unit 101, the buffer chamber 102 and the recirculation pipes 103. The electrolysis unit comprises of at least four neutral plates 203 which are stacked between two sets of electrode plate 201. This set of 6 plates constitutes one electrolysis cell. Similarly, 6 cells are stacked and connected in series as shown in the figure 1. Electrode plates 201 and neutral plates 203 are made out of stainless steel plates. An equal spacing of ~2 mmis maintained between the electrodes 201 and the neutral plates 203 by using electrical insulators. About 7M potassium hydroxide solution (400 g of KOH in 1 l of distilled water) is used as an electrolyte. The chemical reactions at the anode and the cathode of the electrolysis unit 101 during electrolysis enable to generate the hydrogen and the oxygen gases at the cathode and anode points. Since both these electrodes are confined to a single chamber, the hydrogen and oxygen gases get collected above the electrolyte solution in the electrolysis unit 101.
[0033] FIG.2 illustrates a schematic view of the cross-section of the electrolysis unit of the oxyhydrogen generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment, the electrolysis unit 101, comprises of at least four neutral plates 203 and are stacked between two sets of electrode plate 201 (Electrode plate and End Electrode Plate). These set of 6 plates constitutes one electrolysis cell. Similarly, 6 cells are stacked and connected in series as shown in the figure 2. Electrode plates 201 and neutral plates 203 are made out of stainless steel plates and an equal spacing of ~2 mmis maintained between the electrodes 201 and the neutral plates 203 by using electrical insulators 202. About 7M potassium hydroxide solution (400 g of KOH in 1 l of distilled water) is used as electrolyte.

The chemical reactions at the anode and the cathode inside the electrolysis chamber during electrolysis are represented below.
Reaction at the cathode:
2H2O(l) + 2e- ? H2(g) + 2OH-(aq)
Reaction at the anode:
4OH- (aq) ? O2(g) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-
The overall reaction of the water electrolysis can be written as
2H2O(l) ? 2H2(g) + O2(g)

[0034] As a result of the chemical reaction, the hydrogen and the oxygen gases are produced at the cathode and anode, respectively. Since both these electrodes are confined to a single chamber, the hydrogen and oxygen gases get collected above the electrolyte solution.
[0035] FIG.3 illustrates a schematic view of the buffer chamber of the oxyhydrogen generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment, the buffer chamber 102 accommodates the electrolyte. The electrolyte circulates from the buffer chamber 102 to the electrolysis unit 101 by means of the recirculation pipes 103 shown in the figure 1. The generated oxyhydrogen mixture is collected above the electrolyte level in the buffer chamber 102 by the downward displacement of the electrolyte. This ensures that only clean oxyhydrogen bubbles are out in the electrolyte. The generated oxyhydrogen mixture can be tapped from the top of the buffer chamber 302.
[0036] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. ,CLAIMS:We claim,
1. An apparatus for generating the oxyhydrogen mixture in situ and at the point of application, the apparatus comprises of:
an electrolysis unit;
a buffer chamber; and
one or more recirculation pipes connecting the electrolysis unit and the buffer chamber.
wherein, the electrolysis unit generates the oxyhydrogen mixture through alkaline electrolysis process in which the hydrogen and the oxygen gases are produced at the cathode and the anode and since both these electrodes are confined to a single camber, the hydrogen and the oxygen gases get collected above the electrolyte solution and the electrolyte circulates from the buffer chamber to the electrolysis unit by means of the recirculation pipes and the generated oxyhydrogen mixture is collected above the electrolyte level in the buffer chamber by the downward displacement of the electrolyte.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrolysis unit comprises of at least four neutral plates and are stacked between two sets of electrode plate.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 6 plates of the electrolysis unit constitutes one electrolysis cell.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the 6 cells are stacked and connected in series.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode plates and neutral plates are made out of stainless steel plates and has an equal spacing of ~2 mmis maintained between the electrodes and the neutral plates by using electrical insulators.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein about 7M potassium hydroxide solution (400 g of KOH in 1 l of distilled water) is used as an electrolyte in the electrolyte chamber.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chemical reactions at the anode and the cathode during electrolysis enable in production of the hydrogen and the oxygen gases at the cathode and the anode points, respectively.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as the electrodes are confined to a single chamber, the hydrogen and the oxygen gases get collected above the electrolyte solution.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte circulates from the buffer chamber to the electrolysis unit by means of the recirculation pipes and the generated oxyhydrogen mixture is collected above the electrolyte level in the buffer chamber by the downward displacement of the electrolyte.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus for generating the oxyhydrogen mixture in situ and at the point of application ensures that only clean oxyhydrogen bubbles are out in the electrolyte and the generated oxyhydrogen mixture can be tapped from the top of the buffer chamber and drawn out through oxyhydrogen gas outlet.