CA1053606A - Welding - Google Patents
WeldingInfo
- Publication number
- CA1053606A CA1053606A CA205,229A CA205229A CA1053606A CA 1053606 A CA1053606 A CA 1053606A CA 205229 A CA205229 A CA 205229A CA 1053606 A CA1053606 A CA 1053606A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- chamber
- oxygen
- cell
- hydrogen
- electrodes
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K7/00—Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames
- B23K7/08—Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames by applying additional compounds or means favouring the cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing procedure
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K28/00—Welding or cutting not covered by any of the preceding groups, e.g. electrolytic welding
- B23K28/02—Combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
- B23K35/22—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting characterised by the composition or nature of the material
- B23K35/38—Selection of media, e.g. special atmospheres for surrounding the working area
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K9/00—Arc welding or cutting
- B23K9/013—Arc cutting, gouging, scarfing or desurfacing
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
- C25B1/01—Products
- C25B1/02—Hydrogen or oxygen
- C25B1/04—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
- C25B1/01—Products
- C25B1/02—Hydrogen or oxygen
- C25B1/04—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
- C25B1/044—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water producing mixed hydrogen and oxygen gas, e.g. Brown's gas [HHO]
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B11/00—Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25B15/00—Operating or servicing cells
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
- Y02E60/36—Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure This invention relates to welding, brazing or the like utilising a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen generated in substantially stoichiometric proportions in an electrolytic cell by electrical dissociation of water, the mixture so generated being passed from the generator through a flash-back arrestor and thence to a burner where the gases are ignited. The invention also relates to atomic welding in which the above mentioned mixture is passed through an arc causing dissociation of both the hydrogen and oxygen into atomic hydrogen and oxygen which on recombination generate an intensely hot flame.
Description
This invention relates to welding, brazing and the like, utilising hxdrogen and oxygen, and extends to such applications as oxy-welding, oxy-cutting, atomic welding, and welding ox cutting in co~ination with electric arc tech-niques. The invention also provides for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen for the a~ovementioned applications in com~ination t~ere~ith or separatel~.
A most important application of the invention is atomic weld~ng utilising the properties of atomic oxygen in co~bination with atomic hydrogen (for welding) or atomic oxy-gen separately (for cutting). This particular application of the invention is based, among other things, on the appre-ciation that considerable energy is associated with the dis-sociation of molecular oxygen into atomic oxygen by passing this gas through an arc, and that this property can be use-fully employed to generate temperatures even higher than those previously attainable with, for example, an atomic hydrogen flame. The significance of the energy which can be obtained in this way can be appreciated from the following reactions that take place, and the heat energies associated therewith, when hydrogen and oxygen are both passed through an electric arc. Thus:
H2~ H + H absorbl~ng 101,000 cal. per gram mole
A most important application of the invention is atomic weld~ng utilising the properties of atomic oxygen in co~bination with atomic hydrogen (for welding) or atomic oxy-gen separately (for cutting). This particular application of the invention is based, among other things, on the appre-ciation that considerable energy is associated with the dis-sociation of molecular oxygen into atomic oxygen by passing this gas through an arc, and that this property can be use-fully employed to generate temperatures even higher than those previously attainable with, for example, an atomic hydrogen flame. The significance of the energy which can be obtained in this way can be appreciated from the following reactions that take place, and the heat energies associated therewith, when hydrogen and oxygen are both passed through an electric arc. Thus:
H2~ H + H absorbl~ng 101,000 cal. per gram mole
2- > ~ O absorbing 117,000 cal. per gram mole total 218,000 cal. per gram mole On recombination of these atoms this energy is re-leased as heat through a number of complex chemical reactions and results in an extremely high flame temperature.
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1o536o6 Previously it would not haYe been considered possible to pract~call~ pas~ ox~gen or a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen together through an arc due to the highly explosive or in-flammable nature o~ such gases. However in accoxdance with the concepts of the present invention this is indeed both possible and practical and, as mentioned above, enables the realisation of much higher welding or cutting temperatures than hitherto obtainable by known practical means.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby hydrogen and oxygen can be generated quickly and conveniently for immediate use for welding, etc., without many of the disadvantages associ-ated with conventional gas welding practice. For example, the practice of employing cylinders (or "bottles")of gas, usually oxygen and acetylene can have significant disadvan-tages, particularly for users working remote from a supply depot and for whom there might be an appreciable delay be-tween the placing of an order for a delivery of gas and the actual delivery. For such users, in order to ensure an ade-quate supply of gas when a particular job demands it, it isoften necessary to order fresh supplies in advance, even be-fore the supply on hand is fully used, or else risk running out of gas before a job is completed. Since bottles of gas are generally delivered on a strictly exchange basis - in that a used bottle must be returned in exchange for arefilled bottle - the practice can mean a significant waste, as far as the user is concerned, if bottles containing useful amounts of unused gas have to be returned to the supplier.
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1o536o6 Previously it would not haYe been considered possible to pract~call~ pas~ ox~gen or a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen together through an arc due to the highly explosive or in-flammable nature o~ such gases. However in accoxdance with the concepts of the present invention this is indeed both possible and practical and, as mentioned above, enables the realisation of much higher welding or cutting temperatures than hitherto obtainable by known practical means.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby hydrogen and oxygen can be generated quickly and conveniently for immediate use for welding, etc., without many of the disadvantages associ-ated with conventional gas welding practice. For example, the practice of employing cylinders (or "bottles")of gas, usually oxygen and acetylene can have significant disadvan-tages, particularly for users working remote from a supply depot and for whom there might be an appreciable delay be-tween the placing of an order for a delivery of gas and the actual delivery. For such users, in order to ensure an ade-quate supply of gas when a particular job demands it, it isoften necessary to order fresh supplies in advance, even be-fore the supply on hand is fully used, or else risk running out of gas before a job is completed. Since bottles of gas are generally delivered on a strictly exchange basis - in that a used bottle must be returned in exchange for arefilled bottle - the practice can mean a significant waste, as far as the user is concerned, if bottles containing useful amounts of unused gas have to be returned to the supplier.
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., ~05360~i The practice of using bottled gas also has associ-ated with it a large num~er of other problems such as the possibility of gas leaking from bottles, possibility of in-dustrial disputes which can result in severe delays in deli-very and in supply shorta~es, liaBilities, high purchase and storage costs, freight charges, and so on.
To illustrate some of the conditions which the con-sumer o~ bottle gas must put up with, listed below is a sum-mary of the "conditions o~ sale" which apply to the sale and distribution of bottled gas.
(a) The cylinder remains the sole property of the sup-plier, which reta~ns the right to exercise at any time its proprietary po~ers in its discretion.
~ b) All cylinders and contents are forwarded at the expense and risk offfie customers.
(c~ It is the responsibility of the customers to pro-vide adequate labour for the loading and unloading of all cylinders at the premises.
(d) Cylinders are to be returned to the supplier as soon as empty, carriage and freight charges paid.
~ e) A cylinder is not 'returned' until received by the supplier at its works or warehouse or by its truck and a re-ceipt on the supplier's form given for the same. No docu-ment purporting to be a receipt for anys~ch cylinder shall be valid unless it is the supplier's printed form of receipt (f) Cylinders are not transferable and must not beused for any purpose other than as containers for the gas sold by the supplier and must not be delivered or sent for
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., ~05360~i The practice of using bottled gas also has associ-ated with it a large num~er of other problems such as the possibility of gas leaking from bottles, possibility of in-dustrial disputes which can result in severe delays in deli-very and in supply shorta~es, liaBilities, high purchase and storage costs, freight charges, and so on.
To illustrate some of the conditions which the con-sumer o~ bottle gas must put up with, listed below is a sum-mary of the "conditions o~ sale" which apply to the sale and distribution of bottled gas.
(a) The cylinder remains the sole property of the sup-plier, which reta~ns the right to exercise at any time its proprietary po~ers in its discretion.
~ b) All cylinders and contents are forwarded at the expense and risk offfie customers.
(c~ It is the responsibility of the customers to pro-vide adequate labour for the loading and unloading of all cylinders at the premises.
(d) Cylinders are to be returned to the supplier as soon as empty, carriage and freight charges paid.
~ e) A cylinder is not 'returned' until received by the supplier at its works or warehouse or by its truck and a re-ceipt on the supplier's form given for the same. No docu-ment purporting to be a receipt for anys~ch cylinder shall be valid unless it is the supplier's printed form of receipt (f) Cylinders are not transferable and must not beused for any purpose other than as containers for the gas sold by the supplier and must not be delivered or sent for
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~053606 recharging to an~ place other than the supplie~'s gas station.
~ g) The customer agrees not to resell to any person or Corporation, the gas contents o~ the cylinders or any part thereo~.
Oh) Customers are held responsible for all loss or dam-age to cylinders from ~atever cause arising from the time of delivery until returned to the suppliers. ~Customers are ad-vised to cover the cylinders by insurance.) (i) Where a customer has not returned a cylinder in good order and condition within six months from the date of delivery, the supplier may, at its option, charge the customer with an amount not exceeding the agreed value of the cylinder and the demurrage due in respect thereof, and such amount is payable by the customer as liquidated damages for the deten-tion of the cylinder. Notwithstanding thepayment of such amount in respect of any cylinder, it remains the property of the suppliers and the right of the suppliers to recover pos-session thereof is not affected in any way.
(j) No allo~ance is made on any residual gas returned in the cylinders.
(k) And many other conditions varying in the different countries in the world.
Another disadvantage, which is associated with oxy/
hydrogen welding, arises due to the marked ~ility of hydrogen --to be absorbed by most-metals. Thus when welding steel, for example, great care must be taken to ensure that excess hydro-gen is not present otherwise it will be absorbed in the metal to cause loss of strength and brittleness. On the other
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~053606 recharging to an~ place other than the supplie~'s gas station.
~ g) The customer agrees not to resell to any person or Corporation, the gas contents o~ the cylinders or any part thereo~.
Oh) Customers are held responsible for all loss or dam-age to cylinders from ~atever cause arising from the time of delivery until returned to the suppliers. ~Customers are ad-vised to cover the cylinders by insurance.) (i) Where a customer has not returned a cylinder in good order and condition within six months from the date of delivery, the supplier may, at its option, charge the customer with an amount not exceeding the agreed value of the cylinder and the demurrage due in respect thereof, and such amount is payable by the customer as liquidated damages for the deten-tion of the cylinder. Notwithstanding thepayment of such amount in respect of any cylinder, it remains the property of the suppliers and the right of the suppliers to recover pos-session thereof is not affected in any way.
(j) No allo~ance is made on any residual gas returned in the cylinders.
(k) And many other conditions varying in the different countries in the world.
Another disadvantage, which is associated with oxy/
hydrogen welding, arises due to the marked ~ility of hydrogen --to be absorbed by most-metals. Thus when welding steel, for example, great care must be taken to ensure that excess hydro-gen is not present otherwise it will be absorbed in the metal to cause loss of strength and brittleness. On the other
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~.053~;06 hand, an excess o~ o~y~en would cause burning of the ~etal and should thus e~ually be avoided. It is most important therefore that with oxy~hydrogen ~elding the mixture at the burner be adjusted to produce a neutral ~lame, that is, one in whic~ there is ne~ther excess hydrogen nor excess oxygen.
In practice it is most difficult to maintain (and virtually impossible to ~udge by flame colour) a neutral ~lame, and for that reason oxy/hydrogen welding is not widely used des-pite the inherent advantages of lo~ cost and high heat value offered by hydrogen as a fuel.
These and other disadvantages can be overcome to a significant extent by the present invention whereby hydrogen and oxygen f~el are generated simultaneously by electrolysis in an electrolytic cell and allowed to freely mix therein to form a stoichiometric mixture that will burn with a neutral flame. The fuel gas can be generated where and whenever re-quired thereby eliminating the need for storage of bottles of gas and reliance on regular deliveries of gas which often cannot be guaranteed.
The method of the present invention requires no diaphragms or the like to separate the hydrogen and oxygen liberated by the electrolysis process and thereby enables considerable advantages to be realised over conventional electrolytic production of these gases. Such diaphragms have normally been regarded as essential for conventional electrolytic generators in order to separate the two gases that would otherwise form a highly explosive mixture; however, it has been found, in accordance ~ith the present invention, c ~ i .
~ - 6 -.: , that the two gases can be safely, anduse~ull~, produced and utilised as a m~xture ~or fuel purposes provided that suit-able safety precautions, such as the employment of a flash-back arrestox, are taken.. Such safet~ precautions may in-clude, for example, t~e.emplo~ment of a deyice ~hich removes electrolyte vapour fro~ the gas and at the same time acts. as a flash-~ack arrestor. Tn obviating the need for diaphragms or the like t~e present invention enables the electrodes to be placed much closer together and avoids the high resistance associated with diaphragms, which in turn enables a signifi-cant increase in the rate of gas production for a given size of apparatus. In short the present invention enables the manufacture of small si~e equipment that is useful for a large variety of welding and similar work and that is not - prohibitively bulky.. for the average situation:.- sométhing which is impossible with conventional hydrogen/oxygen genera-ting equipment.
In the development of apparatus from the basic con-cept of generation of hydrogen and oxygen electrolytically in a practical manner suitable for large industrial applications on the one hand, and small domestic applications on the other hand, a number of factors had to be taken into account, ana- -~; lysed and weighed one against the other. The following is a list of some of these factors to illustrate what has been in-volved.
(a) Endosmotic pressure to be balanced against the hydrostatic pressure o~ the flu~.d.
(b) Rate of flo~ of electric current in relation to the ' . .: '. - . .: ' ~ ~ ' ' : . , : -. .
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11)53606 area of the electrodes.
(c) The pr~or art problem o~ removing the gases from anol~te and cathol~te, be~ore diffusion and before the elec-trolytes are intexmixed.
Cd~ Effects of rapid chan~es in the rate of ~low of electricit~ throu~h t~e cell.
~e) Ef~ects o~ auxil~ary decomposition within the anode and cathode sides of the cell.
(f) The choice of the most readily ionised electrolyte o~ a maximum conductivity.
~) The least possible spacing between anode and cathode that can be employed.
(h) A design of cell in which previously it was regarded impossible ~or the H2 and 2 given to become mixed with safety, which does away with diaphragms-or the like ~hich would in-crease the internal resistance, in which both hydrogen and oxygen can be mixed within the cell, and in which cells can be connected in series, parallel, or parallel and series to suit requirements.
Ci) The choice of mater~als ~or the electrodes.
(j) The quantity of acids or alkali to be used.
ok) The shapes of cells according to purpose of the cells, and the application for which they are designed.
~1) The possibility of improvement with permanent or electro-magnetically induced fields applied to the electro-lytic cells, to cause controlled separation of a quantity of the gases generated in the cells.
~n) Ensurin~ effective circulation of electrolyte be-' C
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t~een the electrodes, ~th as l~ttle electrical xesistance as possible, Cn~ The possibility of using sodium hydroxide or potas-sium hydroxide which, in concentratîons from 10~ up to 30%, has negligible corrosion action on iron or nickel elec-trodes, apart from producing a solution of good conductivity.
Co~ The use o~ t~e cooling ef~ect by passing of hydrogen and oxygen gases, for cooling electrolyte in the cell, for controlling the cell temperature, preferably between 40C to 60C, at which temperature the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen need a minimum o~ electrical energy to break.
(p) The separation of hydrogen and oxygen from a mixture, using, pocsibly, a permanent magnetic field, or an electro-magnetic field which can be controlled to obtain a desired separation between the hydrogen and oxygen. Based on this principle, the oxygen could be substantially separated from the mixture and the hydrogen could be absorbed by, for example, selected metals, which have high absorption affinity for hydro-gen ~for example, p~adium which absorbs 900 times more hydro-gen than its volume). Also, using the principle of the in-vention, hydrogen and oxygen can be generated in large quanti-ties with small units and the oxygen could, for example, be separated and used to supply hospitals, baby rooms, air condi-tioning systems, or for any other application, when oxygen is required. Oxygen can, in this way, be generated much faster and more conveniently than with conventional electrolytic generating equipment.
C~) The poss~bil~ty of absorbing the hydrogen or oxygen .~
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-by spec~ally selected mater~als in s~all conta~nexs and where the a~sor~ed gas can ~e extracted when desired for ~eldin~ or brazing ~here it ~ould be in¢onvenîent or impos-si~le to do so w~th conventional equi~ment.
~rl Making t~e ~eldin~ operator entirely independent of any gas suppliers, Cs) The genesat~on of cheap gas, up to 6 to 7 times cheaper than normal gas supplîes.
Ct) The design of equipment which gives not only pro-fessional welders, but handymen, or people who would like to do welding at ~ome with oxy-welding apparatus, but would do it only occasionally and could not justify the expense asso-ciated with conventional gas supplies. Such people cannot justify paying for bottles of gas for a single welding only (having to keep the bottles, paying rent for them to keep them up to two years, to perform the next welding). For this reason, the welding apparatus made possible by the present invention is ideal because it produces gases for wel-d~ng at the time and in the quantity that is needed.
(u) Hydro~en/oxygen ~elding has the advantage that it does not pollute t~e atmosphere as~does oxy/acetylene welding.
~v~ The desi~n of electrolytic cells which are safe to - use as well as convenient, which cells may incorporate their own flash-back arrestors as a safety precaution or an equiv-- alent means, to prevent the hazards of explosion or fire.
(w) The control of the cur~ent which passes through the cells, the temperature of the cell, which is a function of current, the control ~f the separation of the gases, and the ~i - 10 -. . .
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remoYal fxom the gases of electrolyte yapouxs~ In this re-gard t~ere has been des~gned a specîal unit with preferably conical electrodes, and a flash-back arrestor. The flash arrestor ma~ be constituted by a pellet of poxous material, or a long caplllary pipe located between the gas generator and a burner head. The ~ire hazards associated with a mix-ture o~ hydrogen and oxygen cannot be over~emphasized and indeed it is proba~ly mainly because of the recognised dangers associated therew~th that extreme lengths have been taken to separate the two gases completely until they reach the burner.
In accordance with the present invention it has heen realised that, contrary to long standing opinionsj the gases can be safely mixed together even when being produced and as a re-sult many desira~le advantages can be realised.
~ x) The provision of one or more safety valves adjusted to convenient pressure for releasing excessive pressures in the cell ~for example, greater than 30 p.s.i.) which may re-sult, for example, i~ a current control mechanism fails. The safety valves could be attached to an alarm, for example, to indicate a failure in the current control mechanism or the cut-off switches, etc.
~ y) Porous material may conveniently be placed in the burner head, so that backfire through the burner into the cell cannot occur.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a regulating device suitable for use with an electrolytic cell generating hydrogen and oxygen, the de-vice comprising an electrolytic chamber, an aqueous electro-.~.,"
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- ' ~053606 lyte contained in sa~d chamber., ~irst and second electrodes immersed in said aqueous electrolyte, inlet means in sa~d chamber adapted to permit gaseou~.co~munication between said electrolytic chamber and a gas output from the electrolytic cell, said a~ueous electrolyte being displaceable relative to said first and second electrodes immersed therein such that an increase in pressure of said gas from the electrolytic cell will act to displace a portion of said aqueous electrolyte and proportionatel~ ~ncrease t~e electrolyte resistance be-tween said pair o~ electrodes.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for generating a supply of hydro-gen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to consumption of said gases comprising - Ca) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic generation of said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, ~b) a gas outlet carried by said cell to allow a portion of said generated gases to discharge from said.cell, Cc) a source of electrical po~er connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and Cd) an electrical power regulating means for con-trolling the amount o~ power to said cell including:
a first chamber having a selected cross-sec-tional area and an upper and lower inlet, said upper inlet connected with said gas outlet of said cell, , ...
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'~
,a second cham~er.h~Yin~..a selected cxoss~
sect~onal,area at.least one hal~ less than that of said.first chamber and a lo~er inlet, said inlet connected to sa~d lo~er inlet o~ said first chamber by a suita~le passage, a ~irst and second inverted conically-shaped and concentrically aligned resistant electrode carried in a vertical relation-. s~ip in said first chamber, said electrodes connected in said circuit bet~een said po~er source and saàd cell, and a quantity.o~ electrolytic solution carried in said chambers to partiall~ fill said chambers and interface wi'th said electrodes ' ' to close said circuit, wherein an increase in the pressure of said en-trapped gases depresses the level o~ said electrolytic solu-tion in said first chamber to cause an increase in resistance o~ said electrodes thereby reducing the amount of power to said cell.
In a still ~urther embodiment.o~. the present inven-; :
::. tion, there is provided an,apparatus for generating a supply :~:o~ hydrogen and oxygen gases comprising `(a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic generation of said gases, said cell being en-:closed to entrap said generated gases, ~ 3 -., , . . : .
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~r -1053~06 ~b~ a gas outlet carried b~ said cell to allo~
a portion of sa~d generated gases to dis~
charge from said cell, Cc~ a souxce of electx~cal po~er connected to sa~d cell b~ a suita~le circuit, and Cdl an electxical power regulating means inclu-; ding, a first chamker having a selected cross-sectional area and an upper and lower inlet, sald upper inlet connected to said outlet of said cell, a second circular c~amber having a pre-selected cross-sectional area, said : area of said second chamber being at ~, least one-half that of said first chamber, and a lo~er inlet, said inlet connected to said lower inlet o~ said first chamber by a passage, a quantity of electrolytic solution carried ! 20 in said chamber to partially ~ill said chambers, ~ a quantity of non-conductive liquid having r a specific gravity less than said : electrolytic solution carried in said first chamber above said electrolytic ~ solution, ,à,~ and a first and second electrode carried by said r .. , ~ . , : - -. ~
r. . ' :' ~ ' ` ~ . . ' ;S ' ' ' ~' ' ` ' ` ' ' '` ' " ' ' ~ " : , .~'`' "' . ', ~' ` ' ' : .' ` ` ' , '' first chamber in a vertical relation-shl~.p and extending in~ardly t~erein to interface w~th sa~d electrolyte solu-tion, sa~d electrodes connected in said c~rcu~t between sa~d po~er source and said cell to close said circuit, wherein a su~fic~ent ~ncrease in pressure of said ; entrapped gases depresses the level o~ sa~d non-conductive liquid and said electrolyte to interface said upper electrode : lO ~ith said non-conductive materlal ~hereby said circuit is opened.
` In a still further embodiment of the ~esent inven-`! tion, there is provided a system for generating a supply of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to a consumption of said gases and protecting said system comprising:
a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytically generatin~ said gases; said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, ~b) a source o~ electrical power connected to said . 20 cell by a suitable circuit, and (c) a gas outlet means to allo~ a.discharge of said ` gases and protect saîd cell ~rom a flash-back and provide regulation of said gas generation - further including, a ~irst vertical chamber having a top inlet ~` connected with said cell and a bottom . ~ outlet . ~ ~
~053606 a second vertical cham~er hav~ng a substan-tially greater cross.sectional area than sa~d first c~am~er, said second chamber hav~n~ a top outlet for dischaxging said gas to a gas consumption means, and a ~irst and second bottom inlet, said first inlet connected to said bottom inlet of said first chamber by a horizontal passage, a t~ird vertical chamber having a bottom inlet q 10 connected to said second bottom inlet of ii said second chamber, said third chamber : having a cross-sectional area greater than said first chamber and less than said : second chamber, a quantity o~ electrolytic solution carried in said first, second and third chamber to ~- partîally fill said chambers, a first and second inverted, conically-shaped . ~ resistant electrodes concentrically aligned ; 20 and carried by said second chamber in a . vertical relationship, said electrodes connected in said circuit to close said circuit when in contact with said electrolyte, x ~ w~erein an increase in pressure in said second - chamber depresses the level of said electrolyte to decrease "`~ the generation of said gases by increasing resistance in said circuit by increasing exposed portions of said resistant elec-trodes, said eleatrolyte acting as a protective barrier be-~ 053606 tween sa~d.gas consumption.means and said cell.
~ n a still.~uxthe~ emBodiment of the ~resent.inven-tion thexe is provided an apparatus for the generation of hydrogen and ox~gen and utilization of same for welding, brasi,ng or t~e like., said apparatus comprising at least one electrol~t~c cham~er having electrodes immersed in an aqueous electrolyte contained in said chamber, a pressure sensitive regulating de~ice containing an aqueous electrolyte, at least . one pai.r o~ electrodes immersed in the aqueous electrolyte contained in said regulating device and connected in series with said electrodes contained in said at least one electro-lytic chamber, a passageway connecting said pressure sensitive ,, regulating device with said at least one electrolytic chamber, said aqueous electrolyte in said pressure sensitive regulating device being displaceable relative to said pair ofelectrodes ~:. immersed therein so as to proportionately increase the elec- ' , ~ trolyte resistance between.said pair of electrodes and conse- , ,~ ~uently reduce the electric current passing in series between ---.,~ . said pair of electrodes and said electrodes in said at least ....
one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an incxease in pressure of sa~d gases, an outlet to said regulating device, means passing said gaseous mixture from said outlet through a flash-back arresting means to a burner nozzle, and a pair of electrodes arranged.downstream of said burner nozzle in the ~` path of said gases therefrom, said electrodes being connect-~; able to a source of electrical arc energy for causing dissoci-ation of said gaseous mixture into atomic h~drogen and atomic ;~ ox~gen.
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, ,, ., , ' , ., . ,,, . . ~ ' ' ': ' In a st~ll further embod~ment o~ the present inven-tion, there is- provided a method of ox~hydrogen ~elding, brazing or the like, character~zed by electrolytically gener-ating a mixture of hy.~xo~en and ox~gen in substantially stoi-chiometric proport~ons by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed ~n an aqueous electrolyte contained in at least one electrolytic chamber, passing the mixture of hydro-gen and oxygen from sa~d at least one chamber through an aqueous electrolyte contained in a pressure-sensitive regula-ting device having at least one pair of electrodes connected electrically -in series with said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber, which electrolyte in said regula-ting device is displaceable as a result of pressure of said mixture of hydrogen and oxygen to proportionately increase the electrolyte resistance between said pair of electrodes and consequently reduce the electric current passing between said pair of electrodes in said regulating device and said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an increase in pressure therein, passing said gaseous mixture through flash-back arresting means and thence through a burner nozzle, producing an arc between electrodes arranged downstream of said burner nozzle and in the path of said gases so as to produce disassociation of said gases into atomic hydrogen and atomic oxygen, and burning said hydrogen and oxygen to produce a flame, the temperature of the flame exceeding the normal temperature of combustion of molecular hydrogen and oxygen.
. ~
In summar~, the present invention contemplates, as .i ... . , : .: .
.. . ': ,,' , ~ -, ' . , an i~portant ~eature t~ereof, a universal welding apparatus capable o~ being used to perform di~ferent t~pes of welding operat~ons based on t~e ut~lisation o~ hydrogen and oxygen, making full use o~ t~e advantages which can thereby be real-ised, and e~uipment wh~ch can be made small and portable com-pared w~th existin~ apparatus- such as that presently used for gas w~lding using bulky bottled hydrogen. To generate the fuel, in accord~nce wit~ t~e invention a small compact elec-trolytic cell is made possi~le in which the only ~aw material which has to be replenîshed from time to time is water and whic~ can be used whenever a source of electrical energy is available to supply the necessary amount of hydrogen or hydro-' gen and oxygen mixture for performing atomic welding or hydro-i gen/oxygen flame welding. In its simplest form, the gas gen-erating apparatus of the present invention comprises an elec-3 trolytic cell adapted to be connected to an energy source, ,~ optionally through a step down transformer and rectifier, and having means for connection to a burner, preferably through a flashback arrestor as a safety precaution.
- The apparatus ~ay be combined with a transformer as 1; a æingle co~pact unit and for convenience the trans~ormer may be provided with several windings to enable it to be used for auxiliary purposes such as battery charging, electroplating, `1 . ' arc welding or to provide an arc for atomic welding.
It has been found that a single electrolytic cell operating without diaphragms at several hundred amps will generate hydrogen and oxygen at a reasonable rate for small welding and brazing work but for larger work ~for example, ,~ ,'- .
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: . : , ,, . , ' the ~eldin~ of 10 m~ steel plate) the required ampexage be-comes excess~ve Ct~p~cally o~ t~e ordex of 900A or more) when considering the s~ze of conductors and transformer and the problem of heat generat~on. Accordingly, in one aspect of the invent~on these pro~le~s can ~e sign~icantly reduced by arranging a plurality of cells in series and using a much smaller current to obtain the same effective gas output. In e~fect the capacity of a ser~es o~ cells for a gi~en current input is that of a single cell multiplied by the number of .~
cells. Alternatively the current requirement is reduced by a factor equal to the number of cells - for a given rate of i gas production.
i Even so a large number o~ separate cells can be ^excessively bulky for portable applica-tions and in a further aspect of thq invention, theréfore, the bulk can be greatly reduced by arranging the cells as a s`ingle unit in which a number of electrodes, effectively in series, are arranged ., , ~
~ adjacent each other in a common electrolytic chamber, the ,;
chamber being provided with a gas collection space and an outlet for connection to, for example, gas burner means.
Furthermore, only the end electrodes need be connecte~ to an ~1 external source of electrical energy and the arrangement as a ~hole can be made extremely efficient and compact. Addi-tionally the need for a transformer for most applications can be eliminated by such an ar~angement so that the appar-~ atus can be designed to be electrically connected directly -~ to a main electrical supply, through a bridge rectifier if ~ desired. By eliminating the need for a transformer, the ., ~
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gas generat~ng e~uip~,ient a~ a ~hole.can be made surprisingly compact, to be well.su~ted ~or small domestic xequirements as well as heaY~ ~ndustr~al xequirements.
. In anothex àmpoxtant aspect.o~ t~Q ainYention~ there is pxov~ded a sa~ety device.~hich.monitors the.pressure of the hydrogen and o~ygen being generated and regulates the ' current ~lo~ing t~rough the cell~s) to increase or decrease ; the rate o~ gas product~on depending on the pressure. In one form the device comprises a ~hamber containing two electrodes, at least one o~ which is conical, arranged in the chamber . (which normally contains a conductive liquid) and the elec-trodes being connectable in series with one or more electro-lytic cells used for oxygen/hydrogen productioh.
, The pressure responsive, current regulating device can be designed as an integral part of the electrolytic cell(s) or can be used as an attachment connectable extern-'~ ally and in series with the gas generating cell(s). The~, device can also be designed to combine the functions of a current regulating device and a flash-back arrestor, the latter function ensuring that a flame at the,burn-er does not ,~ accidentally pass back through the hose lines to the highly .
3 explosive mixture in the gas generating cell(s). The device -'. may.incorporate a total current cut-out feature or may be ~ ~ .
used in combination with a cut-out device which fully inter-.~ . rupts the supply of electràcal power should the pressure in the cell(s) accidentally exceed a maximum safe value. The current regulating device may also operate to regulate the current passing through the cells in accordance with the . ;r ~' . ': : ', .
105360~;
tempe~ature to.ma~nta~n.t~e tempe~ature ~ithin.a.desired range.
Ha~ng thus genexall~ described the invention, - reference ~ill ~e made.to t~e accompanying dra~ings, in ~hich:
~URE 1 is a sc~emat~c.s~de.sect~onal view of an electrolytic cell operating to produce a mixture of h~drogen and oxygen, F~URE 2 is a side sect~onal vie~ of a multi-plate ~ electrolytic cell;
;~ 10 PI~URE 3 is a side sectional.view o~ a .pressure-responsive safety device connected in series ' ~ith.an electrolytic cell;
. FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view of an alternative form of a safety device suitable for use with an electrolytic hydrogen-oxygen cell;
FIGURE 5 is a schematic view of an arrangement to produce a hot flame using electrolytically gen- -li erated gaseous mixtures;
j FIGURE 6 illustrates an arrangement for the magnetic separation of oxygen from a mixture of oxygen-hydrogen;
and FIGURE 7 illustrates a complete oxy-hydrogen gener-. ating and ~elding apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows schemat-ically a single electrolytic cell 10 operating to produc~ a mixture o~ hydxogen and oxygen, which mixture is passed through a flash-back arrestor 11 to a burner 12. The cell .~
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10536~)6 10 contai,~s t~o plate electxodes lOa,and_lOb ~m,exsed in an electrol~te cons~st~n~ o~ a solution o~ KOH ~n ~ater and connecta~le through texminals 13 and 14 respectively to a so ~ e o~ a.c. or d,c. electricity. Preferablyt d.c. is used as the electr~cal impedance ~f t~e cell ~s much lowe~ ~or d.c.
than for a.c. The s-ource o~ electr~city may be a transformer, typically of 300 A~ps output rating, conne~cted to the cell through a br~dge recti~ier. The flash-back arrestor 11 is constituted by a wa'ter bath in which gas liberated in the cell 10 passes through a tube 15 into the water bath 11 and thence ' through a tube 16 to the burner 12. The arrangement is suit-able for small welding and ~razing work but becomes too bulky ~, ~or very large work. -Figure 2 illustrates in vertical cross-section an ~ electrolytic cell 20 which requires a much lower current than ,', the cell illustrated in Figure 1 for a given current input.
', The cell 20 comprises what is in effect a series of cells j constituted by a plurality of plate electrodes immersed in a i solution ~f KOH-in water. For convenience the electrodes ~', 20 are designated as 20a for the two electrodes at the ends and 20b for the intermediate electrodes. The electrodes 20a are , j connected, via conductors 21 to terminals 22 for connection to an external supply of electricity. The mixture of hydrogen ~'~
and oxygen which is evolved at the electrodes when an electric current i8 applied, passes through an outlet opening 23 to a flash-back arrestor and thence to a burner (not shown in Fig-ure 2). The series of electrodes 20a and 20b are sealingly ~ mounted in a tube 24 of insulating material which is provided .~
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with restricted apextures 24a at the top and 24b at the ~ottom, ~et~een each pai~-.o~ electrodes. The apertures 24a perm~t gas to escape into t~e space 25 a~ove the sur~ace of the electrolyt~ and the. apertures 24b.permit.the electrolyte to enter ~reel~ into t~e s~aces ~et~een each pair of elec-trodes. By v~rtue of t~s arrangement the electrical resis-tance Between any tw~ adjacentelectrodes is for less than that between non-ad;acent electrodes so that the arrangement is ef~ectively one o~ a large number of individual cells con-nected in series. A very compact arrangement is therefore obtained but one which permits a relatively high gas produc-tion rate for a reasona~ly low current input. For example, a structure like that shown, consisting ofthe equivalent of, for example, 120 cells can generate gas at a current input of 15A (at, for example, 240V) equal to that of a single cell requiring a current input of approximately 1800A. This means in practice that a relatively portable apparatus can be produced w-~ich can be connected.directly, ~ithout a trans-former, to most domestic electrical supplies and which can maintain a sufficient rate of gas production for most types of ~elding work.
An advantage which particularly distinguishes the ...
arrangements disclosed from conventional gas welding apparatus is that the hydrogen.and oxygen are automatically produced in substantially the correct proportions to give a neutral flame.
No mixing valves are required and even unskilled personnel can produce satis~actory welds without difficulty. In fact indi-cations are that many welds canbe produced better than by any - . - :: , . . . - . :
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~053606 other ~eldi.n~ process.
Figure 3 illustrates a pressure responsive safety device 30 operably connected in series ~electrically) with an electrol~tic hydrogenJox~gen cell 31 for regulating the current pass~ng t~ereth~ough in accordance with the gas pres-sure be~ng generated, ~e de~ice, or cell 30 comprises a chamber 30' in communicat~on ~it~ a reservoir 32 via a passage 33. Two conical electrodes 34 and 35 are.mounted in spaced relation ~ithin the chamber and connected in series between a . 10 d.c~ source Cnot sho~n~ and the electrolytic cell 31. An electrolytic solution of KOH and water is provided within the chamber, a portion of.which enters the reservoir 32. When the cell 31 is operating to produce hydrogen and oxygen the pressure o~ the gas being produced acts on the surface of the ' electrolyte in the chamber 30' to,displace an amount of the ~1. electrolyte into the reservoir 32 against back pressure exer-,~` ted by air trapped in the reservoir, the amount o~ electrolyte displaced depending on the pressure of the gas in the chamber 30'. At the same time the area of contact between the elec-trodes and the electrolyte in the cell 30 reduces in propor-tion to the drop in electrolyte level, causing the electrical ~ resistance of the cell 30 to rise and the current passing ,~` therethrough to fall. Should the gas pressure drop the elec-¦~ trolyte level in the cell 30 will rise and the current passing into the cell 31 ~ill also rise. Thus the cell 30 operates ~`. to regulate the rate of gas production in accordance with the ~3~ pressure produced and prevents excess gas pressure to build I up in the cell 31.
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Figure 4 ~llustrates an alternat~ve ~or~ o~ safety devlce wh~ch is: operabl~.to m,aka or ~reak the connection be-, t~een an electrol~tic h~dxogen~ox~gen cell (not shown inFigure 4) and.an electr~G current source. The device com-pri,ses a c~lindri,cal,conta~ner 40 in ~luid com~unication with a li~uid reservo~r 41 v~a ~ passa~eway 42, and a quantity of mercury C42')-contained ~n the container and reservoir. Two electrodes 43 and 44 are disposed one above the other in the container 4G and are normally ~mmersed inthe mercury with a conductive path thereby ~ormed between them. The container is connected electrically in series with an electrolytic cell Cor cells) and in ~aseous communication therewith through a hose 45. An increase in gas pressure resulting from genera-tion of gases by the electrolyt~cell(s) causes the mercury to be displaced towards the reservoir and the mercury level in the container 40 to fall. ~hen the pressure exceeds a predetermined level the..mercury level ~alls below that of the I electrode 43 and electrical connection between thetwo elec-,` trodes is broken. The electrical connection is again restored .
` 20 when the gas pressure falls. A non-inflammable liquid, such i as silicone oil or a suitable fluorinated hydrocarbon such as ,~; ` are marketed under the trade mark FREON is provided on top of ~ the mercury to ensure t~at any arc which may be generated be-'~, tween the electrode 43 and the mercury is totally isolated ~-1 from the gases above the liquids.
j~ Figure 5 shows schematically an arrangement whereby : an exceedingly hot flame can be produced using the gaseous ', mixture generated electrolytically by the apparatus previously I ~ - 26 -., ' ' . ~ : ' . . ' ' . .. .
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` 1053606 described. In th~s arrange~ent a mixtuxe of hydxogen and oxygen, ~refera~l~ in sto~chiometrical proportIon~ is passed via a line 50 between a pa~r o~ tungsten electrodes 51 to pro-duce molecular dissociat~on of the h~drogen and the oxygen and a ver~ hot ~lame 52. ~t can be appreciated that whereas in an atom~c h~drogen ~lame a s~gn~icant temperature rise is obtained by str~kin~ an arc in the h~drogen, an even greater temperature rise can be realised by striking the arc bet~een the oxygen as well since the dissociation energy of molecular oxygen is of t~e same order of magnitude as that of molecular hydrogen.
Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement for the magnetic separation of oxygen from a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, whereby the oxygen can be used for flame cutting. The appar-atus consists of a chamber 60 containing a magnet 61 and located in a conduit 62. A mixture of hydrogen and oxygen j is passed through the conduit and around the magnet 61. The diamagnetic oxygen is diverted by the magnetic field into a transverse passageway 63 to a central conduit ~not shown) leading from this passageway and thence to a flame-cutting ~; head. The paramagnetic hydrogen continues along the conduit, past the magnet and can be allowed to escape or can be col-lected, as desired. If the magnet is an electromagnet it can be turned o~f when hydrogen and oxygen is required as a mixture, and in that case the downstream side of the conduit 62 can be closed off to prevent the loss of gas.
- Figure 7 illustxates a complete oxy-hydrogen gener-at~ng~welding apparatus comprising a gas generator 70, a .1 . ~ .
s. . - - . .
~s ' ' ,. . . ;. -' ' ' - ' ':
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.. ' . : ': , " ~ ' ' current ~egulating cell 71 and a power suppl~ 72. The con-struct~on o~ t~e.electrodes.73 o~.the ~eneratox 70 and 74 of the cell 71 are identical-~ith those illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 respecti.~ely. In tR~s arran~ement.~ however, the gas generator 70 and cell 71 are co~bined as an integrated unit and as such has.s-ome ~eatures not found in the arrangements sho~n in Figs. 2 and 3. In particular the chamber 75 of the generator 70 and the c~amber 76 of the current regulator cell 71 are separated b~ two partitions 77 and 78 de~ining between them a passageway communicating between the two chambers.
The respective electrodes o~ the cell 71 and generator 70 are connected electrically in series with the.power supply.
. Gas produced by electrolysis in the chamber 75 rises into the space in the. chamber above the electrodes 73, passes down the passageway between the.partitions 77 and 78, bubbles through the electrolyte in the chamber 76 and thence.passes through an outlet opening 79 to a burner 80. An air trap reservoir 81 is formed integrally with the cell 71 and is in liquid communication therewith through an opening between the bottom of the reservoir and the cell. ~hen the pressure of the gas generated by the generator 70 rises, this pressure causes the electrolyte in the chamber 76 to be displaced into the reservo~r.81 resulting in a reduction of the current being passed to the generator 70 by the mechanism previously described in relation to Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this way the cell 71 effectively monitors the gas pressure and regu-lates the current to maintain an approximately constant pres-sure. To ensure against the possibility that the pressure ~, '' ' " ' ' ' ' ' . ' ' ' . ~'" ~ ' ~ . . . ' :
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s~ould accidentall~ exceed a predetermined maxLmu~.safe Yalue, a spring~loaded sa~et~ pxessure val~e 82 is.prov~ded at the top o~ t~e reservoir 81 to release the excess pressure into the atmosphere.
T~e burnex.80. i~.pr.ov~ded.~th a ~lash-backarrestor in the ~orm of a porous ceram~c pellet 83 located in the gas flow path between the handle part 84 o~ the burner and the burner tip 85. The flash-back arrestor acts by quenching any flame blowing back into the burner before the flame has a chance to reach the hose 86 connecting the burner with the gas generator.
The po~er supply is of the universal type, that is, it is provided with a transformer 87 connectable to an alter-nating current electrical supply andFrovided with a number of electrical outlets for various purposes. One winding of the transformer-is connected to a bridge rectifier which provides ~ the d.c. current for the gas generator. Another winding is.l used for arc welding or can be used to supply an arc for atomic oxy-hydrogen welding. It will.be appreciated that . 20 the trans~rmer is optional and that the generator can be '~ connected directly to the mains. In fact the bridge recti-fier is not essential either and can be omitted if desired.
~j In the operation of apparatus of the type described j it is often required to conveniently change between neutral and oxidising flames, for example when changing from a wel-ding operation to a cutting operation and the present invention makes provision for the variation of these functions. ~riefly, I in accordance with the present invention, apparatus for either : . 29 ~ ,. .- . .
- ' , ' ' , ';
' ' . -' . ,'' ' ' '. -- . , ' ' , ' ':
oxy-h~drogen ~elding or.cuttin~ ~a~ co~prise..a.~irst.electro-l~tic generator ~or generatin~. hydrogen and oxygen ~y the electrol~sis o~ ~ater ~n substantiall~ stoic~iometric propor-ti.ons to produce a neutral.~lame and.a further electrolytic generator ~rom ~ic~ ~xdrogen and oxy~en are separatel~ deli-vered, wit~ means ~or adding either t~e hydrogen from this furt~er cell, or t~e oxygen ~rom the ~urther generator to the gas mixture obtained from t~e first generator. This arrange-ment results in.a most ef~icient combination of functions when a neutral ~lame or other is required. The hydrogen gas pro-duced by the ~urther generator, when added to the flame mix-ture, burns ~ith atmospheric oxygen thereby producing a re-ducing-flame. When an oxidising flame is required, the addi-tional hydrogen is cut o~ and the oxygen produced by the further generator is added to the flame mixture. It will be appreciated that various designs can be employed for either generator, ~or example, they may be completely independent or they may share a common electrolyte. The ~urther gas gener-ator can also, in practice, be made somewhat smaller than the other generator since it does not ha~e to produce the bulk of the gas reguired.
It has.been.~ound that welding with hydrogen and ~ -oxygen in an exact 2 to 1 ratio (as when the gases are pro-`; duced electrolytically-) results in a particularly clean, oxide free welded surface and a strong welded joint. For the same quality welding to be produced by conventional gas welding technique substantially greater skill is required and, ~i~
~ in the case o~ conventional hydrogen welding, for example, t~ ~
- ,' '. .', ', ', :. ~ ~ :
good welded jo~nts are obta~ned only with ~reat difficulty due to t~e extreme dif~icult~ in obta~ning an~ maintaining a neutral flame. ~ith the met~od of the present invention there is no di~iculty in obta~ning a neutral ~lame, and hence the ease ~ith wh~c~ hi~ quality ~elds can be obtained.
~ inally, it can somet-imes be convenient to store hydrogen and/or oxygen, generated electrolytically in a specially designed container, or to slo~ly accumulate these gases and then, when required, usingff~e accumulated stored gas for extra heavy work ~or a short time. It is quite haz-ardous to pressurise a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen under very high pressures, of course, but it is possible, in accor-dance with one aspect of the invention, to store a useful ` amount of gas in a relatively small volume at lo~ pressures 'J, and this can be done by using a highly gas absorbent metal ~ in the storage container. The metal palladium, for example, `~ can absorb up to 900 times its own volume of hydrogen and can be used with advantage for this application. In fact useful ! amounts of hydrogen, for small scale brazing work can readily be stored in a small hand held container, containing a gas ~bsorbent rslterIal.
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~.053~;06 hand, an excess o~ o~y~en would cause burning of the ~etal and should thus e~ually be avoided. It is most important therefore that with oxy~hydrogen ~elding the mixture at the burner be adjusted to produce a neutral ~lame, that is, one in whic~ there is ne~ther excess hydrogen nor excess oxygen.
In practice it is most difficult to maintain (and virtually impossible to ~udge by flame colour) a neutral ~lame, and for that reason oxy/hydrogen welding is not widely used des-pite the inherent advantages of lo~ cost and high heat value offered by hydrogen as a fuel.
These and other disadvantages can be overcome to a significant extent by the present invention whereby hydrogen and oxygen f~el are generated simultaneously by electrolysis in an electrolytic cell and allowed to freely mix therein to form a stoichiometric mixture that will burn with a neutral flame. The fuel gas can be generated where and whenever re-quired thereby eliminating the need for storage of bottles of gas and reliance on regular deliveries of gas which often cannot be guaranteed.
The method of the present invention requires no diaphragms or the like to separate the hydrogen and oxygen liberated by the electrolysis process and thereby enables considerable advantages to be realised over conventional electrolytic production of these gases. Such diaphragms have normally been regarded as essential for conventional electrolytic generators in order to separate the two gases that would otherwise form a highly explosive mixture; however, it has been found, in accordance ~ith the present invention, c ~ i .
~ - 6 -.: , that the two gases can be safely, anduse~ull~, produced and utilised as a m~xture ~or fuel purposes provided that suit-able safety precautions, such as the employment of a flash-back arrestox, are taken.. Such safet~ precautions may in-clude, for example, t~e.emplo~ment of a deyice ~hich removes electrolyte vapour fro~ the gas and at the same time acts. as a flash-~ack arrestor. Tn obviating the need for diaphragms or the like t~e present invention enables the electrodes to be placed much closer together and avoids the high resistance associated with diaphragms, which in turn enables a signifi-cant increase in the rate of gas production for a given size of apparatus. In short the present invention enables the manufacture of small si~e equipment that is useful for a large variety of welding and similar work and that is not - prohibitively bulky.. for the average situation:.- sométhing which is impossible with conventional hydrogen/oxygen genera-ting equipment.
In the development of apparatus from the basic con-cept of generation of hydrogen and oxygen electrolytically in a practical manner suitable for large industrial applications on the one hand, and small domestic applications on the other hand, a number of factors had to be taken into account, ana- -~; lysed and weighed one against the other. The following is a list of some of these factors to illustrate what has been in-volved.
(a) Endosmotic pressure to be balanced against the hydrostatic pressure o~ the flu~.d.
(b) Rate of flo~ of electric current in relation to the ' . .: '. - . .: ' ~ ~ ' ' : . , : -. .
- . . . . . - . . . . . . . .
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11)53606 area of the electrodes.
(c) The pr~or art problem o~ removing the gases from anol~te and cathol~te, be~ore diffusion and before the elec-trolytes are intexmixed.
Cd~ Effects of rapid chan~es in the rate of ~low of electricit~ throu~h t~e cell.
~e) Ef~ects o~ auxil~ary decomposition within the anode and cathode sides of the cell.
(f) The choice of the most readily ionised electrolyte o~ a maximum conductivity.
~) The least possible spacing between anode and cathode that can be employed.
(h) A design of cell in which previously it was regarded impossible ~or the H2 and 2 given to become mixed with safety, which does away with diaphragms-or the like ~hich would in-crease the internal resistance, in which both hydrogen and oxygen can be mixed within the cell, and in which cells can be connected in series, parallel, or parallel and series to suit requirements.
Ci) The choice of mater~als ~or the electrodes.
(j) The quantity of acids or alkali to be used.
ok) The shapes of cells according to purpose of the cells, and the application for which they are designed.
~1) The possibility of improvement with permanent or electro-magnetically induced fields applied to the electro-lytic cells, to cause controlled separation of a quantity of the gases generated in the cells.
~n) Ensurin~ effective circulation of electrolyte be-' C
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.
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t~een the electrodes, ~th as l~ttle electrical xesistance as possible, Cn~ The possibility of using sodium hydroxide or potas-sium hydroxide which, in concentratîons from 10~ up to 30%, has negligible corrosion action on iron or nickel elec-trodes, apart from producing a solution of good conductivity.
Co~ The use o~ t~e cooling ef~ect by passing of hydrogen and oxygen gases, for cooling electrolyte in the cell, for controlling the cell temperature, preferably between 40C to 60C, at which temperature the bonds between hydrogen and oxygen need a minimum o~ electrical energy to break.
(p) The separation of hydrogen and oxygen from a mixture, using, pocsibly, a permanent magnetic field, or an electro-magnetic field which can be controlled to obtain a desired separation between the hydrogen and oxygen. Based on this principle, the oxygen could be substantially separated from the mixture and the hydrogen could be absorbed by, for example, selected metals, which have high absorption affinity for hydro-gen ~for example, p~adium which absorbs 900 times more hydro-gen than its volume). Also, using the principle of the in-vention, hydrogen and oxygen can be generated in large quanti-ties with small units and the oxygen could, for example, be separated and used to supply hospitals, baby rooms, air condi-tioning systems, or for any other application, when oxygen is required. Oxygen can, in this way, be generated much faster and more conveniently than with conventional electrolytic generating equipment.
C~) The poss~bil~ty of absorbing the hydrogen or oxygen .~
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- . : .: . , ' ; ~, .- ' ' .. . .
-by spec~ally selected mater~als in s~all conta~nexs and where the a~sor~ed gas can ~e extracted when desired for ~eldin~ or brazing ~here it ~ould be in¢onvenîent or impos-si~le to do so w~th conventional equi~ment.
~rl Making t~e ~eldin~ operator entirely independent of any gas suppliers, Cs) The genesat~on of cheap gas, up to 6 to 7 times cheaper than normal gas supplîes.
Ct) The design of equipment which gives not only pro-fessional welders, but handymen, or people who would like to do welding at ~ome with oxy-welding apparatus, but would do it only occasionally and could not justify the expense asso-ciated with conventional gas supplies. Such people cannot justify paying for bottles of gas for a single welding only (having to keep the bottles, paying rent for them to keep them up to two years, to perform the next welding). For this reason, the welding apparatus made possible by the present invention is ideal because it produces gases for wel-d~ng at the time and in the quantity that is needed.
(u) Hydro~en/oxygen ~elding has the advantage that it does not pollute t~e atmosphere as~does oxy/acetylene welding.
~v~ The desi~n of electrolytic cells which are safe to - use as well as convenient, which cells may incorporate their own flash-back arrestors as a safety precaution or an equiv-- alent means, to prevent the hazards of explosion or fire.
(w) The control of the cur~ent which passes through the cells, the temperature of the cell, which is a function of current, the control ~f the separation of the gases, and the ~i - 10 -. . .
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remoYal fxom the gases of electrolyte yapouxs~ In this re-gard t~ere has been des~gned a specîal unit with preferably conical electrodes, and a flash-back arrestor. The flash arrestor ma~ be constituted by a pellet of poxous material, or a long caplllary pipe located between the gas generator and a burner head. The ~ire hazards associated with a mix-ture o~ hydrogen and oxygen cannot be over~emphasized and indeed it is proba~ly mainly because of the recognised dangers associated therew~th that extreme lengths have been taken to separate the two gases completely until they reach the burner.
In accordance with the present invention it has heen realised that, contrary to long standing opinionsj the gases can be safely mixed together even when being produced and as a re-sult many desira~le advantages can be realised.
~ x) The provision of one or more safety valves adjusted to convenient pressure for releasing excessive pressures in the cell ~for example, greater than 30 p.s.i.) which may re-sult, for example, i~ a current control mechanism fails. The safety valves could be attached to an alarm, for example, to indicate a failure in the current control mechanism or the cut-off switches, etc.
~ y) Porous material may conveniently be placed in the burner head, so that backfire through the burner into the cell cannot occur.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a regulating device suitable for use with an electrolytic cell generating hydrogen and oxygen, the de-vice comprising an electrolytic chamber, an aqueous electro-.~.,"
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- ' ~053606 lyte contained in sa~d chamber., ~irst and second electrodes immersed in said aqueous electrolyte, inlet means in sa~d chamber adapted to permit gaseou~.co~munication between said electrolytic chamber and a gas output from the electrolytic cell, said a~ueous electrolyte being displaceable relative to said first and second electrodes immersed therein such that an increase in pressure of said gas from the electrolytic cell will act to displace a portion of said aqueous electrolyte and proportionatel~ ~ncrease t~e electrolyte resistance be-tween said pair o~ electrodes.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for generating a supply of hydro-gen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to consumption of said gases comprising - Ca) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic generation of said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, ~b) a gas outlet carried by said cell to allow a portion of said generated gases to discharge from said.cell, Cc) a source of electrical po~er connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and Cd) an electrical power regulating means for con-trolling the amount o~ power to said cell including:
a first chamber having a selected cross-sec-tional area and an upper and lower inlet, said upper inlet connected with said gas outlet of said cell, , ...
.....
~. . , ~ . . ., . -.
'~
,a second cham~er.h~Yin~..a selected cxoss~
sect~onal,area at.least one hal~ less than that of said.first chamber and a lo~er inlet, said inlet connected to sa~d lo~er inlet o~ said first chamber by a suita~le passage, a ~irst and second inverted conically-shaped and concentrically aligned resistant electrode carried in a vertical relation-. s~ip in said first chamber, said electrodes connected in said circuit bet~een said po~er source and saàd cell, and a quantity.o~ electrolytic solution carried in said chambers to partiall~ fill said chambers and interface wi'th said electrodes ' ' to close said circuit, wherein an increase in the pressure of said en-trapped gases depresses the level o~ said electrolytic solu-tion in said first chamber to cause an increase in resistance o~ said electrodes thereby reducing the amount of power to said cell.
In a still ~urther embodiment.o~. the present inven-; :
::. tion, there is provided an,apparatus for generating a supply :~:o~ hydrogen and oxygen gases comprising `(a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic generation of said gases, said cell being en-:closed to entrap said generated gases, ~ 3 -., , . . : .
. . ~, . . ~ . , . : . . . .. .
~r -1053~06 ~b~ a gas outlet carried b~ said cell to allo~
a portion of sa~d generated gases to dis~
charge from said cell, Cc~ a souxce of electx~cal po~er connected to sa~d cell b~ a suita~le circuit, and Cdl an electxical power regulating means inclu-; ding, a first chamker having a selected cross-sectional area and an upper and lower inlet, sald upper inlet connected to said outlet of said cell, a second circular c~amber having a pre-selected cross-sectional area, said : area of said second chamber being at ~, least one-half that of said first chamber, and a lo~er inlet, said inlet connected to said lower inlet o~ said first chamber by a passage, a quantity of electrolytic solution carried ! 20 in said chamber to partially ~ill said chambers, ~ a quantity of non-conductive liquid having r a specific gravity less than said : electrolytic solution carried in said first chamber above said electrolytic ~ solution, ,à,~ and a first and second electrode carried by said r .. , ~ . , : - -. ~
r. . ' :' ~ ' ` ~ . . ' ;S ' ' ' ~' ' ` ' ` ' ' '` ' " ' ' ~ " : , .~'`' "' . ', ~' ` ' ' : .' ` ` ' , '' first chamber in a vertical relation-shl~.p and extending in~ardly t~erein to interface w~th sa~d electrolyte solu-tion, sa~d electrodes connected in said c~rcu~t between sa~d po~er source and said cell to close said circuit, wherein a su~fic~ent ~ncrease in pressure of said ; entrapped gases depresses the level o~ sa~d non-conductive liquid and said electrolyte to interface said upper electrode : lO ~ith said non-conductive materlal ~hereby said circuit is opened.
` In a still further embodiment of the ~esent inven-`! tion, there is provided a system for generating a supply of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to a consumption of said gases and protecting said system comprising:
a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytically generatin~ said gases; said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, ~b) a source o~ electrical power connected to said . 20 cell by a suitable circuit, and (c) a gas outlet means to allo~ a.discharge of said ` gases and protect saîd cell ~rom a flash-back and provide regulation of said gas generation - further including, a ~irst vertical chamber having a top inlet ~` connected with said cell and a bottom . ~ outlet . ~ ~
~053606 a second vertical cham~er hav~ng a substan-tially greater cross.sectional area than sa~d first c~am~er, said second chamber hav~n~ a top outlet for dischaxging said gas to a gas consumption means, and a ~irst and second bottom inlet, said first inlet connected to said bottom inlet of said first chamber by a horizontal passage, a t~ird vertical chamber having a bottom inlet q 10 connected to said second bottom inlet of ii said second chamber, said third chamber : having a cross-sectional area greater than said first chamber and less than said : second chamber, a quantity o~ electrolytic solution carried in said first, second and third chamber to ~- partîally fill said chambers, a first and second inverted, conically-shaped . ~ resistant electrodes concentrically aligned ; 20 and carried by said second chamber in a . vertical relationship, said electrodes connected in said circuit to close said circuit when in contact with said electrolyte, x ~ w~erein an increase in pressure in said second - chamber depresses the level of said electrolyte to decrease "`~ the generation of said gases by increasing resistance in said circuit by increasing exposed portions of said resistant elec-trodes, said eleatrolyte acting as a protective barrier be-~ 053606 tween sa~d.gas consumption.means and said cell.
~ n a still.~uxthe~ emBodiment of the ~resent.inven-tion thexe is provided an apparatus for the generation of hydrogen and ox~gen and utilization of same for welding, brasi,ng or t~e like., said apparatus comprising at least one electrol~t~c cham~er having electrodes immersed in an aqueous electrolyte contained in said chamber, a pressure sensitive regulating de~ice containing an aqueous electrolyte, at least . one pai.r o~ electrodes immersed in the aqueous electrolyte contained in said regulating device and connected in series with said electrodes contained in said at least one electro-lytic chamber, a passageway connecting said pressure sensitive ,, regulating device with said at least one electrolytic chamber, said aqueous electrolyte in said pressure sensitive regulating device being displaceable relative to said pair ofelectrodes ~:. immersed therein so as to proportionately increase the elec- ' , ~ trolyte resistance between.said pair of electrodes and conse- , ,~ ~uently reduce the electric current passing in series between ---.,~ . said pair of electrodes and said electrodes in said at least ....
one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an incxease in pressure of sa~d gases, an outlet to said regulating device, means passing said gaseous mixture from said outlet through a flash-back arresting means to a burner nozzle, and a pair of electrodes arranged.downstream of said burner nozzle in the ~` path of said gases therefrom, said electrodes being connect-~; able to a source of electrical arc energy for causing dissoci-ation of said gaseous mixture into atomic h~drogen and atomic ;~ ox~gen.
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, ,, ., , ' , ., . ,,, . . ~ ' ' ': ' In a st~ll further embod~ment o~ the present inven-tion, there is- provided a method of ox~hydrogen ~elding, brazing or the like, character~zed by electrolytically gener-ating a mixture of hy.~xo~en and ox~gen in substantially stoi-chiometric proport~ons by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed ~n an aqueous electrolyte contained in at least one electrolytic chamber, passing the mixture of hydro-gen and oxygen from sa~d at least one chamber through an aqueous electrolyte contained in a pressure-sensitive regula-ting device having at least one pair of electrodes connected electrically -in series with said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber, which electrolyte in said regula-ting device is displaceable as a result of pressure of said mixture of hydrogen and oxygen to proportionately increase the electrolyte resistance between said pair of electrodes and consequently reduce the electric current passing between said pair of electrodes in said regulating device and said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an increase in pressure therein, passing said gaseous mixture through flash-back arresting means and thence through a burner nozzle, producing an arc between electrodes arranged downstream of said burner nozzle and in the path of said gases so as to produce disassociation of said gases into atomic hydrogen and atomic oxygen, and burning said hydrogen and oxygen to produce a flame, the temperature of the flame exceeding the normal temperature of combustion of molecular hydrogen and oxygen.
. ~
In summar~, the present invention contemplates, as .i ... . , : .: .
.. . ': ,,' , ~ -, ' . , an i~portant ~eature t~ereof, a universal welding apparatus capable o~ being used to perform di~ferent t~pes of welding operat~ons based on t~e ut~lisation o~ hydrogen and oxygen, making full use o~ t~e advantages which can thereby be real-ised, and e~uipment wh~ch can be made small and portable com-pared w~th existin~ apparatus- such as that presently used for gas w~lding using bulky bottled hydrogen. To generate the fuel, in accord~nce wit~ t~e invention a small compact elec-trolytic cell is made possi~le in which the only ~aw material which has to be replenîshed from time to time is water and whic~ can be used whenever a source of electrical energy is available to supply the necessary amount of hydrogen or hydro-' gen and oxygen mixture for performing atomic welding or hydro-i gen/oxygen flame welding. In its simplest form, the gas gen-erating apparatus of the present invention comprises an elec-3 trolytic cell adapted to be connected to an energy source, ,~ optionally through a step down transformer and rectifier, and having means for connection to a burner, preferably through a flashback arrestor as a safety precaution.
- The apparatus ~ay be combined with a transformer as 1; a æingle co~pact unit and for convenience the trans~ormer may be provided with several windings to enable it to be used for auxiliary purposes such as battery charging, electroplating, `1 . ' arc welding or to provide an arc for atomic welding.
It has been found that a single electrolytic cell operating without diaphragms at several hundred amps will generate hydrogen and oxygen at a reasonable rate for small welding and brazing work but for larger work ~for example, ,~ ,'- .
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: . : , ,, . , ' the ~eldin~ of 10 m~ steel plate) the required ampexage be-comes excess~ve Ct~p~cally o~ t~e ordex of 900A or more) when considering the s~ze of conductors and transformer and the problem of heat generat~on. Accordingly, in one aspect of the invent~on these pro~le~s can ~e sign~icantly reduced by arranging a plurality of cells in series and using a much smaller current to obtain the same effective gas output. In e~fect the capacity of a ser~es o~ cells for a gi~en current input is that of a single cell multiplied by the number of .~
cells. Alternatively the current requirement is reduced by a factor equal to the number of cells - for a given rate of i gas production.
i Even so a large number o~ separate cells can be ^excessively bulky for portable applica-tions and in a further aspect of thq invention, theréfore, the bulk can be greatly reduced by arranging the cells as a s`ingle unit in which a number of electrodes, effectively in series, are arranged ., , ~
~ adjacent each other in a common electrolytic chamber, the ,;
chamber being provided with a gas collection space and an outlet for connection to, for example, gas burner means.
Furthermore, only the end electrodes need be connecte~ to an ~1 external source of electrical energy and the arrangement as a ~hole can be made extremely efficient and compact. Addi-tionally the need for a transformer for most applications can be eliminated by such an ar~angement so that the appar-~ atus can be designed to be electrically connected directly -~ to a main electrical supply, through a bridge rectifier if ~ desired. By eliminating the need for a transformer, the ., ~
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gas generat~ng e~uip~,ient a~ a ~hole.can be made surprisingly compact, to be well.su~ted ~or small domestic xequirements as well as heaY~ ~ndustr~al xequirements.
. In anothex àmpoxtant aspect.o~ t~Q ainYention~ there is pxov~ded a sa~ety device.~hich.monitors the.pressure of the hydrogen and o~ygen being generated and regulates the ' current ~lo~ing t~rough the cell~s) to increase or decrease ; the rate o~ gas product~on depending on the pressure. In one form the device comprises a ~hamber containing two electrodes, at least one o~ which is conical, arranged in the chamber . (which normally contains a conductive liquid) and the elec-trodes being connectable in series with one or more electro-lytic cells used for oxygen/hydrogen productioh.
, The pressure responsive, current regulating device can be designed as an integral part of the electrolytic cell(s) or can be used as an attachment connectable extern-'~ ally and in series with the gas generating cell(s). The~, device can also be designed to combine the functions of a current regulating device and a flash-back arrestor, the latter function ensuring that a flame at the,burn-er does not ,~ accidentally pass back through the hose lines to the highly .
3 explosive mixture in the gas generating cell(s). The device -'. may.incorporate a total current cut-out feature or may be ~ ~ .
used in combination with a cut-out device which fully inter-.~ . rupts the supply of electràcal power should the pressure in the cell(s) accidentally exceed a maximum safe value. The current regulating device may also operate to regulate the current passing through the cells in accordance with the . ;r ~' . ': : ', .
105360~;
tempe~ature to.ma~nta~n.t~e tempe~ature ~ithin.a.desired range.
Ha~ng thus genexall~ described the invention, - reference ~ill ~e made.to t~e accompanying dra~ings, in ~hich:
~URE 1 is a sc~emat~c.s~de.sect~onal view of an electrolytic cell operating to produce a mixture of h~drogen and oxygen, F~URE 2 is a side sect~onal vie~ of a multi-plate ~ electrolytic cell;
;~ 10 PI~URE 3 is a side sectional.view o~ a .pressure-responsive safety device connected in series ' ~ith.an electrolytic cell;
. FIGURE 4 is a side sectional view of an alternative form of a safety device suitable for use with an electrolytic hydrogen-oxygen cell;
FIGURE 5 is a schematic view of an arrangement to produce a hot flame using electrolytically gen- -li erated gaseous mixtures;
j FIGURE 6 illustrates an arrangement for the magnetic separation of oxygen from a mixture of oxygen-hydrogen;
and FIGURE 7 illustrates a complete oxy-hydrogen gener-. ating and ~elding apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows schemat-ically a single electrolytic cell 10 operating to produc~ a mixture o~ hydxogen and oxygen, which mixture is passed through a flash-back arrestor 11 to a burner 12. The cell .~
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10536~)6 10 contai,~s t~o plate electxodes lOa,and_lOb ~m,exsed in an electrol~te cons~st~n~ o~ a solution o~ KOH ~n ~ater and connecta~le through texminals 13 and 14 respectively to a so ~ e o~ a.c. or d,c. electricity. Preferablyt d.c. is used as the electr~cal impedance ~f t~e cell ~s much lowe~ ~or d.c.
than for a.c. The s-ource o~ electr~city may be a transformer, typically of 300 A~ps output rating, conne~cted to the cell through a br~dge recti~ier. The flash-back arrestor 11 is constituted by a wa'ter bath in which gas liberated in the cell 10 passes through a tube 15 into the water bath 11 and thence ' through a tube 16 to the burner 12. The arrangement is suit-able for small welding and ~razing work but becomes too bulky ~, ~or very large work. -Figure 2 illustrates in vertical cross-section an ~ electrolytic cell 20 which requires a much lower current than ,', the cell illustrated in Figure 1 for a given current input.
', The cell 20 comprises what is in effect a series of cells j constituted by a plurality of plate electrodes immersed in a i solution ~f KOH-in water. For convenience the electrodes ~', 20 are designated as 20a for the two electrodes at the ends and 20b for the intermediate electrodes. The electrodes 20a are , j connected, via conductors 21 to terminals 22 for connection to an external supply of electricity. The mixture of hydrogen ~'~
and oxygen which is evolved at the electrodes when an electric current i8 applied, passes through an outlet opening 23 to a flash-back arrestor and thence to a burner (not shown in Fig-ure 2). The series of electrodes 20a and 20b are sealingly ~ mounted in a tube 24 of insulating material which is provided .~
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with restricted apextures 24a at the top and 24b at the ~ottom, ~et~een each pai~-.o~ electrodes. The apertures 24a perm~t gas to escape into t~e space 25 a~ove the sur~ace of the electrolyt~ and the. apertures 24b.permit.the electrolyte to enter ~reel~ into t~e s~aces ~et~een each pair of elec-trodes. By v~rtue of t~s arrangement the electrical resis-tance Between any tw~ adjacentelectrodes is for less than that between non-ad;acent electrodes so that the arrangement is ef~ectively one o~ a large number of individual cells con-nected in series. A very compact arrangement is therefore obtained but one which permits a relatively high gas produc-tion rate for a reasona~ly low current input. For example, a structure like that shown, consisting ofthe equivalent of, for example, 120 cells can generate gas at a current input of 15A (at, for example, 240V) equal to that of a single cell requiring a current input of approximately 1800A. This means in practice that a relatively portable apparatus can be produced w-~ich can be connected.directly, ~ithout a trans-former, to most domestic electrical supplies and which can maintain a sufficient rate of gas production for most types of ~elding work.
An advantage which particularly distinguishes the ...
arrangements disclosed from conventional gas welding apparatus is that the hydrogen.and oxygen are automatically produced in substantially the correct proportions to give a neutral flame.
No mixing valves are required and even unskilled personnel can produce satis~actory welds without difficulty. In fact indi-cations are that many welds canbe produced better than by any - . - :: , . . . - . :
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~053606 other ~eldi.n~ process.
Figure 3 illustrates a pressure responsive safety device 30 operably connected in series ~electrically) with an electrol~tic hydrogenJox~gen cell 31 for regulating the current pass~ng t~ereth~ough in accordance with the gas pres-sure be~ng generated, ~e de~ice, or cell 30 comprises a chamber 30' in communicat~on ~it~ a reservoir 32 via a passage 33. Two conical electrodes 34 and 35 are.mounted in spaced relation ~ithin the chamber and connected in series between a . 10 d.c~ source Cnot sho~n~ and the electrolytic cell 31. An electrolytic solution of KOH and water is provided within the chamber, a portion of.which enters the reservoir 32. When the cell 31 is operating to produce hydrogen and oxygen the pressure o~ the gas being produced acts on the surface of the ' electrolyte in the chamber 30' to,displace an amount of the ~1. electrolyte into the reservoir 32 against back pressure exer-,~` ted by air trapped in the reservoir, the amount o~ electrolyte displaced depending on the pressure of the gas in the chamber 30'. At the same time the area of contact between the elec-trodes and the electrolyte in the cell 30 reduces in propor-tion to the drop in electrolyte level, causing the electrical ~ resistance of the cell 30 to rise and the current passing ,~` therethrough to fall. Should the gas pressure drop the elec-¦~ trolyte level in the cell 30 will rise and the current passing into the cell 31 ~ill also rise. Thus the cell 30 operates ~`. to regulate the rate of gas production in accordance with the ~3~ pressure produced and prevents excess gas pressure to build I up in the cell 31.
`3~ ~" - 25 -~ .. v,. . . . . ~ . .: ..... . .. . - . .
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Figure 4 ~llustrates an alternat~ve ~or~ o~ safety devlce wh~ch is: operabl~.to m,aka or ~reak the connection be-, t~een an electrol~tic h~dxogen~ox~gen cell (not shown inFigure 4) and.an electr~G current source. The device com-pri,ses a c~lindri,cal,conta~ner 40 in ~luid com~unication with a li~uid reservo~r 41 v~a ~ passa~eway 42, and a quantity of mercury C42')-contained ~n the container and reservoir. Two electrodes 43 and 44 are disposed one above the other in the container 4G and are normally ~mmersed inthe mercury with a conductive path thereby ~ormed between them. The container is connected electrically in series with an electrolytic cell Cor cells) and in ~aseous communication therewith through a hose 45. An increase in gas pressure resulting from genera-tion of gases by the electrolyt~cell(s) causes the mercury to be displaced towards the reservoir and the mercury level in the container 40 to fall. ~hen the pressure exceeds a predetermined level the..mercury level ~alls below that of the I electrode 43 and electrical connection between thetwo elec-,` trodes is broken. The electrical connection is again restored .
` 20 when the gas pressure falls. A non-inflammable liquid, such i as silicone oil or a suitable fluorinated hydrocarbon such as ,~; ` are marketed under the trade mark FREON is provided on top of ~ the mercury to ensure t~at any arc which may be generated be-'~, tween the electrode 43 and the mercury is totally isolated ~-1 from the gases above the liquids.
j~ Figure 5 shows schematically an arrangement whereby : an exceedingly hot flame can be produced using the gaseous ', mixture generated electrolytically by the apparatus previously I ~ - 26 -., ' ' . ~ : ' . . ' ' . .. .
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. ~, - ...
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` 1053606 described. In th~s arrange~ent a mixtuxe of hydxogen and oxygen, ~refera~l~ in sto~chiometrical proportIon~ is passed via a line 50 between a pa~r o~ tungsten electrodes 51 to pro-duce molecular dissociat~on of the h~drogen and the oxygen and a ver~ hot ~lame 52. ~t can be appreciated that whereas in an atom~c h~drogen ~lame a s~gn~icant temperature rise is obtained by str~kin~ an arc in the h~drogen, an even greater temperature rise can be realised by striking the arc bet~een the oxygen as well since the dissociation energy of molecular oxygen is of t~e same order of magnitude as that of molecular hydrogen.
Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement for the magnetic separation of oxygen from a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, whereby the oxygen can be used for flame cutting. The appar-atus consists of a chamber 60 containing a magnet 61 and located in a conduit 62. A mixture of hydrogen and oxygen j is passed through the conduit and around the magnet 61. The diamagnetic oxygen is diverted by the magnetic field into a transverse passageway 63 to a central conduit ~not shown) leading from this passageway and thence to a flame-cutting ~; head. The paramagnetic hydrogen continues along the conduit, past the magnet and can be allowed to escape or can be col-lected, as desired. If the magnet is an electromagnet it can be turned o~f when hydrogen and oxygen is required as a mixture, and in that case the downstream side of the conduit 62 can be closed off to prevent the loss of gas.
- Figure 7 illustxates a complete oxy-hydrogen gener-at~ng~welding apparatus comprising a gas generator 70, a .1 . ~ .
s. . - - . .
~s ' ' ,. . . ;. -' ' ' - ' ':
- , . .
.. ' . : ': , " ~ ' ' current ~egulating cell 71 and a power suppl~ 72. The con-struct~on o~ t~e.electrodes.73 o~.the ~eneratox 70 and 74 of the cell 71 are identical-~ith those illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 respecti.~ely. In tR~s arran~ement.~ however, the gas generator 70 and cell 71 are co~bined as an integrated unit and as such has.s-ome ~eatures not found in the arrangements sho~n in Figs. 2 and 3. In particular the chamber 75 of the generator 70 and the c~amber 76 of the current regulator cell 71 are separated b~ two partitions 77 and 78 de~ining between them a passageway communicating between the two chambers.
The respective electrodes o~ the cell 71 and generator 70 are connected electrically in series with the.power supply.
. Gas produced by electrolysis in the chamber 75 rises into the space in the. chamber above the electrodes 73, passes down the passageway between the.partitions 77 and 78, bubbles through the electrolyte in the chamber 76 and thence.passes through an outlet opening 79 to a burner 80. An air trap reservoir 81 is formed integrally with the cell 71 and is in liquid communication therewith through an opening between the bottom of the reservoir and the cell. ~hen the pressure of the gas generated by the generator 70 rises, this pressure causes the electrolyte in the chamber 76 to be displaced into the reservo~r.81 resulting in a reduction of the current being passed to the generator 70 by the mechanism previously described in relation to Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this way the cell 71 effectively monitors the gas pressure and regu-lates the current to maintain an approximately constant pres-sure. To ensure against the possibility that the pressure ~, '' ' " ' ' ' ' ' . ' ' ' . ~'" ~ ' ~ . . . ' :
,' ' ," , ', ' , , , . ., ' ' , ' "
s~ould accidentall~ exceed a predetermined maxLmu~.safe Yalue, a spring~loaded sa~et~ pxessure val~e 82 is.prov~ded at the top o~ t~e reservoir 81 to release the excess pressure into the atmosphere.
T~e burnex.80. i~.pr.ov~ded.~th a ~lash-backarrestor in the ~orm of a porous ceram~c pellet 83 located in the gas flow path between the handle part 84 o~ the burner and the burner tip 85. The flash-back arrestor acts by quenching any flame blowing back into the burner before the flame has a chance to reach the hose 86 connecting the burner with the gas generator.
The po~er supply is of the universal type, that is, it is provided with a transformer 87 connectable to an alter-nating current electrical supply andFrovided with a number of electrical outlets for various purposes. One winding of the transformer-is connected to a bridge rectifier which provides ~ the d.c. current for the gas generator. Another winding is.l used for arc welding or can be used to supply an arc for atomic oxy-hydrogen welding. It will.be appreciated that . 20 the trans~rmer is optional and that the generator can be '~ connected directly to the mains. In fact the bridge recti-fier is not essential either and can be omitted if desired.
~j In the operation of apparatus of the type described j it is often required to conveniently change between neutral and oxidising flames, for example when changing from a wel-ding operation to a cutting operation and the present invention makes provision for the variation of these functions. ~riefly, I in accordance with the present invention, apparatus for either : . 29 ~ ,. .- . .
- ' , ' ' , ';
' ' . -' . ,'' ' ' '. -- . , ' ' , ' ':
oxy-h~drogen ~elding or.cuttin~ ~a~ co~prise..a.~irst.electro-l~tic generator ~or generatin~. hydrogen and oxygen ~y the electrol~sis o~ ~ater ~n substantiall~ stoic~iometric propor-ti.ons to produce a neutral.~lame and.a further electrolytic generator ~rom ~ic~ ~xdrogen and oxy~en are separatel~ deli-vered, wit~ means ~or adding either t~e hydrogen from this furt~er cell, or t~e oxygen ~rom the ~urther generator to the gas mixture obtained from t~e first generator. This arrange-ment results in.a most ef~icient combination of functions when a neutral ~lame or other is required. The hydrogen gas pro-duced by the ~urther generator, when added to the flame mix-ture, burns ~ith atmospheric oxygen thereby producing a re-ducing-flame. When an oxidising flame is required, the addi-tional hydrogen is cut o~ and the oxygen produced by the further generator is added to the flame mixture. It will be appreciated that various designs can be employed for either generator, ~or example, they may be completely independent or they may share a common electrolyte. The ~urther gas gener-ator can also, in practice, be made somewhat smaller than the other generator since it does not ha~e to produce the bulk of the gas reguired.
It has.been.~ound that welding with hydrogen and ~ -oxygen in an exact 2 to 1 ratio (as when the gases are pro-`; duced electrolytically-) results in a particularly clean, oxide free welded surface and a strong welded joint. For the same quality welding to be produced by conventional gas welding technique substantially greater skill is required and, ~i~
~ in the case o~ conventional hydrogen welding, for example, t~ ~
- ,' '. .', ', ', :. ~ ~ :
good welded jo~nts are obta~ned only with ~reat difficulty due to t~e extreme dif~icult~ in obta~ning an~ maintaining a neutral flame. ~ith the met~od of the present invention there is no di~iculty in obta~ning a neutral ~lame, and hence the ease ~ith wh~c~ hi~ quality ~elds can be obtained.
~ inally, it can somet-imes be convenient to store hydrogen and/or oxygen, generated electrolytically in a specially designed container, or to slo~ly accumulate these gases and then, when required, usingff~e accumulated stored gas for extra heavy work ~or a short time. It is quite haz-ardous to pressurise a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen under very high pressures, of course, but it is possible, in accor-dance with one aspect of the invention, to store a useful ` amount of gas in a relatively small volume at lo~ pressures 'J, and this can be done by using a highly gas absorbent metal ~ in the storage container. The metal palladium, for example, `~ can absorb up to 900 times its own volume of hydrogen and can be used with advantage for this application. In fact useful ! amounts of hydrogen, for small scale brazing work can readily be stored in a small hand held container, containing a gas ~bsorbent rslterIal.
:~j ~....
.. . . . . . . .
!,' ` , '. ~ . ' . , : . ~
,. ` . ' ' . ' ~ ~: ~ ' .. ,: ',, . , . . `
,
Claims (20)
1. A regulating device suitable for use with an electro-lytic cell generating hydrogen and oxygen, the device comprising an electrolytic chamber, an aqueous electrolyte contained in said chamber, first and second electrodes immersed in said aqueous electrolyte, inlet means in said chamber adapted to permit gaseous communication between said electrolytic chamber and a gas output from the electrolytic cell, said aqueous elec-trolyte being displaceable relative to said first and second electrodes immersed therein such that an increase in pressure of said gas from the electrolytic cell will act to displace a portion of said aqueous electrolyte and proportionately increase the electrolyte resistance between said pair of electrodes.
2. Apparatus for generating a supply of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to consumption of said gases comprising (a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic generation of said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, (b) a gas outlet carried by said cell to allow a por-tion of said generated gases to discharge from said cell, (c) a source of electrical power connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and (d) an electrical power regulating means for controlling the amount of power to said cell including:
a first chamber having a selected cross-sectional area and an upper and lower inlet, said upper inlet connected with said gas outlet of said cell, a second chamber having a selected cross-sectional area at least one half less than that of said first chamber and a lower inlet, said inlet connected to said lower inlet of said first chamber by a suitable passage, a first and second inverted conically-shaped and concentrically aligned resistant electrode carried in a vertical relationship in said first chamber, said electrodes connected in said circuit between said power source and said cell, and a quantity of electrolytic solution carried in said chambers to partially fill said chambers and interface with said electrodes to close said circuit, wherein an increase in the pressure of said entrapped gases depresses the level of said electrolytic solution in said first chamber to cause an increase in resistance of said electrodes thereby reducing the amount of power to said cell.
a first chamber having a selected cross-sectional area and an upper and lower inlet, said upper inlet connected with said gas outlet of said cell, a second chamber having a selected cross-sectional area at least one half less than that of said first chamber and a lower inlet, said inlet connected to said lower inlet of said first chamber by a suitable passage, a first and second inverted conically-shaped and concentrically aligned resistant electrode carried in a vertical relationship in said first chamber, said electrodes connected in said circuit between said power source and said cell, and a quantity of electrolytic solution carried in said chambers to partially fill said chambers and interface with said electrodes to close said circuit, wherein an increase in the pressure of said entrapped gases depresses the level of said electrolytic solution in said first chamber to cause an increase in resistance of said electrodes thereby reducing the amount of power to said cell.
3. Apparatus for generating a supply of hydrogen and oxygen gases comprising (a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytic gener-ation of said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, (b) a gas outlet carried by said cell to allow a por-tion of said generated gases to discharge from said cell, (c) a source of electrical power connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and (d) an electrical power regulating means including, a first chamber having a selected cross-sectional area and an upper and lower inlet, said upper inlet-connected to said outlet of said cell, a second circular chamber having a preselected cross-sectional area, said area of said second chamber being at least one-half that of said first chamber, and a lower inlet, said inlet connected to said lower inlet of said first chamber by a passage, a quantity of electrolytic solution carried in said chamber to partially fill said chambers, a quantity of non-conductive liquid having a specific gravity less than said electro-lytic solution carried in said first chamber above said electrolytic solution, and a first and second electrode carried by said first chamber in a vertical relationship and extending inwardly therein to interface with said electrolyte solution, said elec-trodes connected in said circuit between said power source and said cell to close said circuit, wherein a sufficient increase in pressure of said en-trapped gases depresses the level of said non-conductive liquid and said electrolyte to interface said upper electrode with said non-conductive material whereby said circuit is opened.
4. System for generating a supply of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in proportion to a consumption of said gases and protecting said system comprising:
(a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytically generating said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, (b) a source of electrical power connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and (c) a gas outlet means to allow a discharge of said gases and protect said cell from a flash-back and provide regulation of said gas generation further including, a first vertical chamber having a top inlet con-nected with said cell and a bottom outlet, a second vertical chamber having a substantially greater cross-sectional area than said first chamber, said second chamber having a top out-let for discharging said gas to a gas consump-tion means, and a first and second bottom inlet, said first inlet connected to said bottom inlet of said first chamber by a hori-zontal passage, a third vertical chamber having a bottom inlet con-nected to said second bottom inlet of said second chamber, said third chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than said first chamber and less than said second chamber, a quantity of electrolytic solution carried in said first, second and third chamber to partially fill said chambers, a first and second inverted, conically-shaped resistant electrodes concentrically aligned and carried by said second chamber in a ver-tical relationship, said electrodes connected in said circuit to close said circuit when in contact with said electrolyte, wherein an increase in pressure in said second chamber depresses the level of said electrolyte to decrease the genera-tion of said gases by increasing resistance in said circuit by increasing exposed portions of said resistant electrodes, said electrolyte acting as a protective barrier between said gas con-sumption means and said cell.
(a) an electrolytic cell means for electrolytically generating said gases, said cell being enclosed to entrap said generated gases, (b) a source of electrical power connected to said cell by a suitable circuit, and (c) a gas outlet means to allow a discharge of said gases and protect said cell from a flash-back and provide regulation of said gas generation further including, a first vertical chamber having a top inlet con-nected with said cell and a bottom outlet, a second vertical chamber having a substantially greater cross-sectional area than said first chamber, said second chamber having a top out-let for discharging said gas to a gas consump-tion means, and a first and second bottom inlet, said first inlet connected to said bottom inlet of said first chamber by a hori-zontal passage, a third vertical chamber having a bottom inlet con-nected to said second bottom inlet of said second chamber, said third chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than said first chamber and less than said second chamber, a quantity of electrolytic solution carried in said first, second and third chamber to partially fill said chambers, a first and second inverted, conically-shaped resistant electrodes concentrically aligned and carried by said second chamber in a ver-tical relationship, said electrodes connected in said circuit to close said circuit when in contact with said electrolyte, wherein an increase in pressure in said second chamber depresses the level of said electrolyte to decrease the genera-tion of said gases by increasing resistance in said circuit by increasing exposed portions of said resistant electrodes, said electrolyte acting as a protective barrier between said gas con-sumption means and said cell.
5. An apparatus according to claim 2, 3 or 4, further comprising a flash-back arrestor in the form of an elongated capillary having a first end connected to said cell outlet and a second end connected to a gas consumption means.
6. Apparatus for the generation of hydrogen and oxygen and utilization of same for welding, brazing or the like, said apparatus comprising at least one electrolytic chamber having electrodes immersed in an aqueous electrolyte contained in said chamber, a pressure sensitive regulating device containing an aqueous electrolyte, at least one pair of electrodes immersed in the aqueous electrolyte contained in said regulating device and connected in series with said electrodes contained in said at least one electrolytic chamber, a passageway connecting said pressure sensitive regulating device with said at least one electrolytic chamber, said aqueous electrolyte in said pressure sensitive regulating device being displaceable relative to said pair of electrodes immersed therein so as to proportionately in-crease the electrolyte resistance between said pair of electrodes and consequently reduce the electric current passing in series between said pair of electrodes and said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an increase in pressure of said gases, an outlet to said regulating device, means passing said gaseous mixture from said outlet through a flash-back arresting means to a burner nozzle, and a pair of electrodes arranged downstream of said burner nozzle in the path of said gases therefrom, said electrodes being connectable to a source of electrical arc energy for causing dissociation of said gaseous mixture into atomic hydrogen and atomic oxygen.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least one electrolytic chamber comprises a plurality of electrolytic cells connected electrically in series or series parallel and arranged each to generate a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolytic dissociation of said aqueous electrolyte.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of electrolytic cells is constituted by a plurality of electrodes arranged in close-spaced relation in a manner to be effectively in series or series parallel the electrodes at each end of the series being connectable through terminals to a source of elec-trical energy.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the electrodes comprise a series of parallel plates mounted in spaced relation-ship along an insulated tube and in sealing relationship there-with, with apertures being formed in the tube between each pair of adjacent plates to provide for passage of electrolyte into the space between each pair of plates, and the escape of gas therefrom.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including means for the separation of oxygen from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen and passing the oxygen so separated as excess oxygen to the burnerhead.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said means comprises a passageway for the passage of a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, means for producing a magnetic field in the passageway, to separate the hydrogen and the oxygen, and means for collecting either of the hydrogen or oxygen so separated.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a safety pressure release valve means is provided in combination with pressure-sensitive regulating device to release gas pressure therefrom when exceeding a predetermined value.
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including a bridge rectifier in circuit with the electrolytic cell(s).
14. A method of oxy/hydrogen welding, brazing or the like, characterized by electrolytically generating a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in substantially stoichiometric pro-portions by passing an electric current between electrodes immersed in an aqueous electrolyte contained in at least one electrolytic chamber, passing the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen from said at least one chamber through an aqueous electrolyte contained in a pressure-sensitive regulating device having at least one pair of electrodes connected elec-trically in series with said electrodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber, which electrolyte in said regulating device is displaceable as a result of pressure of said mixture of hydrogen and oxygen to proportionately increase the electrolyte resistance between said pair of electrodes and consequently reduce the electric current passing between said pair of electrodes in said regulating device and said elec-trodes in said at least one electrolytic chamber in accordance with an increase in pressure therein, passing said gaseous mixture through flash-back arresting means and thence through a burner nozzle, producing an arc between electrodes arranged downstream of said burner nozzle and in the path of said gases so as to produce disassociation of said gases into atomic hydrogen and atomic oxygen, and burning said hydrogen and oxygen to produce a flame, the temperature of the flame exceeding the normal temperature of combustion of molecular hydrogen and oxygen.
15. Method as claimed in claim 14, wherein excess oxygen is added to the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen and the flame is used for metal cutting.
16. Method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said electric current is passed through a plurality of electrolytic cells connected electrically in series, the hydrogen and oxygen liberated in each cell being collected as a stoichiometric mixture which is passed through said pressure-sensitive regulating device.
17. Method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of electrolytic cells is constituted by a plurality of elec-trodes arranged side by side in an electrolytic bath in a manner to be electrically in series, with the electrodes at each end of the series being connectable with an external source of electrical energy.
18. The method of claim 16, further characterized by using an A. C. supply in combination with a transformer to provide the electrical current for the cells.
19. Method as claimed in claim 16, wherein additional hydrogen and oxygen are generated separately in a further electrolytic cell or cells and the additional hydrogen and/or oxygen so generated is/are added to the said mixture of hydrogen and oxygen before the mixture is passed through said arc.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the additional oxygen is obtained by magnetic separation thereof from a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUPB415973 | 1973-07-20 | ||
| AUPB434173 | 1973-08-03 | ||
| AUPB741874 | 1974-05-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1053606A true CA1053606A (en) | 1979-05-01 |
Family
ID=27157006
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA205,229A Expired CA1053606A (en) | 1973-07-20 | 1974-07-19 | Welding |
Country Status (13)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS578877B2 (en) |
| BE (1) | BE817953A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1053606A (en) |
| CH (1) | CH605005A5 (en) |
| GB (2) | GB1475549A (en) |
| HU (1) | HU172761B (en) |
| IN (1) | IN142920B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL7409795A (en) |
| NO (1) | NO742653L (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ174922A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE7409499L (en) |
| YU (1) | YU203374A (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA744656B (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6896789B2 (en) | 2001-06-04 | 2005-05-24 | Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company Limited | Electrolysis cell and internal combustion engine kit comprising the same |
| WO2008017153A1 (en) * | 2006-08-10 | 2008-02-14 | Cropley Holdings Ltd. | Method and apparatus for producing a visible hydrogen flame |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH0421886Y2 (en) * | 1987-05-19 | 1992-05-19 | ||
| GB9303202D0 (en) * | 1993-02-17 | 1993-03-31 | Pritchard Declan N | Electrolysis module |
| DE69431724T2 (en) * | 1993-09-06 | 2003-09-04 | Hydrogen Tech Ltd | IMPROVED ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEMS |
| AT412972B (en) * | 2003-10-14 | 2005-09-26 | Bierbaumer Hans Peter Dr | DEVICE FOR CONVERTING ENERGY |
| DE102005017900A1 (en) * | 2005-04-18 | 2006-10-19 | Wolf-Dietrich Hannecke Kunststofftechnik | Heating device for zonal heating includes at least one point-form heat source with displaceable input point |
| JP6210658B2 (en) * | 2012-06-01 | 2017-10-11 | 新日鐵住金株式会社 | Metal gas cutting method and metal gas cutting device |
-
1974
- 1974-07-18 NZ NZ174922A patent/NZ174922A/en unknown
- 1974-07-19 CA CA205,229A patent/CA1053606A/en not_active Expired
- 1974-07-19 NO NO742653A patent/NO742653L/no unknown
- 1974-07-19 NL NL7409795A patent/NL7409795A/en unknown
- 1974-07-19 YU YU02033/74A patent/YU203374A/en unknown
- 1974-07-19 HU HU74BO00001509A patent/HU172761B/en unknown
- 1974-07-20 JP JP8374674A patent/JPS578877B2/ja not_active Expired
- 1974-07-22 ZA ZA00744656A patent/ZA744656B/en unknown
- 1974-07-22 CH CH1009574A patent/CH605005A5/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1974-07-22 GB GB3228374A patent/GB1475549A/en not_active Expired
- 1974-07-22 SE SE7409499A patent/SE7409499L/xx unknown
- 1974-07-22 GB GB1590976A patent/GB1475550A/en not_active Expired
- 1974-07-22 BE BE146825A patent/BE817953A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1974-07-26 IN IN1672/CAL/74A patent/IN142920B/en unknown
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6896789B2 (en) | 2001-06-04 | 2005-05-24 | Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company Limited | Electrolysis cell and internal combustion engine kit comprising the same |
| US7143722B2 (en) | 2001-06-04 | 2006-12-05 | Canadian Hydrogen Energy Company | Electrolysis cell and internal combustion engine kit comprising the same |
| WO2008017153A1 (en) * | 2006-08-10 | 2008-02-14 | Cropley Holdings Ltd. | Method and apparatus for producing a visible hydrogen flame |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS578877B2 (en) | 1982-02-18 |
| NZ174922A (en) | 1978-06-20 |
| CH605005A5 (en) | 1978-09-29 |
| ZA744656B (en) | 1975-08-27 |
| HU172761B (en) | 1978-12-28 |
| SE7409499L (en) | 1975-01-21 |
| GB1475550A (en) | 1977-06-01 |
| NO742653L (en) | 1975-01-21 |
| GB1475549A (en) | 1977-06-01 |
| YU203374A (en) | 1982-02-28 |
| JPS5071530A (en) | 1975-06-13 |
| IN142920B (en) | 1977-09-10 |
| NL7409795A (en) | 1975-01-22 |
| BE817953A (en) | 1974-11-18 |
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