US 20120037510A1

(19) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N0.: US 2012/0037510 A1
BETHUREM
(54)

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE

(52)

PREPARATION OF COMBUSTIBLE FLUID

(57)

(75) Inventor:
_

(73)

(43) Pub. Date:

Feb. 16, 2012

US. Cl. .................................... .. 205/462; 204/275.1

ABSTRACT

GARY J_ BETHUREM, Simi

A fuel and hydrogen generator includes electrolysis in a ?rst

Valley CA (Us)

closed yess'el containing a bath of Water, electrolyte and suf

?cient l1qu1d hydrocarbon fuel to serve as an oxygen barrier.
The hydrogen produced in the ?rst closed Vessel is introduced

Asslgnee'

ADVANCED COMBUSTION
TECHNOLOGIESINC

(21) Appl. No.:

12/855,617

into a second closed Vessel having a bath of Water, electrolyte

and liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an amount Volumetrically
equal to the Water. Electrodes extend through the liquid
hydrocarbon fuel to the Water to conduct electrolysis.

Makeup Water and liquid hydrocarbon fuel is supplied to both

(22) Filed.

Aug 12, 2010

closed Vessels as needed. The bath in the second closed vessel

is recirculated to entrain all constituents Within the bath and to

Pubhcatlon Classl?catlon

(51)

cool the bath to ambient temperature. Gas is draWn off of the

bath in the second closed Vessel though Vacuum With con

Int, Cl,
C101, 1/04

(200601)

stituents then fractionally lique?ed to create a reformed liquid

hydrocarbon fuel and to separate the fuel from the gaseous

C25B 9/00

(2006.01)

hydrogen.

Patent Application Publication

14

Feb. 16, 2012

US 2012/0037510 A1

Feb. 16, 2012

US 2012/0037510 A1

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE

PREPARATION OF COMBUSTIBLE FLUID
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The ?eld of the present invention is hydrocarbon

re?ning.
[0002]

Electrolysis of Water to generate hydrogen and oxy

gen is Well knoWn. Also knoWn are HHO generators Which

use electrolysis to transform Water into its component parts
but not to separate the hydrogen and oxygen once released.

Such devices have been employed to directly feed internal

combustion engines to improve combustion. In modern
engines, oxygen sensors are used to control air fuel mixture as

they sense variations in oxygen. Even though the oxygen

introduced from an HHO generator is in a stoichiometric ratio

With the hydrogen also introduced, the oxygen sensor does

not account for the added combustible hydrogen and senses
an excess of oxygen. As a result, the tuning of the engine must
be amended to account for the introduction of hydrogen With
the additional oxygen from such a generator. Further, as a

stoichiometric mixture of oxygen and hydrogen is explosive

With a threshold input of energy, such generators are typically
employed to immediately feed combustion so that the explo
sive mixture is not accumulated. The HHO supplied to the

intake of internal combustion engines for boosting the opera

tion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels is intended to operate in
various Ways to increase performance, increase e?iciency
and/or reduce exhaust pollutants. Mixed results have led to
further study Without yet establishing a compelling need to

Both regulation of the voltage across the electrodes and the

recirculation may be used to maintain ambient temperatures
in the bath. Neutral electrodes may additionally be used to
match impedance With the poWer source to gain e?iciency.
[0007] In a third separate aspect of the present invention, a

plurality of baths consisting essentially of Water, electrolyte

and liquid hydrocarbons are arranged serially With different
ratios of liquid hydrocarbon fuel to Water. Serial association
of the baths are understood to impact the ratio of products
derived.
[0008] In a fourth separate aspect of the present invention,
a fuel generator employs a closed vessel, Water, liquid hydro

carbon fuel, electrolyte and electrodes of opposite polarity

extending into the hydrocarbons and Water in the vessel. The
electrolysis causes the transformation of Water and liquid

hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen and reformulated fuel. A

vacuum pump in communication With the gas space in the
closed vessel removes products Which can be volatiliZed

Without signi?cantly volatiliZing the original liquid hydrocar

bon fuel.

[0009] In a ?fth separate aspect of the present invention,

any of the foregoing aspects may be combined to greater
result.
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention
to provide a novel process for the generation of reformulated

hydrocarbon fuel. Other and further objects and advantages

Will appear hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

commercialiZe such devices.

[0011]

[0003] Hydrocarbon liquid fuels employed in internal com

bustion engines range broadly With the most conventional
fuels being gasoline, diesel and kerosene. These liquids are

ratus of one embodiment of the present invention.

blended hydrocarbons of various molecular Weight and con

?guration. The siZe and con?guration of such molecules can
affect burn rate and exhaust products. Additives have been

employed to modify those effects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention is directed to the creation of

reformed fuel from liquid hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline,
diesel and kerosene that appears to burn cleaner and provide

The draWing is a schematic of the process and appa

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

[0012] Turning to the schematic, a ?rst closed vessel 10

includes an arrangement of anodes and cathodes 12 in a cavity
14. Neutral electrodes may also be used to match the imped
ance With the poWer source to maximiZe ef?ciency as may be

empirically determined. The electrodes employed in the pre

ferred embodiment are plates 12 of alternating polarity
extending across the cavity 14. Stainless steel has been used
but more exotic metals are knoWn to increase plate longevity.

substantial energy for combustion in an internal combustion

Electrical feeds 16 conventionally communicate With the

engine With a lighter blend of hydrocarbons.

electrodes 12. This ?rst closed vessel 10 contains a bath in the

[0005] In a ?rst separate aspect of the present invention, a

process for the preparation of combustible ?uid includes con

cavity 14 consisting essentially of Water, electrolyte, and a

thin layer of liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The electrolyte may be

ducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of Water,

electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbons With removal of the gas
from the bath during electrolysis and adding makeup Water

introduced as potassium hydroxide. The fuel may be any

combustible hydrocarbon Which Would be liquid in the envi
ronment of the bath, most typically gasoline, diesel fuel or

and liquid hydrocarbons to effect a continuous process. In

kerosene. The layer of liquid hydrocarbon fuel is su?icient to

implementing this process, the volumetric ratio of hydrocar

bon fuel to Water may range from about 6:1 doWn to a very

form an oxygen barrier above the Water. Less than one quarter
inch is su?icient in most cases. The electrodes 12 extend

small ratio With only a small amount of hydrocarbon fuel to

through the hydrocarbon layer to the Water.

de?ne an oxygen barrier above the Water. Different ratios can

[0013]

impact the ?nal blend of resulting hydrocarbon constituents.

may be a battery, 110 AC or other voltage source Which is

recti?ed as needed. The system operates Well at 19 volts,

[0006]

In a second separate aspect of the present invention,

a process for the preparation of combustible ?uid includes

conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of

Water, electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbons. The process fur

The electrolysis is driven by a poWer source Which

draWing about 3 amps for the closed vessel 10. The poWer is
subjected to the voltage being pulsed on and off to reduce the
generation of heat in the bath.

ther includes the circulation of the liquid phase to maintain

[0014]

intermediate products in suspension for further processing.

The electrolysis contemplates electrodes of opposite polarity

a port 18 and liquid hydrocarbon fuel is made up through a

port 20. Gas generated Within the closed vessel 10 is draWn
off through a port 22 located above the level of liquid.

extending into the hydrocarbons and to the Water in the bath.

For feedstock, makeup Water is introduced through

Feb. 16, 2012

US 2012/0037510 A1

[0015] A second closed vessel 24 is coupled With the closed

vessel 10 through the port 22 by Which the closed vessel 24
receives gas generated from the ?rst vessel 1 0 at a port 26. The
closed vessel 24 includes a cavity 28 With electrodes 30 of

alternating polarity extending through the hydrocarbon fuel

and to the Water in a bath consisting essentially of Water,

electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The electrodes 30 in

this embodiment are stainless steel plates extend through the
hydrocarbon fuel and to the Water in the bath. More exotic
metals Will likely improve longevity as noted above. The port
26 is located beloW the bath in the closed vessel 24 to intro
duce the hydrogen into the electrolysis process. The same
electrolyte may be employed in the second bath but the liquid
hydrocarbon fuel is at a much higher volumetric ratio With the
Water than in the ?rst bath. E?iciency in the preferred
embodiment appears to be maximiZed With a ratio of about 6
to 1. Again, poWer to the electrolysis process is as described

not occur, as discussed above. The hydrogen passes through

the port 22 above the liquid level and from the vessel 10.
Because of the thin layer of liquid hydrocarbon fuel on the
surface of the Water in the closed vessel 10, oxygen is pre
vented by this barrier from escaping from the bath.
[0020] The hydrogen from the closed vessel 10 is fed to the
second closed vessel 24 into the port 26. The second vessel 24
conducts electrolysis in an environment With the bath con

taining much larger ratios of liquid hydrocarbon fuel to Water

With an electrolyte and With the hydrogen gas delivered from

the closed vessel 10. The electrolysis is accomplished by the

electrodes 30 of alternating opposite polarity Which extend
through the hydrocarbon fuel to the Water. The electrolysis
process is run on a cycle of about 50% on and 50% off.

E?iciency appears to be maximiZed at around this 50% poWer

supply cycle and the controls keep temperature Within the

bath doWn. It has been found that cycling the poWer such that

above for the ?rst closed vessel 10 With 19 volts draWing

about 3 amps in the closed vessel 24 With the poWer pulsed.

the electrodes 30 are charged about 50% of the time creates a

Each of these parameters is subject to empirical tuning to

[0021] To further maintain temperature and to retain all

components of the process entrained in the bath, the constitu

maximiZe ef?ciency in the environment of each reactor ves

sel.

[0016]

During the electrolysis process in the second closed

greater ef?ciency of operation.

ents of the bath are recirculated through the pump 34 and tank

36. Cooling is included in this recirculating ?oW by the heat

vessel 24, the liquid contained therein is recirculated from a

exchanger 38. It is advantageous to maintain the bath at

port 32 through a recirculation pump 34 to a tank 36. The tank

ambient temperature. The intermediate hydrocarbon material

36 has the ingredients of the second bath including some

intermediate hydrocarbon material Which is to be circulated
With the Water back into the bath. From the tank 36, recircu
lation continues through a heat exchanger 38 and back into
the bath of the second closed vessel 24 through a port 40.
[0017] As feedstock, a Water tank 42 feeds makeup Water to
the tank 36 as electrolysis loWers the quantity of Water in the
system. A hydrocarbon fuel tank 44 also makes up liquid fuel
ingredients as needed. Solenoids 46 and 48 control the Water
tank 42 and fuel tank 44, respectively. The same sources may
be used to provide feedstock to the ?rst closed vessel, as
shoWn in the schematic.
[0018] A further port 50 located above the liquid level
Within the second closed vessel 24 draWs gas into a safety
bubbler 52 and then to a vacuum pump/compressor assembly
54. The vacuum pump/ compressor assembly 54 draWs a
vacuum on the closed vessel 24 and compresses a fraction of

the gasi?ed product into liquid delivered to a tank 56. The

vacuum draWn is moderated. At start-up, foaming is an issue
and operation of the vacuum pump/compres sor 54 is delayed.

Once the bath has been operating for a While, foaming

decreases and a vacuum can be draWn. As the bath is a blend

of liquid hydrocarbons, the level of vacuum Will impact the

constituents volatiliZed. A maximum of l 0 pounds per square
inch beloW atmospheric has been used. This avoids volatiliZ
ing any of the feedstock Water at the bottom of the bath or

?ashing off the feedstock liquid hydrocarbon fuel before it

has been subjected to a time of residence in the bath. The
degree of vacuum can be used to vary the residence time of the

volatile hydrocarbons in the second bath, Which is understood

is circulated With the Water back into the bath as this appears

to ultimately convert dark hydrocarbon material, intermedi

ate in the conversion process, into the desired volatile hydro
carbons.
[0022] Gas is draWn off above the bath in the second closed

vessel 24 by the vacuum pump/compressor 54 through the

safety bubbler 52, compressed and then cooled again if nec
essary to create a stable liquid at atmospheric pressure. The

hydrogen gas is naturally fractionated from the hydrocarbon

fuel thus derived. As noted above, the vacuum is regulated to
not gasify the feedstock Water and alloW residence time for

the liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The operation of electrolysis in

the second vessel 24 reduces the hydrocarbons to a lighter

blend of constituents in the resulting liquid fuel. By control

ling residence time in the second bath, the resulting blend of
hydrocarbon constituents volatiZed is understood to vary in

Weight.
[0023]

Thus, a gas and fuel generator and the process of

using same to generate reconstituted liquid hydrocarbon fuel

has been disclosed. While embodiments and applications of
this invention have been shoWn and described, it Would be
apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modi?ca
tions are possible Without departing from the inventive con
cepts herein. The invention, therefore is not to be restricted

except in the spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
1. A process for the preparation of combustible ?uid, com

prising
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of

Water, electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon fuel;

side is unable to liquefy the hydrogen generated during this

removing gas from above the bath during electrolysis;

providing makeup Water and liquid hydrocarbon fuel dur

process, Which is separately conveyed to a second tank 58. Of

course, each of these fractionated products may be directed to

2. The process of claim 1, removing gas including draWing

can impact the ?nal mix as may be desired. The compressor

ing the electrolysis.

other devices for processing or use.

gas With a vacuum pump, the vacuum being loW enough to

[0019]

separate volatile components from the feedstock Water.

Looking to the process directly, the bath in the ?rst

closed vessel 10 is subjected to electrolysis and, being prin

cipally Water, generates hydrogen and oxygen. PoWer is

3. The process of claim 1, conducting electrolysis being

betWeen electrodes of opposite polarity extending into the

directed to the electrolysis process such that overheating does

hydrocarbon fuel and to the Water.

Feb. 16, 2012

US 2012/0037510 A1

4. The process of claim 1 further comprising

fractionally liquefying gas removed from above the bath;

conducting electrolysis in a second bath consisting essen

tially of Water, electrolyte and a second amount of liquid

hydrocarbons betWeen electrodes of opposite polarity

and

separating hydrogen there from.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising
maintaining the bath at ambient temperature.
6. The process of claim 5, maintaining the bath at ambient

temperature including recirculating liquid from the bath and

cooling the recirculating liquid to ambient temperature.
7. The process of claim 6, maintaining the bath at ambient

extending into the hydrocarbons and to the Water;

introducing the gas removed from the ?rst bath during
electrolysis to the Water in the second bath;
removing gas from above the second bath during electroly
s1s;

providing makeup Water and liquid hydrocarbon to the

second bath during the electrolysis.

temperature further including pulsing the voltage for the elec

12. The process of claim 11, removing gas from the second

trolysis on and off to maintain temperature.

8. A process for the preparation of combustible ?uid, com

bath including draWing the gas With a vacuum pump, the

prising
conducting electrolysis in a bath consisting essentially of

Water, electrolyte and liquid hydrocarbon fuel using

electrodes of opposite polarity extending into the hydro
carbon fuel and to the Water;

draWing gas from above the bath during electrolysis under

vacuum;

fractionally liquefying gas removed from above the bath;

and

providing makeup Water and liquid hydrocarbon fuel dur

ing the electrolysis.

9. The process of claim 8 further comprising

recirculating liquid from the bath.

10. The process of claim 1, conducting the electrolysis

vacuum being loW enough to separate volatile components

from the feedstock Water, the process further comprising
cooling and compressing the gas from the second bath to

fractionally liquefy the gas.

13. The process of claim 11 further comprising
maintaining the second bath at ambient temperature.
14. The process of claim 13, maintaining the second bath at

ambient temperature including recirculating liquid from the

bath and cooling the recirculating liquid to ambient tempera
ture.

15. The process of claim 14, maintaining the second bath at

ambient temperatures further including pulsing the voltage

for the electrolysis on and off to maintain temperature.

16. A fuel generator comprising

a closed vessel;

including pulsing the voltage on and off to reduce heat to the

bath.
11. A process for the preparation of combustible ?uid,

Water, liquid hydrocarbons, electrolyte and electrodes of

opposite polarity extending into the hydrocarbons and

comprising

a vacuum pump in communication With gas space in the

conducting electrolysis in a ?rst bath consisting essentially

Water in the closed vessel;

of Water, electrolyte and a ?rst amount of liquid hydro

closed vessel above the Water and hydrocarbons.

17. The fuel generator of claim 16 further comprising

carbon fuel su?icient to form an oxygen barrier above

a radiator in communication With the vacuum pump.

the Water in the ?rst bath;

removing gas from above the ?rst bath during electrolysis;

providing makeup Water and liquid hydrocarbon to the ?rst

bath during the electrolysis;

18. The fuel generator of claim 16 further comprising

a source of hydrogen coupled With the closed vessel.
*