Process for photosynthetically splitting water

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:865188

Greenbaum, Elias ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

The invention is an improved process for producing gaseous hydrogen and oxygen from water. The process is conducted in a photolytic reactor which contains a water-suspension of a photoactive material containing a hydrogen-liberating catalyst. The reactor also includes a volume for receiving gaseous hydrogen and oxygen evolved from the liquid phase. To avoid oxygen-inactivation of the catalyst, the reactor is evacuated continuously by an external pump which circulates the evolved gases through means for selectively recovering hydrogen therefrom. The pump also cools the reactor by evaporating water from the liquid phase. Preferably, product recovery is effected by selectively diffusing the hydrogen through a heated semipermeable membrane, while maintaining across the membrane a magnetic field gradient which biases the oxygen away from the heated membrane. This promotes separation, minimizes the back-reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, and protects the membrane.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4476105
• OSTI ID: 865188
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

process
photosynthetically
splitting
water
improved
producing
gaseous
hydrogen
oxygen
conducted
photolytic
reactor
contains
water-suspension
photoactive
material
containing
hydrogen-liberating
catalyst
volume
receiving
evolved
liquid
phase
avoid
oxygen-inactivation
evacuated
continuously
external
pump
circulates
gases
means
selectively
recovering
therefrom
cools
evaporating
preferably
product
recovery
effected
diffusing
heated
semipermeable
membrane
maintaining
magnetic
field
gradient
biases
promotes
separation
minimizes
back-reaction
protects
field gradient
semipermeable membrane
gaseous hydrogen
permeable membrane
improved process
active material
magnetic field
liquid phase
material containing
recovering hydrogen
splitting water
product recovery
producing gaseous
evolved gases
receiving gas
/423/95/