Candace Lee Conwell

US Patent:

8177941, May 15, 2012

Filed:

Jan 7, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/684014

Inventors:

Richard Adams - Chula Vista CA, US
Candace Conwell - Escondido CA, US

Assignee:

United States of America as represented by the Sectretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

C01B 3/00
C25B 5/00

US Classification:

204155, 204156

Abstract:

A hydrogen storage and recovery system includes a substrate having embedded hydrogen molecules and a grid of cells. Each cell includes an electron source for directing electrons onto the substrate, two orthogonal magnetic or electric fields that are oriented so that the electrons pass through both magnetic fields prior to striking the substrate, and an ion guide. A voltage source establishes a potential for the electrons that is equal to the ionization potential of the hydrogen molecules, so that hydrogen molecules are ionized when the electrons impinge on the substrate. The magnetic fields can be manipulated to deflect, or change, the direction of said electrons passing through the fields, so that electrons strike the substrate at different locations, which allows for more recovery of the embedded hydrogen molecules from the substrate. The ion guide uses an applied electric field to draw hydrogen ions that have been ionized for subsequent storage.