Aquanautics Corporation

Joseph C Van Ryzin

Joseph Bonaventura

Bruce D Zenner

Celia Bonaventura

C William Anderson

A method for extracting oxygen from a fluid environment, which comprises the steps of (1) contacting a first fluid environment containing oxygen with a first surface of a first oxygen permeable membrane having a first and a second surface, wherein the membrane separates the environment from an interior space of a closed container, (2) transporting a carrier fluid into contact with the second surface of the membrane, wherein the carrier fluid is confined in the closed container and the carrier fluid contains a binding-state oxygen carrier, whereby oxygen which diffuses through the membrane binds to the carrier to give a bound oxygen complex, (3) transporting the carrier fluid containing the bound oxygen complex to a first electrode compartment of an electrochemical cell which forms a second portion of the closed container, (4) electrochemically modifying the binding-state oxygen carrier to an oxidation state having less binding affinity for oxygen, thereby releasing free oxygen into the carrier fluid and producing a nonbinding-state oxygen carrier, (5) removing oxygen from the carrier fluid, (6) transporting the carrier fluid containing the nonbinding-state oxygen carrier to a second electrode compartment of an electrochemical cell which forms a third portion of the closed container, and (7) electrochemically modifying the nonbinding-state oxygen carrier to the binding-state oxygen carrier, is disclosed along with an apparatus useful for carrying out the method of the invention.

System for the extraction and utilization of oxygen from fluids

An apparatus for extracting oxygen from an environment surrounding the apparatus, which comprises a container having an interior space isolated from physical contact with the environment at least in part by a gas permeable membrane having a first and a second side, wherein the membrane contacts the environment on the first side of the membrane, a carrier fluid in contact with the second side of the membrane in the first container, and a non-proteinaceous oxygen binding compound contained in the carrier fluid, wherein the compound comprises a tetradentate chelating molecule, a metal ion chelated in the molecule, and a nitrogenous base chelated to the metal ion, is disclosed along with a method for extracting oxygen from environmental fluids.

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Kailua, HI, United States of America

Joseph C Van Ryzin