Efficient electrochemical motor

Abstract

An improved high-efficiency electrochemical motor is disclosed that uses hydrogen gas in a gas-tight pump housing to convert electrical energy to mechanical work. The motor consists of an electrolytic membrane with pervious electrodes on both sides separated by the thickness of the electrolytic membrane such that the gas, being electrochemically reversibly active, enters into an anodic reaction on one side of the membrane where the gas molecules are converted to ions transportable through the electrolytic membrane and a cathodic reaction at the opposite electrode where the ions are reconverted to gas molecules. By applying a reversible electric current to the electrodes to transport the ions through the electrolytic membrane, the gas is pumped reversibly from one gas-tight chamber to another. A diaphragm disposed in a gas-tight motor housing moves from one motor housing partition to the other in response to an imbalance in the pressure of the gas. A novel integral pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the gas and an integral dumping valve for rapidly resetting the diaphragm are disclosed. A controller uses the sensed pressure in controlling the magnitude and direction of the electric current that causes the gas to flow into one or the other of two gas-tight pump chambers. Convertors are disclosed for converting the gas pressure change to mechanical motion.