Method of producing ultrahigh pressure gas

A method of producing ultrahigh pressure gas statically and stably without using a dynamic driving unit such as a pump. A container formed with a closed space is made of a palladium, which is a metal having a high permeability to hydrogen and deuterium. A solution present around the container is electrolyzed by producing an electric field between the container which serves as a cathode and an anode. The gas element produced by electrolysis penetrates into the container body, so that the hydrogen/deuterium ion concentration in the container increases. This solid-air equilibrium reaction is carried out until the ion concentration increases to a level at which the pressure in the closed space reaches a predetermined ultrahigh level. Thus, an ultrahigh pressure gas is produced in the closed space of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a method of producing an ultrahigh pressure gas, 
i.e. a method of increasing the pressure of an active gas such as hydrogen 
or oxygen by generating electric energy between electrodes to an ultrahigh 
level. 
As is well known, a liquid pressure or a gas pressure is produced e.g. by 
compressing a liquid or a gas with a compression pump. An ultrahigh 
pressure is produced by e.g. compressing a liquid such as water or oil or 
an element gas by feeding the liquid or gas continuously into a solid 
container with a compression pump. Ordinary compression pumps have a 
rotary vane or rotor, but other known compression pumps have a 
reciprocating piston. 
As is well-known, an entire system for producing an ultrahigh pressure 
using a compression pump is very large in size, irrespective of the type 
of the compression pump used. Another problem in systems using active gas 
such as oxygen and hydrogen is the potential danger of explosion resulting 
from e.g. a shock from a driving unit or leakage of pipes. Thus, it is 
necessary to provide devices with some explosion preventive means. 
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple method for 
producing an ultrahigh gas pressure which can produce an ultrahigh 
pressure stably using a compact device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing 
an ultrahigh pressure gas including the steps of putting a solution or a 
gas around a container body made of a gas permeable material and having a 
closed space therein, producing an electric field through the container 
body between a pair of electrodes to cause a solid-gas equilibrium 
reaction for absorbing and dissolving a gas element contained in the 
solution or the gas into the container body by use of electric energy 
produced between the electrodes, and maintaining the reaction to increase 
the concentration of the gas element dissolved in the container body until 
the pressure of the gas that has penetrated through the container body 
into the closed space increases to a predetermined ultrahigh level. 
In a first embodiment, there is disclosed a method of producing an 
ultrahigh pressure gas which employs a the container made of palladium and 
used as a cathode. An anode is provided opposite to the container to 
produce an electric field through the container body. Also, a gas element, 
contained in a solution present outside the container, is absorbed and 
dissolved into the container body with electrolyzing the solution by 
electric energy produced between the cathode and the anode. 
In accordance with a second embodiment, there is disclosed a method of 
producing an ultrahigh gas pressure which employs a container made of a 
positive or negative ion conductive solid. Porous electrodes are provided 
on inner and outer surfaces of the container to produce an electric field 
through the container body. Also, a gas element, contained in a solution 
or a gas present outside the container, is absorbed and dissolved into the 
container body utilizing electric energy produced between the electrodes. 
By the method according to the present invention, it is possible to 
statically produce a desired ultrahigh pressure by applying an electric 
field energy to a solid container body, based on a solid-gas equilibrium 
reaction without using any conventional power device such as a compression 
pump. 
The solid container is made of a gas permeable solid material. By applying 
an electric field energy to the solid container, an active element such as 
hydrogen or oxygen, contained in a solution or in a gas provided outside 
the container, penetrates through and into the container in the form of 
protons or oxygen ions, and thus stored therein in the form of gas. 
With the migration of hydrogen or oxygen into the container, the gas 
pressure P in the solid container increases until an equilibrium is 
achieved between the concentration of hydrogen or oxygen that has 
penetrated into the container body and the pressure in the solid 
container. If hydrogen is used, this relation is described by the formula: 
EQU H*=a+b log P.sub.H2 ( 1) 
a simplified form of which is: 
EQU [H]=k.sqroot.P.sub.H2 (2) 
where H is the concentration ratio between solid M and hydrogen 
H.asterisk-pseud.,=[H/M], and a, b and k are constants which are functions 
of temperature. 
If the solid M is iron, the above formula represents the famous Sieverts' 
law (about 1935). The above value at one atm has been actually measured 
for each temperature. This formula is essential in the smelting and 
welding art. 
This formula is used e.g. to explain hydrogen cracks in a welding portion 
such as shown in FIG. 5A. Now suppose a small hole is present in the 
welding portion of iron. FIG. 5B shows that the pressure P.sub.H2 in this 
small hole can increase to an ultrahigh level. 
Suppose, for example, the welding portion is heated to 1500.degree. C. by 
arc welding at one atm until saturated concentration of hydrogen is 
reached, and then cooled quickly to 0.degree. C. (quenching), the pressure 
P.sub.H2 in the small hole could theoretically reach as high as a tenth of 
a billion atm. In the figure, k.sub.0 and k.sub.100 represent proportional 
constants when the temperature of the welding portion has been instantly 
changed to 0.degree. C. and 100.degree. C. respectively. 
This formula represents the relation when the pressure in the small hole in 
the welding portion balances with the concentration [H]% of hydrogen 
contained in the iron. If the temperature of the welding portion is cooled 
slowly from 1500.degree. C. to 0.degree. C. taking a sufficiently long 
time, hydrogen in the iron would be dispersed into the atmosphere so that 
the [H]% concentration will drop to 2.86.times.10.sup.-8 [H]%, which 
corresponds to .sqroot.P.sub.2 =one atm. P.sub.H2 in the small hole will 
thus be one atm. 
But if the temperature of the welding portion is reduced quickly from 
1500.degree. C. where the balanced state of hydrogen is reached, to 
0.degree. C. the gas concentration [H] will remain at 6.78.times.10.sup.-4 
(at equilibrium at d1500.degree. C.) whereas the temperature drops. Thus, 
by the time the temperature drops to 0.degree. C., the gas pressure will 
increase to an ultrahigh level of a tenth of a billion atm. The iron 
welding portion, unable to withstand such a high pressure, will suffer 
cracks. 
It will be understood from the above that it is possible to produce an 
ultrahigh pressure not only in the abovementioned small hole but also in 
any small closed space. In the above-described case, the temperature is 
reduced quickly to dramatically reduce the gas dissolving concentration 
and thus to increase the pressure to an ultrahigh level. In the present 
invention, the same purpose is achieved by producing an electric field 
instead of reducing the temperature. 
In the above-described example, the member corresponding to the solid 
container is made of iron. But the container of the present invention is 
preferably made of palladium (Pd) because of its high permeability to 
hydrogen or deuterium. FIG. 6 shows a relationship between the pressure 
P.sub.H2 [atm] of hydrogen gas H.sub.2 in the closed space formed in a 
solid container made of Pd and the hydrogen concentration 
H.asterisk-pseud. (=[H/Pd]; H.asterisk-pseud.=a+b log P.sub.H2) that 
balances with the pressure Ps.sub.H2. 
As shown, at H.asterisk-pseud.=0.9 ([H] is 90%), P.sub.H2 is 20000 atm 
(point 0 in the figure, 0.degree. C.), and at H.asterisk-pseud.=1, 
P.sub.H2 is about a million atm. If deuterium is used, a pressure is 
needed which is about 10 to 100 times higher than when using hydrogen. 
Namely, the pressure will be 10 .sup.7 -10.sup.8 at D.asterisk-pseud.=1 
(D.asterisk-pseud.=[D/Pd], D: deuterium). Thus, theoretically, if the ion 
concentration of the solid container is sufficiently near 100%, the gas 
pressure in the solid container will be astronomical. 
The gas pressure in the solid container can be increased to several tens of 
thousands of atm by continuously applying electric energy, provided the 
solid container can withstand such a high pressure. In other words, the 
ultrahigh pressure attainable in the container is practically determined 
by the pressure resistance of the solid container. 
According to the material of which the solid container is formed, element 
gases are absorbed into the container body in a slightly different manner. 
For example, in the case in which the solid container is formed of 
palladium (Pd), a material known to have high permeability to hydrogen H 
and deuterium, Pd itself is used as a cathode and a current is passed 
between this cathode and an anode such as a platinum electrode to take 
hydrogen or deuterium into the Pd container by electrolyzing an aqueous 
solution or a deuterium solution. 
In another embodiment, the solid container is made of a positive or 
negative ion-conductive material. In this case, due to low conductivity of 
the non-metallic container body, an electric field is produced by means of 
porous electrodes mounted on the inner and outer surfaces of the container 
body. By supplying electricity between the electrodes, a gas element in 
the solution or gas is absorbed and dissolved into the ion-conductive 
container body under the action of the electric energy. This arrangement 
is especially suited for the production of ultrahigh-pressure gas using 
positive ions such as protons or deutron, or such negative ions as oxygen 
O.sup.- ions. 
Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following description made with reference to the accompanying 
drawings, in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings. 
FIG. 1A schematically shows a first embodiment of a device for producing an 
ultrahigh pressure gas. 
The device includes an electrolytic cell 1 filled with an aqueous solution 
2 containing an electrolyte. The cell 1 houses a cylindrical platinum 
electrode 3 as an anode and a metallic container 4 made of palladium (Pd) 
and located inside the platinum electrode 3. The metallic container 4 has 
a closed or sealed space 5. A pipe 6 is inserted in the space 5 to take 
out pressure which has been produced in the container 4. The pipe 6 is 
opened and closed by an on-off valve 7. A pressure gauge 8 is connected to 
the pipe 6. 
An electric field is produced between the platinum electrode 3 as the anode 
and the metallic container 4 as the cathode. The electric field produces a 
large amount of hydrogen ions H.sup.+ by electrolyzing the aqueous 
solution. The hydrogen ions H.sup.+ thus produced are absorbed into the 
wall of the metallic container 4 as shown schematically in FIG. 1B. 
FIG. 2 shows the pressure P.sub.H2 in [atm] produced in a metallic 
container made of palladium and having a 2 cm .o slashed. outer diameter 
.times.5 cm and a 1.5 cm .o slashed. inner diameter .times.4 cm when an 
electrolytic current of 10 Amp is passed. As shown, at 100 hours, a 
pressure of about 200 [atm] was produced. In 500 hours, an ultrahigh 
pressure of about 1000 [atm] will be produced. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show devices according to the second and third embodiments of 
the present invention. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a solid 
container 14 made of a proton conductive solid is used to produce an 
ultrahigh pressure in a closed space 15. Gases are taken into a cell 11. 
Namely, hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas 12 is introduced into the lefthand side 
space of the cell 11, while high-temperature (800.degree. C.) water vapor 
(H.sub.2 0) 12' is injected into the righthand side space. The right and 
left spaces are partitioned by the container 14 so that they do not 
communicate with each other. 
Porous electrodes 13' and 13 are mounted on the inner and outer surfaces of 
the side wall of the container 14 at the container's right and left sides. 
The top wall, bottom wall, and side walls of the container 14 are closed 
by plates of the same material having the same pressure resistance. A pipe 
16 is connected to the top wall of the container 14 so as to communicate 
with the closed space 15. An on-off valve 17 is connected to an end of the 
pipe 16. A pressure gauge 18 is connected to an intermediate point of the 
pipe 16. Numerals 19 and 20 indicate DC current sources. 
The proton conductive solid is a solid solution including a perovskite type 
oxide (ceramic) such as SrCeO.sub.3 or BaCeO.sub.3 with part of Ce 
replaced by a rare earth element such as Sc, Y, Yb, Nd or Gd, namely a 
solid solution expressed by such formulas as SrCe.sub.1-x N.sub.x 
O.sub.3-y and BaCe.sub.1-x N.sub.x O.sub.3-y (where y is the number of 
missing oxygen atoms per unit formula). 
By applying a direct current through the porous electrodes in this 
embodiment, H.sub.2 molecules contained in the H.sub.2 gas 12 in the 
lefthand side space are absorbed into the container 14 in the form of 
protons H.sup.+, whereas water vapor 12' in the righthand space is 
electrolyzed, so that H.sub.2 molecules produced are absorbed into the 
container. As a result, a large amount of protons H.sup.+ flowing through 
the wall of the container 14 are introduced under pressure into the closed 
space 15 in the form of H.sub.2 gas. The pressure in the closed space thus 
increases to an ultrahigh level. 
In an experiment where a direct current of 100 [mA/cm.sup.2 ] was applied, 
using SrCe.sub.0.95 Yb.sub.0.05 O.sub.3-y as the solid M, the volume of 
H.sub.2 molecules permeated at 800.degree. C. was 0.7 [ml/min.cm.sup.2 ]. 
If this operation is carried out for one full day with the electrode area 
of the solid M of 100 cm.sup.2, a large amount of H.sub.2 gas of about 100 
liters will be introduced into the closed space 15. Thus, it is possible 
to produce an ultrahigh pressure as high as the pressure produced in the 
first embodiment. 
In this embodiment, protons H.sup.+ are absorbed in different ways into 
the right and left side walls of the container. Namely, hydrogen molecules 
H.sub.2 are absorbed through one of the side walls, while H.sub.2 
molecules produced by electrolyzing water vapor H.sub.2 O are absorbed 
through the other side wall. However, protons H.sup.+ may be absorbed in 
one of the above two ways through both side walls. The cell 11, container 
14 and electrodes 13, 13' may be all cylindrical members. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the solid container is made of an oxide type 
ion conductor such as stabilized zirconia or a BaCeO.sub.3 ceramic. In the 
particular example shown, the solid container 24 is formed from a 
BaCeO.sub.3 ceramic into a cylindrical shape. Otherwise, this embodiment 
is essentially the same as the other embodiments. The entire device is 
shown schematically. Like elements are denoted by similar but 20-something 
numbers. 
Functionally, this embodiment is the same as the embodiment in which 
hydrogen H+ ions are used. O.sup.- ions move along the electric field, 
producing an ultrahigh pressure by O.sub.2 gas in the closed space 25 in 
the container 24. 
According to this invention, unlike the conventional arrangement in which 
an ultrahigh pressure gas is produced using a driving unit such as a pump, 
there will be no danger of explosion because an ultrahigh pressure gas is 
produced statically and stably in a closed space formed in a solid sealed 
container within the maximum pressure resistance of the container. 
The ultrahigh pressure gas thus produced can be used for the operation of 
various industrial machines that require such ultrahigh pressure e.g., for 
a cold nuclear fusion reactor of the type that produces a nuclear fusion 
reaction by compressing hydrogen or deuterium to an ultrahigh pressure, or 
to produce ceramic materials by applying a hot hydrostatic pressure using 
a hot hydrostatic pressure sintering technique (HIP in which a material is 
sintered in an inert gas sealed in a high-pressure container and 
compressed to 1000-2000 atm). 
According to the present invention, it is possible to produce ultrahigh 
pressure gas of different gases using containers made of different 
materials. The gas elements depend on the containers used. In other words, 
it is possible to select either of the arrangements that is more efficient 
than the other depending upon actual use conditions.