Patent Number: 
Section: description

Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable This application relates to the field of atomic physics and atomic engineering, particularly to the manipulation and control of electrons for the production of electric energy through an efficient and effective process for the extraction of electrons from atoms and molecules. Currently a number of methods are available to produce electric energy; among these are electric generators, alternators, photovoltaic cells, chemical batteries, fuel cells, piezoelectric apparatus, thermoelectric converters and electrostatic devices. All of these involve the conversion of one form of energy into another. Here generators, alternators and piezoelectric devices convert mechanical energy, where specifically, kinetic energy or mechanical strain is thus converted into electrical. The first two require turbines or motors to rotate armatures within magnetic fields, while the third takes advantage of the structural strain within certain crystals. Other systems involve the conversion of chemical energy into electrical as within batteries. Among the electrostatic devices is another mechanical conversion generator called the Van de Graff. In locations where hydroelectric generation is impractical, electricity is primarily generated by electromechanical means driven by heat engines used to power steam turbine generator apparatus, with the output usually contributing electricity to the local or national power grid. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, oil products and natural gas feeds these engines and accounts for 83% of the electricity produced in the U.S. Nuclear fission reactors are also used to provide steam to drive power plant turbines. However, the coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels are not renewable and in the coming decades the available supplies will dwindle drastically. Consequently, over the past four decades much effort has been devoted to the development of alternative systems that would make use of renewable energy sources. These would include wind and geothermal generation, river and tidal current generation, and solar energy production. There are two major systems that take advantage of solar energy. A satisfactory output for both systems is restricted to the daylight hours while the sun shines precisely upon the solar components. One consists of the costly photovoltaic cells, which produce electricity directly in small quantity, and the other utilize mirrors to concentrate solar heat energy onto high-pressure steam boilers that in turn power the turbines.                 1. Hundreds of thousands of kilometers of transmission lines are required to connect each building or user to the nationwide power grid.        2. During transmission, there is a substantial loss of electric energy directly from the transmission lines to the atmosphere.        3. Transmission of electricity over great distances requires elaborate substations at specific intervals to maintain the required energy level within the above grade or below grade lines.        4. With conventional equipment there is excessive wear of moving parts within the governor, gearbox, motor or turbine, and generator or alternator.        5. There is excessive wear of moving parts within wind generators that include propeller blade pitch control, speed control governor, gearbox, and generator.        6. The friction developed by the moving parts of the primary generating systems is another negative result with high levels of energy converted into heat rather than electricity.        7. Corrosion of parts and mechanisms of systems powered by hydroelectric means, and those powered by river or tidal currents.        8. All the systems discussed require many years or even decades to recover the initial investments.        9. If nuclear, the expensive materials must be constantly protected and when exhausted as fuel, the radioactive waste must be stored, guarded and monitored indefinitely.        10. Coal-fired power plants produce 40% of atmospheric carbon dioxide as well as other pollutants.        11. Because the commercial solar powered systems require motorized tracking mechanisms for the mirror or the photovoltaic panels, there is a sizeable reduction in the net electric energy produced.        12. For commercial installations to be effective with either solar powered system, the unsightly panel arrays typically occupy vast areas of land.         These are just some of the disadvantages of the current systems. The process of the present application, however, overcomes the previous obstacles. The most idyllic and advantageous electrical system would consist of individual electric power generation units that could be placed upon or near each dwelling, structure or complex making it completely independent from any other electric energy source. It would not contain moving parts that would experience undue wear or parts that would deteriorate over short periods of use. It should efficiently and economically produce electric energy, continuously, twenty-four hours per day, regardless of the weather, and where there was any production in excess of immediate needs could be diverted to the local or national power grid or stored for future use. And if the power generation units were fueled by something other than fossil or nuclear fuels, these features would make it the most practical and environmentally friendly systems. For the first time the technology derived from the present application makes practical such independent power generation units for individual dwellings. The process can be scaled to accommodate the system energy requirements of most implementations, whether individual homes, multiunit complexes, multistory buildings, factory facilities, neighborhoods and more. Since each dwelling or structure can be individually powered, thousands of kilometers of transmission lines and hundreds of costly substations can be eliminated. It can also accommodate portable power units for use at construction sites or as temporary emergency power stations or even as smaller individual transportable units. The process can be scaled down further to provide power to some appliances or portable devices individually. To accommodate electric automobiles, battery charger units can be placed in many locations including those that are remote. For the production of electric energy the present application represents the first new technology to emerge in several decades. Electrons extracted from the immediate particulate environment consisting of atoms and molecules fuel the process. And once the system is fully energized, it requires only an infrequent enhancement to sustain operation. The process is further explained below. Given that the process involves the production of positive ions, a discussion of the prior art related to this subject is presented. Currently, a small number of methods are available to convert electrically neutral atoms or molecules into ions. Neutral atoms contain equal numbers of electrons to the number of protons in the nucleus, while neutral molecules contain electrons in equal numbers to the sum of protons in the discrete nuclei. To ionize a neutral atom or molecule, it is necessary to either add one or more electrons to form a negative ion or knock out one or more electrons to form a positive ion. Ions, for a variety of purposes, have been deliberately produced now for nearly a century. There are several common methods to form negative ions, however, exclusively positive ions are extremely difficult and costly to produce. This is due in part to the high-energy requirements by the current systems that include the continuous application of extreme temperatures during thermal ionization or extremely high voltages continuously applied during coronal discharge. Additional restrictions are imposed by the extremes in the ionization potential or energy requirements to remove the valance or outer electrons of various atoms and molecules. The ionization potential is equal to the binding energy of the electron and is measured in electron volts (eV) or kilojoules per mole. The process of the present application also overcomes these difficulties. Exposing the target atoms or molecules to either electrical discharge from a cathode in the form of a disk or pointed emitter, or coronal discharge of electrons in a high voltage system usually produces negatively charged ions. Similarly, a variety of electrostatic precipitators are used to place a negative electric charge on larger airborne particles such as dust or pollen. These systems also carry a number of disadvantages that include the consumption of high energy continuously over the course of operation. Another is the occasional production of unwanted ions, those that carry a charge opposite from what a system requires. On occasion, with coronal discharge, for example when negative ions are the objective, an emitted electron will act as a projectile and knockoff or repel an electron from a passing target particle to form the unwelcome positive ion. Through each of the electrostatic methods electrons are emitted to where the successful production of negative ions depends upon the intermittent capture and retention of an electron by a passing atom or molecule. Because the atom or molecule passing the emitter is electrically neutral, it does not attract nor necessarily retain the emitted electron. It is clearly a hit-or-miss situation, resulting with a high percentage of target particles remaining unmodified, and simultaneously being encumbered by the presence of accidental positive ions. However, if the primary objectives of an implementation include an efficient process for the extraction of electrons from atoms and molecules with the continuous production of positive ions, then none of the current methods are suitable. As previously indicated, the electric generating capabilities of the process of the present application can be used as independent power generation units for individual buildings, small groups of structures or complexes and they can be used to supply vast regions by connecting power units to the national power grid. However, the process is well suited as a charging base for batteries or other electric storage devices. It can also be incorporated into vehicles to provide electric power while they are stationary or underway. This is particularly useful for electric powered vehicles. The process of the present application differs substantially from the prior art, as it facilitates the production of electric energy by the deliberate extraction of electrons from atoms and molecules of a gas, vapor, liquid, particulate solid, or any other form of matter that can be passed along the surface or through the electron extractor components, see reference numerals. The extracted electrons are collected and controlled or regulated and are available for distribution to various electric devices or storage components. Subject to the implementation, the electric energy could be moved to an inverter where it would be converted to the desired form. It is an energy efficient process for the extraction and capture of electrons for the production of electricity with positive atomic or molecular ions as byproducts. These results are accomplished by the forcible extraction of electrons from the object particles by electrically charged particles in a strong electric field. The process is superior to any other intended for the extraction and capture of electrons with the production of positive ions because it not only simplifies every implementation or utilization, but it also speeds the operation, allowing a continuous stream or beam of particles to be so manipulated. After ionization, the particles of the stream can then be confined in a coherent beam or restricted to a magnetic enclosure or by other confinement methods, expelled to the atmosphere, another environment or to ground, or modified into useful molecules. Additionally, the process of the present application demonstrates its superiority to any other because it is extremely efficient, in that, once the system is fully charged thereafter it requires only an occasional replenishment of energy to sustain operation. This is an important feature for any utilization. It is known that when a parallel plate capacitor is charged and subsequently isolated, it can retain its effective electric charge for an extended period of many months or even many years without degradation. It follows that the positive and negative electric fields produced by such a capacitor will likewise persist for extended periods or until the capacitor is purposely discharged. Exposing the plates of a parallel plate capacitor to an electric potential difference will establish a charge upon them equal to the potential. This involves the removal of electrons from the atoms of one plate with the placement of those electrons onto the opposite plate. Consequently, one plate becomes positively charged due to the shortage of electrons and the other plate becomes negatively charged due to the surplus electrons. This is one of the principles by which the process of the present application functions. The embodiments contain a conductive component, the electron extractor, on to which a positive electric charge is placed, where one type as part 26bb is shown in FIG. 1A. A charged surface of the component is positioned to maximize exposure and contact with the atoms or molecules subject to ionization. These atoms and molecules whose electrons are to be extracted will be referred to as the object or target particles. The charged electron extractor component may be constructed of various conductive materials and in various geometrical configurations, sizes, shapes, arrangements, and quantities. The charged electron extractor component also takes the form of a grid, pane, or panel. Throughout this application the term “grid” will be used to represent a variety of extractor components as may comprise certain embodiments that include but are not limited to the use of screens, lattices, nets, webs, gridirons, gratings, trellises, grills, grids or similar components, or any combination thereof. And the term “pane” will be used to represent a variety of extractor components as may comprise certain additional embodiments that include but are not limited to the use of sectioned or perforated panels, sheets, foil, disks, bars, rods, shafts, tubes, cones, plates, panes or similar components, or any combination thereof. And the term “panel” will be used to represent a variety of extractor components as may comprise certain additional embodiments that include but are not limited to the use of an assembly of non-perforated, sheets, foil, disks, bars, rods, shafts, tubes, cones, plates, panes, or similar components or any combination thereof. The grid, pane, and panel type extractors are defined in greater detail below. The primary difference between the extractor types relates to the system of contact between the target particles and the extractor. The grid type consists of a conductive material containing mesh openings through which the particles pass. Whereas the pane type consists of a sheet of solid conductive material containing perforations through which the particles pass. And the panel type consists of an assembly of multiple individual non-perforated conductive sheets arranged with gaps in between where along the surface of which the particles pass. The primary objective is to bring the target particles into close proximity to the charged surfaces of the various extractor types and to enhance the probability of contact. Some extractor types as may be used within certain embodiments may be interchangeable, subject to the requirements of the implementation. The extractors may take many forms and can be manufactured from different conductive materials. The actual materials, geometrical configurations, sizes, shapes, arrangements, and quantities of all components of a system are determined by the specific utilization. Furthermore, the top and bottom of a grid or other extractor type may be shaped to conform to the shape of a negative or positive field plate. For example, if, as seen from an end view, the field plate, part 22 of FIG. 1A, is curved, the top of the grid, part 26bb of FIG. 1A, would match that contour. Multiple extractors are operated individually as a group or as many groups as are necessary, by which or through which the object atoms and molecules are directed. However, when single or multiple extractor components are part of an assembly containing a negative field plate or as applicable, include a positive field plate, they will be referred to collectively as the electron extraction unit (EEU) of a type subject to the embodiment or the specific implementation. A positive electric charge is placed upon the extractor, where specifically the applied charge is sufficient to influence the valance electrons within a percentage of the atoms of the conductive material. For example, 60 percent of the atoms are encouraged to give up one electron, whereby the resultant positive charges will distribute evenly throughout the surface of the material. However, a +1 or greater net charge per atom can also be placed on the material, indicating the removal of one or more valence electrons from each atom. The, now, positively charged atoms will attract and forcibly extract electrons from any atom or molecule that closely approaches or comes into contact with the grid, pane or panel material of the electron extractor component. Other embodiments may utilize a grid type extractor assembly with one grid to extract the first electron from the object particle, a second grid for the second electron and a third grid for the third electron, and so on. Each successive grid may have different opening sizes and shapes to facilitate the molecule as it passes from one to the other. Additional control is gained by placing differing levels of charge from one grid to the other. Also, a constantly varying or alternating charge on single or multiple grids could be applied subject to the requirements of an implementation or utilization. In another embodiment, the object atoms or molecules could be re-circulated through a single grid held at either a constant net charge or a varying net charge to facilitate the extraction of additional electrons. Summarizing the previous discussion, because the number of valance electrons is known and varies with different materials, within certain limits the net average charge per atom of the grid, pane or panel can be controlled. Referring specifically to the grid or pane type extractors, additional control is obtained by adjustment of the thickness of the material, type of material and the shape and opening dimensions of mesh or perforations in relation to the size of the object atom or molecule. Additional control is gained through adjustable aperture sizes in height, width and depth and with shapes adjusted to maximize results for specific object atoms or molecules. Further controls are obtained by controlling the angle of the grid face and the aperture openings relative to the direction of the target particle flow. One, two, or multi-dimensional angular control of the panel type, pane type or grid type extractor can be applied to substantially increase the probability of direct contact. Direct contact with the extractor material substantially increases the probability of extracting at least one electron from the object particle. The quantity of electrons and the ease with which they can be removed from an atom or molecule is subject to the particle's ionization potential. Moreover, by the strict control of the variables described herein, including the average net positive charge per atom on the electron extractor, selectively, one or more electrons can be extracted per target atom or molecule. This has far reaching consequences, as subsequently described. The required net positive charge is applied to the extractor by a strong negative electric field produced by the electric potential difference, just as that between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor powered by a power source. In other embodiments, a strong magnetic field will have a similar effect with respect to placing a net charge on the extractor material. Likewise, in another embodiment a combination of electric and magnetic fields can be applied for this purpose. In some embodiments the extractor assembly takes the place of one of the field plates of the capacitor, actually becoming the positive field plate, as in FIG. 1A. Once the capacitor field plates are fully charged and the valance electrons are expelled from the extractor material, thereafter the system requires only an occasional energy supplement to maintain the effectiveness of its operation. A close encounter or direct contact between the positively charged surface of the extractor and the neutral target atoms or molecules results in the forcible extraction and capture of their electrons, thus producing positive ions. The strong negative electric field established upon field plate 22 repels both the valence electrons of the grid atoms and those electrons captured by the grid atoms. This applies to other types of extractors. The negative electric field drives the electrons toward the positive component that simultaneously attracts. The electrons are thus expelled from the grid to locations to where their return can be restricted by a valve. In those locations, they are held to maintain the electric field or for additional manipulation or stored for later utilization as electric energy. The captured electrons can also be used in some applications to power certain devices directly. By controlling the quantity of positive charges within the extractor material, the size and shape of the openings, perforations or gaps and the thickness of the material, electrons can be forcibly extracted from a continuous stream of target particles, such as those that comprise air. As can be seen, the present process is innovative in the capture and collection of electrons for the production of electric energy, demonstrating its superiority to any prior art. The figures described above are for purposes of explanation of the process and are not drawn to any relative or absolute scale. Furthermore, the actual size, shape and design of the parts are not absolute but rather are subject to the implementation.      12 Power source    22 Negative field plate    24 Positive field plate    26aa Grid type extractor    26ab Second grid type extractor    26ac Third grid type extractor    26ag Grid type extractor assembly    26bb Grid type positive field plate    26bc Second grid type positive field plate    26bd Third grid type positive field plate    26bg Grid type positive field plate assembly    26cc Pane type extractor    26cb Pane type positive field plate    28a Panel type extractor    28b Panel type positive field plate    32 Valve assembly, represented by a diode    34 Valve assembly, represented by a diode    36 Valve assembly, represented by a diode    38 Valve assembly, represented by a diode    42 Charge collector    44 Ion diverter    46 Diverter charge plate    52 Charge control unit    62 Electric storage unit    72 Electric inverter unit  In the figures that follow single function grid type, pane type and panel type extractor components are shown, where in the previous groups of figures, dual function extractor components were shown. The single function extractor components are physically independent from the positive terminal of the power source 12.  The basic operation of FIG. 5C is as that described in FIG. 6A. As the power source 12 is activated, equal to the electric potential difference, valance electrons are detached from the atoms of the positive field plate 24 establishing a positive electric field there, and the electrons are transferred to the negative field plate 22 establishing a negative electric field there. Furthermore the valance electrons of the grid atoms are repelled by the negative field plate 22 and are attracted to the positive field plate 24, while at the same time they are attracted by the positive charge established on the collector 42. From the perspective shown, the target atoms and molecules of air or other gas are guided to the backside of grid 26aa and exit through the front as ions. While the target particles are passing through the grid 26aa, the close encounter or contact with the atoms of the grid material results in the extraction and capture of one or more electrons. Remaining valance electrons and the subsequent captured electrons are in turn repelled from the grid atoms by the strong negative electric field imposed by the field plate 22. These electrons are at the same time attracted towards the positive field plate 24 by the strong positive electric field placed there. Simultaneously the strong positive charge on the positive terminal of the collector 42 attracts both the valance and captured electrons from the grid 26aa to the negative terminal. The collector 42 represents any quantity that may be required by an implementation. As can be seen, valve 32 allows electrons to move from the positive field plate 24 and prevents their return. And valve 38 allows electrons to be deposited on the negative field plate 22 and prevents their escape and return to the power source 12. Valve 34 allows electrons to move from the grid 26aa to the negative side of the collector 42 and prevents their return. Valve 36 allows electrons to move from the positive terminal of the collector 42 and the diverter charge plate, part 46, and prevents their return. As shown here the control unit 52 distributes the collected energy to the inverter unit 72. However, an electric storage unit 62 has been added to increase the capacity. Although a single electric storage unit 62 is shown, it is representative of a group consisting of any quantity that may be required by an implementation. The inverter 72 converts the electric energy into the required form. For example, direct current (DC) can be converted to a required voltage and frequency such as 120V alternating current (AC) at 60 Hz. The energy is thus immediately available for use in a variety of applications. As can be seen, by maintaining the respective electric charge upon the negative field plate 22, the positive field plate 24 and the positive side of the collector 42 and placing the embodiment in an environment containing air or other gas that moves through the grid, a continuous supply of electric energy is produced, collected and made ready for use in a variety of systems. Additionally, the process functions as described above in FIGS. 1A, 6A and 4C.  Although the descriptions above show many alternative embodiments, they should not be interpreted as to limit the scope of the embodiments, as they are representations of only a small number of potential embodiments. Furthermore, the primary components of any embodiment may be arranged differently and the components may take on different values, shapes, configurations and specifications from that shown or described herein. Simplicity, efficiency, adaptability, versatility, low energy consumption, and high productivity are just some of the terms that describe the advantages of the process of the present application. It is an innovative process for the production of electric energy and the production of positive ions. It can operate continuously 24 hours per day without interruption provided the proper electric charge is maintained upon each of the three primary components that include the negative field plate, the dual function extractor or positive field plate and the positive side of the collector. Through the process, electric energy can be supplied individually to each structure or demand location making them independent from any other energy source. It can be scaled to accommodate the electric power requirements of many implementations and utilizations that include portable units and units fitted to stationary or portable appliances, devices, apparatus and vehicles. Accordingly, the reader will see that the process of the present application is superior for the extraction and capture of electrons from atoms and molecules, the production of positive ions and electric energy.