Patent Publication Number: US-2005126155-A1

Title: Hydrogen motor

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/305,922, filed Nov. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,183, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/085,558 filed on Feb. 26, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,491, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/659,391 filed on Sep. 11, 2000, now abandoned. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to motors for creating mechanical movement and, more specifically, to motors that are designed to convert hydrogen into mechanical movement.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      For a number of reasons, hydrogen has often been proposed for use as motor fuel. One important reason for considering hydrogen as a motor fuel is that, when hydrogen is burned in air to release energy, water is the primary byproduct. Carbon dioxide is not produced, so hydrogen creates fewer greenhouse gasses at the point of combustion than gasoline when used as a fuel source.  
      In addition, certain primary energy sources, such as solar and electrical energy, do not lend themselves to mobile applications. Solar power does not generate sufficient power on a continuous basis for many mobile applications, and the storage of electricity generated by solar or other means in batteries presents additional problems. These primary energy sources can, however, be readily used to convert water into hydrogen using electrolysis. The hydrogen so produced can be stored and burned at locations remote from the solar or other source of electrical energy.  
      Currently, hydrogen can be obtained relatively inexpensively from methane, or natural gas, using steam methane reforming; in the near term, hydrogen can thus be produced from methane as long as methane is available cheaply and in large quantities.  
      In the future, it may be practical to generate hydrogen using either a fermentation process or a photosynthesis process; either of these processes might result in a clean, renewable source of hydrogen for use as a motor fuel.  
      For these and other reasons, the need exists for efficient, reliable, and inexpensive motors that operate with hydrogen as a fuel source.  
     RELATED ART  
      The Applicant is aware of a number of attempts to use hydrogen as a substitute fuel for gasoline or diesel oil in conventional internal combustion engines. An adapted internal combustion engine converts the chemical energy of the hydrogen directly into mechanical energy without the intermediate step of acting on a working fluid. The combustion cycle thus may not be optimum for efficient operation of one or the other of the combustion of the hydrogen or the conversion of the released chemical energy into mechanical work.  
      The Applicant is also aware of an attempt to propel watercraft using hydrogen as a fuel. A water path was created from the bow to the stern of the boat. A combustion chamber was connected to the water path such that water at least partly filled the combustion chamber before each combustion cycle. A hydrogen/oxygen mixture was ignited within the combustion chamber such that the ignited mixture acted directly on the water in the combustion chamber. The water was thus forced out of the combustion chamber and directly out of the back of the boat to propel the boat in the water.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A hydrogen motor system comprising a combustion chamber, a hydrogen source, an oxygen source, a water source, an ignition system for igniting a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in the combustion chamber, a source of working fluid, an accumulator connected to the combustion chamber, a propulsion system, and a control valve operatively connected to control a flow of pressurized working fluid from the accumulator to the propulsion system. The source of working fluid is operatively connected to the combustion chamber such that expanding fluid within the combustion chamber acts on the working fluid to pressurize the working fluid. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a third embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a fifth embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 6-8  are schematic diagrams depicting the combustion cycle of a sixth embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is a somewhat schematic longitudinal section view of a seventh embodiment of a hydrogen motor of the present invention adapted for use on boats;  
       FIG. 10  is a schematic view of the hydrogen motor depicted in  FIG. 9 ;  
       FIGS. 11-15  are somewhat schematic section views depicting the combustion cycle of the hydrogen motor of  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention may be embodied in a wide variety of physical forms depending upon the nature of the physical work to be performed by the motor. Accordingly, the following discussion will present several relatively generic embodiments of the present invention and then several more specific embodiments of the present invention.  
     I. First Embodiment  
      Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , depicted therein at  20  is a first embodiment of a hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  20  comprises a combustion chamber  22  that supplies pressurized working fluid from a source of working fluid  24  to a propulsion system  26 . The hydrogen motor system  20  further comprises an accumulator  30  and a control valve  32 ; the exemplary motor system  20  comprises a single accumulator  30  and a single control valve  32 , but other arrangements are possible depending on factors such as the intended use of the motor.  
      In operation, hydrogen is ignited in the combustion chamber  22  such that the ignited hydrogen acts, either directly or indirectly, on working fluid from the source of working fluid  24 . After the ignited hydrogen acts on the working fluid, the working fluid becomes pressurized. The pressurized working fluid flows to the propulsion system  26  and, to the extent that excess working fluid is available, to the accumulator  30 . The accumulator  30  thus stores pressurized working fluid, and the control valve  32  allows the pressurized working fluid to be released from the accumulator  30  as required by the propulsion system  26 . Normally, more than one ignition cycle in the combustion chamber  22  is required to fully pressurize the working fluid in the accumulator  30 .  
      One purpose of the accumulator  30  and control valve  32  is to de-couple the operation of the propulsion system  26  from the combustion cycle of the combustion chamber  22 . In particular, the combustion chamber  22  may operate most efficiently at a given number of cycles per minute, while the propulsion system  26  may operate more efficiently at a much higher or lower number of cycles per minute. The accumulator  30  and control valve  32  operate to store energy in the form of pressurized working fluid and then deliver the pressurized fluid when required by and at flow rates optimal for the circumstances and the characteristics of the given propulsion system  26 .  
      The accumulator  30  is or may be conventional and comprises a rigid tank member  40  and a bladder member  42 . The tank member  40  is designed to safely withstand the maximum working pressures predetermined for the motor system  20 ; the predetermined maximum working pressure will depend upon the size and intended use of the motor system  20 .  
      The bladder member  42  is designed to contain a pressurized gas, usually air, and is arranged within the tank member  40  such that pressurized working fluid entering the tank member  40  through the control valve  32  compresses the gas and causes the bladder member  42  to collapse or deflate. When the pressure of the working fluid within the tank member  40  is higher than the pressure of the working fluid on the other side of the control valve  32  and the control valve  32  is open, the gas will expand, causing the bladder member  42  to inflate and force the working fluid out of the tank member  40  through the control valve  32 .  
      The control valve  32  must allow the flow of pressurized fluid to be accurately controlled even though the pressures on either side of the control valve  32  may fluctuate significantly. In particular, during use of the system  20  the pressure within the accumulator  30  is designed to change between a full state, in which the accumulator pressure is equal to the maximum working pressure of the motor system  20 , and a low state, in which the accumulator pressure is equal to a predetermined cut-off pressure. In addition, the pressure of the working fluid in the system  20  at, for example, the propulsion system  26  will vary significantly depending upon the state of the combustion chamber  22  and the propulsion system  26 . The control valve  32  must be capable of controlling the flow rate of the working fluid into and out of the accumulator  30  without regard for the fluctuations in the pressure of the working fluid on either side of the control valve  32 .  
      The control valve  32  may be formed by any one of a number of conventional valve systems. However, the exemplary control valve  32  is preferably formed by a flow controller such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,849. A flow controller as described in the &#39;849 patent allows precise control of the flow of fluid from a source to a destination while tolerating extreme fluctuations in pressures and flow rates at the source and destination. The teachings of the &#39;849 patent are incorporated herein by reference.  
      In the present context, a flow controller as taught by the &#39;849 patent would be arranged such that its input is connected to the accumulator  30  and its output is connected to the combustion chamber  22  and propulsion system  26 . In this case, the control valve  32  may comprise a separate check valve arranged in parallel to the flow controller to allow flow of fluid from the combustion chamber  22  to the accumulator  30  whenever the pressure of the working fluid at the combustion chamber  22  is higher than the accumulator pressure. Of course, the flow controller as taught by the &#39;849 patent may be modified to include an integral check valve that would perform this same function. The flow controller taught by the &#39;849 patent should also be modified such that the flow rate is controlled by a remotely generate electrical signal rather than manual turning of a knob.  
      Referring now again to the drawing,  FIG. 1  further illustrates that an input check valve  50  is preferably arranged between an inlet  52  of the combustion chamber  22  and the source of working fluid  24 ; the input check valve  50  may be incorporated into the combustion chamber  22  depending upon the circumstances.  FIG. 1  also shows that the exemplary motor system  20  further comprises an outlet check valve  54  connected between an outlet  56  of the combustion chamber  22  and the control valve  32  and propulsion system  26 .  
      In the exemplary system  20 , the combustion chamber  22  is connected to sources of hydrogen  60 , oxygen  62 , and water  64  through hydrogen, oxygen, and water supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen supply valves  70  and  72  are controlled to create an optimum mixture of hydrogen and oxygen for combustion under a given set of circumstances.  
      The flow controller described in the &#39;849 patent may also be used as the supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 . Again, the pressure upstream of the supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74  may vary significantly as the hydrogen, oxygen, and water in the sources  60 ,  62 , and  64  is consumed. The pressure downstream of the supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74  will also vary significantly as the hydrogen/oxygen mixture is ignited within the combustion chamber  22 . The flow controller of the &#39;849 patent is capable of maintaining a finely controlled flow rate even when the upstream and downstream pressures fluctuate.  
      Water is introduced into the combustion chamber  22  through the water supply valve  74 . When the hydrogen/oxygen mixture is ignited, it expands and can be converted to mechanical work. Water injected into the chamber  22  cools the chamber  22  and thus improves the efficiency at which the working fluid is returned to the chamber  22 .  
      The ignition of the hydrogen and oxygen mixture is controlled by an ignition system  80  that is operatively connected to a spark plug  82 . The ignition system  80  is designed to cause the spark plug  82  to generate a spark that ignites the hydrogen/oxygen mixture under control of a desired ignition sequence. The ignition sequence will depend upon numerous factors such as the intended use of the motor system  20  and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and the like.  
      Working fluid is thus drawn or forced into the combustion chamber through the source check valve  50 . The steam created by combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen acts on the working fluid either directly or indirectly through a piston, membrane, or the like to pressurize the working fluid. The working fluid so pressurized flows out of the combustion chamber  22  through the outlet check valve  54 . The water within the combustion chamber  22 , which is either injected through the water supply valve  74  or created as a byproduct of the ignition of the hydrogen/oxygen mixture, is re-used or exhausted from the combustion chamber  22 . This process is repeated in what will be referred to herein as the combustion cycle.  
      The operation of the control valve  32 , the hydrogen, oxygen, and water supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , and ignition system  80  is controlled by a monitor and control system  90 . The monitor and control system  90  is also connected to the accumulator  30  to detect the accumulator pressure. The monitor and control system  90  will normally also allow user input in the form of a throttle signal, brake signal, turn signal, and the like generated by a user. These throttle, brake, turn, and other signals are generated and transmitted in a conventional manner depending upon the use of the motor system  20  and will not be described herein in detail herein.  
      The monitor and control system  90  is implemented by an integrated computer comprising RAM, ROM, and a CPU. The CPU implements control logic embodied by instructions and data stored in the RAM or ROM. The integrated computer that forms the monitor and control system  90  is or may be conventional and will not be described in detail herein.  
      The operation and use of the hydrogen motor system  20  will now be described in further detail. Initially, the accumulator  30  will be substantially empty of working fluid and the bladder members  42  fully inflated by the gas therein. A hydrogen/oxygen mixture and water will be introduced into the combustion chamber  22 , and the mixture will be ignited to force pressurized working fluid through the outlet check valve  54  and control valve  32  and into the accumulator  30 . When the pressure of the working fluid within the accumulator  30  exceeds a minimum threshold, which may be but is not necessarily at or slightly below the cut-off pressure described above, the propulsion system  26  may begin to operate by converting the energy of the pressurized working fluid into mechanical energy that performs useful work, such as propelling a vehicle or providing power to an industrial machine.  
      In the mean time, the combustion chamber  22  will continuously perform its combustion cycle until the pressure in the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure. If the propulsion system  26  is continuously operating at full power, it is possible that the pressure of the working fluid will never reach the maximum working pressure and the combustion chamber  26  will continuously perform its combustion cycle. Usually, the combustion chamber  26  will perform its combustion cycle until the pressure of the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will become idle. The combustion chamber  26  will remain idle until the pressure of the working fluid equals the cut-off pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will begin performing the combustion cycle.  
      The logic described above will be implemented by the monitor and control system  90 . This system  80  monitors accumulator pressure to detect the pressure of the working fluid and controls the control valve  32 , supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , and ignition system  80  as necessary to cause the combustion chamber  22  to perform the combustion cycle.  
      The work performed by the propulsion system  26  is thus independent of the work performed when the hydrogen in the combustion chamber  22  is ignited because the energy is stored by the accumulator  30  and released as necessary by the control valve  32 . The energy released from the hydrogen ignited in the combustion chamber  22  may thus have extreme highs and lows, which may be desirable to efficiently convert hydrogen into physical work, without disrupting smooth operation of the propulsion system  26 .  
     II. Second Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , depicted  20   a  therein is a second embodiment of a hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  20   a  is in many respects similar to the motor system  20  described above. Accordingly, the same reference characters will be used to identify like components in  FIG. 2 , and the system  20   a  will be described only to the extent that it differs from the system  20 .  
      The system  20   a  has a plurality of accumulators  30 , control valves  32 , and outlet check valves  54 . In particular, a control valve  32  and outlet check valve  54  is associated with each accumulator  30 . Fluid flows into the accumulators  30  through the outlet check valves  54  when the pressure of the working fluid in the combustion chamber  22  is higher than the accumulator pressure. Fluid flows out of the accumulators  30  and into the propulsion system  26  through the control valves  32 . The control valves  32  thus control the flow of pressurized working fluid to the propulsion system  26 .  
     III. Third Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , depicted  20   b  therein is a third embodiment of a hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  20   b  is in many respects similar to the motor system  20  described above. Accordingly, the same reference characters will be used to identify like components in  FIG. 3 , and the system  20   b  will be described only to the extent that it differs from the system  20 .  
      The system  20   b  has a plurality of accumulators  30  and a single control valve  32  and single outlet check valve  54 . Fluid flows into the accumulators  30  through the outlet check valve  54  when the pressure of the working fluid in the combustion chamber  22  is higher than the accumulator pressure. Fluid flows out of the accumulators  30  and into the propulsion system  26  through the single control valve  32 . The single control valve  32  thus controls the flow of pressurized working fluid to the propulsion system  26 .  
     IV. Fourth Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIG. 4 , depicted  20   c  therein is a fourth embodiment of a hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  20   c  is in many respects similar to the motor system  20  described above. Accordingly, the same reference characters will be used to identify like components in  FIG. 4 , and the system  20   c  will be described only to the extent that it differs from the system  20 .  
      The system  20   c  has a plurality of accumulators  30  and control valves  32  and a single outlet check valve  54 . One control valve  32  is associated with each of the accumulators  30 . Fluid flows into the accumulators  30  through the outlet check valve  54  and the control valves  32  when the pressure of the working fluid in the combustion chamber  22  is higher than the accumulator pressure. Fluid flows out of the accumulators  30  and into the propulsion system  26  through the control valves  32 . The control valves  32  thus control the flow of pressurized working fluid to the propulsion system  26 .  
     V. Fifth Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIG. 5 , depicted  20   d  therein is a fifth embodiment of a hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  20   d  is in many respects similar to the motor system  20  described above. Accordingly, the same reference characters will be used to identify like components in  FIG. 5 , and the system  20   d  will be described only to the extent that it differs from the system  20 .  
      The system  20   d  has a single accumulator  30 , control valve  32 , and outlet check valve  54 . Fluid flows into the accumulator  30  through the outlet check valve  54  when the pressure of the working fluid in the combustion chamber  22  is higher than the accumulator pressure. Fluid flows out of the accumulator  30  and into the propulsion system  26  through the control valve  32 . The control valve  32  thus controls the flow of pressurized working fluid to the propulsion system  26 .  
     VI. Sixth Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 6-8 , depicted therein is a sixth exemplary hydrogen motor system  120  constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  120  is optimized to generate rotational motion such as would be appropriate for causing rotation of the driving wheels of an automobile, but the motor system  120  can provide power to any machine adapted to operate from a rotating shaft.  
      The hydrogen motor system  120  is similar in certain respects to the hydrogen motor system  20  described above, and the same reference characters used above with reference to the system  20  will be used to identify similar elements of the system  120 ; these similar elements will not be described again herein beyond what is necessary for a complete understanding of the system  120 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , the hydrogen motor system  120  comprises a combustion chamber  22 , a source of working fluid  24 , a propulsion system  26 , at least one accumulator  30 , and at least one control valve  32 . The exemplary motor system  120  comprises five accumulators  30  and a control valve  32  for each accumulator  30 , but, as generally discussed above, other arrangements are possible depending on the specific use of the motor. The exemplary accumulators  30  comprise a rigid tank member  40  and a bladder member  42 . An input check valve  50  is preferably arranged between an inlet  52  of the combustion chamber  22  and the source of working fluid  24 , and an outlet check valve  54  connected between an outlet  56  of the combustion chamber  22  and the control valves  32  and propulsion system  26 . The combustion chamber  22  is connected to sources of hydrogen  60 , oxygen  62 , and water  64  (schematically depicted in  FIGS. 6-8 ) through hydrogen, oxygen, and water supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , respectively. The exemplary motor system  120  also comprises an ignition system  80 , spark plug  82 , and a monitor and control system  90 . The flow controller described in the &#39;849 patent may be used as the control valves  32  and the supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74  as generally described above.  
      The exemplary combustion chamber  22  of the motor system  120  comprises a housing member  122 , a piston assembly  124 , and a cleaning system  126 . The housing member  122  defines a piston chamber  128 . The piston assembly  124  comprises a first piston member  130 , a second piston member  132 , and a spacing member  134  that spaces the first and second piston members  130  and  132  a fixed distance from each other. The piston assembly  132  comprises first and second seal assemblies  136  and  138  that and define first (upper) and second (lower) chamber portions  140  and  142  of variable volume and a third (intermediate) chamber portion  144  of fixed volume.  
      A first working surface  146  is formed on the first piston member  130  and partly defines the first chamber portion  140 , while a second working surface  148  is formed on the second piston member  132  and partly defines the second chamber portion  142 .  
      The piston assembly  132  is arranged to move within the piston chamber  128  between a first position ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ) and a second position ( FIG. 7 ). When the hydrogen/oxygen mixture is ignited, the steam created acts on the first working surface  146  and forces the piston assembly  124  from the first position to the second position. When moving from the first position to the second position, the second working surface  148  of the piston assembly  124  forces working fluid out of the second chamber portion  142  through the outlet check valve  54 . When the piston assembly  124  reaches the second position, the pressure in the first chamber portion  140  is released, at which point pressurized working fluid stored in the fluid source  24  flows through the inlet check valve  50  into the second chamber portion  142  and acts on the second working surface  148  to return the piston assembly  124  to its first position. Movement of the piston assembly  124  from the first position to the second position and back to the first position constitutes one complete combustion cycle.  
      The cleaning system  126  comprises a pump  150 , a filter  152 , a filter inlet pipe  154 , and a filter outlet pipe  156 . The filter inlet and outlet pipes  154  and  156  are connected to the housing member  122  to allow fluid to flow out of and back into the third chamber portion  144 . The pump  150  draws fluid from the third chamber portion  144  through the filter inlet pipe  154  and forces fluid back into the third chamber portion  144  through the filter  152  and filter outlet pipe  156 . The filter  152  is designed to remove impurities from the fluid in the third chamber portion  155 . In particular, the exemplary filter  152  is designed to remove water and other impurities from hydraulic fluid as will be described in further detail below.  
      The exemplary source of working fluid  24  comprises a bladder tank assembly  160  comprising a tank member  162  and a bladder member  164 . Such bladder tank assemblies are well-known, and the details of construction and operation of the bladder tank assembly  160  will not be discussed herein in detail.  
      In the exemplary motor system  120 , the working fluid is hydraulic fluid contained in a closed system. The bladder tank assembly  160  is thus connected to the propulsion system  26  through a return check valve  166  such that the hydraulic fluid is returned to the source of hydraulic fluid  24  after it has been used by the propulsion system  26 . After the hydraulic fluid has been used by the propulsion system  26 , the hydraulic fluid is pressurized, but the pressure is relatively low. The bladder tank assembly  160  stores this relatively low pressure hydraulic fluid so that the hydraulic fluid may be returned to the combustion chamber  22  through the inlet check valve  50  as described above.  
      The amount of hydraulic fluid in the second chamber portion  142  of the piston chamber  128 , in the propulsion system  26 , and in the various conduits connecting the chamber portion  142 , propulsion system  26 , bladder tank assembly  160 , and accumulators  30  will be substantially constant and will be referred to herein as the baseline fluid. Fluid stored in the accumulators and bladder tank assembly  160  (not the baseline fluid) will be referred to as reserved hydraulic fluid. The bladder tank assembly  160  is sized and dimensioned to store reserved hydraulic fluid that is not stored in the accumulators  30 . The reserved hydraulic fluid flows between the accumulators  30  and the bladder tank assembly  160  as the pressure in the accumulators  30  fluctuates: the higher the pressure in the accumulators  30 , the lower the percentage of reserved hydraulic fluid stored in the bladder tank assembly  160 ; the lower the pressure in the accumulators  30 , the higher the percentage of reserved hydraulic fluid stored in the bladder tank assembly  160 .  
      The propulsion system  26  of the exemplary motor system  120  will now be described in further detail. The propulsion system  26  comprises a valve array  170 , a piston assembly  172 , a power transmission assembly  174 , a flywheel  176 , and a vehicle transmission  178 .  
      Comparing  FIGS. 6-7 , it can be seen that the valve array  170  is schematically depicted and changes between a first state ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and a second state ( FIG. 8 ). The design and construction of the valve array  170  is conventional and will not be described herein in further detail.  
      The piston assembly  172  comprises a piston housing  180 , a piston member  182 , and piston rod  184 . The piston rod  184  is rigidly connected to the piston member  182  at one end and extends out of the piston housing  180  such that its other end is rigidly connected to the power transmission assembly  174 . The piston member  182  thus moves within the piston housing  180  between a first position (to the left in  FIGS. 6-8 ) and a second position (to the right in  FIGS. 6-8 ). The piston rod  184  moves with the piston member  182  in both direction along a longitudinal axis of the rod  184 .  
      The exemplary propulsion system  26  further comprises a transmission shaft  186  that operatively connects the power transmission assembly  174  to the flywheel  176  and vehicle transmission  178 . The power transmission assembly  174  is or may be conventional and translates, through the transmission shaft  186 , linear movement of the piston rod  184  in both directions along its axis into rotational movement of the flywheel  176 . The flywheel  176  is also conventional and stores energy in the form of rotational motion. The vehicle transmission  178  is also conventional and allows the vehicle operator to control, as desired, transmission of rotational motion of the transmission shaft  186  to vehicle wheels, propeller, or the like, to move the vehicle in which the motor system  120  is mounted.  
      The accumulators  30  of the motor system  120  further comprise pressure ports  190  and pressure sensors  192  arranged to detect the pressure of the gas within the bladder members  42 ; this pressure corresponds to the pressure of the working fluid within the tank member  40  and is used by the monitor and control system  90  to control combustion within the combustion chamber  22 . A pressure port  194  and pressure sensor  196  are attached to the bladder tank assembly  160  to the pressure within the tank assembly  160  to be similarly monitored.  
      The monitor and control system  90  of the exemplary motor system  120  comprises a data bus  198  that is operatively connected to the control valves  32 , supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , ignition system  80 , valve array  170 , vehicle transmission  178 , and pressure sensors  192  and  194 . The monitor and control system  90  thus implements logic that operates the control valves  32 , supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , ignition system  80 , valve array  170  based on the status of data obtained from the vehicle transmission  178  and pressure sensors  192  and  194 . Other aspects of the motor system  120 , such as positions of the piston members  130 ,  132 , and  182 , pressure in the combustion chamber  22 , state of the valve array  170 , and the like, can be monitored and used by the monitor and control system  90  to control the operation of the motor  120 .  
      The motor system  120  operates in the same basic manner as the system  20  described above. Water is introduced into the first portion  140  of the combustion chamber  22  such that the water in the combustion chamber  22  turns to steam upon ignition of the hydrogen/oxygen mixture under control of the ignition system  80 .  
      Assuming that the ignition cycle begins with the piston assembly  124  in the second position, the bladder tank assembly  160  forces hydraulic fluid into the combustion chamber through the source check valve  50  to return the piston assembly  124  to the first position. The steam created by combustion of the hydrogen and oxygen acts on the first working surface  146  to force the piston assembly  124  back into the second position; the second working surface  148  of the piston assembly  124  pressurizes the working hydraulic fluid within the second chamber portion  142 . The working fluid so pressurized flows out of the combustion chamber  22  through the outlet check valve  54 . This process is repeated to form the combustion cycle of the exemplary motor  120 .  
      When the combustion cycle is first started, the accumulators  30  will be substantially empty of working hydraulic fluid; the working hydraulic fluid will be mostly stored in the bladder tank assembly  160 . As the pressurized working fluid is forced through the outlet check valve  54  and control valves  32  and into the accumulators  30 , the pressure within the accumulators  30  will increase and the amount of hydraulic fluid within the bladder tank assembly  160  will decrease.  
      When the pressure of the working fluid within the accumulators  30  exceeds a minimum threshold that is slightly below the cut-off pressure described above, the propulsion system  26  may begin to operate by converting the energy of the pressurized working fluid into mechanical energy that can be used by the vehicle transmission  178 . In particular, if the piston member  182  is in its first position, the valve array  170  will be placed in its first state such that pressurized hydraulic fluid in the accumulators  30  flows into a first end of the piston housing  180  to force the piston member  182  from the first position to the second position. The valve array  170  is then placed in its second state such that pressurized hydraulic fluid in the accumulators  30  flows in a second end of the piston housing  180  to force the piston member  182  from the second position back to the first position. As the piston member  182  is forced between its first and second positions, the piston rod  184  reciprocates along its longitudinal axis, and the power transmission  174  coverts this linear movement into rotational movement of the transmission shaft  186 .  
      Independent of the state of the valve array  170  and position of the piston member  182 , the combustion chamber  22  will continuously perform its combustion cycle until the pressure in the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure. If the propulsion system  26  is continuously operating at full power, it is possible that the pressure of the working fluid will never reach the maximum working pressure and the combustion chamber  26  will continuously perform its combustion cycle. Usually, however, the combustion cycle will be performed until the pressure of the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will become idle. The combustion chamber  26  will remain idle until the pressure of the working fluid equals the cut-off pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will begin performing the combustion cycle.  
      The work performed by the propulsion system  26  is thus independent of the work performed when the hydrogen in the combustion chamber  22  is ignited because the energy is stored by the accumulators  30  and released as necessary by the control valves  32 . The energy released from the hydrogen ignited in the combustion chamber  22  may thus have extreme highs and lows, which may be desirable to efficiently convert hydrogen into physical work, without disrupting smooth operation of the propulsion system  26 .  
     VII. Seventh Embodiment  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 5-11 , depicted therein is a seventh exemplary hydrogen motor system  220  constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system  220  is optimized to generate pressurized fluid flow such as would be appropriate for a number of uses. For example, streams of pressurized fluid are used as cutting devices, and the pressurized fluid flow created by the motor system  220  could be used for such other purposes.  
      The motor system  220  is of particular relevance in the context of propelling a boat  222 , however, and that application will be described herein in detail. The exemplary boat  222  is or may be any conventional watercraft, including a traditional boat or a personal watercraft such as a jet ski or the like. The exemplary boat  222  comprises a hull  224  capable of supporting the motor system  220 , personnel, and cargo.  
      The hydrogen motor system  220  is similar in certain respects to the hydrogen motor systems  20  and  120  described above, and the same reference characters used above with reference to the system  20  will be used to identify similar elements of the system  220 ; these similar elements will not be described again herein beyond what is necessary for a complete understanding of the system  220 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the hydrogen motor system  220  comprises a combustion chamber  22 , a source of working fluid  24 , a propulsion system  26 , at least one accumulator  30 , and at least one control valve  32 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the exemplary motor system  220  comprises five accumulators  30  and a control valve  32  for each accumulator  30 , but, as generally discussed above, other arrangements are possible depending on the specific use of the motor. The exemplary accumulators  30  comprise a rigid tank member  40  and a bladder member  42 . An input check valve  50  is preferably arranged between an inlet  52  of the combustion chamber  22  and the source of working fluid  24 , and an outlet check valve  54  connected between an outlet  56  of the combustion chamber  22  and the control valves  32  and propulsion system  26 . The combustion chamber  22  is connected to sources of hydrogen  60 , oxygen  62 , and water  64  (schematically depicted in  FIGS. 9-15 ) through hydrogen, oxygen, and water supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , respectively. The exemplary motor system  120  also comprises an ignition system  80 , spark plug  82 , and a monitor and control system  90 . The flow controller described in the &#39;849 patent may be used as the control valves  32  and the supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74  as generally described above.  
      The exemplary combustion chamber  22  of the motor system  120  comprises a housing member  230 , an inlet pipe  232 , and an outlet pipe  234 . The housing member  230  defines a housing chamber  240  defining a chamber upper portion  242  and a chamber lower portion  244 . The hydrogen, oxygen, and water supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74  are connected to first, second, and third ports  250 ,  252 , and  254  located in the chamber upper portion  242 . The spark plug  82  is located in uppermost portion of the chamber upper portion  242 . The inlet pipe  232  and outlet pipe  234  are connected to the chamber lower portion  244 . The inlet check valve  50  is arranged in the inlet pipe  232 , and the outlet check valve  54  is arranged in the outlet pipe  234 .  
      The exemplary source of working fluid  24  is formed by a port  260  that is formed in the hull  224  of the boat  222 . The port  260  is arranged in the hull  224  below a waterline  262  defined by the hull  224  and the water in which the hull  224  floats. As the boat  222  moves through the water, water enters the port  260  and the inlet pipe  232 . If the pressure in the housing chamber  240  is lower than the pressure in the inlet pipe  232 , water will flow through the inlet check valve  50  and into the chamber  240 . If the pressure in the housing chamber  240  is higher than the pressure in the inlet pipe  232 , the inlet check valve  50  will close and no water will flow into the housing chamber  240  through the inlet pipe  232 . In the exemplary motor system  120 , the working fluid is thus water in an open system.  
      The propulsion system  26  of the exemplary motor system  220  will now be described in further detail. The propulsion system  26  comprises a propulsion valve  270  and a propulsion nozzle  272 . The control valves  32  allow pressurized fluid, in this case water, to flow from the accumulators  30  to the propulsion valve  270 . The outlet check valve ensures that water flowing out of the accumulators  30  does not reenter the housing chamber  240  when the fluid pressure within the chamber  240  is lower than the pressure within the accumulators  30 . The propulsion valve  270  controls the flow of fluid through the propulsion nozzle  272 . The propulsion nozzle  272  is configured to direct the fluid flowing therefrom in a direction opposite of the desired direction of travel of the boat  222 . Fluid flowing out of the nozzle  272  thus causes the boat  222  to move in the direction opposite to fluid flow out of the nozzle  272 . Desirably, the direction of the nozzle  272  relative to a centerline of the boat  222  can be changed to turn the boat  222 ; a rudder member  274  can be fixed relative to the nozzle  272  to assist in turning the boat  222  in a conventional manner.  
      The accumulators  30  of the motor system  120  further comprise pressure ports  280  and pressure sensors  282  arranged to detect the pressure of the gas within the bladder members  42 ; this pressure corresponds to the pressure of the working fluid within the tank member  40  and is used by the monitor and control system  90  to control combustion within the combustion chamber  22 .  
      The monitor and control system  90  of the exemplary motor system  220  comprises a data bus  190  that is operatively connected to the control valves  32 , supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , ignition system  80 , propulsion valve  270 , and pressure sensors  192 . The monitor and control system  90  thus implements logic that operates the control valves  32 , supply valves  70 ,  72 , and  74 , ignition system  80 , propulsion valve  270  based on the status of data obtained from the pressure sensors  282  and  284 . Again, other aspects of the motor system  220 , such as water level and pressure in the housing chamber  240 , position of the nozzle  272 , and the like, can be monitored and used by the monitor and control system  90  to control the operation of the motor  220 .  
      The motor system  220  operates in the same basic manner as the systems  20  and  120  described above. Referring now to  FIGS. 11-15 , the combustion cycle of the motor system  120  will be described in further detail. Water as working fluid enters the housing chamber  240  through the inlet pipe  232  and inlet check valve  50  ( FIG. 11 ). Initially, the outlet check valve  54  may also be open, allowing water to flow through the housing chamber  240  into the outlet pipe  234 . After pressure has built up in the accumulators  30  as will be described below, however, this pressure will maintain the outlet check valve  54  in its closed configuration as shown in  FIG. 11  while the housing chamber fills with water to the level shown in  FIG. 12 .  
      When the housing chamber  240  is filled, the spark plug  82  is fired, as shown in  FIG. 12 , to ignite the hydrogen/oxygen mixture, which acts on the water (working fluid) within the chamber  240 . In particular, the expanding fluid acts on the water in the direction shown by arrow A in  FIG. 13 ; this increases the pressure of the water within the chamber  240 , forcing the inlet check valve  50  closed and the outlet check valve  54  open. Water thus flows out of the chamber  240  through the outlet check valve in the direction shown by arrow B until the chamber is substantially empty. As shown in  FIG. 14 , after the hydrogen/oxygen mixture is fully combusted and the water is forced out of the chamber  240 , water is injected into the chamber  240  to cool the chamber  240  and drop the pressure therein. As the pressure in the combustion chamber  240  drops, the inlet check valve  54  opens and water flows into and fills the chamber  240  through the inlet pipe  232  ( FIG. 15 ). This ignition cycle is repeated until the accumulator pressure reaches the maximum working fluid pressure.  
      When the pressure of the working fluid within the accumulators  30  exceeds a minimum threshold, the propulsion system  26  may begin to operate by directing the pressurized working fluid through the propulsion nozzle  272  in a desired direction.  
      The combustion chamber  22  will continuously perform its combustion cycle until the pressure in the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure. If the propulsion system  26  is continuously operating at full power, it is possible that the pressure of the working fluid will never reach the maximum working pressure and the combustion chamber  26  will continuously perform its combustion cycle. Usually, however, the combustion cycle will be performed until the pressure of the working fluid equals the maximum working pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will become idle. The combustion chamber  26  will remain idle until the pressure of the working fluid equals the cut-off pressure, at which point the combustion chamber  26  will begin performing the combustion cycle to re-pressurize the accumulators  30 .  
      The work performed by the propulsion system  26  is thus independent of the work performed when the hydrogen in the combustion chamber  22  is ignited because the energy is stored by the accumulators  30  and released as necessary by the control valves  32 . The energy released from the hydrogen ignited in the combustion chamber  22  may thus have extreme highs and lows, which may be desirable to efficiently convert hydrogen into physical work, without disrupting smooth operation of the propulsion system  26 .  
     VIII. Eighth Embodiment  
      Referring now to Exhibit A, depicted and described therein is a another exemplary hydrogen motor system constructed in accordance with, and embodying, the principles of the present invention. The motor system depicted and described in Exhibit A is optimized to be connected to an electrical generator.  
     IX. General Considerations  
      The hydrogen motor systems  20 ,  120 , and  220  described above illustrate three preferred embodiments of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in forms other than those described above without departing from the principles of the present invention.  
      For example, in the motor system  120 , the exemplary valve array  170  and piston assembly formed by the piston housing  172  and piston member  182  provide power to the piston rod  184  in both directions along the longitudinal axis of the rod  184 . As an alternative, work may be performed to move the piston member  182  from the first position to the second position, which forces the piston rod  184  in only one direction along the rod axis. Only minimal working fluid pressure would be used to return to piston member  182  from the second position to the first position.  
      The motor system  120  may also be modified to operate using water as a working fluid, in which case the piston assembly  124  may be simplified or omitted entirely and the cleaning system  126  could be omitted entirely.  
      In addition, the different arrangements of control valves  32  and outlet check valves  54  shown in  FIGS. 1-5  may be used in the systems  120  and  220  described above. In addition, any of the motor systems  20 ,  20   a,    20   b,    20   c,    20   d,    120 , and  220  may be modified to use more than one combustion chamber  22  in parallel to charge the accumulators  30 .  
      The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.