Patent ID: 6939449

Claim:
Apparatus for generating hydrogen by the electrolytic dissociation of water, which apparatus comprises: an electrolytic cell having: a plurality of molded plastic frames including two end frames and a plurality of center frames, arranged as a longitudinal stack, each said end frame containing a well for receiving either an anode or a cathode, each said center frame containing wells on opposite surfaces thereof for receiving, respectively, an anode and a cathode, and also containing a central barrier separating said wells, a plurality of flat anodes and flat cathodes respectively located in said wells in alternating sequence in said assembly, a flat solid electrolyte membrane disposed between each pair of anodes and cathodes that form one cell, a pair of end plates for applying end-to-end pressure against said end frames in said stack a pair of flat crushable metal plates that are located one outboard of each of said end frames and inboard of each of said end plates in said stack, and means for squeezing said end plates toward each other in said stack, means for supplying electrical power to said cell to apply a voltage thereacross, means for providing a water reservoir for gravity flow independently to said cathode and anode half-cells on opposite sides of said solid electrolyte, a hydrogen outlet chimney extending upward from said cathode half-cell, a separation membrane located above said chimney which allows gaseous H 2 to pass through to an exit leading to hydrogen delivery passageway means but rejects liquid H 2 O carried with said H 2 , and a return passageway for returning liquid H 2 O separated from said H 2 by said membrane to a location near the bottom of said cathode half-cell.