System and method for electrolysis and heating of water

1. A system for electrolysis and heating of a liquid electrolyte within an electrolytic cell comprising:

said electrolytic cell including a non-conductive housing and an inlet and an outlet;

a first conductive foraminous grid positioned within said housing adjacent to said inlet;

a second conductive foraminous grid positioned within said housing spaced from said first conductive grid and adjacent to said outlet;

a plurality of conductive beads each having a conductive metallic surface which will combine with hydrogen or an isotope of hydrogen to form a metallic hydride, said conductive beads in electrical communication with said first conductive grid end electrically isolated from said second grid:

means for pumping said liquid electrolyte into said electrolytic cell through said inlet, said electrolyte having a conductive salt in solution with water;

means for heating said liquid electrolyte external to said electrolytic cell as said liquid electrolyte flows through said system;

an electric power source operably connected to said first and second grids

wherein each said conductive bead includes:

a conductive metal flash coating of uniform thickness formed by chemical combination with a cation exchange surface of a spherical cross-linked polymer microbead from a metal cation which has been chemically reduced with hydrazine;

a nickel layer of uniform thickness formed atop said flash coating;

a metallic hydride forming layer of uniform thickness formed atop said nickel layer;

a metallic support layer of uniform thickness formed atop said metallic hydride forming layer.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said conductive salt comprises an element from the group consisting of lithium, boron, aluminum, gallium and thallium.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrolytic cell further comprises:

a foraminous non-conductive mesh positioned within said housing adjacent to and spaced from said second grid;

said electrolytic cell being in an upright position and said conductive beads are loosely packed within said electrolytic cell;

said conductive beads being elevated and mixed above said first grid by said electrolyte, said non-conductive mesh preventing said conductive beads from contacting said second grid.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

each said conductive bead is sized in the range of about 1 mm or less in diameter.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said liquid electrolyte includes a heavy water.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said heavy water is deuterium oxide (D.sub.2 O).

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said metallic hydride forming layer is taken from the group consisting of:

palladium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tantalum, uranium, hafnium and thorium.

8. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said conductive bead further includes:

a metallic stabilizer layer of uniform thickness formed atop said support layer.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said flash coating has a thickness in the range of 1 to 10 angstroms;

said nickel layer and said support layer each have a thickness in the range of about 10 angstroms to 1 micron;

said metallic hydride forming layer has a thickness in the range of about 10 angstroms to 2 microns;

said metallic stabilizer layer has a thickness in the range of about 1 to 60 angstroms.

10. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said flash coating is taken from the group consisting of:

copper, palladium, nickel and titanium;

said metallic hydride forming layer is taken from the group consisting of:

palladium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tantalum, uranium, hafnium and thorium;

said support layer is taken from the group consisting of:

nickel, gold, silver and titanium; and

said metallic stabilizer layer is taken from the group consisting of:

chromium, iron, cobalt and nickel.

11. A system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of non-metallic beads each having a sulfonated surface which has been ion exchanged with a lithium salt;

said plurality of non-metallic beads positioned between said second grid and said conductive beads;

said plurality of non-metallic beads forming a conductive salt bridge thereacross.

12. A system for producing useful excess heating of a liquid electrolyte which is heated while flowing through an electrolytic cell, said system comprising:

said electrolytic cell including a non-conductive housing an inlet and an outlet;

a first conductive foraminous grid positioned within said housing adjacent to said inlet;

a second conductive foraminous grid positioned within said housing spaced from said first conductive grid and adjacent to said outlet;

a plurality of conductive beads each having a conductive metallic surface which will combine with hydrogen or an isotope of hydrogen to form a metallic hydride, said conductive beads in electrical communication with said first conductive grid and electrically isolated from said second grid;

means for pumping said liquid electrolyte into said electrolytic cell through said inlet, said electrolyte having a conductive salt in solution with water;

means for heating said liquid electrolyte external to said electrolytic cell as said liquid electrolyte flows through said system;

an electric power source operably connected to said first and second grids

wherein each said conductive bead includes:

a conductive metal flash coating of uniform thickness formed by chemical combination with a cation exchange surface of a spherical cross-linked polymer microbead from a metal cation which has been chemically reduced with hydrazine;

a nickel layer of uniform thickness formed atop said flash coating;

a metallic hydride forming layer of uniform thickness formed atop said nickel layer;

a metallic support layer of uniform thickness formed atop said metallic hydride forming layer.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said conductive salt comprises an element from the group consisting of lithium, boron, aluminum, gallium and thallium.

14. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said electrolytic cell further comprises: p1 a foraminous non-conductive mesh positioned within said housing adjacent to and spaced from said second grid;

said electrolytic cell being in an upright position and said conductive beads are loosely packed within said electrolytic cell;

said conductive beads being elevated and mixed above said first grid by said electrolyte, said non-conductive mesh preventing said conductive beads from contacting said second grid.

15. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

each said conductive bead is sized in the range of about 1 mm or less in diameter.

16. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said liquid electrolyte includes a heavy water.

17. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said liquid deuterium oxide (D.sub.2 O).

18. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said metallic hydride forming layer is taken from the group consisting of:

palladium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tantalum, uranium, hafnium and thorium.

19. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein each said conductive bead further includes:

a metallic stabilizer layer of uniform thickness formed atop said support layer.

20. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said flash coating has a thickness in the range of 1 to 10 angstroms;

said nickel layer and said support layer each have a thickness in the range of about 10 angstroms to 1 micron;

said metallic hydride forming layer has a thickness in the range of about 10 angstroms to 2 microns;

said metallic stabilizer layer has a thickness in the range of about 1 to 60 angstroms.

21. A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said flash coating is taken from the group consisting of:

copper, palladium, nickel and titanium;

said metallic hydride forming layer is taken from the group consisting of:

palladium, lanthanum, praseodymium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tantalum, uranium, hafnium and thorium;

said support layer is taken from the group consisting of:

nickel, gold, silver and titanium; and

said metallic stabilizer layer is taken from the group consisting of:

chromium, iron, cobalt and nickel.

22. A system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of non-metallic beads each having a sulfonated surface which has been ion exchanged with a lithium salt;

said plurality of non-metallic beads positioned between said second grid and said conductive beads;

said plurality of non-metallic beads forming a conductive salt bridge thereacross.