WO2012163966A1

WO2012163966A1 - Energy producing device and method

Info

Publication number: WO2012163966A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/060145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bastiaan Rinke Antony GROENEWEG
Original assignee: Groeneweg Bastiaan Rinke Antony
Priority date: 2011-05-30
Filing date: 2012-05-30
Publication date: 2012-12-06

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for producing useful energy, comprises a container (3) for containing an electrolyte (5), an anode (7) and a cathode (9) arranged at least partly in the container for electrolysis of the electrolyte, and a light source (15). At least the cathode comprises a metallic surface. The electrolyte comprises a hydrogen isotope. The light source is arranged for illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface. The light source is configured to emit radiation for exciting and/or ionising at least one hydrogen isotope. The method comprises illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface so as to thereby excite and/or ionise at least one hydrogen isotope.

Description

ENERGY PRODUCING DEVICE AND METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the fields of energy conversion and/or generation of useful energy, in particular in electrolytic systems.

BACKGROUND

Apparatus for producing useful energy from an electrolyte are known and generally comprise a container for containing an electrolyte, e.g. liquid, an anode and a cathode arranged at least partly in the container for electrolysis of the electrolyte, wherein at least the cathode comprises a metallic surface and the electrolyte comprises a hydrogen isotope, in particular a heavy hydrogen isotope to wit deuterium or tritium. Most commonly, the electrolyte comprises heavy water in the form of D₂0, or Lithium deuteroxide, LiOD.

A method of converting energy comprising electrolysing an electrolyte comprising a hydrogen isotope, e.g. deuterium or tritium, such as in particular D₂O, and/or LiOD, using a cathode having a metallic surface, is also known.

When subject to the electrolysis current, it is found that the cathode and/or electrolyte may heat up. Such heat may be put to effective use by common energy converters, e.g. heat cycles .

It is desired that reliability of the apparatus and method be improved and that the yield in terms of useful energy from heat generated in the apparatus be increased.

SUMMARY

Herewith apparatus and methods according to the appended claims are provided. In an aspect, a characteristic of the apparatus is that it comprises a light source, in particular a laser, being arranged for illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface. The light source is configured to emit radiation for exciting and/or ionising at least one hydrogen isotope.

A characteristic of an improved method of producing useful energy is that it comprises illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface so as to thereby excite and/or ionise (atoms of) at least one hydrogen isotope in particular close to or on the cathode surface.

In the apparatus and the method the electrolyte preferably comprises Deuterium as the hydrogen isotope, e.g.

HDO, D₂0 or LiOD, and the light source is configured and used to emit one or more wavelengths for exciting and/or ionising

Deuterium atoms.

Hydrogen isotopes can penetrate into and reside (in interstitial spaces) in a number of metals. It is considered that heat production at a metal cathode is increased with an increasing amount of hydrogen isotope "loaded" into the metal.

Metals which allow significant loading and high heat production comprise noble metals, e.g. Silver, Platinum and/or Gold, and/or metals that may form open structures, e.g.

Tantalum. Nickel is also considered suitable. Most heat

production is found with cathodes comprising Palladium, either as a surface layer on another material, a wire or a foil, a bulk material, a (fine grain) powder or in another form.

Hydrogen isotope ions are charged positive, and are attracted by a negatively charged object such as the cathode. Light assisted ionisation of the atoms may therefore accelerate loading of a cathode with ions. The ions may deionise by

reception of an electron from the cathode material and become neutral atoms which may remain embedded in and/or adsorbed on the cathode .

Further, a neutral hydrogen-isotope atom may bind to another neutral hydrogen-isotope atom to form a molecule that separates from the cathode and thus causes loss of two atoms from the metal. Ionisation of the atoms at the surface may assist preventing such loss. This may be further enhanced by light induced dissociation of such molecules and/or light induced frustration of molecule formation.

Excitation, but not ionisation, of a Hydrogen isotope atom enlarges its effective volume and polarisability .

Therewith, its affinity for adhering to and/or residing in a specific site in or on the cathode may be affected. This is thought by the present applicant to affect the reactive

behaviour of the excited atom and the system of excited atom plus cathode material. It is further thought to affect

interaction between nearby hydrogen isotope particles. In particular these latter processes are considered important for the production of heat at the cathode. Different excited states may promote particular reactions.

In highly excited states having an atomic quantum state with a high principal quantum number n, e.g. n >~ 20 or larger such as n >~ 50 and up, the electron may still be bound to the nucleus, in particular in Rydberg states, but the excited atom may have a macroscopic size (for n equals about 100, a hydrogen atom may have a size of about 1 micrometer) . This affects its occupancy of a site on or in the cathode material, as well as its interaction with another atom, possibly itself (highly) excited. Further, the orbit period of an electron in a Rydberg orbital may become accessible for manipulation, e.g. at n equals about 50, the orbit period of an electron in a hydrogen atom may be approximately 20 picoseconds, which allows synchronisation of orbital period with switched and/or oscillating electric fields, e.g. laser fields, such as shown in various laboratories

throughout the world for different systems. Also, in the

proximity of an electric field a highly excited atom may become strongly polarized, affecting its excitation and ionisation dynamics .

For manipulating the atoms, improving conversion effectiveness from optical energy to a desired atomic state, the wavelength of the light source may be tuneable. Efficiently, the light source is configured such that the wavelength of the light source is lockable to one or more wavelengths, advantageously to at least one predetermined atomic transition of the hydrogen isotope. Laser wavelength locking techniques are generally known, and may comprise production of one or more sideband frequencies at useful intervals.

The light source may be configured to emit plural wavelengths, e.g. light source systems comprising plural single wavelengths for exciting a series of transitions, also wide spectrum lasers and/or pulsed lasers. A beam of light may result from different wavelengths overlapped via optical techniques. It is noted that "light" here means electromagnetic radiation from far-InfraRed light, with a wavelength of about 10 micrometers (e.g. CO₂ laser light) to vacuum Ultraviolet light with a wavelength of about 100 nm, e.g. light for ionising Deuterium at around 122 nanometer.

In the apparatus, the cathode may comprise a wall separating the electrolyte on a first side and a gas phase on the second side, e.g. forming a fluid tight wall. Hydrogen isotope atoms produced by the electrolysis process may diffuse through the cathode from the electrolyte to the gas side.

Although diffused atoms may possibly escape into the gas phase as a bound molecule, so that the atoms are lost from the cathode material, the hydrostatic and osmotic pressures on the atoms promote "loading" of the cathode.

The light source may be configured to illuminate (the volume bordering) the cathode (surface) on the electrolyte containing side, it is preferred that the volume and/or the cathode surface portion illuminated by the light source is (are) arranged on the second side. This prevents absorption and/or scattering of the light by the electrolyte. Further, atomic states are better defined in the gas-phase or on the gas phase- surface interface and they may thus be accessed more

efficiently .

The cathode may comprise a tubular portion. This facilitates defining a gas phase portion or a dry portion adjacent the cathode, in particular inside the tubular portion. Further, capturing of gaseous reaction products may be

facilitated. Gaseous reagents, e.g. gas of the hydrogen-isotope or rather an inert gas to prevent gas molecules from escaping from the cathode into the interior volume thereof may also be provided through the tubular portion. Such provided gases may be introduced at desired lowered or raised temperatures. In case of a tubular cathode, the apparatus may be arranged such that the light emitted by the light source illuminates the interior volume and/or the inner surface of the tubular portion of the cathode .

The apparatus may be provided with a lid configured to close at least one side of the tubular portion of the cathode, the lid preferably being openable in controlled manner for accessing the interior and/or venting gases, which may be collected for study or further use.

A tubular cathode may be cylindrical with a suitable cross-sectional shape such as round or rectangular, or it may have a varying cross-sectional shape and/or size, e.g. being at least partly generally conical.

The apparatus may comprise at least one mirror for reflecting light from the light source having traversed the volume and/or reflected from the cathode back into the volume and/or back onto the cathode. This allows increasing optical intensity in or at the interaction volume atoms-laser and/or the cathode surface, possibly increasing efficiency.

Plural mirrors may be provided for reflecting light from the light source, e.g. forming an optical cavity or an optical resonator comprising the volume and/or the cathode, which allows a significant further increase of optical power at or near the interaction volume atoms-laser. One or more wall portions of an electrode, e.g. the interior wall of a tubular cathode, may serve for mirroring, e.g. by being highly

reflecting such as by being polished.

Further optical elements such as lenses, prisms, polarisers, beam splitters, shutters etc. may be provided as well. A magnetic field, either constant, oscillating or pulsed may be provided for defining a reference axis for particular optical interactions, e.g. to excite different states.

The light source may be configured to be operated in a controllable pulsed mode, e.g. comprising a controller for operating (at least a portion of) the light source (e.g. a power source and/or an optical switch) .

The apparatus may be configured to adapt the cathode voltage between first and second different voltages in a controllable manner, e.g. the apparatus comprising a controller and/or a voltage driver configured to drive the cathode voltage between first and second different voltages, e.g. an oscillating voltage, in controllable manner. This is considered advantageous for promoting production of heat at the cathode. A particular modification that may be suitable may comprise superposition of oscillation frequencies, one such voltage driving pattern is known as a "super wave" and may assist in increasing heat production .

It is considered that orchestrated operation of an oscillation of the cathode voltage between different voltages, and an associated oscillation wavelength and/or pulsing of the light source will promote heat production at the cathode by combination of several chemical, atomic and/or nuclear

processes. Varying the anode voltage may be used as well.

One or more further light sources configured to emit radiation at a further, different, wavelength, may be provided in the apparatus, e.g. for activating different processes.

A further light source may be configured to emit radiation for dissociating molecules of the hydrogen isotope, so as to assist producing single atoms, suitable for excitation and/or ionisation by another light source as described above. Also, a method may comprise illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface with at least one further wavelength so as thereby to excite and/or ionise (atoms of) at least one hydrogen isotope to a different energy .

Beside promoting generation of heat, the apparatus and methods may further improve understanding of the processes involved in the effects occurring and therewith improve future developments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-described aspects will hereafter be more explained with further details and benefits with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of example .

Fig. 1 indicates an apparatus for producing useful energy;

Fig. 2 indicates another embodiment of an apparatus for producing useful energy;

Figs. 3A-3E indicate a process promoted by the teaching of the present disclosure;

Figs. 4A-4G indicate another process promoted by the teaching of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

It is noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms "upward", "downward", "below", "above", and the like relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings, unless otherwise specified. Further, elements that are at least

substantially identical or that perform an at least

substantially identical function are denoted by the same

numeral .

Fig. 1 shows an apparatus 1, comprising a container 3 for containing an electrolyte 5, here heavy water D₂0 in liquid form, as well as an anode 7 and a cathode 9 arranged at least partly in the container for electrolysis of the electrolyte, and both connected to a voltage source 11, here connected with an optional first controller 13 for operating the voltage source 11 in one or more controlled manners.

The apparatus further comprises light source 15, e.g. a laser, provided with a power source 17 and an optional laser controller 19 for controlling operation of the light source, e.g. for controlling power, wavelength ( s ) and/or polarisation, etc. The power source 17 and/or the laser controller 19 may be connected, as shown here, with the first controller 13, directly or indirectly via a further controller such as a computer system.

The apparatus further may comprise one or more sensors and/or detectors 21, possibly connected with a data collection and/or processing system and/or with a controller, e.g. the first controller 13. The latter setup may provide a feedback arrangement .

The cathode 9 is generally tubular with a hollow lumen 23. Here, the cathode extends from the container 3 and is provided with a tubular section 25 which may be connected to a source of a substance, e.g. the hydrogen isotope in a gaseous molecular form, such as D₂ (not shown) . Light from the light source 15 may be introduced into the cathode 9. Here, the cathode 9 comprises at least one window 27 that is transparent for the wavelength ( s ) of the light source (s) 15. The window 27 here is mounted gas-tight and it may be formed to achieve an optical effect, e.g. being formed as a lens. The cathode 9 is closed off with a lid 29 that is operable, possibly in a controlled manner (controller not shown) as a valve for

closing/opening the cathode lumen 23 from/to the outside environment .

Here, the light of the light source is directed into (the lumen 23 of) the cathode 9 by an optional optical system 31, e.g. comprising one or more lenses. Here, the optical system also comprises a mirror 32 which is partly transmitting for the light from the light source. The lid 29 is reflective towards the light source. The lid 29, when closed, and the mirror 32 may form a resonator for maintaining an optical field between them.

Further, an optional magnetic field generator is provided by coils 33. Other than shown, the magnetic field may extend along the longitudinal direction of the cathode 9. The magnetic field generator may be configured to provide a constant and/or time varying magnetic field, possible controlled with the controller 13.

The container 3 may comprise a glass vessel, the anode

7 may comprise a gold or platinum bar or foil. It is conceivable that at least part of the container 3 is provided as the anode 7. A metallic container may improve thermal contact from the electrolyte to a further apparatus, e.g. a heat exchanger connected to a thermal energy converter connected to but at a distance from the apparatus 1.

A further electrode, in particular a further anode, e.g. at the same potential as the first anode, may be provided adjacent the cathode in a gas-filled volume, e.g. a conductive wire arranged within the cathode tube (not shown) . Fig. 2 shows an embodiment similar to Fig. 1 wherein a conical further another 35 is arranged within a conical cathode 9' . Thus, an electric field may be provided within the cathode, e.g. for polarisation of excited atoms and/or for facilitating

acceleration of ions (back) to the cathode. Such further electrode may also have a different and/or (individually) controllable voltage, e.g. from a voltage supply 11A, which may be part of the voltage supply 11. The separation between the further electrode and the cathode may be constant or varying, e.g. by at least one of the cathode and the further electrode having a varying size, e.g. being conical as shown in Fig. 2, which allows providing a varying electrical field strength. A conical cathode and/or further electrode, in particular when concentrically arranged may provide a smooth field gradient. When reflective, a varying further anode facilitates

illumination of the interior wall(s) of the cathode. A sharp and/or thin electrode portion, e.g. a thin conductive wire, may provide a high field gradient so that one or more (corona) discharges may be ignited within the cathode, which may

facilitate ionising gas atoms and/or molecules in addition to optical ionisation.

Figs. 3A-3F indicate a general overview of an embodiment of the principles of operation of the apparatus in an embodiment of the method. The operation is promoted by the present apparatus and methods, explained for the case of

Deuterium as the Hydrogen isotope, Palladium as the cathode material, and the light source comprising one or more lasers of which the wavelength ( s ) is (are) lockable to an atomic

transition for Deuterium. The method of Fig. 3A-3F comprises five main stages. Below, each stage is discussed in more detail with respect to different embodiments of the presented general method. In a first stage a Deuterium atom is excited on or adjacent the cathode (Figs. 3A - 3B) . The excited atom is arranged, before, during or after excitation, close to an ionised Deuterium atom, a Deuteron. The Deuteron may be or have been actively

(optically) ionised or be virtually ionised as an adatom on the cathode surface or embedded within the cathode, and polarised to act as an ion. The electron may be (temporarily) transferred to the cathode (Fig. 3C) . The cathode voltage may be reduced in this stage. Next, the Deuterium atom and the Deuteron undergo a tunnelling transition wherein both nuclei end up inside a stable electronic orbital for two electrons. The resultant particle is neutral (Fig. 3D). This tunnelling and ( re ) combination to a neutral particle may be photon-mediated. Next the nuclei relax to a bound state to form a neutral atom (Fig. 3E) , which may be mediated by one or more photons .

In a step of the method, at least one Deuterium atom on or adjacent the Palladium cathode, having a negative voltage, is ionised, either direct ionisation by absorption of suitable laser light or in a multi-step ionisation process. The Deuterium ion, or Deuteron, is attracted to the cathode and adheres to a site in the cathode. The Deuteron may capture an electron from the cathode material, which may have a work-function less than the ionisation potential (recombination potential) of the

Deuterium ion / atom. Thus, the cathode may be "loaded" with Deuterons and/or Deuterium from an ionisation step, further to "loading" as the result of one or more processes associated with the electrolysis of the electrolyte. A Palladium cathode which is loaded with Deuterium over a certain amount, preferably close to saturated filling of all interstitial sites, may provide significant amounts of heat upon driving the electrolysis process on D₂O or LiOD.

Hence, this method comprises optical ionisation of

Deuterium atoms to promote loading of a cathode, in particular a Palladium cathode. In an embodiment, the method concerns two adjacent neutral Deuterium atoms, possibly in one cathode site or in two cathode sites close to each other. In a first step at least one of the atoms is ionised by the light, either in a one-step process or by multi-photon absorption and/or excitation and subsequent stripping of the electron by the cathode. The deuterium ion may now tunnel past the electron / through the electron shell of the neighbouring Deuterium atom, to form a positively charged particle. In this state, the particle may then (re) capture the electron lost from the ionisation step and provide a neutral particle. The former Deuteron nuclei may then relax to a fused state, to form effectively a Helium nucleus under emission of about 20 eV nuclear binding energy, which may be carried away as heat to the apparatus and be put to use. The end result is a Helium-4 atom. The initial ionisation step promotes formation of the deuteron required for the process, thus promoting the process. A view on the process is that the electron from the ionised Deuterium is "stored" in the

Palladium, or at least an electron is exchanged with the cathode, not necessarily that of the ionised atom.

Hence, this method comprises optical ionisation of a Deuterium atom in the presence of a Palladium cathode to promote a tunnelling probability for a Deuteron into the electron orbit of a neighbouring neutral Deuterium atom to entice formation of Helium and production of energy.

Another embodiment of the method depicted in Figs. 4A- 4G, comprises ionisation of a first Deuterium atom (Figs 4A-4B) , with capturing or storing of the electron in the cathode

material (Fig. 4B) , and exciting a nearby Deuterium atom to a highly excited state, e.g. a Rydberg state (Fig. 4C) . As a result, the electron of the excited atom occupies an excessively large orbit and becomes located far away from "its" nucleus wherein it may come near the neighbouring Deuteron, (also) adhered to the Palladium. This neighbouring Deuteron may capture the electron, at least part of the time, with the electron being in a kind of superposition of a bound state with the first nucleus and a bound state with the second nucleus at a distance from the first nucleus, providing a highly ellipsoidal orbit about two attractors at the foci of the ellipse (Fig. 4D) . This situation however, may equate a stable orbit for an electron encircling a core comprising two fragments which may be seen as a highly excited nucleus. As an effect, a second electron may be captured by the compound particle (formed by the two Deuterium nuclei and the one electron) from the Palladium (e.g. the electron from the ionised Deuteron stored in the Palladium) to occupy a stable orbit of an electronic state about the excited quasi-nuclear state (Fig. 4 E ) . In effect, at that time a neutral particle has been provided with a fragmented core (two electrons orbiting and enclosing two sets of one proton and one neutron each) . It is considered that, once the two nuclei are located within a stable electron orbit, escape from a charged nucleus fragment is prevented by the screen put up by the orbiting electron (s). Hence, the nuclei are caught within the envelope of the electron shell. The former Deuterium nuclei in the core may then relax by stepwise relaxation across nuclear energy levels or by tunnelling to a fused state, to form effectively a Helium nucleus under emission of about 20 eV nuclear binding energy, which may be carried away as heat to the apparatus and be put to use (Fig. 4F) . The end result is a neutral Helium-4 atom which may decay to a Helium ground state under emission of a photon (Fig. 4G) .

It is possible, but less likely, that the formation of a Helium nucleus from the Deuterons occurs in a state wherein the Deuterons are bound by a single electron (Fig. 4D) , after which a Helium ion would be formed, which could de-ionise by capturing an electron from the cathode.

Hence, this method comprises optical ionisation of a

Deuterium atom in the presence of a Palladium cathode, and optical excitation of a Deuterium atom to a highly excited state to promote a probability for a neighbouring Deuteron to capture and/or share the electron, in an orbit about both nuclei and therewith enticing formation of Helium and production of energy. By exciting the Deuterium neutral, effectively the tunnelling probability of one nucleus through the electron shell of another is multiplied significantly. The adhesion of the Deuterium particles (neutral or ionised) to the cathode material

facilitates their proximity and stable position at such

proximity, which may significantly increase interaction times and tunnelling probabilities.

It is noted that initial ionisation need not be full ionisation, but may comprise bonding of the Deuterium with the Palladium to a bound state which is polarised by the cathode charge so that the Deuterium "acts" as being an ionised adatom, which may be considered a virtual Deuteron. In this case optical excitation without prior ionisation is sufficient; what is presently considered important is the excitation of a Deuterium atom adjacent a (virtual) Deuteron so that (facilitated or natural) tunnelling and incorporation / enveloping may take place.

It is considered that, once the two nuclei are located within a stable electron orbit, escape from one of the nuclei, in particular a charged proton is prevented by the screen put up by the orbiting electron. Hence, the nuclei are caught within the envelope of the orbit.

Note that a Rydberg atom atop a charged conductor such as the electrolysis cathode may experience strong Stark shifts, affecting its affinity for a local positive charge as provided by a nearby (virtual) Deuteron.

In a further aspect of a method, the method is combined with excitation of at least one of the Deuterium nuclei, e.g. via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. This

facilitates both nuclei to occupy a nuclear bound, but excited, state. E.g., an excited nuclear state for a Deuteron may

comprise (at least in a classical picture) two-particle motion of the nucleons (proton, neutron) , which may map onto higher order modes of four-particle excited states. Possibly, a better mapping occurs of a three-particle bound state, mediated by emission of a neutron, in which case a Helium 3 atom may be formed as an end product of the method.

It is further believed that in a compound nucleus of plural fragments excitation of the fragments may facilitate a beneficial screening of the Coulomb repulsion between the protons by the neutrons due to their rearrangement caused by the excitation .

Hence this method comprises as a step the application of one or more N R signals to the apparatus for exciting nuclei of atoms of the hydrogen isotope.

In yet a further aspect of a method, the cathode voltage is oscillated between different voltages with respect to the anode, or the further anode inside the gas phase where applicable, in a predetermined manner with the wavelength ( s ) and/or pulses of the excitation or ionisation light; also this allows "stripping" and/or biding an electron in controlled fashion from/to the core, in close analogy to the Alpha- and ATRAP-experiments on preparing and storing anti-Hydrogen at the CERN experimental accelerator facility in Geneva, Switzerland.

It is noted that initial ionisation need not be full ionisation, but may comprise bonding of the Deuterium with the Palladium to a bound DPd-state which is polarised by the cathode charge so that the Deuterium "acts" as being an ionised adatom. Important may then be excitation of an adjacent Deuterium atom so that (facilitated or natural) tunnelling and incorporation / enveloping may take place.

Hence, in an aspect the method may comprise ionisation of a Deuterium atom, nuclear excitation of at least one of the nuclei of the ionised Deuterium atom and a neutral Deuterium atom, arranging both nuclei within one substantially stable electron orbit, either by natural tunnelling or via actively facilitated capturing of an excited-state-electron, neutralising the charge of the product particle, de-excitation of the core fragments and harvesting a portion of the produced nuclear relaxation energy. Oscillating cathodes voltage may be performed as initial excitation or ionisation at a relatively large negative voltage, tunnelling at a relatively small negative voltage, neutralising the resultant particle and nuclear relaxation at a relatively large negative voltage. A voltage level decrease may thus be made concurrent with a light pulse to a high atomic excitation level. An NMR nuclear excitation pulse may be provided before and after the tunnelling time window. In case a Rydberg state is excited, time must be allowed for establishing the atomic state and for merging single- and dual- nucleus-states, it is expected that for n = about 50-100 a few orbital periods should suffice, corresponding to a few tens of picoseconds. Electric field oscillations at such frequencies may be applied with electromagnetic waves in the TeraHerz range, which may be applied as running waves or standing waves on the cathode (wavelength ca 0.1-1 mm in vacuo) .

It is noted that ionisation and excitation of a

Hydrogen isotope atoms require different wavelengths, most of which are well known, e.g. Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, Bracket and Pfund series; Deuterium, respectively having an isotope shift to shorter wavelengths than Hydrogen. E.g. the ionization potential for Deuterium is about 109708 cm^-1 and the Balmer-alpha

equivalent line D_a is at a wavelength of 656.1 nm, instead of 656.3 nm for the Hydrogen Balmer-alpha line H_a. Further values may be found in academic literature or be calculated to

accuracies useful for working the present concepts. Thus, different light source may be required for carrying out the most involved method, presently considered the most promising method.

The apparatus 1 may be connected with a thermal energy capturing and conversion system, e.g. a thermocouple, a heat cycle device (e.g. Carnot cycle machine), a Stirling engine, a heating system, etc., connected with the container 3 and or the cathode 9.

The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims. E.g. a magnetic field may be applied along or transverse to the cathode surface and/or a direction of propagation or incidence of the light from a light source, which may be polarised, so as to facilitate excitation and/or

maintenance of particular atomic states.

Electrodes need not be pure materials but may comprise a material coated with another material, preferably a more reactive material. Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise .

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing useful energy, comprising a container for containing an electrolyte, an anode and a cathode arranged at least partly in the container for electrolysis of the electrolyte, and a light source, in particular a laser, at least the cathode comprising a metallic surface, the electrolyte comprising a hydrogen isotope

the light source being arranged for illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface

wherein the light source is configured to emit

radiation for exciting and/or ionising at least one hydrogen isotope .

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathode comprises a noble metal, in particular palladium.

3. Apparatus of any preceding claim , wherein the wavelength of the light source is tuneable.

4. Apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wavelength of the light source is lockable to at least one predetermined atomic transition of the hydrogen isotope, wherein preferably the wavelength is lockable to at least one predetermined atomic transition of the hydrogen isotope for exciting an atomic quantum state having a high principal quantum number.

5. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cathode comprises a wall separating the electrolyte on a first side and a gas phase on the second side.

6. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the cathode comprises a tubular portion.

7. Apparatus of both claims 5 and 6, wherein the tubular portion comprises a lumen, the tubular portion providing a wall separating the electrolyte on the first side being the outer side of the tubular portion and a gas phase on the second side being the interior side, providing the lumen with a

substantially dry interior volume.

8. Apparatus of claim 5, 6, or 7 arranged such that the volume and/or the cathode surface portion illuminated by the light source is (are) arranged on the second side.

9. Apparatus of claim 6, 7, or 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a lid configured to close at least one side of the tubular portion of the cathode, the lid preferably being

openable in controlled manner.

10. Apparatus of any preceding claim, comprising a further electrode, in particular a further anode arranged at least partly in the container, wherein preferably the apparatus is configured to adapt the voltage of the further electrode between different voltages in a controllable manner and more preferably independent from the voltages of the anode and cathode .

11. Apparatus of claim 10 and any one of claims 6-9, wherein the further electrode is arranged at least partly within the tubular portion of the cathode.

12. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one mirror for reflecting light from the light source having traversed the volume and/or

reflected from the cathode back into the volume and/or back onto the cathode.

13. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises plural mirrors for reflecting light from the light source.

14. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the light source is configured to be operated in a controllable and/or pulsed mode.

15. Apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is configured to adapt the cathode voltage between first and second different voltages in a controllable manner.

16. Apparatus of claims 14 and 15, wherein the apparatus is configured for orchestrated operation of an

oscillation of the cathode voltage between different voltages, wavelength and/or optical intensity such as pulsing of the light source.

17. Apparatus of any preceding claim, comprising at least one further light source configured to emit radiation at a further, different, wavelength, preferably being configured to emit radiation for dissociating molecules of the hydrogen isotope.

18. Method of converting energy comprising

electrolysing an electrolyte comprising a hydrogen isotope, e.g. deuterium or tritium, such as in particular D₂0, and/or LiOD, using a cathode having a metallic surface,

comprising illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface so as to thereby excite and/or ionise at least one hydrogen isotope.

19. Method of claim 18 comprising tuning and maintaining the wavelength of the light source on at least one predetermined atomic transition of the hydrogen isotope.

20. Method of claim 19 comprising tuning and maintaining the wavelength of the light source on at least one predetermined atomic transition of the hydrogen isotope for exciting the isotope to an atomic quantum state having a high principal quantum number, in particular a Rydberg state.

21. Method of any one of claims 18-20 comprising using an electrolysis cathode comprising a tubular portion comprising a lumen, the tubular portion separating the electrolyte on the outer side of the tubular portion and a gas phase on the

interior side, providing the lumen with a substantially dry interior volume, and illuminating the interior volume and/or the inner surface of the tubular portion of the cathode with light from the light source.

22. Method of any one of claims 18-21 comprising reflecting light from the light source having traversed the volume and/or reflected from the cathode back into the volume and/or back onto the cathode.

23. Method of any one of claims 18-22 comprising operating the light source in a controlled pulsed mode.

24. Method of any one of claims 18-23 comprising driving the cathode voltage between first and second different voltages, e.g. an oscillating voltage, in controllable manner.

25. Method of claim 23 and 24 comprising orchestrated operation of an oscillation of the cathode voltage between different voltages and pulsing of the light source.

26. Method of any one of claims 18-25 comprising illuminating a volume bordering the cathode and/or at least a portion of the cathode surface with at least one further wavelength so as thereby to dissociate molecules of the hydrogen isotope and/or excite and/or ionise at least one hydrogen isotope to a different energy.