US 20110140038A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0140038 A1 Presley et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jun. 16, 2011 (54) OXYGEN-GENERATING LIQUID Publication Classi?cation COMPOSITION (51) Int. Cl. C09K 3/00 (2006.01) Inventors: (76) Kenneth Lee Presley, Louisville, (52) U.S. Cl. ................................................. .. 252/187.31 CO (U S); Scott Clarence Meyers, Fountain Hills, AZ (U S) (57) ABSTRACT An oxygen-generating liquid composition is described com (21) Appl. No.: 12/927,545 prising compositions of Water plus lithium chlorate as a satu rated solution and as a mixture of saturated solution plus (22) Filed: Nov. 17, 2010 precipitated solids. The composition further comprises cata lysts. The oxygen is produced via thermal decomposition. Uses of the composition include generation of oxygen for Related US. Application Data poWer production or for breathable air. A principal bene?t is (60) Provisional application No. 61/281,406, ?led on Nov. that the composition is an easily handled liquid stored in 17, 2009. un-pressuriZed tank. Chemical Oxygen Source Storage Densities Oxygen Gas, 3000 psi Lithium Perchlorate Solution, Room.. Hydrogen Peroxide, 60% Oxygen Gas, 5000 psi Lithium Perchlorate Solution, 180F Solid Sodium Peroxide Hydrogen Peroxide, 90% Sodium Perchlorate Solution, Room Temp Oxygen Gas, 10000 psi Sodium Perchlorate Solution, 180F Solid Potassium Superoxide Perchloric Acid (70%) Solid Sodium Chlorate Liquid Oxygen Molten Lithium Perchlorate Solid Sodium Perchlorate Solid Lithium Perchlorate Lithium Chlorate Solid Lithum Chlorate Solution, 20°C.. ‘ l I Lithium Chlorate Solution, 40°C.. '* Lithium Chlorate Solution, 60°C.. Lithium Chlorate Solution, 80°C.. , 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 I kg of oxygen per liter Patent Application Publication Jun. 16, 2011 US 2011/0140038 A1 Chemical Oxygen Source Storage Densities Lithium PerchlorateOxygen Solution, Gas, 3000 Room.. psi I Hydrogen Peroxide, 60% I Oxygen Gas, 5000 psi I Lithium Perchlorate Solution, 180F Solid Sodium Peroxide Hydrogen Peroxide, 90% I I Sodium Perchlorate Solution, Room Temp F Oxygen Gas, 10000 psi Sodium Perchlorate Solution, 180F Solid Potassium Superoxide Perchloric Acid (70%) '_ Solid SodiumLiquid Chlorate Oxygen Im I Molten Lithium Perchlorate I SolidSolid LithiumSodium Perchlorate I5 I Lithium Chlorate Solid Lithum Chlorate Solution, 20°C.. w Lithium Chlorate Solution, 40°C.. m Lithium Chlorate Solution, 60°C.. I: Lithium Chlorate Solution, 80°C..’ I 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 I kg of oxygen per liter US 2011/0140038 A1 Jun. 16, 2011 OXYGEN-GENERATING LIQUID Widely used in solid “oxygen candles”. Certain of these com COMPOSITION pounds also exhibit high solubility in Water. The speci?c subject of this patent, is Lithium Chlorate (LiClO3), Which CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED has a very high room temperature solubility in Water of 421 g APPLICATIONS (LiClO3)/100 g (H2O). The present invention is thus a chemi cal composition consisting of lithium chlorate plus Water [0001] We are claiming bene?t of the provisional applica used as an oxygen generating liquid composition. Additional tion 61/281,406 dated Nov. 17, 2009. additives are also covered, Which can enhance the properties of the composition. The lithium chlorate plus Water compo STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY sition combines the oxygen generating characteristics of lithium chlorate With its high solubility in Water to yield an SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT oxygen generating liquid composition With bene?cial prop [0002] This invention Was not the result of any federally erties such as high volumetric and gravimetric oxygen storage sponsored research. density and ease of storing and handling as a liquid. [0009] UtiliZing the advantages of this composition the folloWing objectives can be attained: REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A [0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING improved oxygen generating composition that can be stored COMPACT DISC APPENDIX and delivered as a liquid. [0011] It is also an objective to provide an improved oxygen [0003] Not Applicable generating liquid composition that has high volumetric and gravimetric oxygen storage density. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0012] It is also an objective to provide an oxygen generat [0004] 1. Field of the Invention ing liquid composition that may be used to provide oxygen for [0005] The present invention relates to explosives and ther use in energy producing systems. [0013] It is also an objective to provide an improved oxygen mic compositions and in particular to inorganic oxygen con generating liquid composition that may be used to provide taining salts. breathable oxygen. [0006] 2. Description of the Related Art [0014] It is also an objective to provide an improved oxygen [0007] In various applications there is a need for oxygen generating liquid composition that has good safety character generation Where access to atmospheric oxygen is not pos istics. sible or restricted. Such applications include undersea sys [0015] It is also an objective to provide an oxygen generat tems Where oxygen can be used for poWer generation When ing liquid composition that alloWs Water based clean-up of reacted With fuels in either combustion or fuel cell poWer spills. generation systems. Other applications include generating [0016] The general composition of the present invention includes Water plus amounts of fully or partially dissolved oxygen for human consumption in aircraft emergency breath lithium chlorate Where the amount is chosen to meet particu ing systems or in submarines for creW oxygen. Oxygen gen lar objectives. The amount of lithium chlorate added to the eration by solid “oxygen candles” is a Well established tech Water can be less than, equal to, or greater than What Would nology as represented in patents such as US. Pat. Nos. 3,615, give a saturated solution at ambient temperature. Generally 251 and 4,981,655. Other more exotic oxygen generation the Weight percent Will be from 70% to 96% by Weight. systems, such as in US. Pat. No. 5,376,352, have used ther [0017] In one embodiment, the oxygen generating liquid mal decomposition of a high temperature liquid lithium per composition can be thermally decomposed in a batch appa chlorate salt to produce oxygen. Liquid systems are attractive ratus. In this embodiment a ?xed quantity of lithium chlorate from the standpoint of ease of re?lling and also for charac solution is added to a vessel, heat is then applied causing the Water to boil off leaving the lithium chlorate that is then teristics like ease of delivery and control using ?oW control further heated to release free oxygen, Which is then routed to valves and pumps Well knoWn in the art. Various oxygen various uses such as poWer producing combustion systems or generating liquid compositions have been identi?ed, such as fuel cells or for human consumption through appropriate represented in US. Pat. Nos. 6,165,295, and 6,230,491, chlorine “getters”. The lithium chloride product remains in Where hydrogen peroxide is the principal oxygen generating the vessel and is then removed in a separate post decomposi compound. Hydrogen peroxide has certain negative charac tion disposal process such as Water rinsing to prepare the teristics such as sloW decomposition at room temperature at vessel for another load of lithium chlorate solution. Multiple loW concentrations, spontaneous decomposition at high con such vessels may be operated in sequence to produce a desired How of oxygen. centrations, and limited oxygen storage capability. The sys [0018] In another embodiment the oxygen generating liq tems using solids, such as solid “oxygen candles” and high uid composition can be thermally decomposed in a continu temperature molten salt systems, suffer from disadvantages ous ?oW process Where heating boils the solution With the such as dif?culty in re?lling or an inability to stop or modu lithium chlorate carried in the resulting steam, Which is fur late oxygen ?oW. These shortcomings in the current art estab ther heated resulting in decomposition. In continuous ?oW lish that a need exists for better oxygen generating composi processes Where the oxygen liberating reaction occurs in the tions and speci?cally liquid compositions. gas phase the chloride product may be separated out by meth ods such as cyclone separators knoWn in the art. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0019] Either embodiment may be enhanced by the use of catalysts that can be premixed in the solution or added later in [0008] It is Well knoWn in the art that certain chlorate and the process. In all embodiments the chloride product can be perchlorate salts thermally decompose into their chloride salt retained in the generating apparatus, separated out and dis and free oxygen With trace amounts of chlorine. These salts posed of, or carried into the doWnstream processes. have relatively high oxygen content making them effective [0020] The oxygen generating liquid composition may be oxygen generating compounds. An example of such an oxy stored either as a liquid or as a combination of saturated liquid gen generating compound is Sodium Chlorate (NaClO3) plus solids. If stored as a liquid, the concentration can be US 2011/0140038 A1 Jun. 16, 2011 selected to control the precipitation of solids as a function of [0027] DraWing Sheet 1 shoWs a comparison of the subject storage and operating temperature ranges. For example, a invention in its saturated solution embodiment to other oxy concentration may be picked Where no precipitated solid gen generating compositions. Credit is given to Reference 1 exists over an operating temperature range, but precipitation for the initial 17 compositions (Oxygen Gas (3000 psi) is alloWed over a broader non-operating storage temperature through Solid Lithium Perchlorate). The subject invention range. If stored as a combination of saturated liquid plus lithium chlorate data has been included in draWing Sheet 1 to solids, then the solids can be processed into a liquid for ease shoW its comparison to prior art compositions.