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Responding Expert Report

Response to Dr. Heywoods Report: An Assessment of Defendents Recently Submitted Materials Regarding Fuel Economy Claims Made for the Hydro Assist Fuel Cell (HAFC) System

Jacob Wall Mechanical Engineer

August 25, 2010

Table of Contents 1. Background............................................................................................................................ 3 2. Affirmative Report: Conclusions ............................................................................................ 4 3. Research on the Application of Electrolysis Products ........................................................... 5 4. Electrolysis Products: Combustion Fuel or Combustion Catalyst? ........................................ 7 5. Unique Properties of Electrolysis Products............................................................................ 8 6. Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 11 7. References .......................................................................................................................... 12

I have personal knowledge of the matters contained in this report and if called as a witness I could, and would, competently testify as to the matters discussed herein. 1. Background My name is Jacob A. Wall. I am currently employed as a Mechanical Engineer for EnergySolutions located in Richland, WA. I completed my Masters of Science in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho in 2009. During my Masters Degree program I researched the production and utilization of biofuels. As an independent research project, while attending the University of Idaho, I investigated the application of electrolysis products to engines. This project included extensive journal research of the available technical literature related to hydrogen enriched hydrocarbon combustion. The journal research culminated in a journal review paper titled, Effect of Hydrogen Enriched Hydrocarbon Combustion on Emissions and Performance. This paper was published, open-source on the Panacea University website and consequently mirrored on many other websites. I have recently republished a revised version of this paper for the Conference Proceedings of the 17th Annual NPA Conference. I have presented my research results from this project at the 2008 Alterative Energy and Wellness Show N Tell Conference in Ruskin, Florida and the 2009 Alternative Energy Partnership Show N Tell Conference in Waldorf, Maryland. These conferences were specifically dedicated to the presentation of research related to improving engine efficiency using common-ducted electrolysis products. My presentations at these conferences are viewable on my YouTube website (http://www.youtube.com/jakerwall). My research on the application of electrolysis products to engines led me to investigate the proper design and fabrication techniques for the construction of a common-ducted electrolysis unit. In order to test electrolysis products on an engine, I retrofitted a 50 cc Honda Scooter to operate with a home-made electrolysis unit, powered by an auxiliary battery, to supplement its normal gasoline consumption. I operated the scooter with the electrolysis unit installed as my primary form of transportation for an entire summer. With this experimental setup, I observed improved throttle response with the electrolysis unit in operation. My results from the supplementation of electrolysis products to the scooter engine led me to experiment with running the scooter engine at idle, completely from the output of an electrolysis unit that was powered by an external power supply. The scooter was able to maintain idle at electrical input as low as about 140 Watts. This research project is documented on my YouTube website. I am continually performing independent research on the properties and application of electrolysis products to engines and burners. Currently, I am researching using electrolysis products to improve combustion in my personal vehicle. Another project I am working on is a validation study to improve the efficiency of a 5 kW Briggs and Stratton Electric Generator using combustion enhancement with electrolysis products. 3

I am actively searching for an opportunity to pursue the research of the combustion of electrolysis products for a PhD dissertation in Mechanical Engineering. I have written an Affirmative Expert Report, titled Response to Dr. Heywoods Report: An Assessment of the Fuel Economy Claims Made for the Hydro Assist Fuel Cell (HAFC) System that provides my independent review of the technical literature related to hydrogen enriched hydrocarbon combustion and provides information and data that support the following statements: a. Review of the technical literature shows a discrepancy between the experimental data and theoretical calculations for application of compressed hydrogen compared to experimental data using electrolysis products (Browns Gas) directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit for use as a combustion aid in internal combustion engines. Electrolysis products taken from a common-ducted electrolysis unit can also be referred to as Browns Gas, hydroxy or HHO. b. Experimental data shows that the composition of electrolysis products taken directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit is very different than compressed hydrogen, compressed oxygen or mixtures of compressed hydrogen and oxygen. Also, combustion of electrolysis products exhibits properties and behaviors that are different than combustion of compressed hydrogen or mixtures of compressed hydrogen and oxygen. 2. Affirmative Report: Conclusions A. Introduction of compressed hydrogen gas into the intake of an internal combustion engine can improve the efficiency and performance of that engine. B. Performing theoretical and experimental studies attempting to simulate electrolysis products from a common-ducted electrolysis show that using the engine output to power the electrolysis process should not lead to an overall increase in efficiency of the system. C. Experimental studies using electrolysis products (Browns Gas) taken directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit to improve the efficiency of the engine system, suggest that efficiency gain can be obtained even when the electrolysis is powered from the engine system. The results of these studies show that an average increase of 20% in fuel economy can be obtained over a wide range of engines. Individual engines were able to achieve much greater results. This suggests that there is a significant difference between compressed hydrogen, mixtures of compressed hydrogen and oxygen at a 2 to 1 ratio and electrolysis products (Browns Gas) taken directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit. D. Analysis of common-ducted electrolysis products show that the mixture contains components that are unique and very different from what would be expected from a 2 to 1 ratio of compressed hydrogen and oxygen. 4

E. Research investigating the properties and applications of electrolysis products from a common-ducted electrolysis unit is greatly lacking in the technical literature. Further research should be conducted before discounting the results that could be obtained from adding common-ducted electrolysis products (Browns Gas) to internal combustion engine systems. 3. Research on the Application of Electrolysis Products In Dr. Heywoods Responding Expert Report, it is stated that the process of water electrolysis has been known for 200 years and that it is well understood. I feel that this statement only provides part of the story. Extensive research has been conducted on water electrolysis for certain applications but has been neglected for others. The concept of using an electrolysis unit on-board a vehicle to improve combustion is almost 100 years old. US Patent 1,262,034, granted in 1918, is one of the first references where the products of electrolysis are added to an engine to improve combustion. The patent states that the electrolysis unit is designed particularly to improve the efficiency and emissions of internal combustion engines. US Patent 1,876,879, granted in 1932, is another early reference to the design of an electrolysis system for improving the performance and efficiency of an internal combustion engine. These patents show that the idea of improving combustion from an electrolysis unit onboard a vehicle is not new and it would be expected that extensive research has be performed on this topic. [1,2] I have been researching the usage of an electrolysis unit to produce electrolysis products on-board a vehicles to improve emissions and efficiency since 2003. This research has included extensive review of the available technical literature. My literature review has uncovered only a handful of studies that even address this topic and even fewer that have performed an experimental investigation using an actual electrolysis unit. There are three journal papers that specifically address the addition of electrolysis products to an engine to improve combustion, which do not find a positive result. These theoretical papers conclude that it is not energetically possible to be done on-board the vehicle [3,4,5]. Two of these papers are cited by Dr. Heywood in his expert reports. In the papers, Investigating Combustion Enhancement and Emissions Reduction with the Addition of 2H2 + O2 to a SI Engine and The addition of hydrogen to a gasoline-fuelled SI engine experiments and results are described which demonstrate the effects and feasibility of using electrolysis products to improve performance and efficiency of an engine. These studies, which do not actually use electrolysis products from a common-ducted electrolysis unit, conclude that it is impossible to use an electrolysis unit powered by the engine to improve the engines thermal efficiency and performance. [4,5]

From my review of these two papers I have found several factors that severely affect their relevancy to this case and their ability to make the conclusion that electrolysis products cannot improve thermal efficiency when powered by the engine: Tests were not conducted to investigate the effects of the addition of electrolysis products from an actual electrolysis unit to improve engine efficiency. Conclusions were based on simulated electrolysis products effect on an engine compared to a theoretical calculation of the energy consumption of a commercial electrolysis unit. The simulated electrolysis product mixture and induction enrichment methods used in these studies were significantly different that what would be used for adding electrolysis products directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit. The mixture used was prepared by compressing 97% air, 2% H2 and 1% O2 in a tank. This mixture preparation was done specifically to ensure the intake charge was below the flammability limit of H2 in air. This setup raises significant questions as to whether this setup was representative of testing of an actual electrolysis unit to improve engine efficiency and performance. The engine spark timing was not adjusted to provide for optimal operation with the hydrogen or hydrogen/oxygen mixtures. The authors of these papers admit in their conclusion that using electrolysis products taken directly from an electrolysis unit may further enhance the combustion process and that further testing should be conducted with an actual electrolysis unit. [5]

The simulated studies, that do not use actual electrolysis products, tell a very different story than studies conducted using electrolysis products taken directly from a commonducted electrolysis unit. In the papers, Effect of H2/O2 addition in increasing the thermal efficiency of a diesel engine and Effect of hydroxy (HHO) gas addition on performance and exhaust emissions in compression ignition engines it is shown that it is possible to significantly improve the performance and efficiency of an engine using electrolysis products taken directly from an common-ducted electrolysis unit. These papers are described in more detail in my Affirmative Expert Report. [6,7] I have conducted experiments in my personal research of electrolysis products that have convinced me that when added to the air intake can significantly improve the engines performance. I currently have an electrolysis unit installed on my personal vehicle and I have found that removing and reintroducing the electrolysis products to the intake of the engine cause a noticeable increase in engine idle rpm. I have also conducted a similar experiment on a carbureted Honda Accord engine and achieved similar results. Extensive experimentation on applying electrolysis products to my Honda scooter engine have also shown that the electrolysis products are very combustible and have a significant effect on engines. Video documentation of these experiments can be viewed on my YouTube website (http://www.youtube.com/jakerwall).

4. Electrolysis Products: Combustion Fuel or Combustion Catalyst? In Dr. Heywoods Report, he provides a comparison of the energy required to produce hydrogen by the electrolysis of water and the energy that can be obtained by the combustion of hydrogen and oxygen. From this comparison, it is correctly, concluded that there is a net loss but a very important factor that is left out, the primary hydrocarbon fuel. Supplementing with hydrogen (or electrolysis products) is more like adding a catalyst to the combustion process than adding a fuel. A catalyst increases the rate of chemical reactions and reduces the energy require to get them going. Enhancing combustion with hydrogen utilizes its unique properties such as high flame speed, lean burn ability, small quenching distance, low ignition energy and ability to diffuse into other substances to improve the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. Using hydrogen to enhance gasoline or diesel combustion is about the reactivity of the hydrogen with the hydrocarbon fuel. This reaction causes more hydrocarbon fuel energy to be released during the combustion process in the cylinder but does not add significant additional energy to the process. The result is that the engine efficiency is increased by the hydrocarbon fuel producing more work in the cylinder. [8,9] A very important consideration in the analysis of the effects of the electrolysis products on the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is the reactivity between the two substances. Several researchers have published papers describing the unique properties of the products of electrolysis generated from a common-ducted electrolysis unit. One very important property for explaining the difference between compressed hydrogen and common-duct electrolysis products is their apparent flame temperature. Compressed hydrogen when burned in air or with compressed oxygen has a constant high temperature in the range of about 2000C. Common-ducted electrolysis products have a relatively cool temperature (about 150C) when burned in air but when the flame is brought into contact with a material the flame temperature rapidly increases and peaks at the materials melting temperature. [11,12] I have personally performed experiments that seem to validate this property of the electrolysis products combustion. This experiment involved applying the flame (burned in a torch) to a sample of copper, aluminum and steel. The flame temperature rapidly increased to the metals melting temperature and leveled off. It was very apparent that the three metals had different melting temperatures based on their reaction with the flame. This property of the combustion electrolysis products could have far reaching applications and should be investigated further. This property is likely a significant factor in the difference in the experimental data between combustion enhancement using hydrogen compared to combustion enhancement using electrolysis products taken directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit.

5. Unique Properties of Electrolysis Products In Dr. Heywoods Expert Report, he states that the products of electrolysis contain two parts molecular hydrogen and one part molecular oxygen and that any active radicals, that exist, recombine before leaving the electrolyte solution. This statement may be true for an electrolysis unit that uses a membrane to separate the two electrodes and the hydrogen and oxygen gases leaving the electrolysis unit but studies by several researchers suggest that this is not the case for an electrolysis unit that does not use a membrane to separate the gases. [11] In the paper, A new gaseous and combustible form of water mass spectrum analysis and InfraRed scans are presented showing a wide range of species of gases that are not contained in compressed hydrogen and oxygen gases. These tests were conducted at several testing laboratories including Adsorption Research Laboratory of Dublin, Ohio and PdMA Corporation of Tampa, Florida. Figures 1 shows an InfraRed (IR) Scan of compressed hydrogen. Figure 2 shows an IR Scan of compressed oxygen. Figure 3 shows an IR scan of common-ducted electrolysis products. Comparison of these figures clearly shows that the composition of the compressed hydrogen and compressed oxygen is very different than common-ducted electrolysis products. It can be seen that there are components that are not contained in the compressed gases that are contained in the actual electrolysis products. [10]

Figure 1: IR Scan of Compressed Hydrogen [10]


Figure 2: IR Scan of Compressed Oxygen [10]

Figure 3: IR Scan of Common-Ducted Electrolysis Products [10]

The common-ducted electrolysis unit that was used to generate the electrolysis products analyzed in figure 3 was developed by Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc. This company holds several patents related to the design of common-ducted electrolysis units for welding and automotive combustion enhancement applications. These patents are US 6,689,259 Mixed Gas Generator, US 6,866,756 Hydrogen Generator for Uses in a Vehicle Fuel System, US 7,191,737 Hydrogen Generator for Uses in a Vehicle Fuel 9

System and US 2010/0132661 Method of Using Lean Fuel-Air Mixtures at All Operating Regimes of a Spark Ignition Engine. [12,13,14,15] Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc. claims, on their website, that their automotive electrolysis unit can improve the fuel economy of a Ford F250 diesel engine by up to about 21%. This result is similar to the fuel economy improvements found for diesel engines in the papers, Effect of H2/O2 addition in increasing the thermal efficiency of a diesel engine and Effect of hydroxy (HHO) gas addition on performance and exhaust emissions in compression ignition engines published in the journal Fuel and the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, respectively. [6,7] In the SAE paper, Effects of Gasoline-Air Enrichment with HRG Gas on Efficiency and Emissions of a SI Engine testing of an electrolysis unit, manufactured by Hydrogen Technology Applications, Inc, was performed to determine the effect of electrolysis products on the efficiency and emissions of a SI Engine. It was found that addition of 300 L/hr of electrolysis products increased the engines brake thermal efficiency by 23% as compared to the gasoline only operation. This flow rate of electrolysis products was the lowest flow rate tested. Higher flow rates produced a smaller increase in brake thermal efficiency. From this data it can be extrapolated that lower flow rates would also produce positive results. Figure 4 shows the effects of varying flow rates of electrolysis products and spark timing advance on brake thermal efficiency. The results of this study and the analysis of electrolysis products suggest that the products of electrolysis have a positive effect on engine efficiency. [16]

Figure 4: Effect of flow rate of electrolysis products and spark advance on brake thermal efficiency. [16]

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6. Conclusions
1. The concept of improving the efficiency of on an internal combustion engine using an electrolysis unit powered by the engine 's electrical system is almost 100 years old. 2. There are a very limited number of research studies that have been conducted evaluating the usage of electrolysis products from an actual electrolysis unit to improve engine efficiency. Most of these studies have been performed in the last few years and are favorable. 3. Combustion of electrolysis products taken directly from a common-ducted electrolysis unit exhibit unique properties. One of these properties is that the flame temperature is relatively cool when burned in air. When it is brought into contact with a materia l the flame almost instant ly reacts with the material to produce temperatures that cause melting of that material. I have personally verified this property through my own experimentation. This property provides an explanation of how electrolysis products react with hydrocarbon fuels to improve combustion . 4. In the process of using hydrogen or electrolysis products to improve the efficiency of an internal combustion engine combustion aid acts more like combustion "catalyst" than a fuel. This improvement in combustion does not add energy to the combustion process but allows more of the hydrocarbon fuel's energy to be released in the engine 's cylinders to produce work . 5. Chemical analysis performed by reputable laboratories show that the composition of electrolysis products from a common-ducted electrolysis unit is different that compressed hydrogen or compressed oxygen. 6. Studies have been conducted that show that engine thermal efficiency can be increased using electrolysis products. The electrolysis unit tested was also shown to generate electrolysis products that are different than compressed hydrogen and compressed oxygen.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the contents of my report are true and correct.

i~
Jacob A. Wall

Executed : August 25, 2010

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7. [1] [2]

References Frazer, C.H. Hydro Oxygen Generator. US Patent 1,262,034. 9 Apr. 1918. Drabold, W. Charge Forming Apparatus for Internal Combustion Engines. US Patent 1,876,879. 13 Sep. 1932. B. Shrestha and G.A. Karim, Hydrogen as an additive to methane for spark ignition engine applications, Int J Hydrogen Energy 24:577-586 (1999). T. Andrea et al, The Addition of Hydrogen to a Gasoline-Fuelled SI Engine, Int J Hydrogen Energy 29:1541-1552 (2004). T. Andrea et al, Investigating Combustion Enhancement and Emissions Reduction with the Addition of 2H2 + O2 to a SI Engine, SAE Paper, 2003320011 (2003). S. Bari and M.M. Esmaeil, Effect of H2/O2 addition in increasing the thermal efficiency of diesel engine, Fuel 89:378-383 (2010). Ali Can Yilmaz, et al., Effect of hydroxy (HHO) gas addition on performance and exhaust emissions in compression ignited engines, Int J Hydrogen Energy (2010), doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.07.040 J. Heywood. Affirmative Expert Report: An Assessment of the Fuel Economy Claims Made for the Hydro Assist Fuel Cell (HAFC) System. Civil Action No. 2:09-cv-00141FSH-MAS. J. Heywood. Respond Expert Report: An Assessment of Defendants Recently Submitted Materials Regarding Fuel Economy Claims Made for the Hydro Assist Fuel Cell (HAFC) System. Civil Action No. 2:09-cv-00141-FSH-MAS. R. Santilli, A new gaseous and combustible form of water, Int J Hydrogen Energy 31:1113-1128 (2006). C. Eckman, Plasma Orbital Expansion of the Electrons in Water, Proceedings of the 17th Annual Natural Philosophy Alliance Conference, Long Beach, CA, Vol. 6, No. 2. Klein, D. Mixed Gas Generator. US Patent 6,689,259. 10 Feb. 2004. Klein, D. Hydrogen Generator for Uses in a Vehicle Fuel System. US Patent 6,866,756. 15 Mar. 2005. Klein, D. Hydrogen Generator for Uses in a Vehicle Fuel System. US Patent 7,191,737. 20 Mar. 2007. D. Klein, et al., Method of Using Lean Fuel-Air Mixtures at All Operating Regimes of a Spark Ignited Engine. US 2010/0132661. 3 June 2010. 12

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R. Chiriac et al, Effects of Gasoline-Air Enrichment with HRG Gas on Efficiency and Emissions of a SI Engine, SAE Paper, 2006013431 (2006).

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