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WFC Capacitor Description

Stanley Meyer invented the Water Fuel Cell (WFC) to use unmodified tap water as fuel for a vehicle. His device is far from the first device to attempt to use water electrolysis for creation of fuel, but stands out for many reasons. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding his invention and his death have marred any opportunity to use it in the commercial sector.

History
- Stanley Meyer issued a patent on his water fuel cell capacitor in 1990. Over the next few years, he built a full-scale operational prototype attached to a modified dune buggy. He reported that he was able to drive over 100 miles on a gallon of water -- a claim that he backed up with video evidence. He later stated that the device was capable of producing more energy than went into it. Unfortunately, this claim (likely made out of an incomplete understanding of the physics of the device) led people to file charges against him for fraud. His death on March 21, 1998, halted further development of the device .
Chemical Description
- The WFC capacitor is said to operate by interfering with the natural self-ionization property of water (which is a reversible reaction that allows a balance of H30+ and OH- ions to remain in solution at the same ratio) using an electron extraction circuit. The circuit pulls an electron from the OH- ion, forcing the water to establish a new equilibrium by releasing hydrogen and oxygen gas.
Practical Description
- The WFC capacitor is part of a larger gas extraction apparatus utilizing what Meyer called a "Unipolar Magnetic Field Coupling." This circuit allowed him to tune the resonance of the electrical pulse to the water in the capacitor. The capacitor itself is merely a wide stainless steel tube with a smaller tube inside immersed in a water bath. By applying a synchronized DC square wave to the sleeve, the system becomes capable of extracting electrons from water and promoting the release of combustible oxygen and hydrogen gases. The system would return burned fuel (in the form of water) to the system to be recycled.
Controversy
- Losing the initial court case for fraud shook the faith of investors in Meyer's fledgling company, but did not stop offers from coming in. He was dedicated to keeping his design part of the public domain despite considerable offers from oil companies. Some blame this insistence on his death. The peculiar nature of his death sparked instant controversy and claims of conspiracy. Eyewitnesses claimed he stood, shouted he had been poisoned, and then dashed into a parking lot where he fell over dead. Adding to the sense of conspiracy are reports that the doctor in charge of the autopsy initially confirmed that Meyer had been poisoned, then changed his report to say the cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage.

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