Hydrogen powered car?

[danny7139]

I was wondering if someone else can review this and tell me if it is possible? It's plans for a car running on hydrogen fuel cells. It looks possible and I think I might try it on a junker, than maybe a blazer. http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/feb2/carplans_doc.htm

 

[ryan22re]

where would you get the hydrogen?

where would you store it?

do you have good life insurance?

ryan

 

[ntsqd]

Hydrogen looks like a great fuel. Making it work is another story. People with lots money (some of it gumberment) have been trying for years to figure out how, with limited succcess. Most can make an engine run on hydrogen, few can make such an engine driveable.

Don't want to discourage you from trying it, but know that you've got a lot of work ahead of you. If it were easy, someone would have already done it. Who knows though, you might be the guy that makes it happen and you'll get rich off the patents.

 

[danny7139]

Tap water, look at the plans for the water vapor control system you will see that by inducing electrodes through the steel rods in the water it breaks up the hydrogen and oxygen atoms which then get sent to your tbi or carb. The vapor ends up in your combustion chamber and gets ignited. You would have to have a stainless steel exhaust system and ceramic coated pistons and cylinders to prevent rust unless you did a gas to hydrogen mix which will prevent rust.

 

[ryan22re]

how much energy would be needed to separate the hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the water? it's been a long time since i took chemistry but, i would guess that it takes alot.

ryan

 

[zhgrou6]

I studied this back in the 70's when gas prices took off for the first time. There was a privatly funded group in Utah that had a small block chevy V-8 running on hydrogen (H2). I think they drew some technology from the propane burning engines. Once they got fuel/air ratio and timing figured out it ran ok. There may have been some preignition (knock) problems, I don't remember. But the engine ran fine. The big problem was how to store the H2. Compressing it into an array of 2000 psi tanks only stored enough H2 to go some small distance. It doesn't liquify as conveniently as propane. Last I heard the group was experimenting with some kind of sponge idea - a poris sodium based thing I believe. Making the H2 does require energy. It is not a 100% efficient process. Something like solar cells and sea water seems optimal. There is also a technique to extract H2 from natural gas but now we're back to fossil fuels.

 

[78Suburban]

the energy required to break apart water into oxygen and hydorgen would have to come from somewhere....... If you made it run on only water you would be making a "perpetual motion machine" and breaking the laws of thermodynamics, thus creating energy.... it ain't gonna happen in this universe.. not unless you could harness some sort of external source to break up the water.... The most brillian physists in the entire world working together in teams can't pull it off........... the government has dedicated millions to this type of research, and it isn't the most fruitful..

 

[spearchucker]

The big problem was how to store the H2. Compressing it into an array of 2000 psi tanks only stored enough H2 to go some small distance. It doesn't liquify as conveniently as propane.

Not only that but I hear that since hydrogen is the smallest atom it seeps out any tank that you store it in.

 

[dirtwarrior17]

First off your car won't make hydrogen, the stations will. The sponge theory is about the only way it'll work without having the entire rear of the vehicle full of tubes and metal. gm and bmw are two of the leaders in the hydrogen engine race and they even have demo cars to prove it. I saw a show on discovery channel that had some guy go for a drive in one... it was silent and the only thing that came out of the exhaust pipes was water. They said they could convert a gas motor to run on hydrogen in 3 hours and power isn't much different then the gas... the rules of making a pump breath still apply.

IIRC they used "dry" hydrogen... whatever the hell that means.

those plans look like a fat waste of money... if your gonna make the valves stainless steel then why not make the pistons stainless, or nickel? This guy says you need to ceramic treat the pistons...