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Hybrid Solar System Makes Rooftop Hydrogen
Science Daily ^ | Aug. 10, 2011 | N/A

Posted on 08/11/2011 11:40:12 AM PDT by Freeport

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A couple of obvious issues that are not covered by the story:

1) What is done with the O2/CO2 gerenated by the catalyst?

2) How is the hydrogen hydrogen embrittlement issue resolved?

3) Since the cycle is not self starting, the system needs the reserculation & compressor running, where does the startup energy come from?

4) While a minimal economic study was done compairing the proposed system to current systems, how much energy is required to build all the equipment: What is the infrastructure energy consumption vs. a conventionally electrified house?

5) What are the economics of the catalyst? Is it common or rare? Is it energy intensive to create, etc.

These backend questions, "hidden" cost items, trouble me the most about these "green" solutions. They turn out not to be very green at all.

1 posted on 08/11/2011 11:40:20 AM PDT by Freeport
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To: Freeport
all of the above

PLUS where does the methanol come from?

2 posted on 08/11/2011 11:44:16 AM PDT by from occupied ga (your own government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: Freeport
Hydrogen on my rooftop! What could possibly go wrong?


3 posted on 08/11/2011 11:46:32 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (Gore Lauds Romney on Climate Position; 0bamaCare was based on RomneyCare.)
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To: Freeport
"The resulting hydrogen can be stored..."

I hear this is more difficult than it sounds.

4 posted on 08/11/2011 11:48:12 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: from occupied ga

methanol = wood alcohol so you have to cut down trees...............
of course you can also make methanol from COAL............................if this gets nny more stupider we need to shut down the Universities....................


5 posted on 08/11/2011 11:51:46 AM PDT by Red Badger ("Treason doth never prosper.... What's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason.")
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To: Uncle Miltie

You beat me to it. LOL


6 posted on 08/11/2011 11:54:30 AM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

A gas line in your basement! What could possibly go wrong! Come on...

Hit NG with a spark and see what that’s like!

Let’s see, there are buses running around on the streets with compressed NG systems in them... I see they make the news every night because they’re blowing up all over the place.... /s

Would there have to be proper containment system for the hydrogen? YES! Is it a hugungus undertaking... No! It’s no more of an issue than an above ground liquid propane tank.

The horror! Those things explode all the time right? /s

The ISSUE is hydrogen embrittalment. THAT shortens the usable life of the system.

The mainteneance on the fuel cell: THAT shortens it!

Take your Hindenburg and stow it!


7 posted on 08/11/2011 11:55:09 AM PDT by Freeport (The proper application of high explosives will remove all obstacles.)
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To: Red Badger

I was going to say “It’s not like methanol grows on trees.” (I know where it comes from btw)


8 posted on 08/11/2011 11:57:22 AM PDT by from occupied ga (your own government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: Freeport
Here's a quarter.

Buy yourself a sense of humor.

9 posted on 08/11/2011 11:59:55 AM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: Red Badger

Methanol is most commonly made from natural gas.

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/methanol_basics.html


10 posted on 08/11/2011 12:00:57 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: TigersEye

Here’s a $ buy yourself a brain...


11 posted on 08/11/2011 12:02:48 PM PDT by Freeport (The proper application of high explosives will remove all obstacles.)
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To: thackney

Even more evil..................


12 posted on 08/11/2011 12:04:04 PM PDT by Red Badger ("Treason doth never prosper.... What's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason.")
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To: Freeport
It’s no more of an issue than an above ground liquid propane tank.

Absolutely wrong. Propane is liquid under reasonable pressure at room temperature. Liquid hydrogen turn to gas at -423F. Extreme cryogenics. PLUS liquid H2 takes up a lot of space to quote

The density of liquid hydrogen is only 70.99 g/L (at 20 K), a relative density of just 0.07. Although the specific energy is around twice that of other fuels, this gives it a remarkably low volumetric energy density, many fold lower.
SO NO there really isn't a great deal of similarity between propane and liquid hydrogen.
13 posted on 08/11/2011 12:04:23 PM PDT by from occupied ga (your own government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: Freeport

You’re a total jerk aren’t you? LMAO


14 posted on 08/11/2011 12:04:53 PM PDT by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: Freeport
No! It’s no more of an issue than an above ground liquid propane tank.

I've worked the design of propane and hydrogen storage and pumping/compression systems.

It is a heck of a lot more complicated and expensive than storing propane. Compressing it to a usable volume, the ease hydrogen leaks from systems due to the small molecule size are examples. Also the Group B rating for the Hazardous Area Classification makes equipment more expensive to manufacture.

15 posted on 08/11/2011 12:07:22 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: Freeport

Didn’t they have rooftop hydrogen at Fukushima Daiichi?


16 posted on 08/11/2011 12:13:09 PM PDT by AndrewB (FUBO)
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To: Freeport

save


17 posted on 08/11/2011 12:14:17 PM PDT by Rumplemeyer (The GOP should stand its ground - and fix Bayonets)
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To: Red Badger

Not only that. Making methanol is made by the same process we make today, steam reforming natural gas.

So we steam reform natural gas to make methanol, to send through this process to make hydrogen.

Or we could just steam reform natural gas to make hydrogen in the first place.

However, as a fuel, hydrogen is really only useful in systems that are mass dependent like a rocket. It is really a lousy fuel.

Just use the natural gas in the first place.


18 posted on 08/11/2011 12:20:13 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: thackney
But it's not GREEN!............
19 posted on 08/11/2011 12:30:04 PM PDT by Red Badger ("Treason doth never prosper.... What's the reason? Why if it prosper, none dare call it treason.")
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To: Red Badger
Sure it is. Natural Gas, just like coal, is actually stored solar power and a renewable resource.

The cycle rate on the renewing tends to be a little on the long-term side....

;-)

20 posted on 08/11/2011 12:33:24 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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