Bush's hydrogen car: An H-bomb for Arabs

New York Daily News ^ | 1/30/03 | Zev Chafets

[upcountryhorseman]

You certainly have that right! I've been trying to
caution Freepers about the extreme danger of a
hydrogen explosion: much greater than gasoline!

[ArrogantBustard]

Is that the Arab version of Comp-USA???


(Comp-UAE?)

[RinaseaofDs]

Hydrolitic engines is not a new thing. The cool part about water is that you have Hydrogen AND Oxygen.

It is possible to use the oxygen to sustain the reaction that separates the hydrogen from the oxygen.

True that you need to 'kick off' the process, but once the reaction starts it can essentially sustain itself pretty well.

Other things hydrogen cars take advantage of is the use of brakes in recovering kinetic energy as electrical energy. When the brake is applied, the friction created by the turning of a heavy rotor through a stator converts the kinetic energy to electrical. Buses are starting to use such brakes in every day practice.

Hydrogen is more volatile than gasoline, no doubt. What is similar about them is that they require some engineering to make refueling practical.

One HUGE upside to hydrogen: wonderful for the environment. Gasoline used to be a big lead hazard, and then it was MTBE, and it is still a benzene product, which is carcinogenic. As good as gasoline smells, if you can smell it, then you have reached your daily maximum exposure of benzene - roughly 10 PPM.

Plans for hydrolitic engines have been around for over 50 years. Detroit bought most of the designs and shelved them. When Japan became a large manufacturer of autos, they started working on their own designs. Japan is even more motivated than we are to be independent of fossil fuel.

The obstacles that hydrolitic engines present are not all that much more serious than the ones gasoline powered engines produced. Patton demanded that all new tanks be retrofitted with diesel engines after the first major defeat we had in North Africa in WWII. One hot piece of shrapnel and our tanks would go off like cherry bombs.

Hydrogen is doable.

[Search4Truth]

FORD TESTS FUEL CELL VEHICLES, HYBRIDS AND OTHER FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES

"The Ford Focus FCV is our most advanced environmental vehicle ever and gives clear demonstration of future direction. There are still many hurdles before us, but we do believe fuel cells are a technology with the potential someday to replace the internal combustion engine, without compromising the performance and functionality customers expect in a vehicle. — Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Vice President Research, Ford Motor Company"

Ford Think H2 (Fuel Cell Vehicle) This vehicle shows that Ford is on the right path in developing a Fuel Cell vehicle in a sedan model. The performance of this vehicle needs some fine tuning. The acceleration is poor and the engine had a high pitch hum that was distracting. This vehicle is expected to make it to market by 2005. I am sure that Ford will have worked out any kinks that exist by then. I anticipate that a Fuel Cell Sedan will take off in the market, great idea. Rating = ***

The Emergence of the Fuel Cell Scooter!

 

		The all-new Ford Focus Hybrid Fuel Cell Vehicle brings the latest in fuel cell technology to life.

The innovative powertrain now combines a Ni-MH high voltage battery with the hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine to help increase performance and efficiency while still providing zero emissions. This is done with no compromises to the customer looking for traditional comfort and feel from the world's best selling compact car. Fleet sales of our latest generation fuel cell vehicle are scheduled to begin in 2004.

"I am convinced that hydrogen and oxygen, the two elements that combine to form water, will one day – either together or as single entities – be an inexhaustible source of heat and light." - Jules Verne, 1874

[ffusco]

I seem to remember that hydrogen could be extracted cheaply from an alkaline solution like soap. It solved the storage problem. Anyone recall hearing about this?

[kaktuskid]

Synthetic oil from Coal is more feasible than hydrogen (and already being done a la Sasol)

[Theophilus]

For a second, I thought you meant that Arabs will eventually convert hydrogen powered cars into bombs, a concept that seems entirely plausible to me since hydrogen is incredibly volatile. I think the H-Car concept is about as likely to come about, as a point to point particle transporter a-la Star Trek.

For every problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
H. L. Mencken

[Tom Bombadil]

Bush is dreaming.

Actually, when it comes to energy, somebody has to dream.

It is just that when it comes to Hydrogen most people seem to forget that it merely represents a form of energy storage. The energy to produce the Hydrogen has got to come from somewhere.

[Arizona Pard]

yeah, use a strong sodium hydroxide solution, add aluminum, byproduct is hydrogen gas. H2 is already a byproduct of many industrial processes. Sheesh! Let's use it.

[ffusco]

Thanks, I'm not a chemist. Appreciate the info.