I found this in the sci.hydrogen DejaNews;
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I have been researching the process of splitting water (H2O) into its
components, Hydrogen and Oxygen, to be re-mixed and burned as fuel
since '66.
I have noticed many questions from novices regarding auto conversion to
hydrogen. Here are a few bits of info that should help. Hopefully, you
won't have to pay any "non-profit" groups just for information on this
low -polluting fuel [when burned with air, 78% Nitrogen, there is
Nitrogen Oxide emissions (smog)].
The conversion of a vehicle to hydrogen is relatively simple and
inexpensive, using an older car before fuel injection. It is very
similar to a propane conversion, costing about $500.
The main parts needed are an Impco model CA300 type carburetor, an Impco
low pressure regulator, a hydrogen storage tank, and the hydrogen, (try
Linde Co).
Because hydrogen burns very hot (it will burn a hole through a normal
piston) some use plastic polymer coated pistons or sodium filled valves
(expensive). Most solve this problem by mixing in some of the water as
(steam) vapor to cool the combustion at the expense of loss of power.
Since hydrogen has 2.5 times the power of gasoline, it doesn't matter
much. You can still keep up with a supercharged race car... Because of
the rapid combustion, the ignition gap has to be very small, like .001
inch.
One of the vehicles ERDA reviewed way back in '74 used oxygen instead of
air, to burn the hydrogen. The Perris Smogless Automobile Association
from UCLA was using a Model "A" Ford as one of their hydrogen fueled
test engines that carried a tank of compressed hydrogen and a tank of
compressed oxygen.
This was mixed together in an "oxybureter" (a closed carburater)and then
ignited in the cylinders, as is gasoline. The exhaust was pure hydrogen
and oxygen.
This exhaust was rerouted back to the fuel tank to be used again as
fuel. Unfortunately, many took this to be a perpetual motion device, and
dismissed it without any real consideration. It performed beautifully,
as did their next Hydrogen-Oxygen powered the vehicle, without
pollution, and did not have the relatively weak power compared with an
electric vehicle, such as the Fuel Cell type vehicles use. No matter how
efficient the Fuel Cell, they still use an electric motor.
In the last 20 years, I have seen little change published regarding
hydrogen power processes. New "electrolysers" are being patented using
the same old electrolysis processes, using higher pressures &
temperature, and achieving more efficient electric power with newer,
expensive electrolytes.
A few novel approaches noted included forcing electron leakage to
seperate molecules by high voltage, or using "resonant cavities" to
boost and re-boost the power to achieve the necessary decomposition
energy for water.
Most of these processes use the same principle of using electrochemical
energy to decompose the water, taking a long time to do it, and still
dealing with clumsy storage processes. While these may or may not work
(the patent attorneys don't care), the processes require constant input
energy, and also take too long to generate onboard fuel.
There is an ongoing debate that a hydrogen-oxygen engine as a closed
system could not work because it is a violation of one of the laws of
thermodynamics - it could not put out more energy than was put into it.
In other words, it would take more energy to split the water into its
components than it would get out of the hydrogen oxygen combustion.
One needs to step out of the bounds of chemistry to justify this
self-sustaining chain reaction process. Remember that old concept of
E=MC squared?
Matter is Energy! Hydrogen and oxygen molecules are energy "packets".
Water molecules are being used up as energy, which balances an energy
equation, when the mass=energy is factored in.
A Water-Splitting chain reaction is needed, decomposing water into
Hydrogen and oxygen to be used as a non-polluting fuel - if not already
discovered and put away until the fossil fuels are used up.
My first attempt at a web page still under construction describes a
process to achieve a water-splitting chain reaction.
http://home.pacbell.net/coop88.waterasfuel3.htm
To skip the preliminaries, click on "water splitting" to the red lined
part. Sorry I haven't completed my sub/sup scripts in the formulas.
BCNU, Coop
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