We know that water is composed of hydrogen and oxegyn. And I heard that both hydrogen and oxygen can be used as fuel. I'm not so sure about it. And, if it's true, I want to know if there are people doing it. If I may get in touch with them, I want to know from them how they do it.
2006-07-16 19:00:02 · 7 answers · asked by vegatech 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Hydrogen can and is being used as a fuel. It is easy to use it to run engines and convert directly to electricity in a "fuel cell". When combined with oxygen it produces "Pure Water" it is a wonderful fuel.
There is hydrogen everywhere, it the most abundant element in the universe.
Now come the rub:
It is , however, almost all completely chemically bonded to other elements. It requires a great amount of energy to separate it from those other elements so you must use up energy to produce the hydrogen, then store it.
Ahhhh....another problem Hydrogen is very volatile and pressurized hydrogen is dangerous stuff. Storage at low pressures are possible but then you have these very large vessels to keep it in or saturate it in carbides and heat the carbides to release it.
We have some smart people trying to solve the hydrogen riddle.
Maybe your the guy.
Here is an interesting link for you.
http://www.eere.energy.gov/RE/hydrogen.html
2006-07-16 19:03:23 · answer #1 · answered by Grumpy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because generating hydrogen from water by electrolysis takes slightly more energy than you can get back, hydrogen is an energy storage medium, not a primary energy source. This means that power generation plants won't run on hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel cells, once perfected, may prove to be extremely useful power supplies. The first link below should lead you to some of the companies involved.
There are also catalytic processes for cracking water, but I don't know how energy efficient they might be. See the second link for one process.
2006-07-17 03:30:01 · answer #2 · answered by injanier 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it can be done, But (here is the big but) it is too expensive and not very effiecent. It is easier to use Methanol right now for the fuel source. The methanol can be made from corn or other plants, but mostly it is made from fossil fuels. The design, construction and running cost of the cell to turn water into hyrdrogen is just too much right now. You can find many articles on how, look up electrolisis.
2006-07-17 02:08:33 · answer #3 · answered by don 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Three main ways:
1) Hydro electricity (using steam to drive turbines, down at any local dams)
2) Hydrogen fuel cells requires water (google/wikipedia it)
3) HHO (google/wiki it as well, as I am still not convinced with regards to the effectiveness of such conversions)
2006-07-17 02:03:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are already some hydrogen vehicles out.I saw a bike that goes 500 miles on around $3.00.It does like 50mph and run's on I think it said "heavy water" and the only emission is water.Not alot of those stations around though so not very smart to buy one lol.
Other drawback was the bike cost's $40,000 lol
2006-07-17 02:07:05 · answer #5 · answered by godfather_22580 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure, but there have certainly been efforts to do it. There are cars running on hydrogen, but I don't know from what source. I think what you say might have been done (again I am not sure), but it is not cost effective. (Although with the new prices of gasoline, it will soon be...)
2006-07-17 02:06:45 · answer #6 · answered by cpinatsi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a lack of potable water in some areas of the world and you want to destroy it to make electricity?
2006-07-17 02:03:58 · answer #7 · answered by xtowgrunt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋