2006-10-10 05:15:08 · 19 answers · asked by Jegis H. Corbet 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
It is possible to convert a diesel or petrol engine to run on water. such an engine is in a museum in wellington and has also has been on the BBC's "Tomorrow's World". If made propperly the engine does 300mpg in a one ton car.
check this out.
http://netmar.com/~maat/archive/feb2/carplans.htm
2006-10-10 06:25:40 · answer #1 · answered by paloma 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Never.
There is a good theory behind using water as a source of energy. The theory is that water can be broken up into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can be used for combustion (which it already is, with mild success), and the oxygen can be released into the atmosphere. The perfect car, it actually makes the environment cleaner!
Unfortunately, this can never work for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that it takes more energy to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen than the hydrogen gives off. Therefore, when you split them, all of the hydrogen's energy will go toward breaking more water, and none into running the car!
Even if we find an easier way to break up water (in the far, far future), you still need fuel to start the combustion process. Therefore, you will need both a fuel tank and water tank on the car.
The final reason is that water cannot be compressed. Why is this bad? Lets see.
If you have a 15 gallon fuel tank, that is 15 gallons of useable fuel in your car. However, if you have a 15 gallon water tank, that is only 10 gallons of hydrogen (H2O has one oxygen atom for every two hydrogen atoms. Therefore, water is approx. 2/3 hydrogen) Assuming none of your hydrogen is used to break up more water (which is impossible, as I have already said), you would need a very large water tank to run your car!
This is a great idea, but it is a pipe dream.
Also, in my opinion, the battery idea is not so hot. We should look more at Ethanol, the stuff made from corn, if we want an alternative fuel.
2006-10-10 05:22:29 · answer #2 · answered by ihatehippies 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's probably a way to do it if you pay some researchers millions of dollars and give them a few years to develop it. There's actually a hydrogen-fueled car out there (a GM prototype I think) that makes water as a waste product instead of exhaust.
2006-10-10 05:23:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
with out a doubt. But it is not practical for a full size car. Maybe in 15 - 20 years something will be developed to get more energy out of water.
2006-10-10 05:19:08 · answer #4 · answered by NebCamp 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Cars run on combustion engine. Gasoline fills up piston chamber and spark ignites gas. The explosion pushes the piston upwards (and pushes its complementary piston downwards). This creates rotation which propels the car.
With water, we would have to heat the water until it turns to steam. But changing water to steam does not create the explosive force needed to rotate the pistons. To run cars on water, you would have to redsign the car from scratch.
2006-10-10 05:18:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, people have actually come up with a car that runs on water...but right now it's in the testing phase..for safety, etc..
2006-10-10 05:25:23 · answer #6 · answered by Rollester 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It must be a special kind of car in order for this type of thing to work!
2006-10-10 05:28:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No - water will ruin the engine! Use vegetable oil!!!
2006-10-10 05:22:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
You would have to split the molicule from H2O to H, H, O. Burn H as fuel and you have your car.
2006-10-10 05:17:14 · answer #9 · answered by USMCstingray 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
check this video out!!
http://www.flurl.com/item/Water_as_a_fuel_u_179010
i understand that this guy now has a contract with the military to convert hummers to water..
2006-10-10 05:25:25 · answer #10 · answered by lugar t axhandle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋