Cheap way to generate hydrogen

[PlatinumZealot]

I personally don`t see Hydrogen being an applicable energy source for use in everyday vehicles for a long time! The process to make the H² is still pretty costly and the transportation and storage just isn`t anywhere, I think the first liquid cooled H² tanker is only in the testing phase.

Also the fact it`s is highly explosive...It would seem the "buzz" is for Hydrogen at the moment but the practicalities are a long way off!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vQaVIoEjOM

We know these challenges today, but I hope you clicked on that link I posted! I would be interested in your feedback on that.

Also read the first article Big Tea posted.
https://news.mit.edu/2021/using-aluminu ... -fuel-0812

[Mattchu]

I did Pz and found them to be a very good read, this is still obviously very early stage research and a lot needs to be done/formulated to get it to actually be a consistent working process (volume/rate, etc) whereby you could use the Hydrogen for something like powering a vehicle.

Gallium+Indium seem to be the main catalysts (for want of a better word) and these seem like pretty tricky rare substances to work with (melts in the hand), plus very expensive. Gallium is ~$350 per kg with Indium not far behind, but fair enough, it does seem like once inplace it wouldn`t need to be replaced, although I can see it getting nicked by scroats like catalytic convertors are for the palladium!

The tech looks really good on the face of it, will there be enough of the above substances to go around and how much energy is used to discover/extract them is one of my worries, also the strorage (safety and space needed) and usage of the H² still concers me as does the NOx produced.

Maybe in the future we`ll have self contained radioactive powered motors which last for many years and a way to safely dispose of the waste material left over, one can dream

I still remember theoretical Hydrogen cars on tomorrows world when I was a nipper, wonder why they were nearly always chrome with awsome gull-wing doors!

[Rodak]

I just did some very quick calculations (and didn't check my work). 1L water will producer about 1250 L H2 at STP. This is about 13 MJ/L H2O. For a vehicle that achieves 17 kilometers/L (about 40 miles/US gal) on petrol, using the energy equivalent of hydrogen produced from water, a hydrogen vehicle would consume about 2.6 L/water per 17 kilometers (assuming 100% efficiency hydrogen production); about 15 miles/gal water.

Again, didn't check my work!

Edited to add: Might as well finish the thought! This would consume about 2.2 kg aluminum/17 kilometers. Converting all this to 100k, 15.3 L water/100 kilometers and 13 kg aluminum/100 kilometers.

[Big Tea]

I just did some very quick calculations (and didn't check my work). 1L water will producer about 1250 L H2 at STP. This is about 13 MJ/L H2O. For a vehicle that achieves 17 kilometers/L (about 40 miles/US gal) on petrol, using the energy equivalent of hydrogen produced from water, a hydrogen vehicle would consume about 2.6 L/water per 17 kilometers (assuming 100% efficiency); about 15 miles/gal water.

Again, didn't check my work!

Really projecting into the future, water could be obtained from condensing airborne vapour.
Very long term no doubt, but sooner started sooner achieved (or ruled out)

[Rodak]

Really projecting into the future, water could be obtained from condensing airborne vapour.
Very long term no doubt, but sooner started sooner achieved (or ruled out)

Yeah, but that requires energy. I guess one could only drive in the rain......

[Rodak]

Looking at this in reverse, petrol to drive 100 kilometers produces about 200 MJ. To produce 13 kg aluminum, consumed to drive 100 kilometers, takes about 650 MJ of electricity....... Batteries might be better.

[Pat Pending]

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new- ... technology
(sorry, don't how to make that a link)

So apart from being a 'son of Jag C-X75', this is purportedly going to use a "disruptive’ hydrogen storage process developed more than a decade ago by US company Plasma Kinetics but protected until recently against private use by US defence authorities. It allows the gas to be carried without pressure in specially wound film and freed when it comes into contact with light."

OK, so very niche application, but still an indication that H storage is being worked on.

[Big Tea]

Not Hydrogen, but biofuel. How about this for cutting edge regenerated fuel for F1?

If you jump to 6:30 you miss nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CF-umWLZg

It is making coal and a liquid fuel from, erm, basically, crap.

[johnny comelately]

During photosynthesis the absorption of light energy helps split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, generating free electrons. Each splitting of a water molecule releases a pair of electrons that form the electron transport chain and initiate the pumping of hydrogen molecules into the inner part of the chloroplast called thylakoid....
Further .... https://www.nature.com/articles/nplants201741

[NL_Fer]

Is this technology more efficient than an Aluminum single use battery? Also, the hydrogen needs to be converted again in a fuelcell. So it will be water+aluminium —> hydrogen —> electrons vs alumium+air —> electrons

[Big Tea]

Another possible contender in this vid. Hydrogen paste. No cryogenic and low (ish) pressure storage.

Very early days yet though, posted for interest only

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cahzRSO5niE

[Andres125sx]

Another possible contender in this vid. Hydrogen paste. No cryogenic and low (ish) pressure storage.

Very early days yet though, posted for interest only

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cahzRSO5niE

Upvoted, very interesting!