From 2004/5 Gas and Hydrogen Sources

[RV_]

I posted these two posts here on the Skps Forums in 2004/2005 and I found interesting because they did come through since. But were not there then. The links are almost 20 years outdated but I include them if anyone wants to use the time machines online to find deleted pages. Ballard power was expanding a prototype hydrogen fueling station that only needed electricity and water to make hydrogen for a residence, or several. I was in email contact with them and the engineer was also perplexed as to why Ballard shut the project down.

Since many of our members are on the road and have limited time to
download email and posts from here, (as you will soon find out on
your trip)it becomes an RV issue from that perspective as well.

I too would like to see reasonable fuel that's all US origin, and
less dependence on outside sources. Trying to track commodity lot
sources back to origin might be tedious. When I left Europe in 1997,
gas cost about four dollars a gallon. We all want lessen our
dependence on outside sources as a people, and on the other hand,
don't want to allow any new oil rigs from an environmantalist
perspective.

I think you might be surprised at where the alternative to importing
oil really will come from. I see the Hydrogen fuel cell as the
emerging winner. There are already hygrogen fuel cells in operation,
notably the US Post office in Anchorage Alaska. Their giant back up
generator is 100% Hydrogen fuel cell powered. Busses are already in
experimental use with fuel cell power, but the technology is still in
it's infancy, and the busses going on the road today have gigantic
fuell cells. Like the first diesels were too big for anything but
locomotives and big ships, I look for the fuel cells to become doable
very soon. Go to these sites for a look at what is happening now:
Maybe the replacement for RV generators?
http://www.ballard.com/portable_app.asp
These guys are for real
http://www.ballard.com/products.asp
Cars and busses in operation now
http://www.ballard.com/trans_app.asp
Here's the busses that are going on the road this year
http://www.internationalfuelcells.com/transportation/bustruck.shtml
A great site to explore Hydrogen fuel cell technology
http://www.hydrogenus.com/

Have fun!
 

Edited May 15 by RV_

[RV_]

And this one from the same time:

"Hydrogen fueled vehicles have a number of benefits that are readily apparent."

Hydrogen fueled vehicles have a number of benefits that are readily apparent.  No greenhouse gasses or noxious fumes produced.  A vehicle converted to burn Hydrogen fuel directly will not produce any toxic by products with the exception of a miniscule amount of NOX, far less than any other fuel.  Essentially the exhaust will contain only water vapor and CO2.  The CO2 is not a byproduct of the hydrogen combustion, but instead comes from the air that taken in through the air filter for combustion.  Thus it actually produces just water vapor.

I have been following one company in particular that has produced working models of hydrogen stations and generating plants that produce hydrogen from just water and electricity.  They can be found here:

http://www.stuartenergy.com/main_our_products.html

The following is not all inclusive and is simplified to point out the main issue I would like to focus on here.

There are two ways to power vehicles via hydrogen as a fuel.  You can use a hydrogen fuel cell to produce electricity to run an electric motor, or you can modify an internal combustion engine to burn it directly.

There are also two basic ways to generate hydrogen.  Directly from water using electricity and water, or separating it from fossil fuels/natural gas/other chemical means.

In following the evolution of Hydrogen powered vehicles I am finding some serious political misdirection coming from of all places some leading scientists?

Here’s an excerpt:

” One problem, said Farrell, an expert on energy and environment issues, is that this glosses over the issue of where the hydrogen comes from. Current methods of producing hydrogen from oil and coal produce substantial carbon dioxide. Unless and until this carbon can be captured and stored, renewable (wind or solar) and nuclear power, with their attendant problems of supply and waste, are the only means of producing hydrogen without also producing greenhouse gases.

In addition, Farrell points out that setting up a completely new infrastructure to distribute hydrogen would cost at least $5,000 per vehicle. Transporting, storing and distributing a gaseous fuel as opposed to a liquid raises many new problems.

More billions of dollars will be needed to develop hydrogen fuel cells that can match the performance of today's gasoline engines, he said.”

End excerpt.

The whole article is here:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/2003/2003071715007.html