HHO: Good, bad, or ugly?

[spacer]

It may or may not have been a great success for some, not based on scientific results, but on how many books and videos were sold before folks realized that nobody could actually *show* the promised results.

The best I've seen anyone do could easily be attributed to the lighter right foot of a new acolyte, subconsciously hypermiling to some extent and crediting the (insert snake oil system here) with the improvement.

[deathtrain]

you want some easy hydrogen go add water to some military grade MRE heaters.

[Photonfanatic]

Well then in the end, I guess the question would have to be this: If you add a certain amount of hydrogen, and oxygen, into a combustion cylinder with gasoline, do you get more bang? If you do, it works. If you don't it doesn't work. No one here has explained why this wouldn't work. Or perhaps I missed something. The only thing that could offset this effect would be the alternator, which seems perfectly reasonable to me. Its just that no one seems to be saying that.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by Photonfanatic

If you add a certain amount of hydrogen, and oxygen, into a combustion cylinder with gasoline, do you get more bang? If you do, it works. If you don't it doesn't work. No one here has explained why this wouldn't work. Or perhaps I missed something.

I think the biggest point that most people miss is how little hydrogen is really being produced, as Old Mechanic said:

One liter of HHO provides the same amount of energy as 1 and 1/2 wooden matches.

if you would like to see how much it takes to make a liter of hydrogen is then make an electrolizer and split some water, pick a design that keeps the hydrogen and the oxygen separate just so you are clear on what is being produced, while you are doing this you might put a amp meter on there so you can keep track of how much energy it's taking to split the water, once you get a liter of hydrogen take a look at how much energy it took to split that water and then ask your self if that was worth the one and a half match sticks worth of energy.
After you see how much hydrogen you are getting you might ask why not just buy a tank of hydrogen from your local welding shop and inject a small amount in to your intake, it's not going to take much, that is if it really works as well as the scam artists really say it does, so a tank should last you months.

[mechman600]

How about a tank of helium? Maybe helium injection would raise the exhaust note to a higher pitch. It works when I talk after sucking on a helium balloon. The higher pitched exhaust sounds would be like getting free extra RPMs.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by ConnClark

They aren't real engineers.

Real engineers look at the required power draw off the alternator, the alternator's efficiency, the electrolysis device and its own efficiency.

[jakobnev]

Originally Posted by mechman600

How about a tank of helium? Maybe helium injection would raise the exhaust note to a higher pitch. It works when I talk after sucking on a helium balloon. The higher pitched exhaust sounds would be like getting free extra RPMs.

It would actually work as an alternative to variable geometry intake and exhaust systems. You could start with Xenon-Oxygen mix for low rpms and gradually go to Helium-Oxygen mix for hight rpms. Pity making the mixes isn't practical.

Maybe using carbon rich fuels for low rpm and hydrogen rich fuels for high rpm would have some effect.

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by mechman600

How about a tank of helium? Maybe helium injection would raise the exhaust note to a higher pitch. It works when I talk after sucking on a helium balloon. The higher pitched exhaust sounds would be like getting free extra RPMs.

Actually helium would work best as a substitute for egr. It would raise the specific heat ratio of the combustion gasses allowing more work energy to be extracted.

The following is a video of a stirling engine that has been initially charged with helium. As the helium leaks out and is replaced by ordinary air the power output drops. Of course the cost of using helium makes it totally impractical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiSvYiJwPiI

[mechman600]

What have I done???? I was just trying to be silly and THIS happens!!

[markweatherill]

I don't know about Helium but what about Halogen?
I hear that Halogen bulbs are more efficient and burn brighter than old fashioned bulbs, so if you could get some Halogen into the engine, I'm sure it would be a good thing.

And I read about these inventors who somehow create 'plasma' in their engines which is supposed to be excellent in some way or other. Why not just get a broken plasma TV and take the plasma out of it and put it straight in the car?