Hydrogen Generator

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Hi,

A side note: an MIT lab has figured out how to get higher efficiency in generating hydrogen.

Daniel Nocera describes new process for storing solar energy

A “Giant Leap� For Clean Energy: Hydrogen Production Breakthrough from MIT : TreeHugger

They have figured out how to get higher efficiency using abundant materials (Note how they never mention what conversion efficiency they have achieved). They have not improved upon the efficiency of using a platinum catalyst (about 76% efficient in a demonstrated experiment) which still isn't efficient enough to make this viable with an internal combustion engine.

Currently the only way to make a viable gas fueled hydrogen powered vehicle is to break the hydrogen off the gasoline directly and run it through a fuel cell to drive an electric motor. This would be a little more efficient than burning the gas in an internal combustion engine.

[cfg83]

NeilBlanchard -

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Hi,

A side note: an MIT lab has figured out how to get higher efficiency in generating hydrogen.

Daniel Nocera describes new process for storing solar energy
A “Giant Leap� For Clean Energy: Hydrogen Production Breakthrough from MIT : TreeHugger

The second URL above led me to here :

Water + Sunlight = Solar Hydrogen : TreeHugger

We've often heard the media and government officials talk up the potential for a future hydrogen economy to revolutionize the way we consume and produce energy. And while we've seen some promising applications of hydrogen as a fuel source in the last few months, it still seems very unlikely that we'll ever see a hydrogen-based energy market on the scale that some are envisioning. That's not to say that some scientists aren't still trying to gradually make this a reality: Craig Grimes, a professor of electrical engineering at Penn State University, has just announced that he and his team are close — in their words, "only a couple of problems away" — to developing a cheap, viable photoelectrolytic technology, that is one that would split water into hydrogen and oxygen by using sunlight.
...
Using a form of iron called hematite — a low band gap semiconductor material — they were able to capture a much larger portion of the solar spectrum in their arrays. In their recently published study, they reported a photoconversion rate of 1.5%, the second highest rate ever achieved using an iron oxide-related material.

They are now focusing on optimizing the nanotube architecture to obtain an efficiency closer to the theoretical maximum for materials with hematite (around 12.9%). Grimes is certainly hopeful about the prospects for his group's technology to transcend other production methods: "As I see it, we are a couple of problems away from having something that will revolutionize the field of hydrogen generation by use of solar energy."

I just think it's cool that Hematite could be an element in the solution.

I was following this, but it didn't pan out :

Green Car Congress: ArvinMeritor / MIT Plasma Fuel Reformer

ArvinMeritor, an $8 billion (sales) auto supplier, just rolled out a suite of clean air technologies for commercial and light duty diesels and gasoline engines. Material from its technical briefing is here.

ArvinMeritor aims to take leadership of the emerging systems market for the undercarriage -- in other words, packaging undercarriage (exhaust) systems for easy (and widespread) use in different vehicles. This new portfolio of clean air solutions can be packaged for every engine builder and truck OEM.

Of particular long-term significance is the official release of the Plasma Fuel Reformer. (Image at right, click to enlarge.) The Plasma Fuel Reformer uses an electrical plasma (a strong, continuous “spark”) to combust partially a mixture of air and the vechicle’s hydrocarbon fuel -- diesel or gasoline.

Because there is deliberately insufficient air to support combustion, the fuel dissociates to create a hydrogen-rich gas rather than burning. That hydrogen-rich gas can be used to improve or even enable the operation of other exhaust emission systems.

The Plasma Fuel Reformer stems from work done by and licensed from MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center . Seven years in development, the Plasma Fuel Reformer -- or Plasmatron as MIT called it -- could have an enormous impact on emissions and fuel efficiency.

CarloSW2

[suspectnumber961]

If you are interested in HHO I'd avoid this forum and a few others inhabited by the same negative posters. Some people are seeing good results. Avoid the noid.

It is difficult enough to get a cell and fuel system to work together without listening to the bassackward.

Maybe your demonstration cell was a bit too enthusiastic? They use smaller cells on semis.

[carfreak]

Hey...do not use baking soda..it will ruin the plates and is horrible. I get most all my stuff from Main Hydrogen Page . They are one of the only places that sells KOH (potassium hydroxide) in small quantities. It's the best and only way to go. Lasts a long time and you can control your amps by adding a pinch here and there if you want or need to raise it.