Just joined and I'm not going to talk about an HHO generator

[eou_edu]

I realize HHO, brown gas, hydrogen generators don't work. But I am a little curious. Is there any benefit in the combustion to adding hydrogen or is all the claimed benefit from the HHO people from tricking sensors? I've read some articles about how it might help like the combustion of diesel like a CNG or LPG additive. I'm only asking for curiosity purposes, but if one were to use hydrogen like it was a propane injection system on a diesel would it improve mileage? Not taking into account the cost of hydrogen of course. Again I'm just curious about hydrogen actually burning in the engine, if at all.

[RiceCake]

NASA tested it, and injecting hydrogen into a piston engine does increase flame speed and increases efficiency slightly. Also, piston engines can burn hydrogen just like propane and CNG.

The problem is storing hydrogen to do it (and, buying hydrogen, since its not really in every store).

Borderline disclaimer for anyone seeing this: there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY you're gonna generate enough hydrogen from water on board a car while driving, the amount of hydrogen needed is immense.

But basically, in all the same ways injecting propane works, hydrogen would work too.

[markweatherill]

Slightly off-topic, but in the age of airships, how was the hydrogen produced to fill them?

[niky]

Cracking it from gas. Was, and still is, cheaper than electrolyzing.

[suspectnumber961]

Originally Posted by eou_edu

I realize HHO, brown gas, hydrogen generators don't work.

Realize = bought into the forum prejudice?

IMO HHO does work...likely more with diesels than with gas. Also probably not really worth the effort due to the complexity and maintenance required to run one...except on a big rig?

[oil pan 4]

The hydrogen gas present in a diesel will be consumed before the fuel ever gets injected.
The compression temperature in a diesel approces 1000'F as the piston nears Top Dead Center.
In my diesel it exceeds 1100'F due to higher than normal 22:1 compression.

On a diesel you are better off running straight water injection, it has proven to provide many benifets.
The best thing about water injection is you can get ahold of water pretty easy. I have found that about 1 out of 3 to 1 out of 4 large truck stops has a free water source.

[ChazInMT]

Also keep in mind the Gasoline IS HYDROGEN!!!!!! People always seem to forget that the primary combustion is the H of the C8H10 (Octane) molecule which has 10 hydrogen atoms begging to be water. Everyone seems to think Gasoline is it's own element or something and "Adding Hydrogen" to it makes it better. It is Hydrogen. Coming up with some cockamamie contraption that uses a crap load of energy to "Help Out" is non-sense, diesel or gas.

So lets review, Gasoline and Diesel are Carbon atoms with Twice as many Hydrogen atoms stuck on them and that's it! No other atoms there except for some trace elements of Nitrogen and Oxygen which may be in additives.

Bottom line, you drive a hydrogen powered car.

[Mustang Dave]

Not long ago, someone posted that there are more hydrogen atoms in a gallon of gasoline than there are in a gallon of liquid hydrogen..

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I have found that about 1 out of 3 to 1 out of 4 large truck stops has a free water source.

I'd inject demineralised water though.

In regions with high levels of salts in the water, you really don't want to throw it into your engine.

[oil pan 4]

Duramax, cummins and powerstroke guys run tap water and don't have any problems, dont seem worried about it.