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This is a cool news piece on an inventor who has figured out how to manipulate water to power his car and is showing the potential of hydrogen power in doing many other things. Check out the video and give me your predictions on two things:
1) Will we one day operate our vehicles with water as the primary fuel source?
2) If so, how long will it take for this to be the case?
I’m inclined to agree with Randi that this guy is wacky: www.randi.org/jr/2006-05/052606action.html#i3
As for the predictions:
1) I hope never since water currently costs more than gas and we need clean water for ourselves. Batteries seem to be a better choice. These may be recharged by many means.
2) Hopefully never.
posted by John on 12-8-2006 at 11:08 am
As a demonstration this looks interesting. Although burning Hydrogen and Oxygen is nothing new. Although mention of a cool flame has to be wrong (perhaps the torch remains cool).
However, he mentions his unique electrolysis process. This is really what will make or break this. Is it practical from a time/cost/energy utilization process? Re: time, can he generate the HHO in real time (ie. you can use the torch continuously), or does it take an hour to create enough HHO for 5 minutes of torch use or a day for 100 miles of driving? Re: cost is the total cost of ownership competitive with propane, propane/oxygen, Mapp gas, Acetylene/oxygen? Re: energy how much electricity does it require to create the HHO. If his vehicle can travel 100 miles on 4 ounces of water, can you use this same amount of electricity to charge an electrical car and travel 100 miles? For welding would an arc welder using electricity directly use less energy?
posted by Stew on 12-8-2006 at 11:15 am
From an conservation-of-energy viewpoint, this is a non-starter from the word “go”. Water is the “exhaust” of burning hydrogen: it takes more energy to split water than you get from burning the hydrogen that results. Yes, it takes less energy to make “Brown’s Gas” (HHO), and you get less energy out when you burn it.
If you “follow the energy” - where it comes from, and where it goes - you can invariably see through this kind of “energy recycling”. I’ve read about a few of these schemes, and a classic blunder is using energy from the charged battery - which has to be recharged from somewhere else… 8)
posted by brian t on 12-8-2006 at 11:27 am
#1. How long til we can run our vehicles? Not very long…maybe even now.
#2. How long until we actually do? About two weeks after there is peace in the Middle East, the Republicans endorse Ted Kennedy as President, and the NRA decides that they were wrong, and guns should be disbanded.
The people who control the oil are the richest people in the world, and this would essentially bankrupt them overnight. They will bribe, extort, or kill anyone who tries to end their reigns.
posted by The Inside Man on 12-8-2006 at 11:50 am
you know this makes me think of an another interesting news brief i saw this morning too….the new Sirloin Steak Chiabatta Sandwich from Jack in the Box!! Never before have the two worlds of Steak and Chiabatta come together so nicely, the world will never be the same….
posted by nick on 12-8-2006 at 12:20 pm
1) No. The energy needed to produce HHO is sufficent quantities will more than likey kill any commercial attempts to use this method. While a hydrogen economy is possibly around the bend, we’ll most likely generate our hydrogen from coal instead.
2) We’ll discover Sus vola first…
posted by Jason! on 12-8-2006 at 2:41 pm
Personally I think this is an outstanding movement in technology. Unfortunately, I have heard recent talk that this man died mysteriously after this expose aired. Anyone have more information?
posted by Jeremy on 12-13-2006 at 8:24 am