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Jay Leno's Hydrogen Car
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fpiaw Send message Joined: 29 Dec 99 Posts: 236 Credit: 1,203,409 RAC: 0 |
This is a cool link showing Jay Leno's BMW Hydrogen car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHbaOX2UAs0 I think this is neat. Also the best way to convert cars now is to have them beable to run both ways. That way we can use gas until there is hydro stations. Chris. |
StormKing Send message Joined: 6 Nov 00 Posts: 456 Credit: 2,887,579 RAC: 0 |
I think this is neat. Also the best way to convert cars now is to have them beable to run both ways. That way we can use gas until there is hydro stations. Before we can run cars on H, we first need an environmentally friendly and cost effective way of producing it. Hydrogen can be prepared in several different ways, but economically the most important processes involve removal of hydrogen from hydrocarbons. Commercial bulk hydrogen is usually produced by the steam reforming of natural gas. At high temperatures (700–1100 °C; 1,300–2,000 °F), steam (water vapor) reacts with methane to yield carbon monoxide and H2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen#cite_note-69 Our current estimate for the cost of hydrogen from a solar driven hybrid sulfur cycle is $3.90-$4.90/gasoline gallon equivalent (gge). Our current estimate for the cost of hydrogen from the zinc oxide cycle is $4.60- $6.85/gge. Additional research as well as process and plant optimization are being done to confirm these early cost estimates and to develop improved technology to meet the DOE targets. http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/progress07/ii_f_1_perret.pdf |
fpiaw Send message Joined: 29 Dec 99 Posts: 236 Credit: 1,203,409 RAC: 0 |
yep. There a lot of problems with it. But still a very cool video in my opinion. The fact that the user can switch between Hydrogen and Gas. Thanks for the very detailed reply. Chris. |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Problems? http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/h2.htm The basic system consists of two parts, the Hydrogen fuel system in your vehicle, and a Hydrogen generating system that remains in your garage. The Hydrogen generator is either powered by Solar electric panels or a wind turbine set-up, either of which makes Hydrogen fuel at virtually no cost. . "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
StormKing Send message Joined: 6 Nov 00 Posts: 456 Credit: 2,887,579 RAC: 0 |
Problems? Sounds like a great idea but it will be a while before we can create hydrogen "at virtually no cost". It would be a good idea to make this a reality because of the cost and environmental savings. |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Problems? The blue lettering indicates a hyperlink you can click to go to a website selling these units right this very moment. . "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
StormKing Send message Joined: 6 Nov 00 Posts: 456 Credit: 2,887,579 RAC: 0 |
Problems? Just because it is on a website, does not meat it is true. Creating hydrogen with electricity at this point is expensive an inefficient. |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Problems? Sounds like you need to email the makers to be able to back up that claim. "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
StormKing Send message Joined: 6 Nov 00 Posts: 456 Credit: 2,887,579 RAC: 0 |
Or you should do a little research... The energy efficiency of water electrolysis varies widely. The efficiency is a measure of what fraction of electrical energy used is actually contained within the hydrogen. Some of the electrical energy is converted to heat, a useless by-product. Some reports quote efficiencies between 50% and 70%[1] This efficiency is based on the Lower Heating Value of Hydrogen. The Lower Heating Value of Hydrogen is total thermal energy released when hydrogen is combusted minus the latent heat of vaporisation of the water. This does not represent the total amount of energy within the hydrogen, hence the efficiency is lower than a more strict definition. Other reports quote the theoretical maximum efficiency of electrolysis as being between 80% and 94%.[2]. The theoretical maximum considers the total amount of energy absorbed by both the hydrogen and oxygen. These values refer only to the efficiency of converting electrical energy into hydrogen's chemical energy. The energy lost in generating the electricity is not included. For instance, when considering a power plant that converts the heat of nuclear reactions into hydrogen via electrolysis, the total efficiency is more likely to be between 25% and 40%.[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis I am not posting an article pertaining to the cost of solar cells and wind turbines; they are both very expensive (currently). |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
You could have emailed them rather than running a wiki search ending in the same old excuses via the same old mode of thought. Coal and oil forever? "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
StormKing Send message Joined: 6 Nov 00 Posts: 456 Credit: 2,887,579 RAC: 0 |
LOL ... I already said it was a good idea, I'm just pointing out that producing hydrogen at little or no cost is a little optomistic... instaed we should use the same electricity produced by solar and wind to charge electric cars; which is much more efficient. No, I will not email them. I donn't care what they claim on their website. |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
How much do you pay for gas a year? If you don't care why post opinions here? "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
William Rothamel Send message Joined: 25 Oct 06 Posts: 3756 Credit: 1,999,735 RAC: 4 |
Missing the point here a little: Hydrogen powered cars either via a fuel cell or direct combustion may turn out to be a good alternative-at least till battery technology takes a further evolutionary advantage. It seems to me the Hydrogen would have to be produced in bulk at massive plants and then distributed just like gasoline--the idea that we could carry around this apparatus in each vehicle will prove to be unsound thinking. The real point here is ? where are we going to get the energy to produce the hydrogen in the first place. This will take massive amounts of electricity--and don't forget we will get back far less energy when we "Burn" the hydrogen to power our vehicles. In my opinion this should come from dozens of new nuclear plants that need to be brought on line in 5 years--not 10 or 20 years. TVA has raised their rates just now by 20% (how's that for inflation) they are paying more to transport coal and HYDRO is down due to less rain than usual. A national project --a la the Interstate system needs to be undertaken NOW. Bill |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Missing the point here a little: Jeez, I guess people just don't read the posts here and fall back on the same old speeches. gg "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
William Rothamel Send message Joined: 25 Oct 06 Posts: 3756 Credit: 1,999,735 RAC: 4 |
Missing the point here a little: Well you may be right about the same old rhetoric--reason is: the fundamental laws rarely change and then only with new science-Wishing and hoping won't change the foundations of Physics or logic. What should change is the reliance on oil for our exclusive transportation needs--that's where the new rhetoric should be focused. We don't need to change economic theory or the 2nd law of thermodynamics --just some engineering type of thinking on how to solve the current problem with oil from Unstable regions where people want to kill us and would gladly wreck our economy first. Cheers !! |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Yet no one looks at the data, no matter what reason is given for needing alt's. "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
William Rothamel Send message Joined: 25 Oct 06 Posts: 3756 Credit: 1,999,735 RAC: 4 |
Yet no one looks at the data, no matter what reason is given for needing alt's. GM makes this car --right? They are most certainly looking at the data--And-the data must tell them that this car is not an answer to energy independence right now. This is probably due to excessively high costs to produce this vehicle and of very limited availability of hydrogen fill-up stations-especially outside of the Los Angeles area. This could change but I think that electric cars with batteries and a small engine to take over when the range is exceeded will win out over hydrogen. Sort of like the Chevy "Volt" only at lower cost and greater range than the Volt. |
MrGray Send message Joined: 17 Aug 05 Posts: 3170 Credit: 60,411 RAC: 0 |
Yet no one looks at the data, no matter what reason is given for needing alt's. Forget batteries: http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/h2.htm "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
Jeffrey Send message Joined: 21 Nov 03 Posts: 4793 Credit: 26,029 RAC: 0 |
This is probably due to excessively high costs to produce this vehicle My whole life people have told me to 'think big'... and I'm now gonna tell them, 'you think too big'... ;) (Gee, let's spend 50k on a new car so we can save a buck or two at the pump... That's just ASININE!) It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . . |
Stealth Eagle* Send message Joined: 7 Sep 00 Posts: 5971 Credit: 367,640 RAC: 0 |
Has anyone looked at the cost of replacement batteries? The last quote I heard was in the $8,000 range. If you consider the life of the battery used in the hybrids which is roughly 150,000 miles or 241,401 kilometers, there is not much savings going on there. The cost for replacement works out to be $18.75 per mile. What you do today you will have to live with tonight |
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