Re: was Car Craft Ramblings, then Alky fuel, now Hydrogen

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: david crooks <david.crooks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
" 
"  > Yes, hydrogen fuel cells that produce electricity,
"  > not burning hydrogen gas. Big difference, especially
"  > as far as safety! Remember films of the Hindenburg?
" 
" Ok, I'll bite...
" Why are hydrogen fuel cells any safer than burning it?
" Either way, you're consuming similar amounts for a
" given horsepower rating.

not necessarily true.

in theory, a fuel cell can be ~90% efficient in producing electricity
from fuel.  an internal combustion engine is rarely better than 35%,
and that's at wot.  anything less, and pulling that big vacuum in the
intake ummm sucks, efficiency-wise.  this is the major area where
diesels win over spark engines.

" In both cases you're oxidizing
" the fuel (hydrogen) to produce water.  In both cases
" you have a high pressure storage tank, and are trying
" to contain a gas known to be hard to contain (because
" the H2 molecule is so small).

all true.  i've heard of the idea of piping h2 through the natural gas
pipeline network, but the two negatives are
h2 can whiz out through cracks too small for ch4
'hydrogen embrittlement' of the steel pipe
both are really serious problems.

" I don't see hydrogen fuel cells as being any safer
" than burning hydrogen, other than the fact that a
" fuel cell vehicle would have less backyard hacks
" trying to "improve" it's performance!

and might also be filled with really caustic chemicals.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen

adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought