Hydrogen Corvette
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 35,065
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From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
Originally Posted by tempest
heh heh. it's basically methane. at work we constantly joke about developing the next generation engines being propelled by the stuff. imagine, get in the car, have a big burrito, stick a tube up your a$$, turn the key, and let it RIP! (then start the car.)
Racer
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by corvetteronw
I remember in college one of the guys in the dorm introduced us to the amazing spectacle of lighting "noxious body emmissions". You would turn off the lights, fire up your Zippo near the "exhaust" area and let er rip! Results: A good-sized ball of blue flame! 
What does that gas consist of? Is there a way to bottle and compress it? I'll bet most military barracks and locker rooms could supply a goodly amount!
(And some say the Corvette C4 Forum is NOT educational!
)
What does that gas consist of? Is there a way to bottle and compress it? I'll bet most military barracks and locker rooms could supply a goodly amount!
(And some say the Corvette C4 Forum is NOT educational!
)
Youre talking methane Ron. There are lots of appilications of methane. I saw biogas plants in Africa that people used as cooking gas for single burner stoves. I think some cars run on it too, but the octane isn't high as I understand it.Interesting site on the hydrogen fuel BTW. I think I'd let the researchers work on it for a few more years though. Dangerous stuff, hydrogen.
But I think its important that people are out there looking for new ways to power vehicles.
Last edited by ~SlvrFox~; Mar 28, 2005 at 04:04 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11,108
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From: Behind The Redwood Curtain, The State of Jefferson
just use nuclear power to create the electricity for electrolysis...
hydrogen isnt supposed to be used as a fuel but more as a battery.
If PV technology progresses, maybe someday they can create enough electricity for our fuel needs, but until then it's like people wanting to convert solely to BioDiesel, it would require more than the total amount of free space to grow the crops to make the oil.
Can't knock the researchers, otherwise our vettes might be 2 horse 'powered' and if you're lucky maybe an ox or 2. Ever see one of those burn rubber?
here's a link to our university research center for hydrogen:
http://www.humboldt.edu/~serc/index.shtml
hydrogen isnt supposed to be used as a fuel but more as a battery.
If PV technology progresses, maybe someday they can create enough electricity for our fuel needs, but until then it's like people wanting to convert solely to BioDiesel, it would require more than the total amount of free space to grow the crops to make the oil.
Can't knock the researchers, otherwise our vettes might be 2 horse 'powered' and if you're lucky maybe an ox or 2. Ever see one of those burn rubber?
here's a link to our university research center for hydrogen:
http://www.humboldt.edu/~serc/index.shtml
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Norton ma
Originally Posted by PsychoNumber1
just use nuclear power to create the electricity for electrolysis...
hydrogen isnt supposed to be used as a fuel but more as a battery.
If PV technology progresses, maybe someday they can create enough electricity for our fuel needs, but until then it's like people wanting to convert solely to BioDiesel, it would require more than the total amount of free space to grow the crops to make the oil.
Can't knock the researchers, otherwise our vettes might be 2 horse 'powered' and if you're lucky maybe an ox or 2. Ever see one of those burn rubber?
here's a link to our university research center for hydrogen:
http://www.humboldt.edu/~serc/index.shtml
hydrogen isnt supposed to be used as a fuel but more as a battery.
If PV technology progresses, maybe someday they can create enough electricity for our fuel needs, but until then it's like people wanting to convert solely to BioDiesel, it would require more than the total amount of free space to grow the crops to make the oil.
Can't knock the researchers, otherwise our vettes might be 2 horse 'powered' and if you're lucky maybe an ox or 2. Ever see one of those burn rubber?
here's a link to our university research center for hydrogen:
http://www.humboldt.edu/~serc/index.shtml
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 2
From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
My uncle converted his full size dualie truck to run on CNG (natural gas) and they will charge you highway tax if they think you're using it in your engine so he came up with a solution. This was the truck he used to pull his camper (5th wheel) so he put a massive (huge) CNG tank in the bed of the truck behind the cab and would tell them it was for his camper when he was filling it. So here he was 15 years ago driving around paying 40 cents a gallon and getting awesome mileage while towing a big camper. Pretty cool stuff, yes he's an engineer. The technology is out there and has been there for a while. 
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11,108
Likes: 0
From: Behind The Redwood Curtain, The State of Jefferson
Cal Trans has propane powered trucks. The people I talked to that drove them all concurred that it didn't have as much giddyup and go. You guys hear there's a new contract with Exxon(?) and Qatar(?) for LNG (liquified natural gas)?
Oh yeah, a little myth... The Hindenberg didn't blow up because of the hydrogen inside, but because of the skin was made of basically rocket fuel. And as someone already said HYydrogen Hydride is the way to go for hydrogen, in proper application it's safer than gasoline. Anyone drop gasoline on the ground when refueling? The refueling process with hydrogen in a car would eliminate that. BUT we're a long way off. And let me clarify something else, I said we could use nuclear, but we still have a problem with nuclear waste and Yucca Mountain is not the answer. Nothing is perfect... although I have seen a battery powered TV that was charged by an exercise bike... maybe we could kill two birds with 1 stone there.
Oh yeah, a little myth... The Hindenberg didn't blow up because of the hydrogen inside, but because of the skin was made of basically rocket fuel. And as someone already said HYydrogen Hydride is the way to go for hydrogen, in proper application it's safer than gasoline. Anyone drop gasoline on the ground when refueling? The refueling process with hydrogen in a car would eliminate that. BUT we're a long way off. And let me clarify something else, I said we could use nuclear, but we still have a problem with nuclear waste and Yucca Mountain is not the answer. Nothing is perfect... although I have seen a battery powered TV that was charged by an exercise bike... maybe we could kill two birds with 1 stone there.
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Brett Foote
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Well forget nuclear Yucca mountain is dead read the news once in a while all the Data was falsified saying no ground water could get inside it. It leaks like as sieve so the govt is dropping the idea.
I find it interesting no one has meantioned bio-diesel. It can be made from kitchen garbage, Mikey D's fryer slop,other oganic waste too and is in use as we speak. Solves 3 problems less waste in land fills, less energy to produce, and it renewable.
The rear end ignition trick with the zippo was showed to me by my Uncle 40yrs ago( rest his soul). Good to see youngster of today are following the traditions of thier forefathers
I find it interesting no one has meantioned bio-diesel. It can be made from kitchen garbage, Mikey D's fryer slop,other oganic waste too and is in use as we speak. Solves 3 problems less waste in land fills, less energy to produce, and it renewable.
The rear end ignition trick with the zippo was showed to me by my Uncle 40yrs ago( rest his soul). Good to see youngster of today are following the traditions of thier forefathers
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Yeah, We will never stop using oil for fast food, so it's a predictible source. I saw where some college kids went coast to coast for free by stopping at the Denneys to beg some waste fryer oil along the way to feed their VW diesel. You gotta admit, that's damn good gas mileage.
Actually the CNG is gaining a little in popularity, because it's easy to steal....just get near a gas source (that's not billed to you I mean) and hook a flexible hose on, and fill'er up. If you have a "PHILL" home pump with you, and you have all night to do it.
You can even find hackers on the internet who can fix a home gas meter to turn so slow, it almost doesn't register the gas going through it.
Well, if you are going to solve your personal energy crisis like that, you may as well skip the trendy tech, and just get a siphon hose and go to the Walmart parking lot.
Actually the CNG is gaining a little in popularity, because it's easy to steal....just get near a gas source (that's not billed to you I mean) and hook a flexible hose on, and fill'er up. If you have a "PHILL" home pump with you, and you have all night to do it.
You can even find hackers on the internet who can fix a home gas meter to turn so slow, it almost doesn't register the gas going through it.
Well, if you are going to solve your personal energy crisis like that, you may as well skip the trendy tech, and just get a siphon hose and go to the Walmart parking lot.
