The free air explosion was of course generated by LOTS of hydrogen. Bu the
point was that it was not confined in any space and it didn't float UP like
everyone seems to think it might. As a point of reference the lower
flammability limit is inly 4%. So if it gets a leak in your cockpit or
enclosed car which say has only 10 cubic feet of space then only 0.4 cubic
feet of hydroger mixed with that air will explode.
That being said, I think the stuff can and is handled very safely every day
and that it shold pose no problems in being used as a motor fue in a car.
However, transferring the stuff from one tanl to another might be bothersome
because the transfer has to take place at a high pressure and a leak there
might be hard to deal with. When it burns you cannot see it. Look at the
shuttle main engines when they are lit. You can see right into the rocket
motor. The other point was that it is fairly inefficient as a motor fuel. It
takes a lot of hydrogen to equal the amount of galoline or methanol being
used. And it costs as much to make in terms of efficiency as it gives up
during combustion so it really just becomes a storage medium for energy.
I have no qualms about using H2.
mayf
----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn Ridlen
To: DrMayf ; John Szalay ; land-speed@autox.team.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: Hydrogen question
How many pounds are you talking about for God's sake......In a race car
there would only be a few puunds.
Glenn
DrMayf <drmayf@teknett.com> wrote:
All things considered it goes up. I remeber a free hydrogen explosion at
the
Santa Susana Rocketdyne test facility where they vented the secopnd stage
tank. I hovered near the ground and was ignited. Destroyed several office
trailers and blew out a lot of ear drums. In the confined space of a race
car, in as little as a 2% mixture it can be ignited.
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