[TR] Hydrogen fuel. Part Two.

[Michael Porter]

 From standard conversion charts, 1 Kg of hydrogen has very nearly the 
same fuel value as one gallon of gasoline (1.04 gal).  For most valved 
gasoline engines, fuel consumption is about 1/2 pound per horsepower per 
hour.  So, to run the electrolysis cell for one hour, even with better 
engine fuel efficiencies than at idle, the total amount of gasoline used 
would be about 1.25 pounds, or about 0.2 gallons of gasoline. In return, 
the electrolysis cell has produced (3.6 x 10^3) x (1 x 10^(-3) ) grams 
of H2, or 3.6 grams of H2, or about 0.0036 Kg of hydrogen gas, for a net 
conversion efficiency of (1.04 x 0.0036) / 0.2 = 1.9%.


This means that one is expending 50 times the fuel energy in gasoline 
that one receives in output of hydrogen.  The reasons for this are 
fairly obvious--gasoline fuel must be burned to form combustion gases 
and to heat the inlet air.  Then there are mechanical losses in the 
engine in turning the crankshaft. Then there are mechanical and 
electrical losses in the production of electricity to run the 
electrolysis cell.  Then there are the fixed characteristics of the cell 
itself in terms of how much gas can be produced for a given voltage and 
current.


Cheers.

-- 


Michael Porter
Roswell, NM


Never let anyone drive you crazy when you know it's within walking distance....