UCF professor find way of turning seawater into hydrogen fuel using solar energy

[dominatrixjane]

University of Central Florida professor Yang Yang

has developed a breakthrough

hybrid nanomaterial that uses the power of

solar energy, to turn seawater into hydrogen fuel.

https://futurism.com/a-new-material-is-able-to-create-hydrogen-fuel-from-seawater/

http://www.nanoscience.ucf.edu/faculty/yang.php


could we use hydrogen internal combustion engine​ in more and more cars now couldn't we?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Water vapor is a greenhouse gas...



Just sayin'. Making it sound safe, doesn't actually make it safe.

 

[Richard_P_Feynman]

Water vapor is a greenhouse gas...



Just sayin'. Making it sound safe, doesn't actually make it safe.

^ Idiot.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

"could we use hydrogen internal combustion engine​ in more and more cars now couldn't we?"


Same difference with electric cars. Where does the electricity come from, and when they die, where do the toxic batteries go to?


The internal combustion engine is easily recyclable...

 

[lickitandstickit]

"could we use hydrogen internal combustion engine​ in more and more cars now couldn't we?"


Same difference with electric cars. Where does the electricity come from, and when they die, where do the toxic batteries go to?

Jersey

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

lol...

 

[Ishmael]

University of Central Florida professor Yang Yang

has developed a breakthrough

hybrid nanomaterial that uses the power of

solar energy, to turn seawater into hydrogen fuel.

https://futurism.com/a-new-material-is-able-to-create-hydrogen-fuel-from-seawater/

http://www.nanoscience.ucf.edu/faculty/yang.php


could we use hydrogen internal combustion engine​ in more and more cars now couldn't we?

Using the hydrogen to fuel a hydrogen fuel cell in a hybrid type auto would probably be the more desirable configuration.

I worked on hydrogen fuel cell automobiles at Los Alamos back in the late 70's. The technology was/is promising but back then the efficiencies and economics weren't quite ready for prime time. Obviously fuel cell technology has advanced quite a bit since then and if this new technology for the production of hydrogen pans out the fuel generation problem has taken a huge step forward.

There are still some non-trivial problems to be solved, mainly in the transportation and storage of the hydrogen, all of which involves high pressures. One of the more promising initial deployments of this technology would be with fleet vehicles such as the UPS delivery vans, or FedEx and/or USPS. Vehicles that start their day at a single point of origin, do a lot of start and stop driving, and then return to a motor pool at the end of the day. The furl storage point would be centralized elimination a lot of the logistical problems and is the perfect proving ground for a fuel cell/battery hybrid.

Ishmael

 

[Colonel Hogan]

Using the hydrogen to fuel a hydrogen fuel cell in a hybrid type auto would probably be the more desirable configuration.

I worked on hydrogen fuel cell automobiles at Los Alamos back in the late 70's. The technology was/is promising but back then the efficiencies and economics weren't quite ready for prime time. Obviously fuel cell technology has advanced quite a bit since then and if this new technology for the production of hydrogen pans out the fuel generation problem has taken a huge step forward.

There are still some non-trivial problems to be solved, mainly in the transportation and storage of the hydrogen, all of which involves high pressures. One of the more promising initial deployments of this technology would be with fleet vehicles such as the UPS delivery vans, or FedEx and/or USPS. Vehicles that start their day at a single point of origin, do a lot of start and stop driving, and then return to a motor pool at the end of the day. The furl storage point would be centralized elimination a lot of the logistical problems and is the perfect proving ground for a fuel cell/battery hybrid.

Ishmael

I've always worried about the safety of hydrogen fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or on storage farms. How big an issue is that?

 

[Richard_P_Feynman]

I've always worried about the safety of hydrogen fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or on storage farms. How big an issue is that?

It's an engineering challenge, but not an impenetrable barrier to commercialization.

 

[phrodeau]

I've always worried about the safety of hydrogen fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or on storage farms. How big an issue is that?

I've always worried about the safety of gasoline fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or under every gas station. How big an issue is that?

 

[Que]

I've always worried about the safety of gasoline fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or under every gas station. How big an issue is that?

Liquid vs highly pressurized gas? Considerably less of an issue. Nearly empty gasoline tanks are far more dangerous than full ones.

You're welcome!

 

[DrDelirium]

Gasoline and hydrogen have very similar constant pressure flame temperatures in air. The safety issues would have more to do with the compression of the hydrogen in transport (including in the vehicle using it) and storage.
Individual transportation is inefficient and relatively dangerous compared to mass transit systems, and especially compared to communities designed for walking/cycling. I have no idea how economically feasible or how environmentally sound the production of Yang's nano materials might be, but the major advantage of this system is likely to be simply that it doesn't involve making carbon dioxide.

 

[phrodeau]

Liquid vs highly pressurized gas? Considerably less of an issue. Nearly empty gasoline tanks are far more dangerous than full ones.

You're welcome!

Uh huh.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fordpintopresentation-140602023817-phpapp01/95/ford-pinto-by-reflection-24-638.jpg?cb=1401676829

 

[DrDelirium]

Uh huh.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fordpintopresentation-140602023817-phpapp01/95/ford-pinto-by-reflection-24-638.jpg?cb=1401676829

You think that design would be safer with a hydrogen tank instead of a gas tank?

 

[Que]

You think that design would be safer with a hydrogen tank instead of a gas tank?

Frodo doesn't think; he reacts and Googles.

 

[mark_j]

Uh huh.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fordpintopresentation-140602023817-phpapp01/95/ford-pinto-by-reflection-24-638.jpg?cb=1401676829

Yes and they solved that with the introduction of a self sealing fuel tank (fuel bladder) that was part of the recall for the Pinto. (I don't recall the specific TSB but I'm sure you could look it up if you were so inclined.)

Is that really your great example?

 

[Ishmael]

I've always worried about the safety of hydrogen fuel tanks -- either in the vehicle or on storage farms. How big an issue is that?

Watch re-runs of the last voyage of the Hindenburg. It's a problem.

Ishmael

 

[Que]

Watch re-runs of the last voyage of the Hindenburg. It's a problem.

Ishmael

The glue on the fabric was the culprit according to some documentary I saw years ago.

 

[phrodeau]

I'll see your Hindenberg and raise you a Betelgeuse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiddy_Island_disaster

 

[lickitandstickit]

I'll see your Hindenberg and raise you a Betelgeuse.

When I first read this I thought you meant this one..

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bfd.gif

 

[Ishmael]

The glue on the fabric was the culprit according to some documentary I saw years ago.

That and static discharge. There has all sorts of speculation over the years. But I wasn't referring to the cause, just the resulting fireball.

That hydrogen was low pressure storage, for any reasonable distance for a fuel cell powered automobile the tank would have to be approx. a 700 bar (10,000 psi) tank in order to get enough hydrogen into a relatively small volume.

Ishmael

 

[EternalFantasies]

Atomic. The cleanest and safest.

Yet, the most dangerous.

 

[Que]

Atomic. The cleanest and safest.

Yet, the most dangerous.

No it isn't.

Even if you include Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, worldwide, there are less deaths caused per kilowatt-hour produced by nuclear power than any other method.

 

[Que]

That and static discharge. There has all sorts of speculation over the years. But I wasn't referring to the cause, just the resulting fireball.

That hydrogen was low pressure storage, for any reasonable distance for a fuel cell powered automobile the tank would have to be approx. a 700 bar (10,000 psi) tank in order to get enough hydrogen into a relatively small volume.

Ishmael

To contain that sort of pressure is a very heavy tank as well.

 

[EternalFantasies]

No it isn't.

Even if you include Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, worldwide, there are less deaths caused per kilowatt-hour produced by nuclear power than any other method.

When you start mass producing for cars, and other stuff, risks go up.



Hey, i'm not against it.