Water as a fuel

[dlrion]

I was happy to hear that Dunning did a podcast about water as a fuel, which was very down to earth when dealing with electrolysis, but failed to mention fuel cells...

The reason for this was probably that a water fuel cell does not exist, however, a hydrogen fuel cell is a probable contributer to our power generation in the future.

I would have liked to hear more about fuel cells, and the myths surrounding them.

[paximperium]

Well, I guess the general fears and myth about hydrogen is how explosive it is...for some reason people believe that it will spontaneously blow up.

Might have something to do with images of the space shuttle and rockets but I really can't figure out why?

[TjW]

Well, I guess the general fears and myth about hydrogen is how explosive it is...for some reason people believe that it will spontaneously blow up.

Might have something to do with images of the space shuttle and rockets but I really can't figure out why?

It's because it has a very wide range of explosive mixture with oxygen, and a very low ignition energy. For example, a leak under moderate pressure has been known to generate enough static electricity to ignite itself. So the people that handle it in moderate-to-large quantities have a certain respect for it, and do it carefully.

[leonAzul]

Might have something to do with images of the space shuttle and rockets but I really can't figure out why?

More likely has something to do with the LZ 129 Hindenburg. Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_129_Hindenburg)

[Cuddles]

The reason for this was probably that a water fuel cell does not exist, however, a hydrogen fuel cell is a probable contributer to our power generation in the future.

It's just that such a thing doesn't exist, the idea of a water fuel cell doesn't even make sense. Water is an extremely stable compound that is the product of many reactions - pretty much anything involving oxygen and hydrogen will end up with water. Water fuel cells don't exist for the same reason CO2 combustion engines don't exist, and the same reason we don't have ash fueled furnaces.

The only way water can be used as a fuel is by first splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen, which is presumably what the podcast was talking about. It tends to be this aspect that gets the most focus, since fuel cells are actually fairly basic stuff - it's getting the fuel in an efficient way that's the major problem.

[tyr_13]

My main grief with hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles anyway, is their performance in cold. It freezes here a lot.

[briandunning]

dlrion, what are some fuel cell myths? I don't believe I've ever heard any, certainly nothing I'd call a popular misconception.