Simple Device Invented in 1833 May Lead to Cheap Hydrogen

[DogPoundPup]

A modern team of Italian researchers has uncovered a device invented by fellow Italian G.D. Botto in 1833 that can be used to generate hydrogen with inexpensive, everyday parts. By reflecting sunlight from two parabolic mirrors onto a hollow tube wrapped in metal and filled with water, the device generates enough electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. Theoretically, the device is so simple that anybody could build it in their garage.

Read more @ http://gas2.org/2008/11/09/simple-device-invented-in-1833-may-lead-to-cheap-hydrogen/

[dhpgetsit]

1. Wow!

:kick:

[kestrel91316]

2. The solutions to MOST of humanity's problems have probably already

been invented. We just need to comb through our archives and libraries and patent offices to find them.

Simple, elegant. It's not the Holy Grail, but it's close.

[NNadir]

8. I always like it when the credulous search for the Holy Grail, often at the expense of human lives.

If I had twenty cents for every hare-brained breakthrough on this website, I would probably be able to afford a magic Tesla automobile, assuming of course, that the Tesla company could actually make the cars that stupid yuppies are always prattling about.

[HamdenRice]

10. Let me guess, the only real solution is hundreds of nuclear power plants, right?

Because I've never seen a problem to which you don't think that's the solution.

[jpak]

13. LOL!!!!!11111

If I had a nickel for every obsessive compulsive narcissistic sociopathic sickfuck anti-renewable rant posted in this forum....

:rofl:

[BrklynLiberal]

3. That is amazing. This invention has been sitting there for 175 years..

[formercia]

4. Use solar cells instead

A few solar cells in series can be used to generate enough potential to electrolyze water.

I can see the advantage of generating Hydrogen at the source of electricity to offset any voltage drop that would occur with running the current through wiring but you still have to find a way to store the Hydrogen. It's not as simple as you might think. Hydrogen (H2) is a very small molecule and passes quite easily through most materials.

Palladium metal is probably the best material since it can absorb over 900 times its own weight in Hydrogen at ambient temperature and pressure.

I don't like the idea of using base metals in water. There would be a severe corrosion problem which would render the apparatus unworkable in short order.

You would also have to find a way to keep the Oxygen that is generated away from the Hydrogen as bright sunlight provides sufficient energy to cause them to recombine into water as fast as the electrodes can separate them.

[bvar22]

5. There are many cheap ways to produce hydrogen.

The real cost is in safely capturing it, drying it, compressing it, and storing it in useful or marketable quantities.
:nuke:

[formercia]

6. I learned some of the problems at an early age.

When I was a boy, the old Selenium rectifier stack I was using to produce DC shorted out and the resulting explosion blew out several windows in my room at home. Safely capturing it is something that needs to be stressed. Electrolyzing water can be very dangerous if you are cavalier with safety.

[madokie]

7. I have a question

If this is using heat then why couldn't the exhaust from an ICE be the heating source with the hydrogen consumed in the combustion process to help somewhat in power production. The heat of the exhaust for the most part is wasted as it is now.

[Citizen Number 9]

9. Did it say 20 milliwatts?

20 milliwatts is about one five-thousandth the power generated by a solar panel. Isn't it much more efficient to just use good old photovoltaic panels?

[comtec]

11. cost

a solar panel is not cheap, even the cheap ones.
this uses natural heat/solar energy and as another poster said, why not use an alternative form of heat?
Maybe this could be placed inside a solar hot water heater?

point being that this can be made cheaply with easy to get parts. the only problem comes in collecting the gases.

[wtmusic]

15. Get out of here with your number sense

You're killin' the buzz! :D

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Used on Deep Space Probes now

For all the hype this is nothing more than a "Nuclear Battery" with Solar energy substituted for decaying Plutonium.

[hunter]

14. Hydrogen is the Ralph Nader of synthetic fuels.

Impractical always, and dangerously distracting.