John asks…
What do you think about hydrogen cars?
I’am trying to do a survey on the likes and dislikes of hydrogen cars. Please try to be detailed in your answer, if possible.
admin answers:
My major dislike is the fact that this country has no infrastructure for it they are mostly a pipe dream and it is being touted as “right around the corner” right along with Flying Cars!
Hydrogen tech is much more available than the resources to put it into practice.
There are far more realistic alternatives that will work with current infrastructures. However they cut into oil co profits and that is why they are not moving forward any faster than they are.
The cars themselves are fine(or will be someday)
Ken asks…
why are hydrogen cars readily available to consumers now?
The hydrogen fuel car was developed over decade ago, but why are cars like these readily (and affordably) available to consumers now?
admin answers:
They are trying to make hydrogen fuel cells. That means you fill up with water and the fuel cell breaks the water down. A straight conversion with an internal combustion engine to run on hydrogen is being done. It’s just hard to fill up unless your near a larger city.
Michael asks…
Why can they not make a hydrogen cars safe and cheap?
Why does hydrogen cost so much? And why can’t thay make the tank small enough to fit in a car ?
Some one was saying cost is a big big problem now but in the future hydrogen may be cheap.
admin answers:
Almost all hydrogen is made by steam reforming of methane. The steam is made by burning methane or coal. The alternative is to make hydrogen via electrolysis. Most electricity is made by burning coal or gas or splitting atoms. So, hydrogen is more expensive than the stuff it is supposed to replace. Hydrogen is a small molecule (about the smallest possible). It migrates into crystals and solids, making them brittle, so it is almost impossible to contain. Therefore, it will always be relatively costly to make and it cannot be easily stored or used over longer periods of time (years). So why will there be any viable hydrogen power?
Mark asks…
Do hydrogen cars emit drinkable water as a byproduct?
Then wont the future interstates, highways, and busy streets be like driving right after a rain storm when every car is using hydrogen?
admin answers:
Assuming hydrogen cars would become a reality, such cars would emit water vapor, and not liquid, and the amounts of water will be in the range of 1 gallon per 60 miles or so. The result would make air on highways a little humid, but that’s all.
Robert asks…
Hydrogen powered cars – will the release of water vapour lead to increase in humidity and make roads wet?
Picture this, you’re in a traffic jam in your hydrogen powered car, idling away, shooting water vapour out of your exhaust.. Just how much water is being released? If it’s a warm day will it increase the humidity in the local area, and if so by how much, will it make the local weather sticky and yuck?
Say it’s a cold day and the water is condensing as it leaves the exhaust, will it be enough to make the road wet, if there is enough cars on the road will it be like driving in the rain?
Say it’s below freezing out, will the water condense and turn to slippery ice on the road?
Thanks wise people.
admin answers:
The water released will be negligible…In cold temps on busy highways, salt will be used. The local climate will not change.
Donald asks…
Can some one explain this part about hydrogen cars?
I know the main problem is making the tank small enough to fit in a car and make it safe .But do you think in th next 5 or 10 years they will make it safe and small enough to fit in a car?
Some one was saying cost is a big problem now but in the future hydrogen may be cheap.
admin answers:
Right now and for the foreseable future the cost of hydrogen is too high. Will the cost ever become competitive? Not likely, unless someone comes up with a catalyst that will reduce the energy required to break the bonds of a H2O molecule.
Having a tank that will hold sufficient hydrogen for a reasonable time between fill ups is also a problem but it can be dealth with.
As to safety, hydrogen is no more of a hazard than gasoline. In fact for the similar volume gasoline has a lot more energy.
Helen asks…
What would be the c limate effects of a complete conversion to hydrogen powered cars?
I want to know if anyone has modeled this scenario. And please educate me if I have some fundamental misunderstandings about any of this. But less just say that tomorrow, all cars suddenly were converted to hydrogen powered cars emitting nothing but water as exhaust. What would the climatological effects be of introducing all that water into the atmosphere? My gut tells me that there would be fairly significant effects related to weather, water levels, ozone, whatever.
I have asked this question before and been called a left wing, environmentalist cook. I have no political agenda in asking this. I just want a thoughtful answer and some references to facts and data related to this topic.
admin answers:
Hydrogen is not an energy source (primary energy). It is an energy carrier (secondary energy) just like electricity and HAS TO BE PRODUCED.
Fuel cells which can use hydrogen have a higher efficiency than regular reciprocical engines… Nevertheless, the conversion from oil or another source to hydrogen is not very efficient and is expensive.
Therefore, you just DISPLACE the energy consumption to other parts of the chain.
I just give you an example: H2 can be easily produced with methane (CH4)… And the efficiency of the conversion is 70%. Then your fuel cell has also 70% efficiency. This means globally you have a 50% efficiency compared to the 40% of the diesel motor.
You also used an expensive and very clean fuel (methane) which you could have burned directly.
What remains of the reaction is pure carbon… Which I guess you are also going to burn. Well so on the CO2 balance, there is no difference.
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