HYDROGEN MOTORBIKE (Next level?)

[loquin]

Ouch... from a safety viewpoint, I would strongly URGE you to split the oxygen/hydrogen collection/distribution, and NOT mix it until it enters the carb. Otherwise, a backfire could propagate right back through the system and set it all off. Yes, it becomes a pain, having duplicate collection and plumbing, but, if you mix it at collection, you're potentially sitting on a bomb. We REALLY don't want to be reading your obituary...

Use a U-Shaped* gas generator, and have the anode in one leg, and the cathode in the other. Or, make the equivalent of a U by placing a divider in the middle*which is open below water level .

* Since 2 H2 molecules are released for each one O2 molecule, the volume on the H2 side should be twice that of the O2 side. So, instead of a U, it really should be a J, or the pipe should have twice the cross-sectional area. If you had 2 inch PVC on the O2 side, you would want to use 3 inch PVC on the H2 Leg, for instance. Or, if you use a divider, place 'divide' the tank into thirds, and place the divider closer to the O2 end.

BTW. A I said earlier, I don't know if surface area increases the production rate. If you find that it does, use a stainless steel mesh as the anode/cathode (essentially, a window screen material, made with stainless wire) A spiral tube made with that would give you a very large surface area.

 

[RedGreen]

I once saw a bubbler that was a tank and had multiple tubes inside. Supposedly this increases surface area. Also, they had stepped the voltage up to around 50,000 volts or more in pulses. If you could put a larger alternator on your car and use the excess voltage, perhaps you could create at least a certain portion of your hydrogen while you drive.

 

[Large Filipino]

Not to derail,but I've always wondered if one can make a Nuclear powered device from his garage.

 

[KiDD]

Doesn't burning hydrogen weaken the engine by making the metal brittle?
This is solved by using a stainless steel cylinder sleeve or just having a whole block made out of stainless steel

 

[loquin]

Some good news, graucho.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis_of_water

The theoretical limit for water electrolysis is in the 80 to 95% range. So, you should be able to do better than the 5% you are currently running at. However, if you want to have a more efficient system than just using the battery with an electric motor, since the gas motor is at about 50% efficiency, you'll need to have a fairly efficient electrolysis process.

You need to produce hydrogen at 20% minimum efficiency, just to be able to use a single battery to produce the H2 for the engine at full throttle. Obviously, more is better. However, if you produce H2 at 70% efficiency, the 50% internal combustion engine efficiency is going to drop your system efficiency to about 35%... still below that of an electric motor system. Unfortunately, these levels of electrolysis efficiency are generally associated with large, fixed electrolysis plants.

Have you experimented with different electrolytes? Salt is commonly used, but strong acids or bases are also used. A dilute sulphuric acid (battery acid) solution is often used.

 

[HoughMade]

Doesn't burning hydrogen weaken the engine by making the metal brittle?
This is solved by using a stainless steel cylinder sleeve or just having a whole block made out of stainless steel

Yes. It's called hydrogen embrittlement....how long it takes to make a problem, I do not know. Could be a long time.

 

[graucho]

Some good news, graucho.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis_of_water

you'll need to have a fairly efficient electrolysis process.

Have you experimented with different electrolytes? Salt is commonly used, but strong acids or bases are also used. A dilute sulphuric acid (battery acid) solution is often used.

(you'll need to have a fairly efficient electrolysis process.)
Exactly! I'm way, way, past the metal's and solution additives. I'm in the design modification stages. Pulse width modulation. Radio and sound wave experimentation. Stimulating the hydrogen atom molecules to orgasmic levels. Ill be gearing up for another run at it, after my winter break.

 

[graucho]

Yes. It's called hydrogen embrittlement....how long it takes to make a problem, I do not know. Could be a long time.

I have 62,000 on my 2003 saturn VUE. My son in law has 139,000 on his diesel dump truck. Zero hydro related problems. Remember we only burn 70-80% of the fuel we dump down the intake. The added hydro/oxygen makes it more viatole (explosive) and burns nearly all of the fuel. Displacing the heat evenly through the engine. The heat on the top half (heads/valves) in reduced significantly not dealing with the excess raw fuel. The diesel temp gauge dropped 5 deg.

 

[Large Filipino]

You know,just now I was heating up a chimichanga burrito smothered in nacho cheese in the microwave when it hit me right on my head.
Like every household has a microwave oven. Sometimes you refer to microwave cooking as "Nuking" your food so yes bla bla bla radiation is dangerous and not to be played with.
But who's to say what you do in your own garage?
What if somehow with a battery source tap into this microwave energy and boost the hydrogen production by boosting the electrolysis cause now radiation is your friend?
So maybe you'll lose some hairs. Were all getting old anyway.

 

[loquin]

Well, the amount of gas produced is apparently related to temperature. Add a heating element to heat the solution to 180 degrees or so, or, even pass the engine exhaust pipe through the solution. Obviously, you wouldn't want to boil the water, so you would need a diverter when the temps get too high...