OT: need some help with fuel cells

[Joshua Zeidner]

On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 12:53 PM, Robert Holtzman <holtzm at cox.net> wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008, Technomage-hawke wrote:
>
>  > ok,
>  > I know some of you are engineering types.
>  >
>  > I am starting to look at the idea of home building a fuel cell here that can
>  > power my machines "off the grid" if need be. I am not worried about the fuel
>  > source itself (hydrogen can be easily got with some solar cells, graphic
>  > electrodes and starage media). What I am worried about is this:
>  >
>  > 1. Building one cheaply
>  > 2. available materials (preferably from lowe's or home depot) with the
>  > exception of the electrolytic material and possibly the catalyst materials)
>  > 3. a method of containment (A good quality housing that will keep the 2 parts
>  > of the fuel seperate until introduced into the catalyzing chamber)
>
>  Hydrogen is hard to store in the gaseous state. The extremely small
>  molecular size makes it possible for leaks to occur thru openings too
>  small to pass molecules of other gases. Any such leaks are tough to detect
>  until too late (i.e. kaboom!). Think exploding car batteries due to too
>  rapid charging causing hydrogen buildup.
>
>  I'm not trying to discourage you but be VEEEERRRRYYYY careful and do a lot
>  of research on handling and storing hydrogen.
>

  Is this from personal experience, or is this just a repeat of a
movie brought to you by OPEC?

  the fact is there are already public vehicles that run on hydrogen.
I think the case for a hydrogen based economy has already been made.

  -jmz





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