dc - Is your understanding that commercially produced hydrogen does in
fact come from electrolysis? If that is correct, then it is bloody
inefficient, because you lose a lot of energy to heat to start with to
produce the hydrogen, and then again when you convert the hydrogen
back to kynetic energy while burning it in your car. Using same
electricity in electric cars would cut out a lot of mucking about with
a highly explosive gas and would possibly end up leaking less energy
through the battery storage system.
Incidentally, I have done some fun experimentation producing my own
hydrogen. I sometimes use it to blow up baloons for the kids that are
lighter than air, which is far more fun for them. I have also put a
match to some of these baloons and I can tell you that it produces a
pretty good bang. hahahaaaa
On one occasion, I filled a plastic water bottle with it and lit it at
the mouth, expecting it to fly across the room like a rocket, but
instead of doing that, it blew out the bottom of the bottle with a
mighty big bang. So, it is a pretty volatile and potentially dangerous
gas. It burns instantly and explosively, unlike petrol or diesel.
I finally found a bottle that was happy to play rocket, by the way,
and that was fun. Actually, I remember seeing some youtube videos on
this some time ago, people mucking around with hydrogen. I will post
some links here.
Ah, this one is pretty much how it works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6ejjNsJegk&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko5VpvE2btY&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9RZbtA9HVA&NR=1&feature=fvwp