Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago - Jalopnik Comments

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

carless bought another Mazda — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:00:36 EDT

Those little url previews they put in the text body are very strange...

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

carless bought another Mazda — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:59:39 EDT

Right. I had forgotten anhydrous ammonia could be flammable in the presence of oxygen. Besides, that was the last thing I wrote before I drunkenly stumbled off to bed. I woke up embarrassed, remembering the only things you really need for combustion is hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrocarbons just happen to be a convenient source of hydrogen.

Apparently NH3 oxidation is thermodynamically favored only at very high temperatures. I read somewhere this morning that you need to burn a very small amount of pure hydrogen in order to initiate the cycle.

Hey! This company stole this guy's name, and are using it on their schlocked up website:
[www.hydrofuelnh3.com]

The nitroxides are the same problem diesels have, but I wonder if this process creates significantly more.

carless bought another Mazda

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

banpei — Tue, 06 May 2008 05:49:19 EDT

Combustion works also with other things than carbon based fuel, doesn't it? I mean: your average shotgun shells doesn't contain high-octane either. ;)

Ammonia exists of NH3, which means it has one Nitrogen atom and three Hydrogen atoms. Under normal circumstances it is quite stable and doesn't burn. When adding only little air to it, it will actually burn, leaving only NO2 and H20 as exhaust gasses.

Ofcourse with non-ideal combustion you would get Nitrous-oxide (NO) instead of Nitrous-dioxide which also means that we will suffer again from acid-rains. :(

banpei

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

carless bought another Mazda — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:14:20 EDT

Well, I don't get it. You need carbon to make combustion work. It's getting it from the ambient CO2? How exactly does this thing go? Don't you end up with a buttload of nitroxides?

carless bought another Mazda

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:17:43 EDT

@beercheck: In an additional nerdy note, since ammonia is completely miscible with water, it would likely pose the same threat of ground water contamination that brought the curtain down on MTBE fuel additives.

Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

mytdawg — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:23:51 EDT

Seriously, I told the people when they moved in to keep the damn cats away from my car - period. Cat prints on my car and on my truck INSIDE my garage. I'd be less offended if they just came in and took a dump on my couch.

There is now a live trap in my garage. Somebody's kitty is going for a ride. Unless you got a GPS on that thing, you might not want to let it out of your sight...

mytdawg

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

M0L0TOV — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:14:50 EDT

I say put the ammonia filling stations next to bars and elementary schools. Imagine, giving $20.00 to a group of kids or drunk people to "fill er' up". On another note, I thought Canada was on strike!

M0L0TOV

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

sos10 — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:10:29 EDT

"Did you wett yourself?"
"No, it is my Impala."

sos10

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

TheTooth — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:51:45 EDT

@mytdawg: IOTD (Idea Of The Day)!

TheTooth

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

mytdawg — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:44:05 EDT

@Novaload: Dammitman...

mytdawg

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

mytdawg — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:43:50 EDT

If it would run off ammonia then it should run off cat pee... I say we start harvesting cats. I've got a couple in my neighborhood I'll willingly contribute.

mytdawg

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

NovaloadMissesPolar — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:42:11 EDT

But then wouldn't our cars run on urine? Throw in a little exhaust deodorizer (like in the ancient SNL skit with Gilda and Jane) and you're good to go!

NovaloadMissesPolar

Hyrdrofuel Is Alternative Fuel Of The Future, 27 Years Ago

beercheck — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:04:38 EDT

Unfortunately, ammonia prices are directly linked to feedstock prices and natural gas prices. Which means it's a) more than doubled in price in the last 5 years or so and b) more than 50% of it is now imported.

[www.ers.usda.gov]

Oh, and that "feedstock" bit? Think corn. Thank you, government-mandated, economy-upsetting ethanol.

[www.agriculture.com]

beercheck