An Israeli company has developed a system that allows a car to produce its own Hydrogen, which could be used for powering a fuel cell. The system — by way of a device called the Metal-Steam combustor — separates Hydrogen out of heated water using metals like Magnesium and Aluminum. In short:
The basic idea behind the technology is relatively simple: the tip of the metal coil is inserted into the Metal-Steam combustor together with water where it will be heated to very high temperatures. The metal atoms will bond to the Oxygen from the water, creating metal oxide. As a result, the Hydrogen molecules are free, and will be sent into the engine alongside the steam. The solid waste product of the process, in the form of metal oxide, will later be collected in the fuel station and recycled for further use by the metal industry.
[Thanks to Alice for the tip.]
The Car the Makes Its Own Fuel [IsraCast]
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