Latest miracle hydrogen energy solution - who knows?

[cmac2012]

Scientists Invent Super Clean Hydrogen Fuel Technique That Could Save Us All

Probably too much to hope for, but it sounds slightly maybe promising. It's a technique for using hydrolysis on sea water with further processing of the reaction that consumes and isolates acid and increase bicarbonate.

It goes like this: First, you apply electricity to salty water. This well-studied technique, called electrolysis, breaks water into oxygen and hydrogen gas, said Greg Rau, study co-author and researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California.

While this is happening, acid is produced at the negative end of the electrode, called the anode. Usually, after the current stops being applied, the acid recombines with the base (hydroxide) produced at the electrode's positive end (cathode), turning back into water.

But Rau's team added another step and encased the anode in a silicate rock, one of the most abundant types of rock on Earth. The acid reacted with the basic rock, creating salts and more water.

By using up the acid produced during electrolysis, the water then became quite basic, filling up with hydroxide ions, Rau said. Ordinary air was then bubbled through the solution. The carbon dioxide present in the air reacted with the hydroxide to create bicarbonate, another base present in the bodies of many marine animals like corals and oyster shells.

[Angel]

I have no idea how this is applied on other things, but on my submarine, the "bomb" (the oxygen generator, worked by electrolysis...) was the largest non-engineering electrical load on the boat (hundreds of amps IIRC) - the A-gangers would have to call us up before turning it on so we could make sure that the electrical bus would handle the load.

Now, this made plenty of O2 for 150 dudes confined to a 38' diameter tube, but, whenever says "electrolysis" and "makes energy" in the same sentance, it makes me skeptical.

Treadwell Supplies Oxygen Generator Components for Nuclear Subs

wish I could be more specific, but I honestly don't remember and its probably classified...

-ET2/ss

[cmac2012]

That is the weak link of course. The positive effects they describe could well be outweighed by the negative effects of generating the electricity. The only possibility that sounds really good would be to have solar mirror elec. generation in arid coastal regions that aren't real attractive for living, that is, low real estate prices.

[spdrun]

Hydrogen is not a fuel. It's a (pretty decent, compared to batteries) means of energy storage. Of course, it's desirable to have the production of the storage medium be close to 100% efficient.

The production of H2 can be powered by any number of clean means: solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, for starters.

[cmac2012]

True, it's not. The appeal in this approach is that it offers side benefits.