This is a lot of aluminum consumption. These are back-of-the-napkin-style calculations, so I apologize if I've missed something, but (unless I've made a large mistake) it appears that: 2[Al ]+ 6[H2O] + CC => CC + 2[Al(OH)3] + 3H2 So, two atoms of aluminum are consumed for every three atoms of diatomic hydrogen gas? Assuming a typical current hydrogen price (from natural gas) of $3/kg, with 2.016 grams/mole = $.006048/mole Assuming aluminum is a typical $2.172/kg, with 26.98154g/mol = $.058603/mole. With a 2/3 molar ratio in the chemical equation, we’re looking at $.058603/mole x 2/3 = production of hydrogen cost through Phillips’ method of $.03907/mole
So, we currently produce hydrogen at approx. $.006048/mole, and the amazing new method is $.03907/mole? It’s roughly 6.45x more expensive? It's great that they are achieving great strides in catalysis modeling, but this looks to be an excellent way to ruin aluminum feedstock. There are some industrial uses for Aluminum oxide (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum_oxide). Industrially, there may factories that could use aluminum scrap material to both supply hydrogen power generation for the factory, and harvest the aluminum oxide byproduct for use in their production processes. Absent that, am I missing something? > Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2012 15:28:47 +0000 > From: l...@thedyers.org.uk > To: vortex-l@eskimo.com > Subject: Re: [Vo]:World's best H2 catalyst? > > Indeed. I had just written a reply saying virtually the same think > when your Email arrived. I do not beleive that there is any magic here > that breaks any laws of physics. > > On 08/02/2012 15:15, David Roberson wrote: > > I would also take a second look at the net process energy balance. If > > aluminum is required as fuel, you would be in big trouble as it takes a lot > > of energy to obtain the fuel. Years ago I made H gas by putting lye and > > water into a jar with aluminum foil. My friends and I used the gas to fill > > bags for balloons. > > > > Dave > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson<svj.orionwo...@gmail.com> > > To: vortex-l<vortex-l@eskimo.com> > > Sent: Wed, Feb 8, 2012 10:08 am > > Subject: Re: [Vo]:World's best H2 catalyst? > > > > > >> More info: >
