Trevor wrote: > Hi Ron, > >> And what makes the hydrogen ---- Power stations burning fossil >> fuel.... > > That was my first thought - but they cleverly included a part that > said the hydrogen was made using - wait for it .. 'wind generated > electricity'. > > (Yeah, I know - wind farms don't grow on trees .. but they are > multiplying fast in the Thames estuary - hydroponics perhaps?) > > I'm not a great fan (excuse the unintentional pun) of wind energy - > it only works when the wind blows (and if it blows too strongly they > have to close them down - which seems a bit daft to me), so we still > need full backup from other sources, but it is a great sop to the > masses who feel that government should be doing 'something'.. I pin > my flag to the nuclear mast for the longer run - save the wind for > the sailing dinghies!
Well said. >> Thus instead of one convert of Diesel to Motion we have.... >> Power Station ---- Convert to Hydrogen --- Convert to Electricity --- >> Convert to Motion >> I wonder which one is more efficient.... > > It's a shame they can't mine it, like helium :-) Helium is due to run out in 10 years.... >> it always takes an "incident" to focus the minds (hydrogen is the >> *only* pressurized gas that if vented can burst into flames without >> any ignition source - just thought I would toss that idea in...) > > I didn't know that :-( Most gasses will do that once above their inversion temperature, it's just that hydrogen's is well less than ambient (Helium and neon also do it at ambient, but they can't burn...) > Are there any LPG NBs around? With the increased cost of red diesel > surely this has now got to be a better, and cleaner, option than > previously - albeit the storage must be more of a problem. I don't see why not. Just need to make space for more cylinders - If one plumped for a semi-trad end, then you could put the cylinders in the back "bit" - 2 x, say, 19kg each side would do nicely (IIRC 19kg must equate to around 25 litres). Main problem is that you then need another engine, since LPG ones are based on petrol units. I do wonder if a hybrid engine would suit a nb better - after all, once under way, the energy required is low (and thus the engine is not performing at best efficiency) - thus have an electric motor (could be reversible, does away with a gearbox) connected to bank of batteries (fork lift type) with a diesel generator to top it up at intervals - I suspect that would make for some nice quiet periods of cruising, and be of great benefit in tunnels. Also one could keep it fully topped up while in the marina. Ron Jones Process Safety & Development Specialist Don't repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near misses at http://www.crhf.org.uk Only two things are certain: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe. ~ Albert Einstein
