Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Howdy Rick and Ken, Potassium will burst into flame due to reaction with moist air, sodium will not. There are three allotropes of phosphorous. Red (amorphous) and Black (laminar) are not particularly reactive (think of the red of a match head- that's red phosphorous) Only white Phosphor

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

 Dear Ken, That was phosphorus. Rick Ken Chua wrote: Hi all, Sodium in air will burn instantly and explosively. Wasn't this the reason Thomas Edison got fired and lost part of his hearing because he let dry a piece of sodium metal in the box car he was experimenting in. The

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

sure it works but it takes more energy to make the sodium than you get back in hydorgen. bmolloy wrote: > Hi All, >This thread intrigued, so much so that I posted it around among > friends for comment. One said that sodium was the answer to generating cheap > hydrogen. The exchange as

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Actually, whereas potassium will react with moisture in the air, sodium won't react so rapidly. Chuck it water and it will, quite excitingly. Ken Chua wrote: > Hi all, > > Sodium in air will burn instantly and explosively. > Wasn't this the reason Thomas Edison got fired and > lost part of hi

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Dear Doug, No. Rick des wrote: I recall that chemistry experiment, (also works with potassium), both metals were kept under oil to prevent oxidation. They're very unstable metals, and not found on earth in their pure forms. Hence the question becomes: How much energy does it take to

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Hmmm. Seems very similar to generating hydrogen on demand from water by electrolyzing it. Works great, but there is that pesky energy balance thing... I suspect the energy to refine sodium is much greater than what you ever get out of the hydrogen. Plus, what to do with the left over sodium hy

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

This is truly an excellent way to generate cheap hydrogen on command.  It eliminates the storage difficulty that hydrogen gas presents.  The only problem is generating cheap pure sodium... Rick bmolloy wrote: Hi All, This thread intrigued, so much so that I posted it around amon

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Hi all, Sodium in air will burn instantly and explosively. Wasn't this the reason Thomas Edison got fired and lost part of his hearing because he let dry a piece of sodium metal in the box car he was experimenting in. The box car burned to the ground too. Sodium metal is usually placed in oil t

Re: [Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

I recall that chemistry experiment, (also works with potassium), both metals were kept under oil to prevent oxidation. They're very unstable metals, and not found on earth in their pure forms. Hence the question becomes: How much energy does it take to purify the metal, and once this is cons

[Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

Hi All, This thread intrigued, so much so that I posted it around among friends for comment. One said that sodium was the answer to generating cheap hydrogen. The exchange as follows. Any comment, anyone? Regards, Bob. Sodium pill? What? How? Tell me more. > Very little to tell. Six

[Biofuel] Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen

News Published online: 4 August 2005; | doi:10.1038/news050801-11 Sunlight used to smelt zinc Mark Peplow Solar technique could lead to cleaner, cheaper hydrogen. The solar tower can produce temperatures up to 1,200 °C © Weizmann Inst. Scientists have found a way to harness the Sun's energy