Re: Boeing to fly fuel-cell GA plane...

[DeltaDeltaDelta]

I read an interesting article in the papers a while ago concerning hydrogen
fuel cells. It made the point that the fuel cell can actually be more
polluting than an petrol engine since all the hydrogen ejected into the
atmosphere could have an adverse effect on the oxygen in the air and
possibly lead to a decrease of global temperature...

Triple Delta

"Thomas J. Paladino Jr." > wrote in message
...
> http://www.msnbc.com/news/937600.asp?0cv=CB10
>
> It's not actually a GA-related project, the're just using a Diamond for
the
> testbed. Still, it's an interesting idea.
>
>

[Tom S.]

"DeltaDeltaDelta" > wrote in message
...
> I read an interesting article in the papers a while ago concerning
hydrogen
> fuel cells. It made the point that the fuel cell can actually be more
> polluting than an petrol engine since all the hydrogen ejected into the
> atmosphere could have an adverse effect on the oxygen in the air and
> possibly lead to a decrease of global temperature...
>

Shirley you're not serious?

Tom

[John T]

"DeltaDeltaDelta" > wrote in message

>
> I read an interesting article in the papers a while ago concerning
> hydrogen fuel cells. It made the point that the fuel cell can
> actually be more polluting than an petrol engine since all the
> hydrogen ejected into the atmosphere could have an adverse effect on
> the oxygen in the air and possibly lead to a decrease of global
> temperature...

Read it again. I believe you'll find that the authors are complaining about
the possible leaks in hydrogen production and transport. Here's a link
discussing the report:
http://www.nature.com/nsu/030609/030609-14.html

Fuel cells themselves are infinitely cleaner than petroleum fuels. The
hydrogen used in mass production cells may or may not be stored/transported
in gaseous form.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
_______________

[G.R. Patterson III]

DeltaDeltaDelta wrote:
>
> I read an interesting article in the papers a while ago concerning hydrogen
> fuel cells. It made the point that the fuel cell can actually be more
> polluting than an petrol engine since all the hydrogen ejected into the
> atmosphere could have an adverse effect on the oxygen in the air and
> possibly lead to a decrease of global temperature...

The article was obviously written by a moron (or possibly misunderstood).
Engines that use fuel cells eject water. Simple chemistry. Two molecules
of hydrogen plus one of oxygen produce water (H2O) and a little energy
(can you say "Hindenburg"?).

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

[DeltaDeltaDelta]

Now that you mentioned it, I also recall some thesis that if the water is
ejected from the engine, it will increase the moisture levels slowly until
how-knows-what happens. It makes very little sense, yes, probably somebody
wrote it in lack of anything else to write about...

Triple Delta

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> DeltaDeltaDelta wrote:
> >
> > I read an interesting article in the papers a while ago concerning
hydrogen
> > fuel cells. It made the point that the fuel cell can actually be more
> > polluting than an petrol engine since all the hydrogen ejected into the
> > atmosphere could have an adverse effect on the oxygen in the air and
> > possibly lead to a decrease of global temperature...
>
> The article was obviously written by a moron (or possibly misunderstood).
> Engines that use fuel cells eject water. Simple chemistry. Two molecules
> of hydrogen plus one of oxygen produce water (H2O) and a little energy
> (can you say "Hindenburg"?).
>
> George Patterson
> The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
> pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
> James Branch Cavel

[G.R. Patterson III]

DeltaDeltaDelta wrote:
>
> Now that you mentioned it, I also recall some thesis that if the water is
> ejected from the engine, it will increase the moisture levels slowly until
> how-knows-what happens.

But the hydrogen was created by electrolization of water, removing exactly
as much water from the system as will be restored when the fuel is used.

It's a closed system in that regard. The net amount of water remains the
same.

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

[Peter Duniho]

"DeltaDeltaDelta" > wrote in message
...
> Possibly they meant that the hydrogen can be obtained from liquid water,
but
> leaves the engine in a gaseous state. Some of this will condense, but some
> could also stay in the atmosphere and form clouds or drift into the higher
> layers of the atmosphere.

Water vapor is already a byproduct of our current engine technologies. And
yes, it is a potential problem. But fuel cells are FAR more efficient than
combustion engines, without any of the other harmful emissions. Anyone
trying to argue that fuel cells won't be a net win is just plain crazy.

Pete