hydrogen - Gizmodo

posts about #hydrogen more →
World's Smallest Fuel Cell Could Power Your Gadgets
Horizon H-Racer 2.0: Faster, Greener, Less Likely To Smash Into Walls
Amazing Hydrogen Fuel Tank Being Made Of Buckyballs And Graphene
Korean Research Makes Hydrogen Manufacture 30 Times Cheaper
Much Cheaper Fuel Cells On The Way With New Prototype
Jack Nicholson Solves Oil Crisis 30 Years Ago, Drives Hydrogen Car in 1978
Methanol Fuel Cells to Power Military Laptops
Genepax Unveils a Car That Runs on Water and Air
Shell Station in LA to Offer Hydrogen Later This Month
Giz Test Drive: Student-Built Challenge X Fuel-Cell Car in NYC

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

Kaiser-Machead
01/22/09

In reply to World's Smallest Fuel Cell Could Power Your Gadgets
So finally, your artificial heart will have the juice it needs.

only the first 30 seconds suffice
Reply

Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred

hodayathink wants WWFRD back!
01/22/09

In reply to World's Smallest Fuel Cell Could Power Your Gadgets
I-L-L
Reply

Hello Mister Walrus
01/22/09

In reply to World's Smallest Fuel Cell Could Power Your Gadgets
I'm assuming this is not rechargeable. But anyway, how does this power output and duration compare to standard non-rechargeable batteries.
Reply

Curves
12/04/08

In reply to Horizon H-Racer 2.0: Faster, Greener, Less Likely To Smash Into Walls
It looks like the original cartoon Mach 5.
Reply

Curves was starred Curves was unstarred

rcast1986
12/03/08

In reply to Horizon H-Racer 2.0: Faster, Greener, Less Likely To Smash Into Walls
Wow even the toy versions are making pretty impress progress.
Reply

rcast1986 was starred rcast1986 was unstarred

rcast1986
12/03/08

@rcast1986: impressive
Reply

rcast1986 was starred rcast1986 was unstarred

IN THE FACE!
12/03/08

@rcast1986: impressivo
Reply

IN THE FACE! was starred IN THE FACE! was unstarred

Franknbeans
11/25/08

In reply to Amazing Hydrogen Fuel Tank Being Made Of Buckyballs And Graphene
Ok folks, you know what happens when a hydrogen fuel tank gets punctured in a crash? Nothing. The gas escapes and the crash site is safe right away. As opposed to gasoline where every second that goes by it gets more and more dangerous, the gasoline getting closer and closer to a source of ignition.
I bet you if this crazy idea works we will all be safer on the road
Reply

Franknbeans was starred Franknbeans was unstarred

MerciHaruhite
11/25/08

@Franknbeans: I'm sorry, but that's simply not true. The lower explosive limit of hydrogen is only 4%, so upon release any localized concentration would quickly become explosive. The upper explosive limit is 74%, so there is quite a wide range of concentrations over which ignition is possible, and ignition also requires about one-tenth the energy of gasoline vapors. To say that a cylinder punctured during an event as chaotic as a crash would harmlessly vent to the atmosphere is completely irresponsible.
Reply

MerciHaruhite was starred MerciHaruhite was unstarred

AmishJohn
11/25/08

@MerciHaruhite: OTOH, it'll have already blown up before EMTs can arrive. So it's safer for them.
Reply

AmishJohn was starred AmishJohn was unstarred

EVEs_Mako
11/25/08

In reply to Amazing Hydrogen Fuel Tank Being Made Of Buckyballs And Graphene
Hydrogen fuel delivery will take decades. The average American's dog is smarter than the average American. I can imagine huge hydrogen fires all over the country if delivery isn't dumbed down and made 110% safe.

Oh and there is a limited supply of Helium on the planet. There is no way to "create" Helium, it is a by-product of natual gas drilling.
Reply

EVEs_Mako was starred EVEs_Mako was unstarred

Gann
11/25/08

@EVEs_Mako: 110% safe, like gasoline? Cause I'm tired of all these gosh-darned gasoline fires. You do know it'd be more of a hydrogen explosion and not a fire, right? Hydrogen doesn't have the stickiness of gasoline, so as long as it's not lit in a confined space you'd just have a large, mostly harmless fireball instead of the nastiness of a gasoline fire. Might roast a few birds flying overhead, but when you'd probably be pretty safe on the ground.
Reply

Gann was starred Gann was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

In reply to Amazing Hydrogen Fuel Tank Being Made Of Buckyballs And Graphene
Hydrogen..."the wonder fuel of the near future"? Umm, are we really talking about bringing hydrogen into our daily lives as a major component of fuel cells? I mean, HYDROGEN, fergawdzsake--as in The Fuel That Made the Hindenburg Famous, that hydrogen?

Oh, the humanity.
Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

AmishJohn
11/25/08

@bosskev: Not to mention the whole 'more-an-energy-storage-device' deal...
Besides, if the US hadn't labeled helium a 'War Material', the chances are pretty good you'd still see zeppelins flying routes today.
Reply

AmishJohn was starred AmishJohn was unstarred

mumin
11/25/08

@bosskev: the Hindenburg never used hydrogen for fuel...
Reply

mumin was starred mumin was unstarred

closhedbb
11/25/08

@bosskev: Are oil and gasoline that much better? Hydrogen production won't make oil spills, or light Tibetan monks on fire. And last I checked, a gas tank explosion isn't much fun either.
Reply

closhedbb was starred closhedbb was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

@mumin: Uhh...yeah. Not as a fuel, yup. It was only a lifting gas. Got it. Thanks for letting us know.

Yeah, not a fuel at all, so therefore, totally safe. And I guess that whole Hindenburg ruckus was like one of those "NASA puts man on the moon" hoaxes, right?

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but that completely puts my mind at ease.

* smiles and nods *

* backs away cautiously *

[Wikipedia article on the LZ 129 Hindenburg]

Use of Hydrogen instead of Helium

Helium was initially selected for the lifting gas as it was the safest to use in airships (absolutely nonflammable). At the time it was extremely expensive, available only from one or two mines in the United States under military control. Hydrogen by comparison could be cheaply produced by anyone and had considerably more lift. The American rigid airships using helium were forced to conserve the gas at all costs and this hampered their operation. While a hydrogen-filled ship could routinely valve gas as necessary, a helium-filled ship had to resort to dynamic force if it was too light to descend, a measure which took a toll on its structure. Initially the United States was willing to sell helium to the Germans, but soon a military embargo against Germany forced the re-engineering of the Hindenburg to use hydrogen for lift. Although the danger of using hydrogen (which unlike helium is flammable) was obvious, there were no alternative gases that could be produced in sufficient quantities that would provide sufficient lift. One beneficial side effect of employing hydrogen was that more passenger cabins could be added. The Germans' long history of flying hydrogen-filled passenger airships without a single injury or fatality engendered a widely-held belief that they had mastered the safe use of hydrogen. While the decision to fly with hydrogen may appear incredibly dangerous today it can be seen as quite reasonable at the time. The Hindenburg's stunning first season performance appeared to demonstrate this conclusively."

Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

delithic
11/25/08

@bosskev: Do you know anything about hydrogen other than its use in the Hindenburg?

[www.plugpower.com]
Reply

delithic was starred delithic was unstarred

Kymeira
11/25/08

@bosskev: You sound so paranoid it's almost funny. Too bad it's people like you that keep progression to a minimum.
Reply

Kymeira was starred Kymeira was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

@closhedbb: "Hydrogen won't...light Tibetan monks on fire."

Yes. Sad, but true.

"And last I checked, a gas tank explosion isn't much fun either."

Tell that to Michael Bay.
Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

@delithic: No. And please don't make me learn. I enjoy my safe little fantasy world of elemental ignorance. I mean, next thing you're going to tell me is that I've been drinking the stuff.
Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

@Kymeira: "You sound so paranoid it's almost funny."

Almost funny? Almost??? I worked hard on that bit of paranoic drivel and I'm almost funny? Damn. Everybody's a critic.

Besides, who else is saying I'm paranoid, huh? Yeah, who else? You? Maybe you? All of you??? I knew it...
Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

bosskev
11/25/08

@bosskev: My slogan for the day:

BOSSKEV: Doing His Part to Wake Up Dead Threads Everywhere

And my job here is indeed done...

;^)
Reply

bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred

MagnoliaX12
11/25/08

In reply to Amazing Hydrogen Fuel Tank Being Made Of Buckyballs And Graphene
It reminds me of a Menger Sponge.

[en.wikipedia.org]
Reply

MagnoliaX12 was starred MagnoliaX12 was unstarred

gibson042
11/25/08

@MagnoliaBoy: I'm thinking it approximates a doubly periodic generalization of Riemann's minimal surface.
Reply

gibson042 was starred gibson042 was unstarred

MagnoliaX12
11/25/08

@gibson042: I heartily concur with your observation.
Reply

MagnoliaX12 was starred MagnoliaX12 was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Gizmodo Team

SUBSCRIBE TO Gizmodo

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment