Hydrogen Generator
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what do i need to build a hydrogen powered generator?
Iam going to build a hydrogen generator as a new project, links plans, or any advice would be much appreciated
A genny is little more than an alternator driven by an engine, that is setsto maintain a steady speed.
Design/Functioning of engine...
If you're intending to burn it in an reciprocating engine, it's worthwhile remembering that Hydrogen burns VERY fast after ignition. This means the pressure rise after ignition will be a lot sharper than that of an engine fuelled on petrol. With the same calorific value of fuel, the peak pressure is likely to be higher too. There's likely to be differences in curve of the expansion, and exhaust stroke, due to difference in the make up of the gases. But overall expect the engine's p-V diagram is likely to be closer to idealised cycle than the of a real engine fuelled by petrol
http://webphysics.davidson.edu/physlet_resources/thermal/engine.html
Stronger components are gonna be needed to deal with the higher peak pressure, ignition timing will also need retarded! Combustion is gonna be a lot hotter too, so cooling is gonna need improved. Additionally remember hotter combustion means more oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gases. hydrogen will burn over a much greater range of concentrations than petrol so it should be possible to run the engine leaner/richer than petrol.
You're gonna need quite of lot of hydrogen. Each rev of an otto cycle engine takes in a volume of gas equal to 1/2 the engines displacement. Ideally 2/3 of that should be hydrogen (at atmospheric pressure). So 1/3 of the engines displacement in hydrogen per rev. Think alternators like to be turned at about 2000RPM so looking at a hydrogen consumption PER SECOND that 11 times the engine's displacement
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Generating the hydrogen...
There's lots of designs out there (eg on You-Tube) for generating Browns gas (a mixture of 1 part Oxygen to 2part Hydrogen) via electrolysis of water but I think you'd be wanting the gas streams to be kept seperate, at least in storage. (Much safer. 100% hydrogen on it's own CAN'T explode, unless it gets into contact with Oxygen)
I'm working on design produce seperate O2 and H2 streams myself(not for an engine per-se though, and at much lower volumes) and due to the difficulties of obtaining exotic materials such as Nafion, I think the Hofman Voltameter offers an fairly good starting point...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofmann_Voltameter
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Remember that it costs more energy to produce the hydrogen than you can ever get back from burning it ON IT'S OWN. However when combined with other fuels, the mixture is gonna behave differently, and I've a hunch (UNTESTED!) that as hydrogen burns a lot faster than other fuels , the addition of a small amount of hydrogen to a normal petrol fueled otto engine MIGHT mean faster combustion and move it closer to the ideal otto-cycle . If this is the case there would be an optimum amount, and adding more would drop efficency (due to the energy needed to make the hydrogen, exceeding any increase in output). Again there's likely to be problems due to high peak cylinder pressures/temperatures, which could damage the engine.
It's just the same when ether/"starting gas" is used. That tends to blow piston rings destroying the compression.
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