"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. net...
In article , "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. ..
In article . com, Don
Stauffer in Minnesota wrote:

One of the things that gets me on the "hydrogen bandwagon" is the
claim that they need to get research money to develop cheaper fuel
cells. But if we DID have a good source of hydrogen, we don't need
fuel cell cars.

I disagree. A fuel cell liberates hydrogen on demand; the alternative to
using
fuel cells in a hydrogen-powered vehicle is to carry a tankful of
hydrogen --
thus turning every car on the road into a rolling bomb.

How does it "liberate hydrogen on demand"? The hydrogen/fuel-cell car I
saw
at the New York Auto Show a couple of years ago had regular gas tanks full
of hydrogen. There has been talk of using methane or even liquid fuels to
supply the hydrogen, but efficiency and maintenance problems are said to
go
to pot when you do. Not having any experience with it I wouldn't know for
sure.

My understanding of the process is that a hydrogen fuel cell uses a
chemical
catalyst to release hydrogen gas from hydrogen-containing compounds --
it's
not a tank of gaseous hydrogen.

I think you're talking about hydride storage, which applies to storage for
any kind of hydrogen-fueled power plant. It's a possibility for
hydrogen-powered cars but the weight/volume problem is a big one. Of course,
it's less of a problem with fuel-cell electrics than hydrogen-fuelled IC
engines, because the former use a lot less hydrogen.

But most of the technology is something I haven't studied. Hydrogen seems to
present big storage and distribution problems, but some experts say they'll
be overcome. I'll have to wait and see.

--
Ed Huntress