Jim3k
06-14-2008, 07:12 PM
Given the ridiculously high price of gasoline, there are a number of alternative fuel proposals (and possible scams) floating out there.
One of the suggestions is the application of HHO gas to supplement gasoline. These things come in a kit (or are home-made). Using some form of electrolysis, they separate a water atom into 2Hs and 1O, HHO (though from highschool chemistry, I recall that and H is an H in gaseous form -- not sure why it would be HH, whic means two Hs combined). Anyway, the stuff burns.
These devices supposedly boost mileage by as much as 20%. If so, that would be a boon to drivers everywhere.
My question: Is any of this true? Can it work? Can it work effciently enough to warrant converting a car?
Or, do the laws of thermodynamics get in the way? I know some energy is needed to convert the water to a usable gas. But would create enough hydrogen to actually boost anything? IIR from high school, you could get some hydrogen in a jar and make it go 'poof!' but the amount was so small that it wasn't anything more than a curiosity. I mean, how much hydrogen can be gotten from a quart of water, anyway?
Plus, in a car, you'd have to control the hydrogen-gasoline mixture. Wouldn't there be temperature issues as well? And how much of a mileage boost can there be with such small quantities of hydrogen?
So...Is any of this stuff real?
One of the suggestions is the application of HHO gas to supplement gasoline. These things come in a kit (or are home-made). Using some form of electrolysis, they separate a water atom into 2Hs and 1O, HHO (though from highschool chemistry, I recall that and H is an H in gaseous form -- not sure why it would be HH, whic means two Hs combined). Anyway, the stuff burns.
These devices supposedly boost mileage by as much as 20%. If so, that would be a boon to drivers everywhere.
My question: Is any of this true? Can it work? Can it work effciently enough to warrant converting a car?
Or, do the laws of thermodynamics get in the way? I know some energy is needed to convert the water to a usable gas. But would create enough hydrogen to actually boost anything? IIR from high school, you could get some hydrogen in a jar and make it go 'poof!' but the amount was so small that it wasn't anything more than a curiosity. I mean, how much hydrogen can be gotten from a quart of water, anyway?
Plus, in a car, you'd have to control the hydrogen-gasoline mixture. Wouldn't there be temperature issues as well? And how much of a mileage boost can there be with such small quantities of hydrogen?
So...Is any of this stuff real?