There are a variety of advantages to hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are environmentally friendly. Hydrogen fuel cells use a renewable all-natural resource and hydrogen burns cleanly when combusted in the engine. As gas costs rise and hydrogen costs drop, hydrogen fuel cells are swiftly becoming desirable choices for auto owners. Sadly, it is highly-priced to generate hydrogen fuel cells. But can you construct hydrogen fuel cell for your automobile?The rather easy answer is no. Hydrogen fuel cells are difficult, sophisticated engines produced by a particularly trained team of knowledgeable engineers. Commercially created hydrogen fuel cells are complicated in their engineering architecture. Hydrogen is a very combustible element, and a poorly created hydrogen fuel cell can create explosive outcomes. We very advise against attempting to produce your own hydrogen fuel cell.

The technologies used to construct hydrogen fuel cells is so new, that most mechanics are unable to service a automobile that makes use of hydrogen fuel cells, let alone create 1 from scratch. Most hydrogen fuel cells use platinum as a catalyst. Platinum is a uncommon and pricey metal that is tough to operate with, primarily for dwelling automotive enthusiasts.Even if you could create a hydrogen fuel cell, preserve in mind that most hydrogen fuel cells are fragile. Automotive hydrogen fuel cells are very-priced and tricky to construct and sustain. HHO (2 parts of hydrogen, 1 component of oxygen) conversion kits can be utilized to permit your automobile to partially run on water.

There are many advantages to hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are environmentally friendly. Hydrogen fuel cells use a renewable natural resource and hydrogen burns cleanly when combusted in the engine. The US government has also launched initiatives to make hydrogen affordable. As gas prices rise and hydrogen prices drop, hydrogen fuel cells are quickly becoming attractive options for car owners. Unfortunately, it is expensive to produce hydrogen fuel cells. But can you build hydrogen fuel cell for your car?

The simple answer is no. Hydrogen fuel cells are complex, sophisticated engines made by a highly trained team of experienced engineers. Commercially produced hydrogen fuel cells are complex in their engineering architecture. Considerable expertise, technology and manpower is required to produce hydrogen fuel cells.

Even if you had the resources and the money to produce your own hydrogen fuel cell, safety is another issue that you cannot ignore. Hydrogen is a highly combustible element, and a poorly made hydrogen fuel cell can produce explosive results. We highly advise against trying to build your own hydrogen fuel cell.

The technology used to build hydrogen fuel cells is so new, that most mechanics are unable to service a vehicle that uses hydrogen fuel cells, let alone build one from scratch. Not only are fuel cells difficult to build, but the materials required are also costly. Most hydrogen fuel cells use platinum as a catalyst. Platinum is a rare and expensive metal that is challenging to work with, especially for home automotive enthusiasts.

Even if you could build a hydrogen fuel cell, keep in mind that most hydrogen fuel cells are fragile. They are unable to withstand long term exposure to bumps and vibrations of everyday road travel.

Technology may eventually evolve to the point where we can build our own hydrogen fuel cells the same way automotive enthusiasts build their own gas combustion engines. Unfortunately, that day is still not here yet. Automotive hydrogen fuel cells are expensive and difficult to construct and maintain. And once constructed, their fragile nature exposes safety concerns that motorists should not have to contend with.

Small-scale hydrogen fuel cells can be created in your home if curiosity has truly piqued your interest. These experiments are easy and cheap to conduct. There are several websites that will show you how to make a home-made hydrogen fuel cell of science project quality. These projects are fun, and more importantly safe.

For a variety of reasons, you cannot build hydrogen fuel cell (s) that are safe or cost efficient. If you are looking to conserve gas and save the environment, there are other options available. HHO (2 parts of hydrogen, 1 part of oxygen) conversion kits can be utilized to allow your vehicle to partially run on water. These conversions can be safe, provided you closely follow a good guide. There are many different guides on HHO conversion, so it would be ideal to conduct some research before investing in a HHO conversion guide. Thankfully, HHO conversion can be simple, safe and environmentally friendly. So the next time you consider modifying your vehicle to save on gas, consider using water instead of hydrogen.

About Author

Click Here to learn how to run your car on water today. Arthur Maxwell is an expert on gas-saving cars, providing valuable advice at http://www.drivingcarwithwater.info/.

The State of Florida together with Ford Motor Company has announced recently that they are putting a fleet of hydrogen-fueled Ford E-450 buses in all of Orlando. It would become the first US city to take delivery of these ultra clean vehicles.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has marked the occasion at the Chevron Hydrogen station which will provide fuel for the eight buses that are powered by internal combustion engines that run exclusively on hydrogen.

Sue Cischke, Ford Senior Vice President for Sustainability, Environment, and Safety Engineering said, “These buses represent part of Ford Motor Company’s strategy to deliver transportation solutions that emit less CO2 and reduce our dependence on oil. We are pleased to partner with the State of Florida, Progress Energy and Chevron Hydrogen to place these buses into service so that Central Florida residents will be able to experience this unique form of clean transportation.”

Governor Charlie Crist has also expressed his gladness for the new hydrogen buses that they will be receiving. He said, “Today’s event demonstrates the incredible level of support hydrogen technology is receiving from our nation’s distinguished business leaders. Florida is excited to be a part of these revolutionary advancements and we are embracing the challenges that lie ahead. We are committed as state to be a leader in both the policies and projects that protect our economy and our environment.”

The Ford E-450 shuttle buses are powered by a 6.8 liter V10 engine that been supercharged and fine tuned to run exclusively on hydrogen fuel. Of the eight F-450, two of which are to be used by the Greater Orlando Airport Authority (GOAA), and additional two are to be assigned for the Orlando Convention Central District. The remaining four are to be delivered to customers in Florida at a later date. Ford has already delivered five buses to Canada, three of which are in Ottawa while the other two are delivered in Vancouver late of 2006. All in all Ford will deliver a total of 30 buses to customers across North America by the end of this year.

The Ford E-450 shuttle buses in Florida are part of the state’s broader plan to move toward a greater application of alternative fuels. And last year, Ford delivered five hybrid hydrogen Ford Focus Fuel Cell vehicles as part of a separate effort with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Progress Energy to gain feedback on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

The Technology behind the Internal Combustion Engine

The Ford E-450 was based on the belief of Ford Motor Company that the hydrogen combustion engine technology can serve as a means of allowing hydrogen to become a viable alternative fuel. The use of hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines provides many advantages including high-efficiency, all-weather capability, and near zero emissions of regulated pollutants and greenhouse gases (CO2). And the best thing about hydrogen fueled internal combustion is the fact that they can be hybridized to boost further fuel efficiency.

To further enhance its hydrogen internal combustion engines, Ford is conducting additional research to create its next generation hydrogen internal combustion engines which will include features such as direct injection to improve power and fuel economy.

Ford’s strategy for alternative fuels is shaped around multiple technologies that include hydrogen internal combustion engines. Through this approach the company is able to meet its goals in terms of meeting up customer needs, environmental impact and even shareholder interests. However the strategy does not only focus on one catch all solution but offers a wide array of options that includes hybrids, E85 ethanol, clean diesels, bio-diesels, advanced engine and transmission technologies as well as hydrogen fuel cells.

The company has already created a fleet of 30 hydrogen powered Focus fuel cell vehicles that are now being used as part of a world-wide, seven-city program that aims to conduct real world testing of fuel cell technology. The 3-car fleet has already accumulated 500,000 miles of distance traveled since its introduction in 2005. 90,000 of the 500,000 miles have been recorded in Florida.

In addition, Ford—major stockholder of Mazda the producer of top-of-the-line Mazda AC condenser — is also conducting tests with the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive makes use of a series electric drivetrain with an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator which gives the vehicle a range 255 miles with zero emissions.

At present, Ford is offering gasoline-electric hybrids that include the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid which are being employed as taxis in some cities of US. The company will also launched hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in 2008.

About Author

Kraig Johanssen is a native of Connecticut and holds a degree in Software Engineering. He now works at a software development firm in Alabama. His love for writing and great interest on cars makes him a proficient contributing author to various automotive magazines.

The world in its run for progress and mechanization has almost exhausted all non-renewable energy sources that Mother Earth had provided. Global warming, depleted water sources and increased pollution have paused serious threat to the well-being of mankind. We are now looking desperately for renewable energy sources and alternate fuel. In our tryst the latest addition is hydrogen fuel cells. Developed as a part of the space program initially, more and more car manufacturers are now edging towards adopting Hydrogen Fuel Cells to power the cars.

What are Hydrogen Fuel Cells?

The hydrogen fuel cell is same as our battery cells except for the fact that in case of hydrogen fuel cells the power is produced only when hydrogen is fed to the fuel cell. The electricity produced in hydrogen fuel cell is dependent on the rate of Hydrogen flow to the cell and also on size of the hydrogen fuel cell.

What are the advantages of Hydrogen Fuel Cells?

Although along with electricity it produces heat and water, the hydrogen fuel cells produce a lot less heat than the traditional rod cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are a lot more efficient than the gasoline engines by about 20 to 30%.

These cells can be created in different sizes and as a result can be used to power smaller instruments like an MP3 player to factory buildings and towns.

For the automobile industries the biggest challenge today are its dependence on gasoline and the rate of pollution. Hydrogen fuel cells if used as internal combustion engines for cars can reduce the petroleum dependency and environmental pollution.

Not just for cars, hydrogen fuel cells can be used to power remote areas, provide electricity where roads have not yet been built and in general alleviate the living conditions. It can also be used as a portable source of energy.

It is estimated that hydrogen fuel cells may replace the traditional batteries all together in the next 50 to 100 years. If it has been successful in the space programs, it is quite evident that it will leave its mark in day-today life as well. Different government and environment agencies are also supporting the use of hydrogen fuel cells. However with all boons comes its accompanying bane. To produce hydrogen we need energy. Fossil fuels are widely used to produce that energy. Now as we all know fossil fuel too is a non-renewable energy source. So the need of the hour is a lot more research so that we can get hydrogen from a renewable energy source in order to power hydrogen fuel cells in generating electricity.

However there is no denying the fact that today we need such energy alternatives like hydrogen fuel cells that are customizable, can be used everywhere, can power anything from a small walkman to a town and the best of all reduces pollution and generated less heat. As we all know it is time that we do away with global warming!

About Author

Gregg Hall is an author living on the Treasure Coast of Florida. Now that you know more about fuel economy be sure that you get quality goodyear tires by going to http://www.nsearch.com

A hydrogen vehicle, as the name suggests is powered by hydrogen instead of gasoline, as is the case in contemporary vehicles.  The vehicles can be buses, cargo bikes, PHB bikes, trains, motorcycles, golf-carts, wheelchairs, airplanes, ships, submarines and even rockets. Such vehicles convert hydrogen into energy through electro-chemical conversion (Fuel-cell conversion) or combustion. In the electro-chemical conversion engines, hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce electricity and water. The electricity powers the traction motor. In the combustion engines on the other hand, hydrogen is combusted in engine similar to the traditional combustion engines in contemporary vehicles. 

Extracting hydrogen power for use in vehicles is a complex process. Hydrogen and Oxygen are the two natural elements that make water. Hydrogen is not regarded as a source of energy but a carrier of the same mainly because extracting the same from water takes much energy. To date, there is no efficient technology for use in extracting hydrogen energy. Even established carmakers like Ford Motor Company and Renault-Nissan have dropped plans to develop hydrogen cars mainly because of the costs involved and the lack of a reliable hydrogen production plants. 

The most definite utilization of hydrogen in vehicles is evident in rockets. This is mainly based on the gas’s ability to give the high exhaust velocity and low net weight to the propellant.  In airplanes, the use of hydrogen engines is still in the trial phase. The major obstacle in the development of hydrogen vehicles is mainly cost related. In addition to the high costs, the hydrogen fuel cells are also fragile thus making them unreliable for use in vibrations and bumps generated by automobiles. Most hydrogen engines require the use of rare catalysts such as platinum, thus making the cost even more prohibitive. Engineers are however researching on what else can be used as a catalyst in order to lower the costs. Nickel-tin is a nonmetal catalyst that is under serious consideration by the engineers.  

Another hindrance in the development of hydrogen vehicles is the fact that the fuel cell can solidify in freezing conditions. This means that the Hydrogen vehicles are only operational on temperatures above 32 F or 0 Celsius. However, this concern is mainly before engine start-up since the engine can generate enough heat to maintain enough operational temperatures.  To solve this problem, engineers think that the inclusion of a pre-heating device or the use of a fuel cell that has some form of heating element would solve this problem. 

There are also concerns about the service life of hydrogen vehicles. Although the service life in cycling has been confirmed ay 7,300 hours, the target for heavy-duty vehicles such as buses is still under research. In such vehicles, the target of service life is set at 30,000 hours. Large-scale development of hydrogen vehicles would lead to decreased green house gases emissions since hydrogen fuels do not produce carbon dioxide. For this to happen however, engineers and researchers must overcome the challenges presented in the production, transportation and storage of the hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Watch the video related to hydrogen engine

Engine Running on Hydrogen and Oxygen Gas 5-31-2008 We ran another test again on June 6, 2008 and our findings were as follows. When the engine is not getting enough HHO gas and it is running slow as you see in the video it has the tendency of backfiring. We doubled the balloons one inside another that add more pressure and the engine ran a lot faster without any backfires. We will be doing another demonstration video demonstrating with the welder producing the hydrogen oxygen gas….

Help answer the question about hydrogen engine

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