Forum Junior
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
Posts: 264
Location: Nashville, TN USA
|
From what I understand on the subject, there can be many different ways to make fuel cells, each one has its own pros and cons.
My question is this, theoretically with greater understanding and research than I have at my disposal, would it be possible to split hydrogen from H20 using some sort of simple, non-fossil fueled electrolysis process, or some other process, store the resulting hydroxide, release the electron by using a chemical reaction from the hydrogen atom into an anode, the hydrogen atom receiving a new electron from the cathode of the circuit, the original electron reconnecting to another electron-less hydrogen atom once it finishes traveling through the circuit, reconnect the hydrogen to the hydroxide thus reforming the H20, and re-start the process all over again?
Would this scheme slowly lose energy through electron loss? If so, could the electron loss be slowed enough to the point where photovoltaic cells or some other form of environmentally friendly power source could replenish the system with the replacement amount of electrons?
The reason this interests me is that this would be pretty much a closed system, the only things you would need to replenish over time would be water, and, in a much longer time period, the catalyst. The problem is finding the catalysts that can preform these processes in sequence.
Also, right now, it is a little hard to split the hydrogen from the water, usually requiring some sort of biological process such as starving green algae of sulfur so that they produce hydrogen instead of oxygen, or using electrolysis which defeats the purpose because then where are you getting the electricity to preform electrolysis? unless it is solar, wind, or nuclear you are usually still burning fossil fuels or natural gas.
What are your thoughts and which type of fuel cell do you think shows the most promise, or do you think a better method may exist?
_________________
Click this link to see the video that convinced me of evolution.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7766953598776147281&q=apes+that+write+start+fires&ei=Gu8PSL_bOo-E4gKqzMGpBA&hl=en
 |
|
