Hydrogen World View

Hydrogen Homestead was a project developed in 1975 in Provo, Utah demonstrating a complete hydrogen energy system. Photovoltaic solar cells produced electricity that could be stored in batteries. The electricity from the solar cells powered electrodes that electrolyze water into Oxygen and Hydrogen. The Hydrogen was stored in a metal hydride of Iron-Titanium and Manganese (55% Ti, 44%Fe, 5% Mn), whose weight top out at 3950 lbs and the vessel store 68 pounds of hydrogen. The hydrogen powered fuel cells and was used directly to produce heat for cooking, warming, and cooling. Additionally, the hydrogen powered a lawnmower and a car. The elecrolyzer unit was based on SPE technology. Hydrogen contains 1/3 the energy per unit of natural gas. Hydrogen has a low viscosity because of its small molecular size and for this reason it flows 3 times as fast through its orifice. In a hydrogen burner there is no carbon. The problem with hydrogen is that it burns to fast, forming nitric oxide concentrations. The solution is simple. At high temperatures, stainless steel mesh is an excellent catalyst for hydrogen combustion because it inhibits the mixing of hydrogen and air creating a high concentration of hydrogen around the burner. The result is nitric oxiding formation is eliminated. The hydrogen internal combustion engine can provide equivalent power to a gas internal combustion engine with a few modifications. Without modification, an hydrogen burning ICE results in a 25 to 30% loss in power. The air intake in a hydrogen cylinder is 1/4 less volume than a gas based air volume. In a gas engine, the cylinder will occuppy 990 ml of air and 10 ml of gas, whereas, a hydrogen cylinder will have 750 ml of air and 250 ml of hydrogen. Power drops because there is not as much oxygen to react with the fuel. So, increasing power means getting a full charge of air into the cylinder through a technique known as Direct Cylinder injection (DCI). DCI fills the chamber with 1000 ml of air and then injects hydrogen under pressure into the cylinder. A computer control system monitors events and electronically causes actuators that regulate the flow of hydrogen into the cylinder. Dr Ridges discover a method using a solenoid which open and closed a valve, inhibiting and allowing the flow of hydrogen. Cutting power to the solenid opened the valve and power transmitted to the solenid closed the valve. DCI technology seems to have solved the power problem and computer technology seems capable of managing the ignition system. Hydrid technology is stable. Dr. Billing points out that hydride storage systems are heavy. However, ECD has solved the problem of weight using Nanotechnology Carbon Wound Fiber tanks produced by a third party. The tanks are light weight and capable of maintaining pressures of 5000 psi. The next problem is refueling time. The current refueling time benchmark is eight minutes, five minutes is desired. However, if hydrogen slurry

"This book is very inspiring! Written by a man ahead of his time who converted the first car to hydrogen in the 60's!. He tells about his experience converting several vehicles and even an entire homestead to hydrogen. It is filled with practical technical information from over twenty-five years of hydrogen research. It covers automotive conversions, hydrogen gas appliances, metal hydride storage, electrolysis, hydrogen fuel cells, and more. Absolutely a must read for anyone interested in hydrogen as a fuel.

Dr. Billings is right on -- the future is as he sees it -- long live Dr. Billings, and his underground refugee colony.Understanding atmospheric Hydrogen allows one to see the vision of the future -- free, and perpetual energy. Even if it means living underground as gnomes.I found the book to be enlightening and ahead of its time -- look at the publication date, and think how right the Almighty Dr. is proving to be . .