Increasing Fuel Mileage With Hydrogen?

cr0sh asks: "I was recently looking into the costs and availabilty associated with small, hydrogen fuel cells (results: they are still expensive), when I came across this site about the Hydrogen-Boost [Warning: Pop-ups]. Looking at this site, it seemed like just another in the long line of scamming 'get more mileage/power' engine products out there, but it intrigued me enough to continue looking into it. I eventually came upon another site on hydrogen experiments. A little more searching revealed this one about constructing your own Hydro-Boost device, which goes into detail about how you would build such a system. None of these sites answered the big questions, however: 'does it work?', and 'if so, how well?'. I also wanted something a little more authoritative. So, back to digging...which came up with this paper from OSTI [PDF]. The very first line of the abstract of this paper reads 'It is well known that hydrogen addition to spark-ignited (SI) engines can reduce exhaust emissions and increase efficiency.' This paper seems to advance the notion that such a system like the 'Hydrogen Boost' system may actually work. Does Slashdot think such a system would work? If so, how it could be improved, especially given today's rapidly rising gasoline prices, here in America?"

"On the experiments site, via the link to 'Hydrogen Experiments Part 2', the author references the first site. He ultimately decides to 'home-brew' his own system instead, and gives enough detail for anybody to do so. I was hoping the author had more details on the effects caused by dumping hydrogen into his engine, but that doesn't appear to be.

A notable observation on the Hydro Boost Device is that instead of using a stainless steel mesh as the other guy uses (which would seem to be a superior material to use, though difficult to find), this design uses galvanized steel bolts for the electrodes, making it something that can be built from materials found at a local building materials warehouse."

Comments

MODS TO THE RESCUE

[BoojiBoy0]

MODS! Please take care of all these posts that think this has something to do with hydrogen fuel cells. Then please take care of this one too.

Could this avoid future wars ??

[indiancowboy]

Well, if such hydrogen fuel cells could be the answer to america's SUV needs... then could this cure Bush's Mad-Cowboy disease? Else who knows? today its Iraq tomorrow another oil-rich country. May these alternative fuel-cells be developed soon the delay is shedding blood!

Re:Forget efficiency go with NOS

[JWSmythe]

365hp from a Mustang? Congratulations.. Not too often I see a good strong Mustang. Ford really messed up making their GT's so weak. I hear the new Cobra's are going to be closer to 400hp. I've seen a few great Mustangs up in your class. My favorite was a late 80's, with a 351 and NOS. *THAT* was a quick car. As far as I know, the owner never dyno'd it, so I don't know the horsepower.

I've driven a '95 and '2000 Mustang GT, and was upset how slow they were. We don't even need to get into how bad the V6 convertables are. :)

I drive a 2000 TransAm WS/6. I just drove it from Florida to California and with the cruise set to 80mph in 6th gear the engine was under 2k RPM and I got 26mpg.. :) Not bad for a mostly stock 330hp car.. I manage around 20 with a mix of city and highway driving. Los Angeles traffic doesn't help though. "Hey, we're on the 110 leaving downtown at rush hour. Set the parking brake, and light a cigerette, we'll be here for a while."

I used to drive a heavily modified 1982 TransAm that was about 400hp (carburated Chevy smallblock 350). It only got about 20mpg. It only had a 4 speed stick, which really hurt. I wanted to go with a 5 speed, but was warned that the stock 5 speed wouldn't handle the power, and I didn't have money to go aftermarket at the time.

Needless to say if I was seriously running either TransAm, the milage went down. Stop and go oval racing the '82, I got 6 gallons per mile. I just had the 2000 out at a street type track recently. I didn't do a proper fuel estimation, but I went maybe 75 miles on 1/2 tank (8gal).

After market parts can really do wonders for fuel economy. Of course they're all marketed for speed. :) But applying so much more power, it's easier to push the weight around. Idling along on the highway in 6th gear the throttle is barely pressed to hold my speed. I drove a 4 cyl Acura sedan from Los Angeles to San Diego, and confused myself a few times because pushing the gas a little didn't do anything.. Full throttle on an up-hill on ramp simply isn't the same. I'm a firm believer that people should put more efficent parts on their car (better design cam, higher compression heads, better flowing parts). Do it well, and you'll have a better driving car..

I guess I should add some Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor grunts here.. {grunt}{grunt}{grunt}