Actually, NiMH batteries extract the energy very differently, and there's not nearly as much hydrogen in them. These tanks are for extracting the energy directly from the hydrogen, as opposed to getting it from a chemical reaction produced inside a battery.
They may have been (very) optimistic in their estimation of the efficiency of fuel cells (I'm pretty sure the show was not about using H2 as combustion fuel).
They said that the process should eventually allow a 1-liter tank to hold enough H2 to give a Civic-size car a 1,000 km range (assuming it was using a fuel cell). The heat (they said it doesn't take much) comes from the battery pack (most/all fuel cellers have them).
Now as to whether hydrogen is or isn't a 'great fuel', I don't know. But safe it most certainly can be.
Hate to Reply to Myself (tm Slashdot Inc.), but i forgot one other thing: another research group has been working on storing H2 as a Nickel-Metal Hydride. Sound familiar? It's the same method used for batteries of the same name. They fill a tank with fine, fine metal powder (mostly Ni), and pressurize H2 into it. The H2 bonds to the powder at the molecular level, which means you can squeeze ~1,000 times more hydrogen into the same size tank. To get the H2 out, you actually have to apply a small amount of heat to the tank. A fraction less efficient, but much safer than your post would suggest.
Actually, they've gone to some real trouble to make carbon-fiber-reinforced tanks that are *very* hard to bust. I've seen the test footage, and when they finally did manage to bust one (which was no mean feat), it slowly leaked the hydrogen out. What is more, when they ignited the leaking hydrogen, it just burned, Just Like Gasoline; it did not explode.
Incidentally, leaking H2 is somewhat safer than leaking gasoline, because it tends to float up and away instead of accumulate in a growing pool on the ground.
Did you see who put up and OWN those stations? That's right, Fossil Fuel Companies(tm). As has been repeated many times here on/., the oil companies are going to control this From the Git-Go(tm).
That's why I got my LCD monitor (which also has a TV built in, btw): it just makes more room. My previous monitor (14 inches) was 16 inches deep. The new one (17" 16:9) is only about 4 inches deep, 9 for the very base. It made a HUGE difference on my cramped desk.
I read another article about this, and they mentioned having to modify the computer settings so the engine would stay on with the brake pedal pressed at zero MPH. Why?
So they could hold the brake down to put it in regen mode and floor the gas to recharge the battery in a few minutes. This was because the battery was completely gone after each run. In fact, they had to put it in neutral and use a pusher car to get it up to speed (about 40, IIRC) so they could get decent top speed before the battery left.
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Actually, NiMH batteries extract the energy very differently, and there's not nearly as much hydrogen in them. These tanks are for extracting the energy directly from the hydrogen, as opposed to getting it from a chemical reaction produced inside a battery.
They may have been (very) optimistic in their estimation of the efficiency of fuel cells (I'm pretty sure the show was not about using H2 as combustion fuel).
They said that the process should eventually allow a 1-liter tank to hold enough H2 to give a Civic-size car a 1,000 km range (assuming it was using a fuel cell). The heat (they said it doesn't take much) comes from the battery pack (most/all fuel cellers have them).
Now as to whether hydrogen is or isn't a 'great fuel', I don't know. But safe it most certainly can be.
Hate to Reply to Myself (tm Slashdot Inc.), but i forgot one other thing: another research group has been working on storing H2 as a Nickel-Metal Hydride. Sound familiar? It's the same method used for batteries of the same name. They fill a tank with fine, fine metal powder (mostly Ni), and pressurize H2 into it. The H2 bonds to the powder at the molecular level, which means you can squeeze ~1,000 times more hydrogen into the same size tank. To get the H2 out, you actually have to apply a small amount of heat to the tank. A fraction less efficient, but much safer than your post would suggest.
Actually, they've gone to some real trouble to make carbon-fiber-reinforced tanks that are *very* hard to bust. I've seen the test footage, and when they finally did manage to bust one (which was no mean feat), it slowly leaked the hydrogen out. What is more, when they ignited the leaking hydrogen, it just burned, Just Like Gasoline; it did not explode.
Incidentally, leaking H2 is somewhat safer than leaking gasoline, because it tends to float up and away instead of accumulate in a growing pool on the ground.
Who put up the H2 stations? Who is In Charge? The oil companies. Read The Fine OP. As you can see, GWB doesn't have to push, it's already that way.
Did you see who put up and OWN those stations? That's right, Fossil Fuel Companies(tm). As has been repeated many times here on /., the oil companies are going to control this From the Git-Go(tm).
*bursts CompotatoJ's bubble reluctantly*
I thought I was accessing my WiFi AP. Its SSID was T-Moblile!"
Should that not be spelled vuoi?
Last line should be 3. Profit!!!!!
1 April 2003
I think that pretty well explains it...
This is the WHOLE issue, and this particular bit of legislation HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
Cut and dried.
Mod 'im up!
actually, black holes are where God divided by zero.
how DO you say that stuff and keep a straight face?
Botox, maybe?
Okay, I'm willing to believe it, but only if someone shows how that's possible.
Thank goodness, I was starting to think they'd REALLY gone off the deep end...
...i'm not buying any of them until they clean up their act and make them linux-friendly.
Good thing I always keep my keys wrapped in tinfoil.
You could have it stick out normally, and press in and lock (thus preventing rotation) when you put it in your pocket.
what was wrong with 'bagazine'? Or boogazine? Or mack?
...doesn't anybody care?
...
What? Wait, come back!
That's why I got my LCD monitor (which also has a TV built in, btw): it just makes more room. My previous monitor (14 inches) was 16 inches deep. The new one (17" 16:9) is only about 4 inches deep, 9 for the very base. It made a HUGE difference on my cramped desk.
It burns with the power of lemons!
Thank you for the informative response. But wasn't this held in the middle of the desert?
I read another article about this, and they mentioned having to modify the computer settings so the engine would stay on with the brake pedal pressed at zero MPH. Why?
So they could hold the brake down to put it in regen mode and floor the gas to recharge the battery in a few minutes. This was because the battery was completely gone after each run. In fact, they had to put it in neutral and use a pusher car to get it up to speed (about 40, IIRC) so they could get decent top speed before the battery left.
DO IT DO IT DO IT! What are ya waiting fer? Christmas?