Hydrogen, Propane, Butane, Natural Gas Conversion
I believe there is a comparison between electric, hydrogen
fueled cars and the development of the Graphical User Interface for
computers. Electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are, at this point
in time, like a computer made by Apple. Well designed and engineered
with attention to detail and efficiency but, very expensive.
Cars with internal combustion engines are like the IBM PC. They are ubiquitous, at least here in the U.S., inexpensive, many, many clones of varying quality. What we are trying to do with the "hydrogen retrofit" is like installing windows on a PC.
There is no need to build a hydrogen gas or liquid hydrogen transportation infrastructure, populated areas already have the materials to produce their own hydrogen. Most populated areas have ready access to electricity and water, so all that is needed is a machine like the one in this youtube video:
People would plug this machine into an electrical outlet or "mains", then attach a garden hose from a water tap to the machine. The machine would fill with water and then would begin splitting the water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The machine would then compress the hydrogen and store it in an onboard tank. The machine would operate all night and in the morning people would fill up their vehicle with hydrogen produced by the machine.
This machine could be the size of a refrigerator and could be purchased just like any other appliance. People won't have to necessarily purchase a new automobile, they would simply need to retrofit their existing vehicle with a hydrogen tank, hydrogen gas hoses, and an intake gas adapter to inject hydrogen into the intake air stream.
If solar panels are installed on the roof of a dwelling or on top of apartment buildings, then the solar power could be utilized to power the hydrogen production appliance thereby reducing the load on the electrical infrastructure.
Some may ask, once we have produced and compressed the hydrogen, how can we burn it in our automobiles? Placing a hose in the intake of an automobile is not practical. The technology used to burn LPG or CNG in automobiles can be adapted to burn hydrogen in automobiles.
There are conversion kits with components needed to address issues in vehicles with computerized fuel and ignition control:
LPG and CNG "Carburetion" Kits:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/LPG-CNG-Traditional-System/1190578_512872368.html
LPG and CNG Multi Port Injection Kits:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/LPG-CNG-Bi-fuel-Systems/1190578_512595778.html?origin=n&SortType=bestmatch_sort&g=y&SearchText=injection
LPG kits could be adapted for low pressure hydrogen systems. Actually since the hydrogen is already vaporized, there will be no need for the vaporizer. Rather what is needed is the a low pressure gas regulator like this:
Though, a regulator with a greater volumetric flow may be needed for engines with more cylinders and large displacements.
CNG kits could be used for high pressure hydrogen systems.
One of the most expensive parts of a CNG system is the storage tank:
CNG Storage Tanks
Skeptics may say, converting one's car to run on a combustible gas like hydrogen, LPG, or Natural Gas is too expensive, too complex, and would cost thousands of dollars,....., just look:
https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/658/general/x/propane-conversion
These skeptics, these doubters have the tendency of making the possible, Impossible. If we listen to them, we will NEVER be able to do anything other than the status quo.
So, forget about them, forget them!
Just look at how easy and simple it is to operate an automobile on propane:
What I like about this conversion is the the gas adapter that sits atop the carburetor. It allows people to run the vehicle either on combustible gas or gasoline. It may even be possible to make your own gas adapter.
Here is a conversion for fuel injected engines:
Natural gas does have an advantage. Many homes already have natural gas lines installed for heating and cooking. All we have to do is simply install a machine that compresses the natural gas into a container and then people can fill up their vehicle from that container in their own homes at prices much lower than gasoline. Burning natural gas produces about 13% less carbon dioxide than burning gasoline.
There are differences between LPG and natural gas:
https://www.diffen.com/difference/CNG_vs_LPG
More on LPG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_petroleum_gas
More on CNG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_natural_gas
More on LNG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas
At that point, we won't need foreign oil, we won't need oil companies, or need to spend trillions of dollar attaining and retaining access to oil fields around the world. Oil companies will very soon become obsolete!
We may still need energy companies but, with sufficient solar power, we won't have to rely on them as much.
Hydrogen will truly become the "people's" transportation fuel.
Cars with internal combustion engines are like the IBM PC. They are ubiquitous, at least here in the U.S., inexpensive, many, many clones of varying quality. What we are trying to do with the "hydrogen retrofit" is like installing windows on a PC.
There is no need to build a hydrogen gas or liquid hydrogen transportation infrastructure, populated areas already have the materials to produce their own hydrogen. Most populated areas have ready access to electricity and water, so all that is needed is a machine like the one in this youtube video:
People would plug this machine into an electrical outlet or "mains", then attach a garden hose from a water tap to the machine. The machine would fill with water and then would begin splitting the water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The machine would then compress the hydrogen and store it in an onboard tank. The machine would operate all night and in the morning people would fill up their vehicle with hydrogen produced by the machine.
This machine could be the size of a refrigerator and could be purchased just like any other appliance. People won't have to necessarily purchase a new automobile, they would simply need to retrofit their existing vehicle with a hydrogen tank, hydrogen gas hoses, and an intake gas adapter to inject hydrogen into the intake air stream.
If solar panels are installed on the roof of a dwelling or on top of apartment buildings, then the solar power could be utilized to power the hydrogen production appliance thereby reducing the load on the electrical infrastructure.
Some may ask, once we have produced and compressed the hydrogen, how can we burn it in our automobiles? Placing a hose in the intake of an automobile is not practical. The technology used to burn LPG or CNG in automobiles can be adapted to burn hydrogen in automobiles.
There are conversion kits with components needed to address issues in vehicles with computerized fuel and ignition control:
LPG and CNG "Carburetion" Kits:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/LPG-CNG-Traditional-System/1190578_512872368.html
LPG and CNG Multi Port Injection Kits:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/LPG-CNG-Bi-fuel-Systems/1190578_512595778.html?origin=n&SortType=bestmatch_sort&g=y&SearchText=injection
LPG kits could be adapted for low pressure hydrogen systems. Actually since the hydrogen is already vaporized, there will be no need for the vaporizer. Rather what is needed is the a low pressure gas regulator like this:
Though, a regulator with a greater volumetric flow may be needed for engines with more cylinders and large displacements.
CNG kits could be used for high pressure hydrogen systems.
One of the most expensive parts of a CNG system is the storage tank:
CNG Storage Tanks
Skeptics may say, converting one's car to run on a combustible gas like hydrogen, LPG, or Natural Gas is too expensive, too complex, and would cost thousands of dollars,....., just look:
https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/658/general/x/propane-conversion
These skeptics, these doubters have the tendency of making the possible, Impossible. If we listen to them, we will NEVER be able to do anything other than the status quo.
So, forget about them, forget them!
Just look at how easy and simple it is to operate an automobile on propane:
Now you are ready to hit the town, with your propane car!
Clearly, the setup in the video above is not ideal. What is most challenging is manual control of the air/fuel ratio and the small diameter of the hose limits the propane flow rate, which limits the RPM at which the vehicle can operate.
So, here is a better conversion:
What I like about this conversion is the the gas adapter that sits atop the carburetor. It allows people to run the vehicle either on combustible gas or gasoline. It may even be possible to make your own gas adapter.
Here is a conversion for fuel injected engines:
Natural gas does have an advantage. Many homes already have natural gas lines installed for heating and cooking. All we have to do is simply install a machine that compresses the natural gas into a container and then people can fill up their vehicle from that container in their own homes at prices much lower than gasoline. Burning natural gas produces about 13% less carbon dioxide than burning gasoline.
There are differences between LPG and natural gas:
https://www.diffen.com/difference/CNG_vs_LPG
More on LPG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_petroleum_gas
More on CNG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_natural_gas
More on LNG:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas
At that point, we won't need foreign oil, we won't need oil companies, or need to spend trillions of dollar attaining and retaining access to oil fields around the world. Oil companies will very soon become obsolete!
We may still need energy companies but, with sufficient solar power, we won't have to rely on them as much.
Hydrogen will truly become the "people's" transportation fuel.
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