Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Radio Show & Podcast Feedback => Topic started by: thedoc on 18/09/2016 09:35:27
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A new concept in energy storage based on water and capable of soaking up power from solar cells has been developed by scientists in Korea.
Read the whole story on our website by clicking here (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/science-news/news/1000932/)
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But, as anyone who has heard of the Hindenburg knows, storing hydrogen is impractical and potentially unsafe.
Not true! Town gas (50% hydrogen) was the major source of domestic and industrial heating and a great deal of industrial motive power, for over 150 years. It is a lot easier to store than liquefied petroleum ("natural") gas and the grid for its distribution still exists. Urban gasholders were hit by tracer bullets and incendiary bombs during WWII but according to past colleagues who were set to watch them, it was pretty easy to extinguish the flames (literally with a wet blanket) and patch over the holes.
Town gas explosions were no more common or destructive than LPG (methane) explosions nowadays. The principal reasons for its disappearance were political (it required coalminers) and toxicological (it contained 10% carbon monoxide). Simply diluting grid methane with 50% hydrogen would double the world's natural gas reserve, halve the CO2 emission, and make unreliable energy sources economically useful at very little cost.
The problem with the Hindenburg was the combustion of the aluminum spars, metallised fabric envelope, and doped-cotton gas bags, leading to structural failure and loss of buoyancy respectively, with the inevitable consequence of any aircraft falling apart a hundred feet off the ground.
Hydrogen is classed as a "heavy chemical" as it is manufactured, stored and used in multi-tonne quantities and probably ranks with sulfuric acid and ammonia as the most significant bulk feedstock. You don't hear of many industrial incidents compared with, say, chlorine.
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But, as anyone who has heard of the Hindenburg knows, storing hydrogen is impractical and potentially unsafe.
Not true! Town gas (50% hydrogen) was the major source of domestic and industrial heating and a great deal of industrial motive power, for over 150 years. It is a lot easier to store than liquefied petroleum ("natural") gas and the grid for its distribution still exists. Urban gasholders were hit by tracer bullets and incendiary bombs during WWII but according to past colleagues who were set to watch them, it was pretty easy to extinguish the flames (literally with a wet blanket) and patch over the holes.
Town gas explosions were no more common or destructive than LPG (methane) explosions nowadays. The principal reasons for its disappearance were political (it required coalminers) and toxicological (it contained 10% carbon monoxide). Simply diluting grid methane with 50% hydrogen would double the world's natural gas reserve, halve the CO2 emission, and make unreliable energy sources economically useful at very little cost.
The problem with the Hindenburg was the combustion of the aluminum spars, metallised fabric envelope, and doped-cotton gas bags, leading to structural failure and loss of buoyancy respectively, with the inevitable consequence of any aircraft falling apart a hundred feet off the ground.
Hydrogen is classed as a "heavy chemical" as it is manufactured, stored and used in multi-tonne quantities and probably ranks with sulfuric acid and ammonia as the most significant bulk feedstock. You don't hear of many industrial incidents compared with, say, chlorine.
Thanks for bringing up this historical info ,obviously still relevant.Yes,hydrogen is a viable fuel with modern techniques.I think,however,that the source is the key to producing it with a low environmental footprint.Also,producing it from fossil deposits will eventually result in resource depletion.If we only consider short -term effects,it's desirable to do it the most expedient way.I suggest that for the sake of elegance,cleaner means of production would be better,such as water-splitting,for example.
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If power is needed at night or on those winter days, energy can be conserved by utilizing a utility grid or a battery bank. The utility grid can be used simultaneously with solar power and the battery bank can convert solar energy into electricity throughout the day to be stored for later use.
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Thank you for the information and the link. I was very interested in this topic, when very often the authorities began to turn off our electricity. I'm thinking about putting solar panels on. I hope this will be the best option for me.