Article

2005-10-25 Science & Technology

Israeli Firm Creates System for Car to Produce Its Own Fuel

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Posted by lotp 2005-10-25 11:52|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Given the proper investment the company should be able to develop the prototype in about three years.

Still in the very upstream side of the research, then. I hope it works out.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-10-25 12:34|| 2005-10-25 12:34|| Front Page Top

#2 When inventions like this take hold the price of oil will drop markedly, I think. Then it will be cheaper to drive a conventional car?

Posted by Uliling Sninenter7365 2005-10-25 12:41|| 2005-10-25 12:41|| Front Page Top

#3 You got it US. I've got my eye on several recently traded SUVs.

Posted by Shipman 2005-10-25 13:00|| 2005-10-25 13:00|| Front Page Top

#4 "the tip of the metal coil is inserted into the Metal-Steam combustor together with water where it will be heated to very high temperatures".

Two questions:

1) What heats the water?

2) Are we going to be sitting there waiting for the water to boil like we might for a cup of tea?

Posted by Baba Tutu 2005-10-25 13:12|| 2005-10-25 13:12|| Front Page Top

#5 What can I say... what a marvellous zionist plot. Hope it works out. I would like to see the shaykhs drink crude for a change, they don't have much water to speak of.

Posted by twobyfour 2005-10-25 13:22|| 2005-10-25 13:22|| Front Page Top

#6 Detroit has known about this for years. It's just because they're in cahoots with Big Oil that we didn't have it 25 years ago.

Posted by Grack Gloluper9017 2005-10-25 13:22|| 2005-10-25 13:22|| Front Page Top

#7 It'll be a race between this and the hydrogen pills (solid hydrogen). My guess is we'll see this kind of engine powering homes, producing the hyrdogen pills so that we don't have to worry about the weight of the water and waiting for it to heat up.

Posted by rjschwarz (no T!) 2005-10-25 13:56|| 2005-10-25 13:56|| Front Page Top

#8 1) What heats the water?

Friction'tween cloudy and sunny days.

Posted by Red Dog 2005-10-25 14:40|| 2005-10-25 14:40|| Front Page Top

#9 Perhaps not so useful in Alaskan winters?

EP

Posted by ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-10-25 14:45|| 2005-10-25 14:45|| Front Page Top

#10 Heh, RD. I keep saying it, the key to the Universe is Friction Management. The right amount, in the right place, at the right time. I'm working on a Friction Portal where my "friends" and I can easily coordinate all of our friction and lubricant activities. Oops, IBM is on line 1 and Heidi Fleisch is on line 2, gotta go.

Posted by .com 2005-10-25 14:49|| 2005-10-25 14:49|| Front Page Top

#11 Don't buy shares yet. The "common metal" aluminum, for example, is generally produced using lots of electrical ENERGY. And this so-called "zero emission engine" produces a solid waste product. Want to recycle that waste product? You'll have to use lots of -- you guessed it! -- ENERGY.

Posted by Darrell 2005-10-25 15:01|| 2005-10-25 15:01|| Front Page Top

#12 This idea is so dumb, it has to be a spoof.

Posted by phil_b 2005-10-25 16:14|| 2005-10-25 16:14|| Front Page Top

#13 Gotta agree w. phil_b. 2 Metal + HOH -> 2 MOH + H2. Any HS chem student knows that. Alkali metals like sodium react freely, Aluminum and magnesium would require some heat to start the reaction. You end up with hydrogen and an alkali. Producing the metal in the first place requires a fair amount of power (Aluminum is made via electrolysis - which is why aluminum plants were originally set up in the northwest - near hydropower). So this would be at best VERY inefficient. Besides - replace the water with acid, and add a copper electrode and you can produce electric power directly. I think I'll patent this latter process. I will call it a 'BATTERY'. :-)

Posted by DMFD 2005-10-25 18:25|| 2005-10-25 18:25|| Front Page Top

#14 The "common metal" aluminum, for example, is generally produced using lots of electrical ENERGY. And this so-called "zero emission engine" produces a solid waste product. Want to recycle that waste product? You'll have to use lots of -- you guessed it! -- ENERGY

Energy isn't a problem. Nuclear power plants can produce more energy than we can use. The problem is making it available for transportation.

Also, aluminum recycles with a substantial energy efficiency - refining the original ore takes a lot of electricity, but recycling takes a much smaller amount.

Posted by lotp 2005-10-25 20:18|| 2005-10-25 20:18|| Front Page Top

#15 Solar power during the Alaskan Winterâ¢ is used, starting in February, when there is more daylight. Ima needing to study this in more detail. There are lots of brilliant ideas in energy supply or conversion. Most of them do not go anywhere, except into the black hole of interesting ideas. Alternative sources of energy and motive power other than petroleum take time and effort to develop. There is no easy fix. I do not like hyped up systems that have not had the development time put in.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2005-10-25 20:36|| 2005-10-25 20:36|| Front Page Top

#16 Ethanol and methane can be used in existing petrol powered cars, with a cheap(ish) conversion. Existing models can be factory fitted for these fuels. Both fuels can be manufactured from solar, nuclear or any other power source. Hydrogen, fuel cells, or any other exotic technologies are just expensive boondogles.

Posted by phil_b 2005-10-25 21:07|| 2005-10-25 21:07|| Front Page Top

00:03 crazyhorse
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