Visit http://www.h2gen.info for
additional information
1. Requirements
2. Safety issues
3. The theory of operation
4. Making the device
5. Inplementing the device
6. Testing stages
I no longer have the large download avialable (it cost me my server) I
have since put some of my videos on google video.
There are links to these on the links page.
http://www.h2gen.info/links.html
If you'd like all my videos then I have that option available on my cd
page.
http://www.h2gen.info/order.html
Thanks for your interest.
Todd
Watch the "mad backyard scientist" videos:
Here is a short
video of the bubbler in action
video
1
Video covers basics of mixing up a batch of sodium hydroxide,
water and cans total time 4:41
video
2
Watching the reaction and filling up hydrogen balloons total time 4:32
video
3
Balloon won't float, must have steam or water in it? total
time 14 sec
video
4
Watching steam and H2 coming out of the hose total time 31 sec
video
5
Filling a ballooon in less than a minute total time 55 sec
video
6
Hot fingers total time 13 seconds
video
7
More fast filling balloons total time 1:41
video
8
More hot fingers trying to fill up balloons total time 28
seconds
video
9
More fast filling and hot balloons total time 2:18
video
10
Video blowing up balloons on the kitchen stove total time
10 seconds
video
11
Video blowing up balloons on the kitchen stove total time
9 seconds
Videos of hydrogen generator on car with a DRB II scantool taking
readings.
Video 1
Scantool reading engine sensors running on gasoline only total
time 3:34
Video 2
Mixing up a batch in chamber, adding cans and getting reaction on car
going total time 2:52
Video 3
Road test with hydrogen added, scantool readings live on engine
total time 4:46
Video 4
After the drive, looking at pulsewidth shift on longterm adaptive
memory total time 1:24
My conclusion about driving with a scantool is that it shows a lot of
pulsewidth change as road conditions change
if you are going uphill of accelerating it takes more pulsewidth. At
this piont I would call it inconclusive. I would also like to do
an emissions test to check tailpipe emissions before and after. I've
heard H2 cleans up your emissions conciderably.
This is important concidering the amount of hydrocarbons that are
dumped into the air we breath on a daily basis.
Visit my offsite photo
gallery
Due to an overwhelming response: Use the contact
form if you want to contact me.
I also invite you to join my Hydrogen Project
on
my msn group, there are more pictures there.
I also invite you to my www.h2gen.info
website to stay up to date on new developments and to post your
comments.
1. Requirements:
Read entire article before starting anything.
Anything printed in
red is
indicating hazards or danger, pay special attention to this,
if you are color blind, have someone who isn't read this for you
and
explain it to you.
BE
VERY CAREFUL IF YOU ATTEMPT THIS, DANGEROUS CHEMICALS AND GASSES
*I don't recommend putting anything on your car unless you have
perfected it, this process is
purely experimental and there's a lot more work that's needs done to
reach perfection.
2. Safety Issues
Sodium Hydroxide is the active chemical that works with aluminum to
release hydrogen from the water,
READ ALL
THE
INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE PROCEEDING
Hydrogen gas will be created with this process, hydrogen gas is explosive and
will burn
(thats how an engine uses it)
If you plan on doing this to a vehicle, do it outside as excess
hydrogen could be generated
AND
COULD
CREATE AN EXPLOSION HAZARD IF DONE INDOORS
Do not attempt to do
this
unless
you understand all the risks you are taking.
I do not accept responsibilty for any loss of life, limb, injury or
property because of the use of information
printed in this ebook, you are on your own as this procedure is
concidered experimental. Hydrogen burns
with a colorless odorless flame, it can displace oxygen and cause
suffocation.
Sodium Hydroxide (LYE) is highly corrosive and will cause chemical
burns if you get it on your skin,
it can cause blindness if you get it in your eyes
READ MSDS SHEETS FOR BOTH HYDROGEN
AND SODIUM
HYDROXIDE
wear safty goggles to protect your eyes
3. Theory of operation
Present Invention
Watch
video of hydrogen generation demo using lye and aluminim foil*
*requires Apple
Quicktime
Mixture of water
(H20) and Sodium
Hydroxide are added to reaction tank then aluminum is added to start
releasing hydrogen and heat. Since top of reaction tank is closed,
hydrogen gas travels through
outlet line into the water lock, water lock is added as a safety
feature to lower the possibilty of an explosion should an engine
backfire
occur. It also filters the hydrogen gas to help remove sodium hydroxide
vapors. Most cars and trucks have aluminum engine components and
since
we know it will dissolve aluminum this would not be good to get inside
of engine parts. Then the hydrogen gas enters the inlet side
of the airfilter housing where it will be drawn in and burned by the
combustion process.
4. Making the Device
Lets go shopping, make a list of the things you will need
Tools:
1. Saw that will cut large diameter PVC pipe, for my project I used a
hacksaw and rotated pipe while cutting.
2. Pocket knife to cut tubing
3. Drill and bits to drill hole/s in canister and/or air cleaner
housing for gas outlets/inlets
Resource for 3/8" ID vacuum check valves US
Plastics
Resource for Sodium Hydroxide through Ebay
search
Another good source is your local grocery store, buy Red Devil brand
Lye (has a better mix than draino)
Materials (this is what I used, feel free to make improvements)
1. I word of
caution, this got
very hot when testing, use high temp hoses, I used 3/8" fuel line hose
after my first prototype as the clear tubing melted. Make sure whatever
you choose that it is tolerant to high temperatures.
2. 18 to 24 inches of 4" diameter PVC* sewer pipe, you will cut this to
length (longer is better)
*ask your plumber what pipe he recommends for high temperatures
3. 1 solid end cap to close off bottom of canister
4. 1 end cap with threaded cleanout, this is the end where you will add
your reactive mixture into
5. PVC prep solvent and glue, make sure you using the proper adhesive
for your PVC or you might have leaks
6. Zip ties to hold your device in place, this must be done to prevent
contact with hot or moving parts.
DO
NOT MOUNT REACTION
CHAMBER WITHIN 12 INCHES OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD/SYSTEM, TOO MUCH HEAT!!!
Silicone RTV to seal around fiuttings (use automotive type)
Vaseline or grease to seal threads on end cap
Several miscellanious 3/8" nipple fittings (90 degree and straight)
My list of parts set me back about $30.00, your cost may be more of
less
depending on your location
DO NOT MOUNT
REACTION
CHAMBER
INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT::: EXPLOSION HAZARD
Cut your PVC pipe to the maximum length that your choice in location
will allow, test fitting will be neccessary during this part once the
proper length is determined then you can use the PVC prep
solvent and glue (follow your products directions) to attach first the
bottom end cap on, then repeat for the top cap. I test
assembled everything first before gluing just to make sure it would fit
my location ok. Closed hood, checked all clearances, then
did a final assembly. Let glue cure for amount of time on adhesive can
directions. After glue is cured then drill hole in side
and top of reaction canster, just below bottom of cap but make sure you
leave enough space to allow retaining nut to be installed. Seal
with RTV sealant between hole and fitting, install nut and tighten.
This connection needs to be gas tight, after RTV sealant is cured you
can use a hand type bicycle pump to add a small amount of pressure
through the nipple fitting and check for leaks with soapy
water. You don't want any leaks in your canister.
Next step is to build a water lock tank, you can make this out of a
meduim sized bottle and will be located away from hot or moving parts.
The inlet line goes to the bottom of the water lock and the outlet goes
to air filter housing with tubing ran between them.
5. Implementing the device
Now we're excited, we got our project built and ready to make it work
on our car.*
The reaction chamber is tied into a safe location, not against any
moving or hot parts.
The waterlock assembly is filled halfway with water and has been
checked for gas leaks with soapy water.
Tubing has been run between reation chamber to the water lock, from the
water lock to the air cleaner housing.
Now it time to take your car outside if it isn't already.
Put your safety goggles and rubber gloves on at this point.
Fill the reaction chamber with 1 to 2 quarts of water (depending on how
big you built it, never fill more than halfway)
For my tests I used 10 tablespoonfuls (heaping) of drano to 1 quart of
water. This mixture dissolved a pop can in less
than an hour, and clean aluminum would dissolve even quicker. Most cans
have paint or coatings that turn into gunk
that floats around and slows down the process. Unpainted aluminum is
best.
Once I mixed the draino with the water, I let it settle down after the
initial mixup, 5 to 10 minutes.
Then whatever aluminum you have can be added, be careful to not splash,
I mounted my reaction chamber at a slight slant
so when adding aluminum it would just slide in and not splash.
After adding aluminum you will start to see it bubble and hiss, this is
the hydrogen being generated.
Screw the end cap into the chamber (the threads should be coated with
petroleum jelly to seal)
Hydrogen should start to push out of the reaction chamber and into the
water lock, from the water lock into the air cleaner.
You should be ready to go for your drive at this point.
6. Testing Stages and issues
All experiments have their growing pains and some things will work
better than others.
You will find what mixtures work well, how many cans / grams of
aluminum per 100 miles travel.
I noticed about a cup of water was consumed with one pop can dissolved.
You will have to add water and aluminum to continue reaction, but no
additional sodium hydroxide is needed.
I havn't came up with an effective way to regulate adding water
automatically, but where there's a will, there's a way.
Same thought for adding additional aluminum to continue reactive
process.
Another problem is the the reactive process will continue when you turn
your car off until all the aluminum or water is used up.
This is the main reason this process is done outdoors so extra hydrogen
is ventilated away into atmosphere.
Visit my website for more information and tell us about your results
One of the improvements I added recently was to connect the outlet hose
to the top of the reaction chamber to prevent some of the solution from
exiting the reaction chamber and into the bubbler. This helped
conciderably, then I connected my check valve to the lower connection
on the reaction tank, it's a one way valve that only lets air in and
not out. I routed the hose for the check valve to a higher location
than the tank to prevent solution from running into the valve.
I have also fabricated a rope and board solution to holding the chamber
in place while I drive down the road, This makes it easy to
remove the chamber and swings out of the way when you don't need it. I
had a problem with the chamber wanting to fall out the bottom of the
engine compartment, it wouldn't be good if you ran over it on the
highway. (or someone else did)
Photos - Click on Image for full size picture
This is where I started from, figuring out a location of where to put
my reaction chamber.
This has plenty of room here between the radiator and the engine.
This is a test fit in the engine compartment
Measuring where to cut for best fit and room for the hood to close
Cutting the pipe for my project
This is an installed test fit, again checking for hood clearance
Another view of the location I have chose for my reaction chamber.
This is the unit assembled on the floor
This is the unit on it's side looking into the end of it
Another side view of reaction chamber, this picture is a little clearer
than the last
Me and my goggles, protect your eyes as this is a harsh chemical that
would be very bad to get in your eyes
I would recommend safety goggles/and or a face sheild to prevent eye
damage
This is a bucket I did my preliminary experiments with
I did my first experiments with Draino, switched to Red Devil brand
lye, less stink.
This is a tablespoonful of Draino, I used 10 per qt. of water in my
experiments.
This is the Draino mixed with water, it was bubbling a little at this
point, Draino is mixed with little fragments of aluminum and Red Devil
Lye is not.
This is shortly after I had added a can to the solution, wanted to see
what would happen.
Can started to give off gasses and started bubbling pretty fast
I started the clock to see how long this takes
You can visably see the vapors/gasses rising from the can at this point
You can still see a lot of vapors and gasses rising off of can
Fifteeen minutes later
This is at about 30 munites, reaction is slowing down
This is 55 minutes later and reaction has pretty much used up the
aluminum
This is all that is left after an hour and if I jad left it in there,
it too would eventually be dissolved
This is what is left of a quart of water, it was about 1 cup less than
when I started
This is the aluminum oxide remaining in the bottom of the bucket, this
is the oxygen from the water bound to the aluminum
This my engine compartment with a fully assembled and working prototype
This is an 8oz bar of aluminum, this is about 6 inches tall x 1 1/2
inches wide x 1/2 inch thick
Another view of an 8oz bar of aluminum
This is how I supported my reaction chamber, it is suspended from a
rope tied around it and through a board laid from the engine to the
radiator.
