Really Interesting Technology

[BarryBobPosthole]

It looks like hydrogen is back in line as a potential zero emmission fuel. The big problem they've been facing is mainly storage and they're getting closer to solving that. For semis, electric motors would work much more efficiently than IC engines because they develop max torque at 0 mph.
Anyway, I thought this was cool.

BkB

http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/04/19/toyota-big-rig-with-zero-emissions.html

[Thumper]

Lynn's brother is an engineer for Toyota and when we were out there visiting a few months ago, he was driving a hydrogen car. They have filling stations scattered around the state and they're all mapped out on the gps. 'Course, he just fills up at the Toyota Headquarters. It'll take some time for the refueling stations to be common enough to make one worthwhile, but it's coming.

[BarryBobPosthole]

i think its interesting they've evolved from hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines to hydrogen fueled electric motors.
I'm sure battery technology has a ways to go before its all that practical. But for a big port area, it makes perfect sense.

BKB

[airbud7]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/29/a9/d2/29a9d2fc794dd4b7e6e95597469fa9e0.jpg

atmospheric static conditions will keep hydrogen in the dark for most of the populous.

[johnboy]

Hydrogen in air is actually less explosive than gasoline vapour. I'd drive a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle without a qualm.

[airbud7]

you take best case for a fuel cell vehicle in terms of the mass and volume required to go a particular range as well as the cost of the fuel cell system … it doesn’t even equal the current state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries, so there’s no way for it to be a workable technology.

Then putting up a huge hydrogen distribution structure is also extremely difficult, and hydrogen is quite a dangerous kind of gas. It’s suitable for the upper stage of rockets, but not for cars.

[Thumper]

I discussed that with my BIL and he stated the hydrogen fuel cells are safer than gasoline. He was driving the Mirai. Heck, here's a three year old article explaining. I'm sure with all the testing they've done the past three years has resulted in even more safety measures.

Odd, the title to this article is: Here's why hydrogen-fueled cars aren't little Hindenburgs

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2852323/heres-why-hydrogen-fueled-cars-arent-little-hindenburgs.html

[BarryBobPosthole]

I think the point of the article is they use will use a hydrogen fuel cell powered tractor to haul freight around the port, not as an over the road operarion. So they can fuel the trucks right there and don't have those factors to consider. It has some really interesting applications like that.

BKb

[Thumper]

Exactly. No problem there with lacking a refueling infrastructure. They're all local. I didn't even know about the truck, but it sounds cool!

[BarryBobPosthole]

For hauling freight around too, the torque of an electric motor will work a lot better.

BKB

[airbud7]

yep^ like a train.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Exactly. I just read this past week that Germany is putting a hydrogen powered passenger train into production.

BkB

[airbud7]

hey you seen that mag-lev bullet train in Japan? 374 mph using electromagnets...neat stuff.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Meh. Japan is just another island in the Pacific.

BKb