BioFarmer93
12-14-2009, 01:13 PM
I had accidentaly posted this, my very first post to this board, in the "for sale" section-
Well, I suppose I have lurked long enough to get the lay of the land here, so I might as well bite the bullet and introduce myself. My name is Gus and I'm going on my 30 something year of playing around with hydrogen in one way or another. I suppose you could call me an old hippie like the kids do, but I don't really mind, because as my daughter says "My dad was a green before it was cool.." -And I'm cool with that.
Anyway, I needed a good heavy duty farm truck but really didn't want the heavy duty fuel price that goes along with such a beast, so I kept a lookout for an older (pre-computer) F350 diesel that was in decent shape. The thought being to supplement as much as possible the diesel or bio-diesel or WVO/WMO that serves as the primary fuel. In my research I have read many accounts of diesel operators saying that the more HHO you can provide, the better. So, after meditating on the actual HP needed to spin an extra alternator, actual HP needed to roll the beast down the highway at 70 mph, and the actual HP created @ 2400rpm (70mph) by the 7.3 liter (non-Powerstroke) non-turbo, indirect injection International Harvester engine, I decided to go for it.
Overview- (4) 21 plate dry cell electrolysers series connected. I don't use neutral plates, and here is why. I am running a ZENA 150A continuous duty rated welding alternator with voltage and amperage controls and there is just a little over 1900 sq. in. of wet plate area in each unit, giving a little more than 7600 sq. in. total. Now take into consideration that the 4 units are series connected, thereby quartering the voltage, putting it in the neighborhood of 3.4V to 3.8V per unit. Theoretically no heating problems, right?
Specifics- 21- 316L plates per unit, waterjet cut for accuracy and avoidance of heat warpage. All nuts and bolts SS. End caps are .50" HDPE. Gaskets are .04 PVC. Electrolyte is 11% KOH by volume. Dedicated alternator for power, with driving pulley mounted onto front of power steering pump pulley for overdriving the ZENA. Electronics package from ZENA provides power in the 18-21kHz range, remains to be seen what, if anything, that will do.
Bubblers- 3 per unit, 1st. (tallest) is reservoir with plastic mesh scrubby at top for foam reduction. 2nd. has 5% vinegar for caustic vapor neutralization and three scrubbies spaced along its length for bubble size reduction and turbulation to increase time in solution and area exposed to solution, flashback arrestor. 3rd bubbler is distilled water with 3 scrubbies, serves as a final cleaner and flashback arrestor.
Manifold- small, 2" i.d. PVC just long enough to get 2 ends on. Drilled & tapped for four nylon barbed elbows to receive output from each #3 bubbler, has a brass 5/8" i.d. threaded/barbed hose adapter outlet for 5/8" reinforced poly hose to air intake on engine.
I am in the process of finishing up the last electrolyser, everything else except the box is finished. Right now the mounting rack looks like a kid that lost one of his front teeth, as it is missing the fourth unit and bubblers. The whole thing is mounted against the front wall of the trucks bed in a ventilated plywood box with no bottom. I think I'm within a week or so of finishing it up. I need to stop on the way home tomorrow and pick up some more gasket material, a couple more elbows and some more wire, but I think that's about it. I'll try to attach some photos of things so far with this post. If there is any interest, I will honestly answer any questions I can. There has been no testing on this rig, so no numbers are available yet. The connection method with the wire octopus seen in one of the photos has been changed to a much less resistive and much more streamlined fitting that came to me in one of those slap your forehead and and yell "AAAaaahhhh!!" moments that we who design get from time to time. I'll get a photo of that as soon as I finish potting it.
Well, I suppose I have lurked long enough to get the lay of the land here, so I might as well bite the bullet and introduce myself. My name is Gus and I'm going on my 30 something year of playing around with hydrogen in one way or another. I suppose you could call me an old hippie like the kids do, but I don't really mind, because as my daughter says "My dad was a green before it was cool.." -And I'm cool with that.
Anyway, I needed a good heavy duty farm truck but really didn't want the heavy duty fuel price that goes along with such a beast, so I kept a lookout for an older (pre-computer) F350 diesel that was in decent shape. The thought being to supplement as much as possible the diesel or bio-diesel or WVO/WMO that serves as the primary fuel. In my research I have read many accounts of diesel operators saying that the more HHO you can provide, the better. So, after meditating on the actual HP needed to spin an extra alternator, actual HP needed to roll the beast down the highway at 70 mph, and the actual HP created @ 2400rpm (70mph) by the 7.3 liter (non-Powerstroke) non-turbo, indirect injection International Harvester engine, I decided to go for it.
Overview- (4) 21 plate dry cell electrolysers series connected. I don't use neutral plates, and here is why. I am running a ZENA 150A continuous duty rated welding alternator with voltage and amperage controls and there is just a little over 1900 sq. in. of wet plate area in each unit, giving a little more than 7600 sq. in. total. Now take into consideration that the 4 units are series connected, thereby quartering the voltage, putting it in the neighborhood of 3.4V to 3.8V per unit. Theoretically no heating problems, right?
Specifics- 21- 316L plates per unit, waterjet cut for accuracy and avoidance of heat warpage. All nuts and bolts SS. End caps are .50" HDPE. Gaskets are .04 PVC. Electrolyte is 11% KOH by volume. Dedicated alternator for power, with driving pulley mounted onto front of power steering pump pulley for overdriving the ZENA. Electronics package from ZENA provides power in the 18-21kHz range, remains to be seen what, if anything, that will do.
Bubblers- 3 per unit, 1st. (tallest) is reservoir with plastic mesh scrubby at top for foam reduction. 2nd. has 5% vinegar for caustic vapor neutralization and three scrubbies spaced along its length for bubble size reduction and turbulation to increase time in solution and area exposed to solution, flashback arrestor. 3rd bubbler is distilled water with 3 scrubbies, serves as a final cleaner and flashback arrestor.
Manifold- small, 2" i.d. PVC just long enough to get 2 ends on. Drilled & tapped for four nylon barbed elbows to receive output from each #3 bubbler, has a brass 5/8" i.d. threaded/barbed hose adapter outlet for 5/8" reinforced poly hose to air intake on engine.
I am in the process of finishing up the last electrolyser, everything else except the box is finished. Right now the mounting rack looks like a kid that lost one of his front teeth, as it is missing the fourth unit and bubblers. The whole thing is mounted against the front wall of the trucks bed in a ventilated plywood box with no bottom. I think I'm within a week or so of finishing it up. I need to stop on the way home tomorrow and pick up some more gasket material, a couple more elbows and some more wire, but I think that's about it. I'll try to attach some photos of things so far with this post. If there is any interest, I will honestly answer any questions I can. There has been no testing on this rig, so no numbers are available yet. The connection method with the wire octopus seen in one of the photos has been changed to a much less resistive and much more streamlined fitting that came to me in one of those slap your forehead and and yell "AAAaaahhhh!!" moments that we who design get from time to time. I'll get a photo of that as soon as I finish potting it.