How could you make hydrogen fuel at home?

Question

I'm thinking I'd like to be able to produce my own hydrogen fuel in my basement. Is this possible?

Answer 1

to blow up your home

Answer 2

It is possible by I don't know that it would be a good idea.

Most hydrogen manufacturing facilities are located away from residential areas. (the bang factor)

If you happen to live on a acreage.

The easiest way is by passing an electrical current through a Knowles cell. This produces hydrogen at one pole and oxygen at the other. You will the need to collect and store the hydrogen to get usable quantities. Probably need a compressor to put the hydrogen into bottles.

There are many statute requirements concerning intrinsic safety etc. Complying with these can blow the cost right out.

A lot will depend on what you want to power with the hydrogen that you produce as to what quantities you need to produce.

From an environmental perspective. If you use mains power to produce you hydrogen you will have little impact on co2 emissions. Depending on the use it could actually wind up producing more.

Good luck and don't blow yourself up.

Answer 3

Yes it is possible but it's very much expensive. In addition to this, you also have to consider environmental & safety issues.

In early 2004, researchers at the University of Minnesota announced the invention of a simple ethanol reactor that would feed ethanol through a stack of catalysts, and output hydrogen. The device uses a rhodium-cerium catalyst for the initial reaction, which occurs at a temperature of about 700 °C (1300 °F). This initial reaction mixes ethanol, water vapor, and oxygen and produces good quantities of hydrogen. Unfortunately, it also results in the formation of carbon monoxide, a substance that "chokes" most fuel cells and must be passed through another catalyst to be converted into carbon dioxide. (The odorless, colorless, and tasteless carbon monoxide is also a significant toxic hazard if it escapes through the fuel cell into the exhaust, or if the conduits between the catalytic sections leak.) The ultimate products of the simple device are roughly 50% hydrogen gas and 30% nitrogen, with the remaining 20% mostly composed of carbon dioxide. Both the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are fairly inert when the mixture is pumped into an appropriate fuel cell.

Answer 4

Simple Red/Ox chemical reactions result in H2 off gas.

Electrolyzing water is far safer and more efficient.

Answer 5

Glenn B. is correct.  It is possible, but it is also dangerous.  However, you should also consider that it's also very likely that this will be detrimental to the environment.  Just because you're using hydrogen to power something doesn't mean that it's good.  Where does the energy come from?  How did you produce it?  If you produced it electrically, did you consider that your electricity may be coming from fossil fuels?  If you did this chemically, did you consider the process of creating the hydrogen-containing substance?  If it used a lot of thermal energy, it's likely that it's powered by fossil fuels as well.

Even if you're using solar panels and batteries to electrically produce hydrogen from  water, it may be better just to use the electricity directly, as conversions produce heat, which is also wasted energy.  (Did you consider the lithium or cadmium in your batteries?  Oh cripes!)