What happens to other molecules when we split hydrogen from them?

Question

I've been reading about the use of hydrogen for fuel and what bothers me is how the book said hydrogen is the most abundant gas in the universe, however it is almost always combined with other molecules, so what happens to everything once its separate? Like water (H20) for example if you split them you get two molecules of hydrogen and one of oxygen, the oxygen is released back into the atmosphere and the hydrogen is used or it escapes back into the atmosphere, but what happens to them on the grander scale, if everyone did this would we lose water or does it somehow recombine, and what happens to the used hydrogen?

Answer 1

After it's been used the hydrogen will combine with oxygen in the air since it's most readily available and hydrogen will quickly find another element to bond with and water is formed, so no water is lost. Hydrogen is the most plentiful element in the universe.

Separating hydrogen from oxygen in water requires significant electrical energy to break the bonds that hold them together. Oxygen is a non-flammable gas, despite what many think, it's only an oxidant that makes it easier for fire to burn. On it's own, hydrogen is very combustible. When you burn it, it readily recombines with another element, forming into a stable molecule again and producing heat which can be used for power. In a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen again, releasing energy and producing water.

Hydrogen has been described as an energy carrier, instead of an energy source or fuel, since the process of splitting it from it's bonds in water requires more energy than the resulting hydrogen will provide. In the case of hydrocarbons, it's the hydrogen that provides the energy so pure hydrogen is a highly efficient means of storing energy once it's made. It must be kept away from other gases or it will combine with them.

The most common source of hydrogen for energy is from natural gas, making it dependent on fossil fuels the same as gasoline. Electrolysis can create it directly from water with the use of electricity but it's less effective with pure water since it is less conductive (1 millionth) than water with an electrolyte such as saltwater. At higher temps the process is also more efficient.

A company named QSINanosphere has a process using nano materials that boost the efficiency of electrolysis to about 85%, which is well above the US Dept of Energy's long-term target. If this is developed, the electrolysis could take place as needed, in your car, using your car battery to maintain the creation of hydrogen for combustion or a fuel cell.  

This is an exciting development since hydrogen is a very clean fuel with no unfavorable emissions and won't require the storage of a large amount of hydrogen since the public remembers the Hindenburg too well and would resist the idea of having a large tank of highly flammable gas attached to their car or home.

The final link is to a Popular Mechanics article that provides a simple explanation to this.

Answer 2

My understanding is this:

Electrolysis: 2H2O + electricity --> 2H2 + O2

This is where hydrogen and oxygen is separated and is sent into the engine.

Engine Combustion: 2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O + energy

This is where the combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen is ignited and combusts to create energy to move the pistons. The combustion also causes oxidation of the hydrogen (water).

So, the hydrogen is separated from the oxygen going into the engine. Then it's reunited in the engine during combustion to create water as the only emission.

Hope that makes sense.

Answer 3

let me start off by saying Hydrogen is a great option for the concept of free energy.     I built my first hydrogen cell about 5 years ago. Have converted over 50 vehicles in the last 10 years (gydrogen and EV) and now currently run 2 trucks (and another EV), my home hot water heater, home stove and home generator on hydrogen for free with caught rain water and the help of a $10 solar panel.  I offer a step by step DIY guide to walk anyone interested threw the process. You can find it at www agua-luna com or you can email me.

There are basically 3 safe ways to make and use it... chemically, electrically and molecularly, the first 2 being easier so I'll only discuss them here. The fallowing steps were taking directly out of a DIY guide I offer to those who would like to run their vehicles or home on hydrogen safely. The entire guide is available at www agua-luna com

    On demand h2 generators are a bit different from the Hollywood versions like seen Chain Reaction with Keanu Reeves, that tend to explode violently every time a film is being made. However when used in an on-demand system there is no storage of hydrogen and oxygen in its gas form, only liquid (water) and is only transformed into gas “on-demand” in small cylinder size amounts. It’s actually safer then gasoline as it doesn’t evaporate, creating explosive fumes in the tank like gas. the following were actually taken out of my $5 guide available at www agua-luna com

    Chemically

    1. You’ll need a 6inch x 1ft schedule 40 pvc pipe. With pvc cement glue a cap on the bottom and use a s***w on cap for the top. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

    2. Now crunch up a couple aluminum cans (beer cans, soda cans etc) and drop them into the pvc pipe, along with a couple cups of lye (Red Devil drain opener has lye in it, some Clorox and Drano’s do to).

    3. Then simply add water, s***w on the top and wait a few minutes.

    What happens in simplicity is that aluminum and lye don’t really get along so they battle, and as always the innocent civilians (water H2O) that the most casualties, by giving up its hydrogen and oxygen. This then builds up in the void of the pipe and is ready to be vented into your engine, by opening the valve. You may need to start your engine on gas then switch it off after the hydrogen starts burning.

    Electrical is a bit easier then Chemically.

    1. Simply take a small solar panel 1.5 amps is what I use ($9 at harborfreight.com), connect the 2 wires from the panel +- to 2 conductors (carbon cores of batteries work well, just be careful removing it from the jacket), but any conductive material will work ie. Copper, aluminum, steel, etc.

    2. Drop the wires into a water tank (I use 55gal drums), make sure they don’t touch each other.

    3. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

    4. Then simply add water, s***w on the top cap and wait.

    After a few hours tiny bubbles will form and rise off one conductor (that’s hydrogen) and even smaller bubbles that just looks like foam will rise off the other (oxygen). I don’t remember which likes the positive and which likes the neg hydrogen or the oxygen.

    The third method is more complicated and is what I use for my vehicles. It’s just a modified Joe’s Cell, there’s a step by step DIY guide available to walk you threw the process here www agua-luna com

It also covers the other 2 methods described in more detail.

www agua-luna com

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at  www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World... Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY... All With Just One Click of A Mouse...For more info Visit:  

www AGUA-LUNA com

Stop Global Warming!!!