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The series of events for the idea of this one: Christmas break... I am bored... I make a hydrogen mix generator. --*sigh, yeah Ok, so here she is: [Photobucket: :3ds Max render: The whole tower] It is constructed completely out of PVC, and its design (my own derrivation) is key to its awesomeness. Fear: Since it is an enclosed system, and the electrolysis has an infinity for production, regardless of systematic pressure, the barb on the top can produce some rather nice output, granted I dont overpressurize the tower (shards will start flying @ ~300psi). Of course, I do not intend to get anyhere near such pressures... I mainly built it to fill balloons with the hydrogen/oxygen mixture it produces from the top barb. Though, the reason I used an air barb is that I can hook a length of surgical tubing to the tower, and use the mix for other things as I come up with them. \\
So how does she work? Electrolysis is the process of running electrical current through the water via electrodes. The lower the resistance of the flow, the better the hydrogen production, hense the staggered electrode plates and the use of an electrolyte solution. The electrolyte I used is key, because if you are not extremely careful in your selection, the splitting of the molecules of most common possible products for use as an electrolyte (some people, for example, think that using table salt is a grand idea) - well, yes it frees up the resistance of the water, but the electrolysis process 'snaps' the chlorine out of the salt (note: sodium chloride; also note: yeah, im a chemical engineer major), producing the ever so nasty chlorine gas at the barb outlet... a huff of it literally dissolves your lungs. Moving away from the graphic perspective, I found an electrolyte that produces a clean mix... and the water solution used in the process won't disfigure your hands if you get it on you, as the other common electrolytes, ie: sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, on the other hand, will. It is just nice to know that if the tower does blast apart by some demon act, the flying shards wont be followed by a shower of caustic, angry liquid. [Photobucket: :3ds Max render: Electrodes] - The electrodes of the tower, staggered formation Also, the electrodes are also specialized, from a chemical standpoint, for use in the electrolysis process. Using a simple metal such as copper would not suffice because as the electrolysis process takes place, one electrode will be sacrificed while the other one gets all the slurry formed to it. Platinum is a good electrode material, but its price is, simply put, not feasible. Thus, I came up with a great electrode material and design, as seen in the picture above. When the tower is switched on, bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen form at the electrodes and rise through the solution to the top of the tower. The production forms hydrogen to oxygen in the ratio of 2:1 (note: H2O), so the final gas mixture is at prime stoichiometric amounts, though excess oxygen is nicer for combustions, the detonation is in the presence of the atmospheric air, so the resultant boom is still quite impressive... making a noticeable shockwave. \\
So, that's the tower, the use of it are the links below: [Link coming soon] Hydrogen Balloons
- Filled with hydrogen/Oxygen mixture, these balloons burst out shockwaves and, when a fuse is tied to them and allowed to float up, the aerial affects are amazing, to say the least. More details and pics at the link. \\
Later on, coming soon: Make a pure-hydrogen separating tower
- Power a fuel cell? Perpetual, water-vapor torch Hydrogen powered rocket
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