Beyond Water: The Science Of Alternative Car Fuels

Water cannot burn like traditional fuels, and any hope of extracting energy from it at all, in some other way, can only be crushed by chemistry. A water molecule contains three atoms: an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, which bond together like magnets. Breaking those bonds will always take more energy than you get back.

Water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion

Water can be split into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—using electrolysis, and then injected into the engine's combustion process to power the car along with gasoline. However, experts say the energy equation on this type of system is not, in reality, efficient at all.

Water can be used as an additive in the form of water injection, which allows to save up to 30-40% of fuel. In this case, water is injected as an aerosol in the aspiration and the droplets when arrive to the engine combustion chamber, because of the high temperature released by fuel combustion and evaporate; the steam produced increases the pressure in the chamber but in the same time absorbs heat. There is a peak for the water added; in fact, too little has little effect, too much quench the combustion.

Water can also be made into hydrogen gas, but that is just storing electricity chemically using water as a feedstock.

In the past, water was used with moderate success in the early years of automobiles in the form of coal-fired steam engines. However, as the modern world faces major sustainability issues, the automobile industry is turning to other sources of fuel.

Water cannot burn like traditional (fossil) fuels

Water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion in its liquid state. In the past, it was used with moderate success in the early years of automobiles in the form of coal-fired steam engines. However, as the modern world faces major sustainability issues, the automobile industry is turning to other sources of fuel.

There are a number of online marketing offers of kits that will convert your car to “run on water”, but these should be viewed skeptically. These kits, which attach to the car’s engine, use electrolysis to split the water (H2O) into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—and then inject the resulting hydrogen into the engine’s combustion process to power the car along with the gasoline. Doing this, they say, makes the gasoline burn cleaner and more completely, thus making the engine more efficient. But experts say the energy equation on this type of system is not, in reality, efficient at all.

You can make hydrogen gas from water, but that is just storing electricity chemically using water as a feedstock. In few words run a car with water in the way to use water as fuel is not yet feasible because it is necessary to convert it to H2 and to do this in required more energy than the energy produced by released H2. Use water as an additive is possible and makes sense: it is known as water injection and allows to save up to 30-40% of fuel. In this case, water is injected as an aerosol in the aspiration, and the droplets when arrive to the engine combustion chamber, because of the high temperature released by fuel combustion and evaporate; the steam produced increases the pressure in the chamber but in the same time absorbs heat. There is a peak for the water added; in fact, too little has little effect, too much quench the combustion.

Energy required to convert water to H2 is more than the energy produced by released H2

Water cannot "burn" like traditional (fossil) fuels, but any hope of extracting energy from it at all, in some other way, can only be crushed by chemistry. A water molecule contains three atoms: an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, which bond together like magnets. According to Wai Cheng, a professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Sloan Automotive Lab (where he does research on engine performance and emissions, combustion science, and energy conversion), breaking those bonds will always take more energy than you get back.

Water injection is a way to use water as an additive. It is known as water injection and allows to save up to 30-40% of fuel. In this case, water is injected as an aerosol in the aspiration and the droplets when arrive to the engine combustion chamber, because of the high temperature released by fuel combustion and evaporate; the steam produced increase the pressure in the chamber but in the same time absorb heat. There is a peak for the water added; in fact, too little has little effect, too much quench the combustion.

There are a number of online marketing offers of kits that will convert your car to “run on water,” but these should be viewed skeptically. These kits, which attach to the car’s engine, use electrolysis to split the water (H2O) into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—and then inject the resulting hydrogen into the engine’s combustion process to power the car along with the gasoline. Doing this, they say, makes the gasoline burn cleaner and more completely, thus making the engine more efficient. But experts say the energy equation on this type of system is not, in reality, efficient at all.

Water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion. In the past, it was used with moderate success in the early years of automobiles in the form of coal-fired steam engines. However, as the modern world faces major sustainability issues, the automobile industry is turning to other sources of fuel.

Hydrogen gas can be made from water, but that is just storing electricity chemically using water as a feedstock. It is necessary to convert water to H2 and to do this, more energy is required than the energy produced by released H2.

Water injection is possible and makes sense, allowing to save up to 30-40% of fuel

Water molecules contain three atoms: an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, which bond together like magnets. According to Wai Cheng, a professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Sloan Automotive Lab (where he does research on engine performance and emissions, combustion science, and energy conversion), breaking those bonds will always take more energy than you get back.

There are a number of online marketing offers of kits that will convert your car to “run on water”, but these should be viewed skeptically. These kits, which attach to the car’s engine, use electrolysis to split the water (H2O) into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—and then inject the resulting hydrogen into the engine’s combustion process to power the car along with the gasoline.

Water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion. In the past, it was used with moderate success in the early years of automobiles in the form of coal-fired steam engines. However, as the modern world faces major sustainability issues, the automobile industry is turning to other sources of fuel.

You can make hydrogen gas from water, but that is just storing electricity chemically using water as a feedstock.

Energy equation of water-based systems is not efficient

Water is a poor fuel source for cars because it does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion. Water molecules contain three atoms: an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, which bond together like magnets. According to Wai Cheng, a professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Sloan Automotive Lab, breaking those bonds will always take more energy than you get back.

Electrolysis is used to split the water (H2O) into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—and then inject the resulting hydrogen into the engine’s combustion process to power the car along with the gasoline. Experts say the energy equation on this type of system is not, in reality, efficient at all.

Water injection is possible and makes sense: it is known as water injection and allows to save up to 30-40% of fuel. In this case, water is injected as an aerosol in the aspiration and the droplets when arrive to the engine combustion chamber, because of the high temperature released by fuel combustion and evaporation; the steam produced increases the pressure in the chamber but in the same time absorbs heat. There is a peak for the water added; in fact, too little has little effect, too much quench the combustion.

There are a number of online marketing offers of kits that will convert your car to “run on water”, but these should be viewed skeptically. These kits, which attach to the car’s engine, use electrolysis to split the water (H2O) into its component molecules—hydrogen and oxygen—and then inject the resulting hydrogen into the engine’s combustion process to power the car along with the gasoline. Doing this, they say, makes the gasoline burn cleaner and more completely, thus making the engine more efficient. But experts say the energy equation on this type of system is not, in reality, efficient at all.

Water can be used to make hydrogen gas, but that is just storing electricity chemically using water as a feedstock. In its liquid state, water does not possess the mechanical or chemical energy required for propulsion. In the past, it was used with moderate success in the early years of automobiles in the form of coal-fired steam engines. However, as the modern world faces major sustainability issues, the automobile industry is turning to other sources of fuel.

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