FreeLists / opendtv / [opendtv] Re: GM exec: Time to reinvent the automobile

["Barry Wilkins" <barry.barrywilkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have had a long interest in the concept of a vehicle that operates (gets
its energy from) the oxidation of aluminium. I imagine you all know that
aluminium is an extremely reactive element and that it is only because an
instantaneous very thin impervious layer of oxide film forms on exposed
metal that saves it from totally combusting in the presence of oxygen in
air. As Aluminium has a similar energy to weight ratio as petrol when
oxidized (burnt) it would appear to be a very stable and practical
alternative to fossil fuel.

Of course the original energy is derived from the electrolysis of aluminium
oxide to the metal and this process has its losses and requires electrical
energy which may perhaps be derived from an original fossil source.

In my country's situation though, New Zealand's only aluminuim smelter is
operated from hydro power and so is eco friendly. Furthermore, the
conversion of high quality aluminium oxide (the result of the oxidation in
powering the vehicle) back to aluminium is far more efficient than that
process where the raw material is bauxite, which requires pre-refining. Note
that this is a completely cyclical process where the aluminium is simply an
energy carrier. Once a certain quantity of this material is inserted into
the cycle, it is not wasted.
The oxidation of aluminium to power a vehicle can be carried out in such a
way that it regenerates electrical power, i.e. as in an aluminium/air fuel
cell, or it can be oxidized in the presence of water (by the water) to
effectively split the water molecules to generate hydrogen. In this latter
way the aluminium provides the energy required for hydrolysis. This is to me
the safest way to operate a hydrogen vehicle as the hydrogen can be
generated on demand without residual. Again there are energy conversion
losses in the splitting in the form of considerable heat generation. The
trick is to make use of the heated water and the liberated hydrogen to
produce traction. Here you may be amused but I have a practical solution -
use the heat of oxidation to generate steam and then burn the hydrogen to
superheat the steam. Operate a small steam turbine/electric generator to
drive electric motors and charge a small high energy cell. There are losses
in this conversion scheme but interestingly, they do not amount to any in
excess of a typical internal combustion engine under normal operating
conditions. The benefits are: It generates no local pollutants, the energy
carrier is recyclable, the aluminium is relatively abundant as an element,
it is a concentrated yet stable and safe energy storage material which has
an energy/weight ratio competitive with petrol. Note you must include the
other reactant (water) in the total energy/weight calculation.
The typical shortcut considered by many is to simply burn the hydrogen in an
internal combustion engine. Problem is, you have already lost some energy in
the splitting process and internal combustion engines run on hydrogen run so
hot that valves and pistons are destroyed. So for these reasons an external
combustion process (which is cleaner burning) and makes use of the heat of
reaction would be preferred. The electric cell/motors are required for
instant demand as a turbine has a slow acceleration rate and should be
operated at optimum revs continually.

I imagine there will be any number of objections to this little scheme and I
am keen to hear them. The thing is, no other alternative power system I know
of meets all of the criteria I have mentioned. Perhaps some, not all.

Regards
Barry Wilkins



On 6/7/07, Bob Miller <robmxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Air power is another solution. It could rely solely on the electric
> grid where we can more efficiently control emissions and work toward
> centralized power sources that are renewable.
>
> http://www.theaircar.com/
>
> Ironically air conditioning is no problem but heating is.
>
> Bob Miller
>
> On 6/6/07, Manfredi, Albert E <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > When I hear "reinvent" or "take to the next level," my BS alarm goes
> > off.
> >
> > I've always been a fan of fuel cell cars, because they take the battery
> > out of the electric car, and it's the battery that kills electric cars.
> > But betting on fuel cells hardly "take[s] the automobile totally out of
> > the environmental debate."
> >
> > Fuel cells require H2. And H2 is either extracted from water with
> > electrolysis, or it could be extracted from hydrocarbon molecules.
> > Either process needs energy. Extracting and transporting H2 will somehow
> > or other have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions, or wildlife, or
> > nuclear waste, or the beauty of the landscape, or most likely all of the
> > above. And they all fall under "the environment."
> >
> > The EV-1 was always a non-starter. It was PR, best used by Hollywood
> > actors in search of virtue. And the so-called "plug-in hybrids" are no
> > better. They simply place a greater load on the power grid than hybrids
> > do, while at the same time shortening battery life compared with
> > hybrids, by drawing the charge way down every time you leave the
> > driveway.
> >
> > At best, all of these supposed solutions are just minor tweaks to the
> > bigger environmental picture. Hardly solutions. Some probabably create a
> > worse mess than we have now. Cold fusion might be a solution.
> >
> > Bert
> >
> > ----------------------------------------
> > GM exec: Time to reinvent the automobile
> >
> > Brian Fuller
> > (06/05/2007 10:51 AM EDT)
> > URL: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199901250
> >
> > SAN DIEGO - The man who runs R&D for General Motors said it's time to
> > reinvent the product that's made his company what it is today: the
> > automobile.
> >
> > "We want to take the automobile totally out of the environmental
> > debate," Larry Burns, vice president of research and development and
> > strategic initiatives, said Monday (June 4). He delivered the first
> > keynote at this week's 44th annual Design Automation Conference here.
> >
> > "We literally have an opportunity to reinvent the automobile around
> > these exciting technologies." Burns spoke a few feet from a Chevrolet
> > Sequel vehicle-one of two GM has manufactured-that runs entirely on
> > hydrogen fuel cell technology. GM officials recently drove it 300 miles
> > on a single fuel cell charge emitting only water vapor.
> >
> > The next step for the technology is to move it into the Chevrolet
> > Equinox, where about more than 100 fuel-cell-only models will be
> > marketed in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. initially.
> >
> > For some, GM's fuel-cell move is a bet-the-farm strategy that insiders
> > hope doesn't end up like the abortive EV-1 all-electric project that GM
> > killed after making and leasing about 800 vehicles.
> >
> > "It's one basket we've put eggs into, but actually our strategy is to
> > displace petroleum," Burns said in an interview before the keynote. He
> > pointed to continuing work on all-electric vehicles (the Chevrolet Volt)
> > and other initiatives.
> >
> > Burns also sketched out an automotive future in which cars begin to
> > communicate with each other in vehicle to vehicle networks to improve
> > safety and the driving experience.
> >
> > "Beyond that it sets up a future in which vehicles can drive
> > themselves," he said.
> >
> > Because GM engineers take a top-down view on design and must blend
> > mechanical and electrical systems at a high level of abstraction, Burns
> > said auto manufacturers are relying on the design automation industry to
> > continue to deliver tools to enable them to design at such levels.
> >
> > "Math-based tools are very much at the heart of virtual engineering and
> > virtual vehicle development," he said, noting the Sequel was designed
> > from the ground up in 18 months. You truly are on the pathway to making
> > this future happen through the tools you're making."
> >
> > All material on this site Copyright 2007 CMP Media LLC. All rights
> > reserved.
> >
> >
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