Even the medieval scientist Paracelsus, during one of his experiments, noticed that when sulfuric acid comes into contact with ferrum, air bubbles are formed. In fact, it was hydrogen (but not air, as the scientist believed) - a light, colorless, odorless gas, which when certain conditions becomes explosive.
At the present timeDIY hydrogen heating - a very common thing. Indeed, hydrogen can be produced in almost unlimited quantities, the main thing is that there is water and electricity.
This heating method was developed by one of the Italian companies. A hydrogen boiler operates without generating any harmful waste, which is why it is considered the most environmentally friendly and silent way to heat a home. The innovation of the development is that scientists managed to achieve the combustion of hydrogen at a relatively low temperature (about 300ᵒC), and this made it possible to produce similar heating boilers from traditional materials.
When operating, the boiler emits only harmless steam, and the only thing that requires costs is electricity. And if you combine this with solar panels(solar system), then these costs can be completely reduced to zero.
Note! Hydrogen boilers are often used to heat underfloor heating systems, which can be easily installed with your own hands.
How does it all happen? Oxygen reacts with hydrogen and, as we remember from middle school chemistry lessons, forms water molecules. The reaction is provoked by catalysts, resulting in the release of thermal energy, heating the water to approximately 40ᵒC - the ideal temperature for a “warm floor”.
Adjusting the boiler power allows you to achieve a certain temperature indicator required for heating a room of a given area. It is also worth noting that such boilers are considered modular, since they consist of several independent friend from other channels. In each of the channels there is the catalyst mentioned above, as a result, the coolant enters the heat exchanger, which has already reached the required value of 40ᵒC.
Note! A feature of such equipment is that each of the channels is capable of producing different temperatures. Thus, one of them can be carried out to " warm floor", the second to the adjacent room, the third to the ceiling, etc.
The main advantages of hydrogen heating
This method heating a home has several significant advantages, which are responsible for the growing popularity of the system.
- Impressive efficiency, often reaching 96%.
- Environmental friendliness. The only by-product released into the atmosphere is water vapor, which is not capable of harming the environment in principle.
- Hydrogen heating is gradually replacing traditional systems, freeing people from the need to extract natural resources - oil, gas, coal.
- Hydrogen acts without fire; thermal energy is generated through a catalytic reaction.
Is it possible to make hydrogen heating yourself?
In principle, this is possible. Main element systems - a boiler - can be created on the basis of an NNO generator, that is, a conventional electrolyzer. We all remember school experiments when we stuck bare wires connected to an outlet using a rectifier into a container of water. So, to build a boiler you will need to repeat this experiment, but on a larger scale.
Note! A hydrogen boiler is used with a “warm floor”, as we have already discussed. But the arrangement of such a system is a topic for another article, so we will rely on the fact that the “warm floor” is already installed and ready for use.
Construction of a hydrogen burner
Let's start creating a water burner. Traditionally, we will start with preparation necessary tools and materials.
What will be required at work
- Stainless steel sheet.
- Check valve.
- Two bolts 6x150, nuts and washers for them.
- Flow-through filter (from a washing machine).
- Transparent tube. A water level is ideal for this - in building materials stores it is sold for 350 rubles per 10 m.
- Plastic sealed food container with a capacity of 1.5 liters. approximate cost– 150 rubles.
- Herringbone fittings ø8 mm (these are perfect for a hose).
- Grinder for sawing metal.
Now let’s figure out what kind of stainless steel to use. Ideally, you should take steel 03Х16Н1 for this. But buying a whole sheet of “stainless steel” is sometimes very expensive, because a product 2 mm thick costs more than 5,500 rubles, and besides, it needs to be delivered somehow. Therefore, if you have a small piece of such steel lying around somewhere (0.5 x 0.5 m is enough), then you can get by with it.
We will use stainless steel, because ordinary steel, as you know, begins to rust in water. Moreover, in our design we intend to use alkali instead of water, that is, the environment is more than aggressive, and even under the influence of electric current, ordinary steel will not last long.
Video - Brown gas generator simple cell model of 16 stainless steel plates
Manufacturing instructions
First stage. To begin, take a sheet of steel and place it on flat surface. From a sheet of the dimensions indicated above (0.5x0.5 m) you should get 16 rectangles for the future hydrogen burner, cut them out with a grinder.
Note! We saw off one of the four corners of each plate. This is necessary in order to connect the plates in the future.
Second phase. WITH reverse side plates, drill holes for the bolt. If we planned to make a “dry” electrolyzer, we would drill holes from the bottom, but in in this case there is no need to do this. The fact is that the “dry” design is much more complicated, and the useful area of the plates in it would not be used 100%. We will make a “wet” electrolyzer - the plates will be completely immersed in the electrolyte, and their entire area will participate in the reaction.
Third stage.
The operating principle of the described burner is based on the following: an electric current passing through plates immersed in the electrolyte will cause water (it should be part of the electrolyte) to decompose into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H).
Therefore, we must have two plates at the same time - the cathode and the anode.
As the area of these plates increases, the volume of gas increases, so in this case we use eight pieces per cathode and anode, respectively. Note! The burner we are looking at is a parallel design, which, to be honest, is not the most efficient. But it is easier to implement. Fourth stage.
Next we have to install the plates in Plastic container so that they alternate: plus, minus, plus, minus, etc. To insulate the plates, we use pieces of transparent tube (we bought a whole 10 m of it, so there is a supply).
We cut small rings from the tube, cut them and get strips approximately 1 mm thick. This
Note! This needs to be done in a mirror manner, that is, we rotate the anode 180ᵒ. So the “plus” will go into the gaps between the “minus” plates.
Sixth stage.
We look where exactly the bolts rest in the container, and drill holes in that place. If suddenly the bolts do not fit into the container, then we cut them down to the required length. Then we insert the bolts into the holes, put washers on them and tighten them with nuts - for better tightness. Next, we make a hole in the cover for the fitting, screw in the fitting itself (preferably by coating the junction silicone sealant
). Blow into the fitting to check the tightness of the lid. If air still comes out from under it, then we coat this connection with sealant.
Seventh stage.
Upon completion of assembly, we test the finished generator. To do this, connect any source to it, fill the container with water and close the lid. Next, we put a hose on the fitting and lower it into a container of water (to see air bubbles). If the source is not powerful enough, then they will not be in the tank, but they will definitely appear in the electrolyzer.
Next, we need to increase the intensity of gas output by increasing the voltage in the electrolyte. It is worth noting here that water in its pure form is not a conductor - current passes through it due to the impurities and salts it contains. We will dilute a little alkali in water (for example, sodium hydroxide is excellent - it is sold in stores in the form of the “Mole” cleaning agent).
Note! At this stage, we must adequately assess the capabilities of the power source, so before injecting the alkali, we connect an ammeter to the electrolyzer - this way we can monitor the increase in current.
Video - Heating with hydrogen. Hydrogen cell batteries Next, let's talk about other components of the hydrogen burner - the filter for the washing machine and the valve. Both are for protection. The valve will not allow ignited hydrogen to penetrate back into the structure and explode the gas accumulated under the lid of the electrolyzer (even if there is only a little of it there). If we do not install the valve, the container will be damaged and the alkali will leak out. A filter will be required to make a water seal, which will act as a barrier preventing an explosion. Craftsmen who are familiar with the design firsthand homemade burner on hydrogen, this valve is called a “bulbulator”. Indeed, it essentially only creates air bubbles in the water. For the burner itself we use the same transparent hose. All,
All that remains is to connect it to the input of the “warm floor” system, seal the connection and begin direct operation.
As a conclusion. Alternative
An alternative, albeit highly controversial, is Brown's gas - chemical compound, which consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. The combustion of such a gas is accompanied by the formation of thermal energy (moreover, four times more powerful than in the design described above).
Electrolyzers are also used to heat a house with Brown gas, because this method of producing heat is also based on electrolysis. Special boilers are created in which, under the influence of alternating current molecules chemical elements separate, forming Brown's coveted gas.
Video – Enriched Brown gas
It is quite possible that innovative energy resources, the reserve of which is almost unlimited, will soon displace non-renewable natural resources, freeing us from the need for permanent mining. This course of events will have a positive impact not only on the environment, but also on the ecology of the planet as a whole.
Also read our article - do-it-yourself steam heating.
Video - Hydrogen heating
We are accustomed to consider the most accessible view natural gas fuel, which can significantly reduce costs. But it turns out that it has a worthy alternative - hydrogen obtained by splitting water. Starting material To produce this fuel, we receive it completely free of charge. And if you also make a hydrogen generator with your own hands, the economic effect will be simply amazing. Right?
For those wishing to build a cheap but very productive fuel generator with their own hands, we offer detailed instructions. We provide recommendations for proper use. As informative additions that clearly explain the principle of operation, photo applications and a video about one of the generator assembly options were used.
Chemistry lessons high school Once upon a time, explanations were given on how to obtain hydrogen from ordinary tap water. There is such a concept in the chemical field - electrolysis. It is thanks to electrolysis that it is possible to produce hydrogen.
The simplest hydrogen plant It is a container filled with water. Two plate electrodes are placed under the water layer. Electric current is supplied to them. Since water is an excellent conductor electric current, low resistance contact is established between the plates.
The current passing through low water resistance promotes the formation chemical reaction, as a result of which hydrogen is formed.
Diagram of an experimental hydrogen installation, which in former times was studied in the high school chemistry class. As it turns out, those lessons were not superfluous for the practice of modern everyday needs
It would seem that everything is simple and there is very little left to do - collect the resulting hydrogen to use it as an energy source. But chemistry is never complete without subtle details. So it is here: if hydrogen combines with oxygen, at a certain concentration an explosive mixture is formed. This point is one of the critical phenomena that limits the ability to build sufficiently powerful home stations.
Hydrogen generator design
To build hydrogen generators with your own hands, they usually take Brown’s classic installation scheme as a basis. This medium-power electrolyser consists of a group of cells, each of which contains a group of plate electrodes. The power of the installation is determined with total area surfaces of plate electrodes.
The cells are placed inside a container well insulated from external environment. The tank body has pipes for connecting the water main, hydrogen outlet, as well as a contact panel for connecting electricity.
Hydrogen generation apparatus designed according to Brown's scheme. By all calculations, this installation should fully provide household warmth and light. Another question is what dimensions and power will allow this to be done (+)
The Brown generator circuit, among other things, provides for the presence of a water seal and a check valve. Due to these elements, the installation is protected from hydrogen backflow. According to this scheme, the assembly of a hydrogen installation, for example, for organizing heating of a country house, is not theoretically excluded.
Hydrogen heating in the house
Assemble a hydrogen generator for efficient heating at home is an idea that may not be fantastic, but it is clearly extremely unprofitable. In order to receive required volume hydrogen for a home boiler room, you will need not only a powerful electrolysis plant, but also a significant amount of electrical energy.
Compensating for wasted electricity with hydrogen produced at home seems to be an irrational process.
Really working hydrogen generator for home use. The only thing that upsets us is that this is just an experimental option, which can only show how a flame arises from a spark
However, attempts to solve the problem of how to make a hydrogen generator for the home with your own hands do not stop. And here is an example of one of the torture options:
- A sealed, reliable container is prepared.
- Tubular or plate electrodes are made.
- A control circuit for operating voltage and current is assembled.
- Additional modules for the workstation are being made.
- Accessories (hoses, wires, fasteners) are selected.
Naturally, you will need a tool kit, including special equipment, for example, an oscilloscope and a frequency counter. Once equipped with everything you need, you can proceed directly to the production of a hydrogen heating installation for home.
Do-it-yourself project implementation
Initially, you will need to make a hydrogen generation cell. The fuel cell has dimensions a bit less internal dimensions length and width of the generator housing. In height, the size of the block with electrodes is 2/3 of the height of the main body.
The cell can be made of PCB or plexiglass (wall thickness 5-7 mm). To do this, five textolite plates are cut to size. A rectangle is glued together (with epoxy glue), the lower part of which remains open.
On the upper side of the rectangle, the required number of small holes are drilled for the shanks of the electrode plates, one small hole for the level sensor, plus one hole with a diameter of 10-15 mm for the release of hydrogen.
Electrode plates are placed inside the rectangle, the contact shanks of which are brought out through the holes of the upper plate outside the cell. The water level sensor is installed at 80% cell filling. All transitions in the textolite plate (except for the hydrogen outlet) are filled with epoxy glue.
The design feature of the modules of the generator shown in the photo is cylindrical shape execution. The electrodes of this miniature energy source are also designed differently.
The hydrogen outlet hole must be equipped with a fitting - secure it mechanically using a seal or glue it in. The assembled hydrogen generation cell is placed inside the main body of the device and is carefully sealed along the upper perimeter (again, epoxy resin can be used).
This was the case chosen for the hydrogen generator for the next experimental project. Attracts simple idea, but this option is unlikely to be suitable for a powerful station intended for heating the premises of a private house
But before you put the cell inside, the generator housing needs to be prepared:
- make a water supply in the bottom area;
- make the top cover with fasteners;
- choose a reliable sealing material;
- place the electrical terminal block on the cover;
- place a hydrogen collector on the lid.
The result should be a partially ready hydrogen generator after:
- The fuel cell is loaded into the housing.
- The electrodes are connected to the terminal block of the cover.
- The hydrogen outlet fitting is connected to the hydrogen manifold.
- The cover is installed on the body through a seal and secured.
All that remains is to connect the water and additional modules.
Hydrogen Generator Supplements
A homemade device for producing hydrogen must be supplemented with auxiliary modules. For example, a water supply module, which is functionally combined with a level sensor installed inside the generator. IN in simple form such a module is represented by a water pump and a control controller. The pump is controlled by the controller based on a sensor signal, depending on the water level inside the fuel cell.
Additional structural elements, which must be included in the design of any hydrogen station and even an experimental one. A hydrogen generator cannot be operated without automation, control and protection devices.
As such, it is also desirable to have a device that regulates the frequency of the electrical current and the level of voltage supplied to the terminals of the working electrodes of the fuel cell. At a minimum, the electrical module must be equipped with a voltage stabilizer and overcurrent protection.
A hydrogen manifold, in its simplest form, looks like a tube containing a valve, pressure gauge, check valve. Hydrogen is taken from the collector through a check valve and can actually be supplied to the consumer.
Hydrogen manifold and gauge measuring device– integral parts of a hydrogen installation, which ensure gas distribution and pressure control
But in practice everything is somewhat more complicated. Hydrogen - explosive gas having high temperature combustion. Therefore, just take and pump hydrogen into the system heating boiler as fuel - this cannot be done.
Installation quality criteria
It is extremely difficult to assemble a high-quality, efficient and productive installation at home. For example, even if we take into account such a criterion as the metal from which the electrode plates or tubes are made, there is already a risk of encountering problems.
The durability of electrodes depends on the type of metal and its properties. You can, of course, use the same stainless steel, but the lifespan of such elements will be short.
A kind of parody of electrode plates for a hydrogen generator. The plates were taken from the usual variable capacitor which are made of aluminum. Such electrodes will be enough for exactly half an hour of operation even as part of a small experimental system
Installation dimensions also play a significant role. Calculations with high accuracy are required in relation to the required power, water quality and other parameters. So, if the gap between the working electrodes is outside the calculated value, the hydrogen generator may not function at all. In the worst case, the power for which the calculation was made will turn out to be several times less.
Even the cross-section of the wire connecting the electrodes to the power source is important in the design of a hydrogen generator. True, this concerns safe operation devices. However, this design detail should also be taken into account in home installations.
Returning to the safe operation of the system, one should also not forget about the introduction of a so-called water seal into the design, which prevents reverse movement gas.
Despite the rather impressive number of developments of homemade hydrogen generators, it is realistic effective option Not yet. All models are inferior to factory equipment
Industrial generator
At the level industrial production hydrogen generator manufacturing technologies household use are gradually mastered and developed. As a rule, energy stations are produced home use, the power of which does not exceed 1 kW.
This device is designed to produce hydrogen fuel in continuous operation mode for no more than 8 hours. Their main purpose is to supply energy to heating systems.
Installations for operation within condominiums are also developed and manufactured. This is already more powerful designs(5-7 kW), the purpose of which is not only the energy of heating systems, but also the generation of electricity. Such combined option is quickly gaining popularity in Western countries and Japan.
Combined hydrogen generators characterized as systems with high efficiency and low carbon dioxide emissions.
An example of a real-life industrially manufactured station with a power of up to 5 kW. In the future, similar installations are planned for equipping cottages and condominiums
Russian industry has also begun to engage in this promising type of fuel production. In particular, Norilsk Nickel is mastering technologies for the production of hydrogen installations, including household ones. It is planned to use the most different types fuel cells during development and production:
- proton exchange membrane;
- orthophosphoric acid;
- proton exchange methanol;
- alkaline;
- solid oxide.
Meanwhile, the electrolysis process is reversible. This fact suggests that it is possible to obtain already heated water without burning hydrogen.
It seems that this is just another idea that, if you grab onto it, you can launch a new round of passions related to the free production of fuel for your home boiler.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Experimenting at home with homemade models, you need to prepare for the most unexpected results, but negative experience is also experience:
DIY hydrogen generators for the home are still a project that exists at the level of one idea. Practically implemented projects There are no DIY hydrogen generators, and those that are positioned online are the imagination of their authors or purely theoretical options. So we can only rely on an expensive industrial product that promises to appear in the near future.
For heating a private house they use different ways. They differ from each other both in the method of heat transfer and in the type of energy carrier used. When using water heating, there are several types of boilers depending on the type of fuel:
Hydrogen generator for heating a private home
- Solid fuel - used for work solid fuel, which releases heat when burned.
- Electric - in such boilers, heat is obtained by converting electricity.
- Gas - heat is released when gas burns.
If we consider gas boilers, then they mainly run on natural gas, although there are models for liquefied gas, and recently they have begun to use hydrogen produced from water in the special devices– hydrogen generators.
Principle of operation
From the school physics course we know that water, when exposed to electric current, decomposes into two components: hydrogen and oxygen. Based on this phenomenon, a so-called hydrogen generator was built. This device is a unit in which an electrochemical reaction occurs to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water. The process of electrolysis of water is shown in the figure below.
Water electrolysis process At the output of the generator, not pure hydrogen and oxygen are formed, but the so-called Brown gas, named after the scientist who first obtained it. It is also called “explosive gas” because it is explosive under certain conditions. Moreover, when burning this gas, one can obtain almost four times more energy than was expended on its production.
Such a hydrogen production plant is shown in the figure below.
Industrial plant for hydrogen production Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of this type of heating include the following:
- It's environmentally friendly clean look heating, since the combustion of hydrogen in an oxygen environment produces water in the form of steam, and there is no longer any release of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
- You can connect the generator to existing system water heating of a private house.
- The installation operates silently, so it does not require any special room.
Flaws:
- Hydrogen has a high combustion temperature, which in an oxygen environment can reach 3200°C, so a regular boiler can fail very quickly. IN modern devices Scientists have achieved the result of gas combustion at a temperature of 300°C, so the problem can be considered practically solved.
- You need to be very careful when working with Brown's gas as it is explosive. This can be solved by using various safety valves and automation.
- Requires the use of distilled water or water with alkali for operation.
- High cost of equipment. To solve this problem, many are trying to assemble a hydrogen production plant with their own hands.
DIY hydrogen generator
The homemade device schematically represents a container of water in which electrodes are placed to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen.
In order to make such a device with your own hands, you will need:
- Sheet of stainless metal 0.5-0.7 mm thick. Stainless steel grade 12Х18Н10Т is suitable.
- Plexiglas plates.
- Rubber tubes for supplying water and removing gases.
- Sheet petrol and oil resistant rubber 3 mm thick.
- Voltage source - LATR with a diode bridge to obtain direct current. It should provide a current of 5-8 amperes.
First, stainless steel plates are cut into 200x200mm rectangles. The corners on the plates need to be cut off in order to then tighten the entire structure with bolts. In each plate we drill a hole with a diameter of 5 mm, at a distance of 3 cm from the bottom of the plates, for water circulation. A wire is also soldered to each plate to connect to the power source.
Before assembly, rubber rings are made with an outer diameter of 200mm and an inner diameter of 190mm. You also need to prepare two plexiglass plates 2cm thick and 200x200mm in size, and you must first make holes in them on four sides for M8 tightening bolts.
The assembly begins like this: first place the first plate, then a rubber ring coated with sealant on both sides, then the next plate and so on until the last plate. After this, it is necessary to tighten the entire structure on both sides using M8 studs and plexiglass plates. Holes are drilled in the plates: in one at the bottom for the supply of liquid, in the other at the top for gas removal. A fitting is inserted there. Medical PVC tubes are placed on these fittings. The end result should be a design like the one shown below.
DIY hydrogen generator In order to prevent gas from getting back into the gas generator, it is necessary to make a water seal on the way from the generator to the burner, or even better, two seals.
The design of the shutter is a container of water, into which, on the generator side, the tube is lowered into the water, and the tube that goes to the burner is above the water level. The diagram of a hydrogen generator with gates is shown in the figure below.
Diagram of a hydrogen generator with water seals In an electrolyzer - a sealed container of water with lowered electrodes, gas begins to be released when voltage is applied. Through tube 1 it is supplied to valve 1. The design of the water seal is designed in such a way, as can be seen from the figure, that gas can only move in the direction from the electrolyzer to the burner, and not vice versa. This gets in the way different densities water that needs to be overcome on the way back. Next, through tube 2, the gas moves to valve 2, which is designed for greater system reliability: if suddenly for some reason the first valve does not work. After this, the gas is supplied to the burner using tube 3. Water seals are a very important part of the device, since they prevent the gas from moving in the opposite direction.
If gas gets back into the electrolyzer, the device may explode. Therefore, under no circumstances should the device be operated without water seals!
Exploitation
After assembly, you can begin testing the device. To do this, install a burner from a medical needle at the end of the tube and begin to pour in water. You need to add KOH or NaOH to the water. The water must be distilled or melted extreme case. A 10% concentration is sufficient for the device to operate. alkaline solution. There should be no leaks when pouring water. It is best to blow the structure with air, pressure up to 1 atm, before pouring. If the hydrogen generator can withstand this pressure, then you can fill it with water; if not, you need to fix the leaks.
After this, a LATR with a diode bridge is connected to the electrodes according to the circuit. An ammeter and a voltmeter are installed in the circuit to monitor operation. Start with minimal voltage and then constantly increase it, observing gas evolution.
It is better to carry out preliminary work on outdoors outside the house. Since the installation is explosive, all work should be carried out with extreme caution.
During testing, observe the operation of the device. If there is a small burner flame, then there may be either low gas emission in the generator, or there may be a gas leak somewhere. If the solution becomes cloudy or dirty, it needs to be replaced. It is also necessary to ensure that the device does not overheat and the water does not boil. To do this, regulate the voltage at the current source. And one more thing - when heated, the plates become slightly deformed and can stick to one another. To eliminate this, you need to make rubber gaskets. Water spitting may also occur - to eliminate this, you need to reduce the water level.
Generator in the heating system
After the tests have been carried out, the installation can be connected to gas boiler Houses. To do this, the boiler needs to be slightly altered, namely, with your own hands, you need to make a jet with a hole of a smaller diameter than the factory one, designed for natural gas. Generator in assembled form shown in the figure below.
Assembled hydrogen generator The heating system of a private home must be filled with water. The burner flame can melt the boiler if there is no water in it.
After this, they regulate the water supply to the device and begin to remove blockages in the heating system of the house. Then, by adjusting the water supply and supply voltage, the operation of the boiler is adjusted.
When operating the unit for heating season conduct a final test, during which several issues are resolved:
- Is there enough gas to heat the house? If it is not enough, then you can make an installation with your own hands for greater productivity.
- How well does a hydrogen boiler work, that is, how long will the boiler last?
- The cost of such heating - for this you can keep a journal in which you keep calculations of heating costs and the temperature in the house and outside while the boiler is operating. Based on these data, we can then conclude how profitable it is to heat a house with hydrogen.
Based on these data, you can prepare more thoroughly for the next heating season. During operation, you can see what needs improvement, maybe some part of the device needs to be redone. Perhaps the boiler itself needs reworking and modernization so that it does not quickly fail. Also, if you plan to use the device in the future, maybe it makes sense to purchase a water distiller?
Video about the generator
You can learn how to make a hydrogen generator with your own hands without electricity from this video.
The main question that interests many is how expensive or cheap is such heating? This can be found out if you keep statistics during the heating season. Moreover, it is necessary to add up all costs, such as the cost of distilled water, the cost of alkali, the cost of electricity, the cost of repairing the boiler and the manufacture of the installation. Based on this, you can decide whether this type of heating is suitable for your home or not.
In contact with
Inventors of all stripes, from home craftsmen to academic consolidations, are trying to create something new. The priority is energy conservation and savings, new boilers and new, cheapest types of fuel.
The idea of creating fuel for the home from water, or with an admixture of water to make it cheaper, is not new. She still occupies a leading position among home inventors.
Is it possible to literally heat your house with water?, what were the results?, - more...
What's the idea
It is known that water consists of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O. Hydrogen itself (H2) burns, releasing energy 3 times more than ordinary natural gas. Oxygen (O2) is an oxidizing agent during combustion, very active substance, reacts with the same hydrogen, carbon (C) forming water and carbon dioxide CO2 or carbon dioxide CO gases with a large release of heat.
If you somehow split water into its components, you can get the most needed fuel cells.
The question arises: what will happen, for example, if water vapor is supplied to the plasma, mixed with burning wood or coal...
Experiments with eternal logs
An everlasting log is a small metal tank with small holes to allow water vapor to escape. This container is filled with water, the neck is screwed on, and placed on the bottom of the oven. The container heats up to a high temperature, water vapor comes out of it, going directly onto the burning coals.
As a result, according to the experimenters, black soot disappears in the smoke. Those. supposedly the carbon particles normally carried away into the pipe now all react with oxygen.
The flame becomes saturated with long tongues, etc.
But it’s true that measurements of the actual heat received were not carried out, it is impossible to measure it at home, but all the signs of high energy output are present...
Adding water to regular fuel
By analogy, another experiment from people who call themselves “home inventors.”
What happens if you add water to diesel fuel? It turns out that the mixture is burning! There is also less soot, some roughness of combustion occurs, and a crackling sound is heard.
Add a little diesel fuel to a bottle of water, mix it well, let it sit for about five minutes, then dip a piece of paper into the top of the mixture, set it on fire, and it burns.
Another experiment. We mix diesel fuel with water in some proportions, pour it into the diesel engine of the tractor, start the unit, the tractor works. those. rumbles, standing still...
And you can come up with many more similar experiments with adding water to any fuel (flammable substance) - gasoline, gas, oil, diesel fuel. And if done carefully, it is likely to get burned...
Similar videos from “inventors” can be easily found on the Internet. And we can conclude that water can be used to heat a house, for example...
What can be questioned
In such experiments, the main thing is not agreed upon - the amount of heat received, energy released and work done.
This also applies eternal log, and burning diesel fuel with water. But it is not known whether the “tractor on water” will be able to move, let alone work for months and years.
After all, everyone knows that water is used to extinguish, not to light... Because water has a high heat capacity, it cools the burning object, enveloping it, preventing oxygen from the air from accessing the carbon (usually) in the fuel. Therefore, putting out a fire with water from a bottle is no problem.
Why can't you drown with water?
The following is known. To decompose water into oxygen and hydrogen, you need to spend more energy than will be released during their reverse reaction. The ratio is something like this:
- for water splitting - 100% energy;
- When the components are burned, only 75% of the energy will be released.
That’s why nothing rides on water, doesn’t fly, doesn’t spin...
Car running on clean water, has long been created. The splitting of water is achieved through electrolysis - H2 is released at one electrode, and O2 at the other. They are then burned in an internal combustion engine. But such a car turned out to be the least economical of all existing ones...
Pure deception
All experiments with adding water to ordinary fuel (to “burn water”) are pure deception. No energy is added. On the contrary, the benefit decreases, since most of the energy is spent on water evaporation.
When heated by normal combustion, water does not enter into any reactions; it simply evaporates. And for this process it is necessary to take away the lion’s share of the heat, which could be used usefully.
For example, when burning dry wood with a humidity of no more than 20%, about 3.9 kW will be released per kilogram of fuel.
When burning wet wood, 50% humidity - only up to 2.2 kW per kilogram.
What's Really Happening
We always drown with water
Water vapor is always present in the air. In residential premises, the average air humidity is 50%, in rainy weather outside the humidity is 90%. So water is already present during the combustion of any fuel; it is in large quantities directly on the hot surface of a substance reacting with oxygen from the air, whether we like it or not. It turns out that there is no need to carry out such experiments, water is always present in the flame anyway...
To generate heat in your home, you can use various energy sources. Among them there are enough unusual options– for example, hydrogen fuel. Currently, hydrogen heating is rarely used by domestic consumers due to some difficulties in obtaining raw materials.
However, this method is still considered the most environmentally friendly and provides heating large premises. And the costs of such heating will be, although higher compared to the use of gas as an energy carrier, but noticeably lower compared to the operation of solid fuel and electric boilers.
Features of hydrogen heating
For the first time, home heating using hydrogen was developed by Italian inventors. The device they created created virtually no noise and did not emit radiation into the atmosphere. harmful substances. At the same time, the temperature inside the boilers was low, and the equipment could be made not from cast iron or heat-resistant steel, but from ordinary metal and even plastic.
The “classic”, low-temperature version of hydrogen heating is the release of heat during the formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen. Although there is also a technique that involves the reverse process - the splitting of water molecules to create hydrogen fuel that burns in boilers.
Boilers running on hydrogen do not need a special system for exhausting combustion products into the atmosphere. After all, during the process only steam is released, which is harmless to environment. And obtaining raw materials is practically no particular problem, unlike energy carriers such as gas, diesel fuel and pellets.
Costs when using hydrogen heating will only go to electricity for the generator.
Advantages and disadvantages
Distribution of the system hydrogen heating promotes whole line advantages of this method:
- Environmental cleanliness of emissions.
- Work without the use of fire (only for conventional low-temperature systems). Since heat is not produced by combustion, but as a result of a chemical reaction. The combination of hydrogen and oxygen leads to the production of water, and the energy released goes into the heat exchanger. In this case, the coolant temperature does not exceed 40 degrees, which is an almost ideal mode for a “warm floor” system.
- The use of hydrogen fuel saves money for the owner of a private home.
The only one more profitable way in terms of operation - gas heating, which is not always available for suburban housing.
Also, the use of hydrogen reduces the costs of hydrocarbons such as oil and gas, which are non-renewable resources.
True, the technique also has disadvantages. Firstly, hydrogen is quite explosive and, as a result, difficult to transport, although this problem exists only for the low-temperature version.
Secondly, specialists capable of correct installation There are few such boilers and certification of hydrogen cylinders in our country.
Principle and device
Hydrogen heating is based on the release of a significant amount of thermal energy resulting from the interaction of oxygen and hydrogen molecules. The process is characterized large sizes the capacity required for its flow and high efficiency (>80%). For proper operation of the equipment it is necessary:
- connection to a source of liquid, the role of which is most often played by the hydrogen system;
- availability of power supply, without which it is impossible to maintain electrolysis;
- periodic replacement of the catalyst, the frequency depends on the performance and design of the boiler;
- compliance with safety requirements) although compared to gas heating there are much fewer of them due to the occurrence of all reactions inside the boiler, and only visual control of the process is required from the user).
However, considering that it is unlikely to be possible to create equipment such as a low-temperature hydrogen installation for heating a house with your own hands, they most often use alternative method– obtaining hydrogen and using it as an energy carrier. This option will be more affordable and will provide a higher coolant temperature in heating system(same as gas).
System assembly
Hydrogen heating systems include hydrogen generators, burners and boilers. The first is necessary to decompose the liquid into its components (with or without the use of catalysts to speed up the process). The burner creates an open flame, and the boiler serves heat exchange device. All this can be purchased at the appropriate stores, but the same system created by yourself, as a rule, works more efficiently.
The hydrogen generator can be assembled in several ways. To make it, you will need several steel tubes, a tank to house the structure, a pulse-width generator with a power of 30A or higher, or another power source. In addition, during assembly you cannot do without a container for distilled water.
The liquid from which hydrogen will be released is supplied inside a sealed structure, where there are stainless steel plates (the more of them, the more hydrogen is produced, although additional electricity is also consumed), adjacent to each other.
In the container, under the influence of current, the process of splitting water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen occurs, after which the latter is fed into the boiler where the burner is installed. If the current is supplied not from the network, but from a PWM generator, the efficiency of the system increases.
Materials used
The heating system usually uses distilled water, to which sodium hydroxide is added in a proportion of 10 liters of liquid per 1 tbsp. l substances. If it is unavailable or difficult to obtain the required amount of distillate, the use of ordinary tap water is also permitted, but only if it does not contain heavy metals.
As metals from which they are made hydrogen boilers, it is permissible to use any types stainless steels – excellent option will become ferrimagnetic steel, to which excess particles are not attracted. Although the main criterion for choosing a material should still be resistance to corrosion and rust.
To assemble the apparatus, tubes with a diameter of 1 or 1.25 inches are usually used. The burner can be purchased at the appropriate store or online service.
If you choose the right materials and carefully study the heating circuit, manufacturing the installation and connecting it to the boiler is not difficult.
Feasibility of the technique
The reason for installing a hydrogen heating system in a private home may be the lack of natural gas and availability of electricity. At the same time, the costs of providing the building with heat are lower compared to the use of electric heating devices.
In addition, there is no need for pipes to remove combustion products. It turns out that the hydrogen installation may well be used in country houses as independent or additional heating equipment.
