Hyd Powered Locos ?

[pgtr]

I was thumbing thru some old copies of my IEEE journals and saw a 1 page blurb on hydrogen fuel cell powered locomotives being developed. I think the idea being these would work on shorter lines or for switcher duty. Military was interested in these too interestingly enough.

Now just imagine some day if these hit the mainstream - one might run these with genuine hydrogen on a layout... Running the same source of power - how's that for model realism?

[RR Redneck]

That would be the cat's meow for alot of folks wouldn't it.

[ben10ben]

I know that we hear a lot about hydrogen powered cars/trains/whatever else you would like, but I still don't quite understand how it can be possible.

Hydrogen doesn't exist in its elemental state in the enviroment-it's way too reactive. 

Most industrial hydrogen comes from electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride. This gives you hydrogen gas, chlorine gas, and sodium hydroxide(lye), all of which are important industrial chemicals.

The big problem is that this process is pretty electrically intensive, with the power coming, likely, from coal or other fossil fuels. 

According to the second law of thermodynamics, we can't get electrically make gaseous hydrogen, and then get electricity back from it by turning it back into what it started as(water) without losing some energy in the process. 

For that reason, I don't ever see hydrogen power as practical. 

[RR Redneck]

That is true, but you never know.

[daan]

Hydrogen can be practical for vehicles since (if you have cheap electricity) you can make it by electrolising water. (giving 2H2 and 02). It has the advantage that you don't need to change anything on a normal petrolengine, it works straight away on hydrogen, but the big issue is the tank. H2 is the smallest possible molecule in the universe and will not be easy to stick away in a container for long time. It leaks constantly.

That way the fueltank will be empty in a few day's time, even if you don't use the fuel. Untill there is a way to store electricity better then a normal battery though (without the weight), hydrofuel is the most easy perspective we have.. (wether you use it in a fuelcell or combustionengine..)