Fuel Cells Motorcycles, Trucks, Tanks, ATVs and Fire Hazards from Heat Exchanges

By Lance Winslow

We have heard a whole lot of talk about fuel cells and of course it is a worthy endeavor. Portable generators, cars, transportation industry, Power generators, Ships, etc. can benefit. However in a mobile application such as a shuttle bus, car, truck, train, tractor, motor scooter or even a Segway air-cushioned platform mover, there is the problem of heat. The heat occurs on transfer of fuel. So if we are talking about a portable application the heat can make steam and the steam can be used for additional power needed also. In an off road application when we are in places of drought and extreme fire hard there is a significant problem which needs to be better addressed with the material sciences to control the heat. Everyone knows that 2-cycle motorcycles get hot and can cause fires if you are not careful.

The hydrogen cell problem with it's temperatures could be significantly worse. In larger vehicles there have been ways to mitigate this, with additional insulation panels, however in a small off road vehicle or ATV, the problem becomes more significant. When I speak of ATV, I mean All-terrain vehicle, not the Fuel Cell term of Advanced Technology Vehicle. At Texas A and M. they are working on just such a project.

When we are talking motorcycles, and ATVs the cooling system is the major obstacle, wouldn't you know it. There is always some hitch and it does appear that this small obstacle is in fact being taken care of through new material sciences and it is critical indeed as we have seen urban heat of five plus degrees within various regions of the US due to concrete and asphalt without one fuel cell car and we know that reciprocal engines of gasoline motors run about 300 or so degrees, which is a lot less than the conversion rate to pure hydrogen? Well these engineering barriers are being pummeled currently as the innovators in America accept the challenge and refuse to go back, such is the nature of the American Spirit, Never ever, ever, ever Give Up. Winston Churchill could have been an American, he certainly talked like one and this current situation could have used such talk. And of course he comes from the same stock as many of us do. Well it appears many University Researchers in this country may just beat President Bush's cautious commitment to bring this technology to the forefront by 2012. We are now seeing the strides of innovation take hold. From the Spinglass Scooters to potential Segway Models.

Now then, the components of these vehicles cannot be made of lightweight composite. Some types of composite unfortunately give off Cyanide Gas when they burn. We of course have been learning this from the F-117 Stealth crashes and the potentiality of the 7E7 half composite airliners. So what material do you make these units out of which is safe for anything from a ride on lawn mower to a laptop computer 90 watt power system. Even Plastics melt and give off some pretty toxic substances? Ceramic Coatings or glass coatings on top of other materials, indeed may be one solution. As a matter of fact this is just about the only known solution for the exhaust and catalyst systems (which run extremely hot and glow inside) in current exhaust systems. Many think it can be applied to the heat issues of hydrogen cells as well and of course after reading many articles and studies in the Ceramics Industry, I believe there is ample opportunity there.

http://www.ceramicindustry.com/CDA/Article...0,27484,00.html

We have been studying these situations for our company in the Mobile Oil Change Business figuring if we cannot change the oil in the future as a business we can replace filters and membranes with re-usable ceramic materials which maybe found in the new technologies associated with fuel cells. But where will all these filters be discharged? After all Glass takes quite a while to decompose rendering it's half life closer than that of uranium to lead, then from Ceramic filter to dirt? Will future archeologists dig up these nifty ceramic filters in old garbage dumps in the decomposed semi-crude oil remenance and wonder what on Earth we used them for and proving that we were indeed a species of significant cognitive worth? As we look at ceramic coatings such as Adsil (google it to learn more) and others we realize that they decrease corrosion from things like the nasty Magnesium Chlorides put on roads in the North during ice and snowstorms.

Will we need to coat the entire car with glass to prevent fire? Will this mean you will wash your car with Windex? Is glass cleaning services a future growth industry then, since more things will be made from glass including much of the coating on a car. Will this foil the efforts of GM, Ford, Honda and Toyota in planned obsolescence? In other words whoever is making the cars, whether it is GM-Ballard partnership, Eaton-Ford Partnership or a Multi-National Foreign Conglomerate of China, Japan, Korea, US then will cars last so long people will buy fewer of them or will the Chinese demand for oil drive the prices of crude up so fast and furious that the whole world will begin to switch to fuel cells at once during a last hurrah of overbearing gas and diesel prices. Cars which last too long mean consumer will not continue to buy new cars which on average now is 3.1 years in the middle class of America. Now do not go out and buy Windex Stock right now. No matter what this is still many years off.

You will see in the future that many companies and even military, NASA and others use ceramic coatings on equipment to prolong life. Corrosion issues are serious in all sectors, including shipping containers, truck chassis, braking systems, railroad, automotive, even a rusty lawn-mower with many plastic parts from your local Home Depot, Lowes or Wal*Mart.

Ceramic coatings even applied at 5 mils are enough to seal the aluminum pores enough to solve basic corrosion problems. Corrosion control is especially important to military equipment after wartime. Sure it provides jobs to make new tanks, humvees and armored personnel carriers, but there maybe budget concerns as well to think about. After all some of the T-34 tanks used by our enemy were how old? Still running, perhaps with corrosion controls of ceramics, the ones left could be put in museums forever? A remainder of the Human Species and her need to wage war, perhaps an innate characteristic which may eventually be bread out of our genome, but probably not likely soon. Hydrogen cell tanks, yes there are many such projects going on now.

What will the routine maintenance service companies look like in the future? How will they maintain their ROIs and Proformas, forward looking statements and spreadsheets, Warren Buffet style balance sheets, quarterly profits and shareholder’s equity? These companies to harvest continued cash flow in these cleaning, maintenance and coating industries will need to drastically modify their procedures. As we see from this weeks devastating Hurricane Charley, we need to pay attention to the global warming problems as they are real and when you turn up the heat, the surrounding atmosphere will notice and when it comes to mother nature, she is quite sure of what she is doing.

I hope you have enjoyed this provocative topic and interesting study on Fuel Cells for motorcycles, trucks, trains, tanks, ATVs, ships, etc. as it pertains to global warming, urban heat, Fire Hazards from heat exchanges and risks associated with these new technologies.

The future is going to be a most excellent place to live as long as we pay attention to what we are doing on the way to get there.

Lance Winslow is a retired entrepreneur; http://CarWashGuys.com and works with the World Think Tank; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Hydrogen hot air: polluting with cleaner cars

Adrian Moore
PRESIDENT BUSH'S State of the Union address included a proposal to spend $1.2 billion developing hydrogen-powered cars. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is so taken with the idea that he wants to open a statewide network of hydrogen fueling stations.

Hydrogen cars are a popular environmental cure-all because they are supposed to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A simulation for the Reason Foundation, conducted by chemical engineer William Korchinski of Advanced Industrial Modeling, attempted to estimate the decline in carbon dioxide emissions that would have resulted from switching every car in California to hydrogen fuel in 1981. He found that the decline would likely not even be measurable. A comprehensive comparison of the emissions released by hydrogen and gasoline vehicles, as well as those caused by the manufacture, transport, and distribution of both fuels, shows that in most cases fueling cars with hydrogen would make little net difference in emissions of greenhouse gases, and in some cases would even increase them.

For example, hydrogen is made via electrolysis or by reforming hydrocarbons, and both methods take a lot of electricity--most of which comes from burning fossil fuels. And hydrogen can't be sent through pipelines, meaning more truck trips to haul hydrogen to fueling stations.

New cars have very low emissions, and hybrid gas-electric vehicles already on the market emit even less. Yet the kind of incremental improvements that drive so much real progress aren't as exciting to many environmentalists--and presidents--as flashy silver-bullet solutions.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Reason Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

Hydrogen's dirty secret: President Bush promises that fuel-cell cars will be free of pollution.

But if he has his way, the cars of tomorrow will run on hydrogen made from fossil fuels - Outfront

Barry C. Lynn
When President Bush unveiled his plans for a hydrogen-powered car in his State of the Union address in January, he proposed $1.2 billion in spending to develop a revolutionary automobile that will be "pollution-free." The new vehicle, he declared, will rely on "a simple chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen" to power a car "producing only water, not exhaust fumes." Within 20 years, the president vowed, fuel-cell cars will "make our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of oil."

By launching an ambitious program to develop what he calls the "Freedom Car," Bush seemed determined to realize the kind of future that hydrogen-car supporters have envisioned for years. Using existing technology, hydrogen can be easily and cleanly extracted from water. Electricity generated by solar panels and wind turbines is used to split the water's hydrogen atoms from its oxygen atoms. The hydrogen is then recombined with oxygen in fuel cells, where it releases electrons that drive an electric motor in a car.

What Bush didn't reveal in his nationwide address, however, is that his administration has been working quietly to ensure that the system used to produce hydrogen will be as fossil fuel-dependent--and potentially as dirty--as the one that fuels today's SUVs. According to the administration's National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap, drafted last year in concert with the energy industry, up to 90 percent of all hydrogen will be refined from oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuels-in a process using energy generated by burning oil, coal, and natural gas. The remaining 10 percent will be cracked from water using nuclear energy.

Such a system, experts say, would effectively eliminate most of the benefits offered by hydrogen. Although the fuel-cell cars themselves may emit nothing but water vapor, the process of producing the fuel cells from hydrocarbons will continue America's dependence on fossil fuels and leave behind carbon dioxide, the primary cause of global warming.

Mike Nicklas, chair of the American Solar Energy Society, was one of 224 energy experts invited by the Department of Energy to develop the government's Roadmap last spring. The sessions, environmentalists quickly discovered, were dominated by representatives from the oil, coal, and nuclear industries. "All the emphasis was on how the process would benefit traditional energy industries," recalls Nicklas, who sat on a committee chaired by an executive from ChevronTexaco. "The whole meeting had been staged to get a particular result, which was a plan to extract hydrogen from fossil fuels and not from renewables." The plan does not call for a single ounce of hydrogen to come from power generated by the sun or the wind, concluding that such technologies "need further development for hydrogen production to be more cost competitive."

But instead of investing in developing those sources, the budget that Bush submitted to Congress pays scant attention to renewable methods of producing hydrogen. More than half of all hydrogen funding is earmarked for automakers and the energy industry. Under the president's plan, more than $22 million of hydrogen research for 2004 will be devoted to coal, nuclear power, and natural gas, compared with $17 million for renewable sources. Overall funding for renewable research and energy conservation, meanwhile, will be slashed by more than $86 million. "Cutting R&D for renewable sources and replacing them with fossil and nuclear doesn't make for a sustainable approach," says Jason Mark, director of the clean vehicles program for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The oil and chemical industries already produce 9 million tons of hydrogen each year, most of it from natural gas, and transport it through hundreds of miles of pipelines to fuel the space shuttle and to remove sulfur from petroleum refineries. The administration's plan lays the groundwork to expand that infrastructure--guaranteeing that oil and gas companies will profit from any transition to hydrogen. Lauren Segal, general manager of hydrogen development for BP, puts it succinctly: "We view hydrogen as a way to really grow our natural-gas business."

To protect its fuel franchise, the energy industry has moved swiftly in recent years to shape government policy toward hydrogen. In 1999, oil companies and automakers began attending the meetings of an obscure group called the National Hydrogen Association. Founded in 1989 by scientists from government labs and universities, the association was a haven for many of the small companies--fuel-cell designers, electrolyzer makers--that were dabbling in hydrogen power. The group promoted the use of hydrogen but was careful not to take any position on who would make the fuel or how.

All that changed once the energy industry got involved. "All of a sudden Shell joined our board, and then the interest grew very quickly," says Karen Miller, the association's vice president. "Our chair last year was from BP; this year our chair is from ChevronTexaco." The companies quickly began to use the association as a platform to lobby for more federal funding for research, and to push the government to emphasize fossil fuels in the national energy plan for hydrogen. Along with the big automakers, energy companies also formed a consortium called the International Hydrogen Infrastructure Group to monitor federal officials charged with developing fuel cells. "Basically," says Neil Rossmeissl, a hydrogen standards expert at the Department of Energy, "what they do is look over our shoulder at DOE to make sure we are doing what they think is the right thing."

As hydrogen gained momentum, the oil companies rushed to buy up interests in technology companies developing ways to refine and store the new fuel. Texaco has invested $82 million in a firm called Energy Conversion Devices, and Shell now owns half of Hydrogen Source. BP, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, Ford, and General Electric have also locked up the services of many of America's top energy scientists, devoting more than $270 million to hydrogen research at MIT, Princeton, and Stanford.

Such funding will help ensure that oil and gas producers continue to profit even if automakers manage to put millions of fuel-cell cars on the road. "The major energy companies have several hundred billions of dollars, at the least, invested in their businesses, and there is a real interest in keeping and utilizing that infrastructure in the future," says Frank Ingriselli, former president of Texaco Technology Ventures. "And these companies certainly have the balance sheets and wherewithal to make it happen."

The stakes in the current battle over hydrogen are high. Devoting the bulk of federal research funding to making hydrogen from fossil fuels rather than water will enable oil and gas companies to provide lower-priced hydrogen. That, in turn, means that pipelines built to transport hydrogen will stretch to, say, a BP gas field in Canada, rather than an independent wind farm in North Dakota. Even if the rest of the world switches to hydrogen manufactured from water, says Nicklas, "Americans may end up dependent on fossil fuels for generations."

The administration's plans to manufacture hydrogen from fossil fuels could also contribute to global warming by leaving behind carbon dioxide. Oil and coal companies insist they will be able to "sequester" the carbon permanently by pumping it deep into the ocean or underground. But the DOE calls such approaches "very high risk," and no one knows how much that would cost, how much other environmental disruption that might cause, or whether that would actually work. "Which path we take will have a huge effect one way or the other on the total amount of carbon pumped into the atmosphere over the next century," says James MacKenzie, a physicist with the World Resources Institute.

Even if industry manages to safely contain the carbon left behind, the Bush administration's plan to extract hydrogen from fossil fuels will wind up wasting energy. John Heywood, director of MIT's Sloan Automotive Lab, says a system that extracts hydrogen from oil and natural gas and stores it in fuel cells would actually be no more energy efficient than America's present gasoline-based system.

"If the hydrogen does not come from renewable sources," Heywood says, "then it is simply not worth doing, environmentally or economically."

To read more about hydrogen cars and alternative fuels, go to www.motherjones.com/extra/hydrogen.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Foundation for National Progress
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

More Environment-Friendly, Fuel Cell Powered Hondas to Traverse the Streets of Los Angeles Soon

by: Jenny McLane

More Environment-Friendly, Fuel Cell Powered Hondas to Traverse the Streets of Los Angeles Soon

This is the latest buzz words in the car industry, but what is it really all about?

Honda FCX powered by Honda fuel cells.

It has been two years since Honda released the Honda FCX which has become the first fuel cell vehicle in the world to receive government certification, paving the way for the commercial use of fuel cell vehicles. This comes as no surprise as Honda has always been an advocate of environmental consciousness and a pioneer in developing cutting edge technology in protecting the environment. The fuel-cell is propelled by electricity generated by a hydrogen-oxygen chemical reaction, and its only emission, amazingly, is water vapor. Now, with a fresh stamp of approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, Honda is delivering a family of new FCX fuel-cell vehicles to its first customer, the city of Los Angeles, known for its strict environmental emission rules to eliminate the overwhelming air pollution already at its midst.

The latest version of Honda fuel cells delivers about 15% more maximum drive motor torque than the previous prototypes and also provides improvements in mid-to-high range power output characteristics and acceleration. It also has an amplified driving range of 220 miles, about 25 miles more than the previous model.

How does the fuel cell work?

In principle, a fuel cell functions like a battery. Dissimilar from a battery though, a fuel cell does not run down or require recharging. It will produce energy in the form of electricity and heat as long as fuel is supplied. The type of fuel cell used in the Honda FCX is called a Polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Powered by Hydrogen gas the fuel cell provides power to the FCX's AC synchronous electric motor to give the FCX a top speed of around 93 mph. With engine output at around 60kW, Honda claims the clean FCX has similar performance to the its petrol drinking brother, the Honda Civic. Fuel Cells produce electricity from an external fuel supply as opposed to the limited internal energy storage capacity of a battery.

A fuel cell system, which includes a "fuel reformer", can utilize the hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel - from natural gas to methanol, and even gasoline. Since the fuel cell relies on chemistry and not combustion, emissions from this type of a system would still be much smaller than emissions from the cleanest fuel combustion processes. In fact fuel cells running on hydrogen derived from a renewable source will emit nothing but water vapor. Water vapor being its only exhaust, a fuel cell powered vehicle such as the Honda FCX produces completely no harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Fuel cells were first used in a practical application by NASA in the 1960’s for their Apollo space program. For decades sensible fuel cell application was regarded as too costly and too difficult for automobile usage. Through constant research and development its utilization may become a reality, the only problem that crops up is the source for refueling.

Honda’s proposed solution for refueling stations.

If fuel cell powered cars ever become popular, gas stations may soon have to start supplying hydrogen as well as their regular petroleum based products. But since currently there are only a handful of them around, this may be far from happening.

Until then, Honda will continue to do some research on other possible solutions. An experimental Home Energy Station (HES) is seen as the most feasible. The HES could generate hydrogen from natural gas for use in fuel cell vehicles while supplying electricity and hot water to the home. The new HES system that has been jointly developed with strategic fuel cell partner Plug Power Inc. is located on the grounds of Honda R&D Americas in Torrance, California, and will undergo experiments in hydrogen production, storage and fueling, as part of ongoing research into hydrogen energy sources. The new HES system, which can currently produce enough hydrogen to refill the tank of a Honda FCX hydrogen fuel cell vehicle taking just a few minutes once a day.

Honda’s dedication to a greener and cleaner environment.

Honda started research and development on fuel cells in 1989. Ten years after they have been road testing fuel cell powered vehicles in the US and Japan. Honda is a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) based in Sacramento, California, and has been working closely with that organization.

Honda has had a long history of environmental breakthroughs and dedication with their automobiles. Even from way back in 1975, Honda scored it big with their CVCC as being the first vehicle to meet the amended Clean Air act standard. Honda was also the first auto company to produce a vehicle, the Honda Civic, to meet the low emission vehicle (LEV) standard in all 50 states and the first to sell a gasoline car meeting first California's Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard and subsequently the "Super" ULEV standard (Accord).

Honda was also the first to sell a combined gasoline and electric powered vehicle, the Insight, in the U.S. and early in 2002 they introduced the Civic Hybrid, it was the first mass marketed hybrid model. The Civic GX was the first dedicated mass-produced natural gas vehicle when it went on sale in 1998 and has been recognized by the EPA, as the cleanest internal combustion engine in the world. Truly, Honda understands the need for environmental care and the total independence in the future for petroleum based products to fuel their engines.

With all of this new technology cropping up, the motoring world doesn’t seem like it used to be. The good thing is it all boils down to consumer preference. Many products though cater to the whole welfare of the people even when it is channeled through too many aspects. What is inevitable is that no mater how efficient and durable your vehicle is, it will be subjected to wear and tear. Constant use and driving calls for constant maintenance and preventive maintenance also, at Auto Parts Train we continually update our catalogs to provide the most complete and comprehensive lineup of superb Honda parts. With 25 years of experience we know that the automobile industry constantly evolves and new technology crops up every now and then. You can be sure that we are always on our guard for a high end Honda part.

Be it a Honda replacement part, a Honda collision part or a Honda performance enhancement part, Auto Parts Train is here to serve you. Browse through our 24-hour online shop to find the perfect Honda part for you. Click on this link (http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/HONDA) to see our wide array of first rate Honda auto parts that we have on stock. We guarantee all the fit and quality of our Honda car parts. For assistance, you may call our toll free line, 1-888-251-1214, 12 hours a day, six days a week. Our very efficient and highly-trained customer service staff is standing by to help you.

DaimlerChrysler Unveils New Fuel Cell Vehicle in Geneva

by: Jenny McLane

The next generation of fuel cell technology was unveiled at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show by DaimlerChrysler, the pioneer of fuel cell drive. Sports tourers are now the new members of the family of fuel cell vehicles with the Mercedes Benz B-Class sporting the enw F-Cell. This F-Cell's unique sandwich concept developed by Mercedes Benz is perfect for this type of drive unit.

The fuel cell's emission free operation is congruous with sporty, dynamic driving. the technical data proves this fact: the high-torque electric motor will develop more than 100 kW -- 35 kW more power than its predecessor generation. And because the fuel cell reduces fuel consumption and further enhances storage capacity, the operating range has now been increased to almost 250 miles (400 km). Also, component reliability and longevity has been enhanced.

"With this car, we are continuing our highly successful practical tests on an even larger scale," said Dr. Thomas Weber, member of DaimlerChrysler's Board of Management with responsibility for Research and Technology and for the development of the Mercedes Car Group.

Since 1990, DaimlerChrysler engineers and researchers have been working on the automotive application of the fuel cell technology. The first fuel cell vehicle, the NECAR 1 was introduced in 1994. More than 20 other research vehicles and prototypes have since been presented. The performance and reliability have been steadily enhanced while the size and weight of the drive system have been reduced. This new Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell is another significant milestone along the road to market maturity for the fuel cell.

In 2003, DaimlerChrysler launched the world's most extensive series practical tests for the fuel cell in cars, vans and regular service buses. There are now more than a hundred fuel cell vehicles that are currently in everyday application. These fuel-cell vehicles provide DaimlerChrysler engineers with vital information for the development of this future oriented technology. This encompasses optimization of the vehicles and their components, the establishment of an infrastructure, and the increased acceptance of hydrogen technology among drivers and passengers.

Elsewhere in the world, fuel cell technology continues to flourish. Since 2003, there have been 30 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses with fuel cell drive that are now on regular route service in ten major European cities. Three buses are now in operation in Perth, Australia and in Beijing, China. These vehicles must prove their worth in the most varied of climactic conditions. On average, these buses have now covered more than 300,000 miles (500,000 km) and transported more than two million passengers, who have been convinced by the advantages of this quiet, emission-free technology. There are also several fuel cell-powered Sprinter vans that are currently used in delivery operations in Germany and the United States.

Since late 2004, 60 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell's have been operating in the United States, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. Approximately 190,000 miles (300,000 km) have now been covered in this first test phase under highly diverse conditions and documented with these vehicles. In the long term, the fuel cell provides the best opportunities for securing uncompromisingly environment-friendly mobility for the automobile: the fuel cell runs on either pure hydrogen or hydrogen media, and is thus a genuine zero-emission power unit: electrical energy is released in a chemical reaction between the hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen to drive an electric motor.

Moreover, the fuel cell has an efficiency factor approximately twice that of the internal combustion engine. In order to focus expertise and resources, and to press ahead with the development of the fuel cell, DaimlerChrysler has entered into a strategic alliance with Ford Motor Company and the fuel cell specialist Ballard Power Systems. Partnerships are an important part of fuel cell technology development.

The fuel cell is the key technology for emission-free driving of the future and is the long-term objective of DaimlerChrysler's five-stage Energy for the Future roadmap. DaimlerChrysler is continuing to optimize the internal combustion engine, since the potential of gasoline and diesel engines has by no means been exhausted. The aim is to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, while at the same time enhancing driving pleasure, power development and comfort. DaimlerChrysler is also committed to optimizing fuel quality worldwide and is supporting the fuel evolution from crude oil to largely CO2-neutral fuels derived from biomass. Hybrid drive is a significant interim solution along the road to emission-free mobility with the fuel cell.

As the pioneer in fuel cell technology, Chrysler continues to innovate and create better and more future-oriented automobiles that are proof of the company's stamp of excellence in the automotive industry. Fuel cell technology will definitely enhance the entire driving experience and will improve the operation and maintenance of these vehicles. Meanwhile, one of the best ways to maintain the quality of a vehicle is by replacing worn out and outdated parts with new ones. By doing this, a Chrysler auto acquires a new life with excellent quality parts.

These parts are available in many online stores that make shopping easier and faster. One such reliable and reputable online site is Auto Parts Train, one of the leading online auto parts stores to day. Check out some of their Chrysler parts offerings in their easy-to-use and very secure site: http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/CHRYSLER. All Chrysler parts that Parts Train offers is guaranteed excellent quality and very low priced too.

General Motors, US Government joins forces to Boost Hydrogen Storage

by: Jenny McLane

General Motors (GM) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Sandia National Laboratories have joined forces to create, design and test a new and advanced method for storing hydrogen based on metal hydrides. The success of this project is important in making the fuel cell vehicle competitive with gasoline-powered automobiles when it comes to driving range. In a press release last January, DOE elucidated that metal hydrides, formed when metal alloys are combined with hydrogen, can absorb and store hydrogen in their structures. When subjected to heat, the hydrides release the hydrogen. This hydrogen can then be combined with oxygen to produce electricity. This is how a fuel-cell system works.

GM and Sandia have commenced a four-year, $10 million program to develop and test tanks that store hydrogen in a complex hydride called sodium aluminum hydride, also known as sodium alanate. The mission is to develop a solid-state hydrogen storage tank with more capacity for hydrogen on a fuel-cell vehicle than current conventional storage methods can. They also hope to create a new tank design that is suitable to any type of solid state hydrogen storage.

"We are designing a hydrogen storage system with challenging thermal management requirements and limits on volume and weight," says Chris Moen, manager of science and engineering technologies at Sandia. "Our staff researchers are excited to apply their unique, science-based design and analysis capabilities to engineer a viable solution."

This program is part of a determined effort to improve the hydrogen storage capabilities aboard a fuel-cell vehicle to equal the driving range of a tank of gas. This will make fuel-cell systems more acceptable to consumers. Currently, the most common methods of storage are liquid and compressed gas, but neither of the two has been able to provide the needed range and running time for fuel cell vehicles.

GM is the world's largest vehicle manufacturer selling nearly 8.6 million units in 2003, or about 15 percent of the global market.

Meanwhile, another lucrative segment of the automotive market is auto parts. One of the leading names when it comes to online auto parts is Auto Parts Train, a trusted and reliable supplier of auto parts and accessories, including GM parts for various models. Their easy-to-use website at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/GMC features all their GM parts is certified secure.

Hydrogen Filling Station Approved for Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation has received authorization from the Japanese government to operate a hydrogen-gas filling station near its Hiroshima headquarters. The station stores and supplies fuel to Mazda vehicles powered by hydrogen rotary engines; the vehicles are currently under development. The station should be able to fill up to 10 vehicles a day.

The RX-8 Hydrogen Rotary vehicle, which runs on either hydrogen or gasoline will be marketed as a commercial model to public offices and enterprise users in Japan Mazda now continues its development of the world’s first dual-fuel rotary engine, the H2RE (Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE). The new facility will store and supply fuel for the hydrogen-rotary powered vehicles and Mazda looks likely to have street-legal versions in use within the next two years.

The novel concept appeared as part of the Mazda display at the International Detroit Motor Show in January, and builds on the colossal worldwide success of the Mazda RX-8 four-door coupe. The H2RE is powered by a modified version of Mazda's award-winning RENESIS rotary engine and features an electronically controlled hydrogen direct injection system on the rotor housing.

The hydrogen/rotary combination also offers superior environmental performance - zero CO2 emissions and near zero NOx emissions. The innovative engine can be built reliably at a relatively low cost because existing parts and production facilities are utilized. More importantly, the hydrogen/gasoline dual fuel system will enable the H2RE to travel beyond the range of the few hydrogen filling stations now available.

Mazda will continue to develop this technology for practical use and for a hydrogen-fuelled society of the future.

For you Mazda vehicle's superb performance, search for your own Mazda Car Parts at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/MAZDA order them, and have them delivered directly to you. Our Directory of online auto parts stores with huge selections of Mazda parts. Find OEM Mazda auto parts, remanufactured car parts, new aftermarket parts, used parts, Mazda performance parts, and more. Our secure online ordering system lets you shop for superior Mazda parts with peace of mind.

About The Author

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today. jenny@partstrain.com

The Hydrogen Age Has Begun For BMW

BMW is presenting the H2R Hydrogen World Speed Record Car. This prototype impressively proved the potential of a hydrogen car with a combustion engine, achieving nine international records in one day. This clearly proves the BMW Group's long held belief that hydrogen can replace conventional fuel without having to forego the performance and dynamics of a modern premium automobile.

Hydrogen being the lightest element in the universe is also the most common, available in an infinite supply. When mixed with oxygen, hydrogen burns in a virtually clean manner, creating water vapor as exhaust. Thus, BMW believes hydrogen is the fuel of the future.

BMW has seen the promise of hydrogen as a fuel for years. And today, hydrogen-powered, high-performance BMW vehicles are a reality. But building concept cars is just the first step; BMW's long-term goal is to help create a world of "sustainable mobility." Eventually replacing the cars that run on fossil fuels -- gasoline or diesel oil -- with vehicles that use this clean burning, environmentally friendly element is the carmaker's vision.

With numerous international partnerships, each dedicated to helping the world build a better future, based on hydrogen energy, BMW is set to achieve its futuristic goal.

Sleek and aerodynamic, the BMW H2R ("Hydrogen Record Car") is one of the first of a new breed of racecars specially developed to run on liquid hydrogen fuel. With combustion engine that can run on liquid hydrogen or gasoline to propel the vehicle, BMW H2R has already set nine international speed records at the Miramas Proving Grounds in France.

The H2R’s mighty 6.0-liter V-12 engine, which draws on BMW's advanced Valvetronic and Double-VANOS technology, is based on the 760i’s gasoline-fueled power plant. This H2-powered high performer generates 232 horsepower, helping it to achieve a top speed of over 187 mph.

Refueling a hydrogen-powered vehicle is just as similar to the gasoline powered one. The driver doesn't even have to get out of the car. A tank card or electronic remote control can easily identify the vehicle, so the fully automated tank-filling robot knows whether to pump liquid or gaseous hydrogen.

Hydrogen gas will not leak into the air when refueling a liquid hydrogen powered BMW. By the time the driver needs more fuel, the hydrogen left in the tank has turned into a gaseous state, at a higher pressure. At the refueling station, -423° F liquid hydrogen is pumped into the tank. As this liquid hydrogen "rains" into the tank, the gaseous hydrogen already there condenses on these super-cold droplets, and the partial pressure in the tank is reduced. As a result, no hydrogen escapes while filling the tank.

At present, there are two hydrogen fueling stations in Germany: one at the Munich airport, and one in Berlin that offers conventional fuels, compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH2), and liquid hydrogen (LH2). There are also plans underway to build 24 hydrogen-refueling stations throughout California.

Just as BMW strives to create clean fuel and environment friendly cars, Partstrain online store shares the vision by providing high quality, tested BMW parts at very affordable prices. Browse at their fine array of BMW parts at http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/BMW and match your BMW's superior performance.

About The Author

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today. jenny@partstrain.com