For labor day weekend the goal was to challenge the laws of physics and go from electricity + water -> combustibles -> surplus of mechanical energy + electricity. In other words, run an engine from water and end up with more electricity (via generator) than we put into the operation.

 

Sadly we didn't accomplish that small feat but we did blow apart the choke mechanism on a 2-stroke engine when we fed in a bit too much of the combustibles .

 

This project was undertaken by my friend Mark and I after being sent very ambiguous documents and 'plans' by friend Amy. The physics laws challenging idea is that if you apply a certain frequency signal into water, electrolysis will happen much more efficiently than with a brute force DC current.

 

Since I was not able to get the electronics cooperating and making those nice certain frequencies on command (42.8kHz, and 600-610 Hz are bandied about a lot), we started with the brute force 12V DC approach.

 

Photos:

1. Old fashioned gauges, current flow from battery and voltage.

 

2. The electrode setup, we used stainless steel pipes with about 0.5mm gap between them. We were supposed to do a 1mm gap but I wasn't thinking when selecting the tubes and was thinking radius instead of diameter.

 

3. Put the electrodes in the reaction chamber (aka 4" PVC pipe sealed up well).

 

4. Reaction chamber. The goal was 60psi of pressure. Ours was leaking like a sieve at 25psi. Where the wires came out ended up being the worst offender but the water feed pipe also presented problems. Oh, and the 4" end caps leaked eventually too, we didn't expect that.

 

5. The output (combustible gases tube from top of reaction chamber) goes to a bubbler. The gases bubble up through water in the hopes that if a flame comes down the tube from the engine only the bubbler will blow, not your reaction chamber. Luckily we didn't have a flame reach our bubbler.

 

6. Spark/flame arrestor. This should go as near the engine as possible and should stop any flame that comes back from the engine (or whatever you connect your combustible gases to). We used tightly packed fine steel wool and it worked. It is important to fill the voids in the connectors as well or the flame will have a nice chamber to get flaming in. I know it works as a result of lighting the output with a handheld propane torch. There was a nice POP and then I could see a flame burning at the end of the flame suppressor.

 

7. Eventually I got a PIC microcontroller making the requisite 42.8kHz signal so this is my output transistor.

 

 

 

What I learned:

a. It is tougher to make PVC hold decent pressure than I thought it would be. The last place I thought a bad seal would appear is at the end caps of the 4" pipe.

 

b. The laws of physics (energy conservation) are just plain difficult to beat.

 

c. It can be really fun trying to beat the laws of physics.

 

d. Dissociated water is scary stuff and likes to blow up with great gusto!

 

e. Spark arrestors are key even if they don't get called out much in plans.

 

f. It may well be possible to use this mechanism to run an automobile on electricity for short periods without doing an electric conversion. That'd be really handy for me.

 

g. The bubbles are neat. When comparing output of 12V DC vs a square wave I just set the electrodes in a small cooler and watched the bubbles rise.

 

For the next attempt:

1. Variable frequency electronics.

 

2. Lower voltage, say 1.5V or variable voltage.

 

3. Better pressure containment.

 

4. A four stroke engine that actually has a fuel line (stupid lawn mowers with carb/tank integrated).

Wow, now I know why I felt that I was underachieving this long labor day weekend. But I enjoyed myself never the less. Pretty cool Tony. Thanks for the photos, a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Nice Pete

 

I think the focus for the next iteration is increasing the efficiency of the reactor and using the output to increase the MPG of the lawnmower (or whatever a push mower's fuel usage is called ).

 

So lower voltage, scuff up the tubes to increase surface area, spice up the water with a catalyst. Benchmark the improvement and then see about that lawnmower.

Neat project. I'm glad you didn't have a "energetic" malfunction.

Beaver, I'm suprised that you would even think of doing something like that in the living room.

 

Ah, gee, Dad. I promise not to do it again.

 

Well, I'm glad we had this little chat.