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That is a fun discovery. But if it's producing the hydrogen and oxygen as a mixture, rather than two separate streams, as conventional electrolysis does, i'm no
by twic 4y ago
That is a fun discovery. But if it's producing the hydrogen and oxygen as a mixture, rather than two separate streams, as conventional electrolysis does, i'm not sure it's very useful.
- dr_dshiv 4y agoIt’s a good point. Electrolysis produces hydrogen at the cathode and oxygen at the anode, making separation easy. But columnar separation may also be efficient, as the hydrogen will easily float on the heavier oxygen. Not an expert, though.
- samatman 4y agoStoichiometric mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen are terrifying to work with. No thanks.
- ncmncm 4y agoSo, you separate it while it is still in the water.
- samatman 4y agoHow? What's your detailed suggestion for doing this.
- ncmncm 4y ago"Membranes, my boy. Membranes!" I just looked it up. Hydrogen is insoluble in water. Oxygen is quite soluble. So, circulating water through, the hydrogen will bubble out, while the oxygen will be carried away with the water. So, maybe no semipermeable membranes needed.
- ncmncm 4y agoWe have good membrane technology now. Lay it on the water surface, so only the H2 gets through. Does oxygen dissolve more readily in water than does hydrogen? If so, you just keep a continuous flow of water so it doesn't saturate before it moves on, but the hydrogen still bubbles out. I doubt you want the water hanging about, heating up, anyway.
- ncmncm 4y agoI just looked it up. Solubility of hydrogen in water is negligible; but oxygen dissolves readily, although better in fresh than in seawater.
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