Revolutionary fuel in the shape of Hydrogen cubes
Indian scientists have come up with a potential revolutionary fuel technology packing hydrogen at room temperature in cubes which can be recharged.
Last week, tests were carried out by researchers from a multi-disciplinary team of Benaras Hindu University when they ran a hydrogen-powered Hero Honda motorcycle for hours before senior executives from the Indian Oil Corporation and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. They also ran a portable genset and a cooking range on their cutting-edge technology.
Former National Physical Laboratory director A R Verma recommended this technology to the Planning Commission.
Convinced of the viability of the technology, the energy giants IOC and ONGC have expressed a willingness to fund the BHU team.
The star attraction at the demonstration was a rectangular box fitted under the seat of the motorbike. This packed enough fuel for the 100 cc bike to run a 50-km stretch. A ''recharge'' would take about six minutes.
The BHU technology traps the gas in molecular form in hydrites - a mixture of powdered rare earth metals found in abundance in Orissa, Kerala and Assam.
Between minus 12 and 80 degree Centigrade, the hydrites absorb hydrogen, only to release an adequate stream beyond a certain temperature. The fuel box has been calibrated to release the hydrogen at the temperature generated by the exhaust.
And enough gas remains in the fuel line to kick the engine into life. In case of a crash, the powder just withers, without releasing a burst of fuel to explode, as is the case in conventionally fuelled vehicles.
O N Srivastava, who heads the 10-year-old BHU research programme said that this is the first time in the world that two-wheelers are being run on hydrogen. His team had been running six motorcycles using these portable hydrogen boxes for some months now.
The fuel box weighs 17 kg, or twice that of a tank with 10 litres of petrol. Efforts are on to halve it and increase the range to 100-150 km. The engine had been modified and the team that has patented some of the technology in India and is now moving for a global patent.
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