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126 comments on The Ford Global Challenge - A Green Car That Runs On Air?
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126 comments on The Ford Global Challenge - A Green Car That Runs On Air?
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Certainly technology to handle hydrogen has advanced since the days of the Hindenburg. Is this a viable option now? Also, I was wondering what those engineering uses of helium are that would not also work with Argon?
There is a big 'fear factor' involved in the use of hydrogen, but the Hindenburg incident seems to have been caused more by the materials used than directly by the use of hydrogen.
In many respects the flammability of hydrogen is less of a problem than that of kerosene, as the kerosene being heavier pools.
Substituting argon means that you are using one rare element for another, and anyway is unsuitable in supercooled applications:
http://www.balloon-printing.com/FunStuff_Filler/facts_about_helium.htm
It doesn't make sense to waste a truly irreplaceable element, and hope that you can somehow do without.
Actually argon is not particularly rare at all, it's about 1% of the atmosphere. Of course, it's slightly heavier than air, which is why it's still with us, so it's of no use in airships or party balloons.