Interest in hydrogen, HHO and Brown's gas generators continues to grow by leaps and bounds, but the most exciting fact is the huge number of people who are starting or planning to assemble hydrogen generators with their own hands. Moreover, it does not matter at all what kind of generator a person needs, a hydrogen generator for a car or a hydrogen generator for a boiler or welding, the principle of its operation will still be the same. To help practitioners mastering this difficult industry, we are starting to prepare answers to frequently asked questions about assembling hydrogen generators with your own hands.
We offer you the first part of answers to frequently asked questions about assembling a hydrogen generator with your own hands. All answers are given “as is,” that is, without any veil, subtext or hidden goals pursued by us.
Part 1. General questions
In this release:
1. Why is this necessary? You can go and buy a hydrogen generator in the store, just the one you need?
2. Are there really ways to build a hydrogen generator that will operate with an efficiency above unity?
5. You publish over-unity hydrogen generators from Alexander ( ). Will he also never share his schemes and developments?.
7.What kind of water should I use?
8. What metal is needed? Various guidelines state the need to use only very rare brands... .
9. How long are the electrode plates?
10. How to properly prepare plates for electrodes?
11. What are the temperature conditions of the electrolyzer and water?
12. Is it possible to completely convert a car to Brown gas?
13. What proportions of Brown's gas in fuel are harmless to internal combustion engines?
14. How many liters of Brown's gas per minute is needed to operate an internal combustion engine?
1. Why is this necessary? You can go and buy a hydrogen generator in the store, just the one you need.
So far, the choice of hydrogen generators in stores is very scarce. Their price is unreasonably high, their efficiency rarely exceeds 50% and never even exceeds 90%. In order to obtain an efficient hydrogen generator operating with an efficiency of more than one, this moment There is only one way: to do it yourself.
2. Are there any ways to build a hydrogen generator that will operate with an efficiency above unity?
Of course they exist! Moreover, they are built on completely different operating principles and whose efficiency exceeds unity not by a fraction of a percent, which can be attributed to measurement errors, but exceeds unity by several times!
3. I studied well at school and university, and therefore I do not believe that there are hydrogen generators operating with an efficiency greater than one, how can I be sure of this?
To begin with, we propose to look at the hydrogen generators that have already been carried out for public viewing. You can also use ours to calculate the efficiency of hydrogen generators and the generated thermal power.
4. Are there currently well-described and repeatable schemes for assembling over-unity hydrogen generators?
No it doesn't exist! The vast majority of diagrams posted on the Internet for assembling ultra-efficient hydrogen generators are not working. Therefore, it will not be possible to find a diagram, assemble a generator using it and be happy. First you will have to experiment a lot yourself.
5. You publish over-unity hydrogen generators from Alexander (). Will he also never share his schemes and developments?
Alexander is very active in helping practitioners on the forum, answering their questions. He just has specific and clear goals for bringing his developments to logical conclusion, and this requires funds. Therefore, Alexander does not plan to answer a certain range of questions until the completion of work on this topic; this mainly concerns the electronic control circuit of the electrolyzer.
6. Where and what can I read or watch, and where can I ask questions?
7. What kind of water should I use?
Almost any, from tap water to distilled. Best efficiency is achieved by using a solution of sodium hydroxide in distilled water in proportions of one tablespoon per ten liters of water.
8. What metal is needed? Various guidelines state the need to use only very rare stamps...
This is one of the misconceptions! Any stainless steel will do! Best results achieved with steel that does not attract permanent magnet(is not ferromagnetic), since nothing sticks to it during operation, but this point is also unimportant. The main thing is that the steel is stainless and, accordingly, that it does not oxidize in water.
9. How long are the electrode plates?
The plates are not destroyed during operation, so there is no need to replace them with new ones.
10. How to properly prepare plates for electrodes?
All plates must be thoroughly washed before assembly, first in soapy solution, then alcohol or vodka. Then you need to “drive” the electrolyzer for a certain time, periodically replacing the water with clean water, and so on for several days, until all the dirt and iron are eaten away.
Subsequently, the water will remain clean. How cleaner water, the less heating of the installation.
11. What are the temperature conditions of the electrolyzer and water?
When the electrolyzer is properly assembled, the plates and water should not heat up.
It is also highly advisable not to overheat the electrolyzer and plates above 80 degrees.
If the temperature in unclean water rises above 65 degrees, then dirt and metals with minerals will stick to the plates and you will no longer remove them and will not be able to clean the plates from them! They will have to be removed only by abrasive treatment, using sandpaper etc.
12. Is it possible to completely convert the car to Brown gas?
Yes, theoretically possible. Almost any internal combustion engine runs on Brown gas completely calmly and stably without any modifications. However, it must be remembered that the combustion product of Brown gas is water, which, without taking appropriate measures, will accumulate in the engine crankcase, turning the oil into an emulsion, which will lead to rapid wear of the parts that come into contact with it during operation. Therefore, for long-term operation of an internal combustion engine using Brown gas, it is necessary to select special additives and solve the problem of removing water from the oil.
13. What proportions of Brown's gas in fuel are harmless for internal combustion engines?
In case of gasoline engines it is possible to replace up to 90% of the fuel with Brown gas, leaving only 10 percent gasoline. In the case of diesel fuel, the amount of Brown's gas in the fuel should not exceed 75-80%. If the above proportions are observed, the use of Brown's gas will not cause any visible damage to the internal combustion engine, and its power will apparently increase.
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14. How many liters of Brown gas per minute are needed to operate an internal combustion engine?
First of all, it all depends on the engine size, whether it is an injection engine or a carburetor, what year the car has been in service... If we simply take the Lada “kopek” as a basis, then it only needs 17-18 liters per minute at idle and 20-24 liters at work go. This is assuming that 90% of the fuel is replaced with Brown gas. The weight of such an installation will be about 55-60 kilograms, taking into account the filled water.
As we already wrote above, this is only the first part of the questions. As we receive them, we will publish new articles with answers to the questions received.
And now a gift for university students who were too carried away by the search for free energy and completely forgot about their studies. There is a place where they will help you, and if you wish, they will even do it
Even the medieval scientist Paracelsus, during one of his experiments, noticed that when sulfuric acid comes into contact with ferrum, air bubbles are formed. In fact, it was hydrogen (but not air, as the scientist believed) - a light, colorless, odorless gas, which under certain conditions becomes explosive.
At the present timeDIY hydrogen heating - a very common thing. Indeed, hydrogen can be produced in almost unlimited quantities, the main thing is that there is water and electricity.
This heating method was developed by one of the Italian companies. A hydrogen boiler operates without generating any harmful waste, which is why it is considered the most environmentally friendly and silent way to heat a home. The innovation of the development is that scientists managed to achieve the combustion of hydrogen at a relatively low temperature (about 300ᵒC), and this made it possible to produce similar heating boilers from traditional materials.
When operating, the boiler emits only harmless steam, and the only thing that requires costs is electricity. And if you combine this with solar panels(solar system), then these costs can be completely reduced to zero.
Note! Hydrogen boilers are often used to heat underfloor heating systems, which can be easily installed with your own hands.
How does it all happen? Oxygen reacts with hydrogen and, as we remember from middle school chemistry lessons, forms water molecules. The reaction is provoked by catalysts, resulting in the release of thermal energy, heating the water to approximately 40ᵒC - the ideal temperature for a “warm floor”.
Adjusting the boiler power allows you to achieve a certain temperature required for heating a room of a given area. It is also worth noting that such boilers are considered modular, since they consist of several channels independent of each other. In each of the channels there is the catalyst mentioned above, as a result, the coolant enters the heat exchanger, which has already reached the required value of 40ᵒC.
Note! A feature of such equipment is that each of the channels is capable of producing different temperatures. Thus, one of them can be carried out to " warm floor", the second to the adjacent room, the third to the ceiling, etc.
The main advantages of hydrogen heating
This method of heating a house has several significant advantages, which are responsible for the growing popularity of the system.
- Impressive efficiency, often reaching 96%.
- Environmental friendliness. The only by-product released into the atmosphere is water vapor, which is not capable of harm environment basically.
- Hydrogen heating is gradually replacing traditional systems, freeing people from the need to extract natural resources - oil, gas, coal.
- Hydrogen acts without fire; thermal energy is generated through a catalytic reaction.
Is it possible to make hydrogen heating yourself?
In principle, this is possible. Main element systems - a boiler - can be created on the basis of an NNO generator, that is, a conventional electrolyzer. We all remember school experiments when we stuck bare wires connected to an outlet using a rectifier into a container of water. So, to build a boiler you will need to repeat this experiment, but on a larger scale.
Note! A hydrogen boiler is used with a “warm floor”, as we have already discussed. But the arrangement of such a system is a topic for another article, so we will rely on the fact that the “warm floor” is already installed and ready for use.
Construction of a hydrogen burner
Let's start creating a water burner. Traditionally, we will start with preparation necessary tools and materials.
What will be required at work
- Stainless steel sheet.
- Check valve.
- Two bolts 6x150, nuts and washers for them.
- Flow-through filter (from a washing machine).
- Transparent tube. A water level is ideal for this - in building materials stores it is sold for 350 rubles per 10 m.
- Plastic sealed food container with a capacity of 1.5 liters. Approximate cost: 150 rubles.
- Herringbone fittings ø8 mm (these are perfect for a hose).
- Grinder for sawing metal.
Now let’s figure out what kind of stainless steel to use. Ideally, for this you should take steel 03Х16Н1. But buying a whole sheet of “stainless steel” is sometimes very expensive, because a product 2 mm thick costs more than 5,500 rubles, and besides, it needs to be delivered somehow. Therefore, if you have a small piece of such steel lying around somewhere (0.5 x 0.5 m is enough), then you can get by with it.
We will use stainless steel, because ordinary steel, as you know, begins to rust in water. Moreover, in our design we intend to use alkali instead of water, that is, the environment is more than aggressive, and ordinary steel will not last long under the influence of electric current.
Video - Brown gas generator simple cell model of 16 stainless steel plates
Manufacturing instructions
First stage. To begin, take a sheet of steel and place it on flat surface. From a sheet of the dimensions indicated above (0.5x0.5 m) you should get 16 rectangles for the future hydrogen burner, cut them out with a grinder.
Note! We saw off one of the four corners of each plate. This is necessary in order to connect the plates in the future.
Second phase. WITH reverse side plates, drill holes for the bolt. If we planned to make a “dry” electrolyzer, we would drill holes from the bottom, but in this case this is not necessary. The fact is that the “dry” design is much more complicated, and the useful area of the plates in it would not be used 100%. We will make a “wet” electrolyzer - the plates will be completely immersed in the electrolyte, and their entire area will participate in the reaction.
Third stage. The operating principle of the described burner is based on the following: an electric current passing through plates immersed in the electrolyte will cause water (it should be part of the electrolyte) to decompose into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). Therefore, we must have two plates at the same time - the cathode and the anode.
As the area of these plates increases, the volume of gas increases, so in this case we use eight pieces per cathode and anode, respectively.
Note! The burner we are looking at is a parallel design, which, to be honest, is not the most efficient. But it is easier to implement.
Fourth stage. Next, we have to install the plates in a plastic container so that they alternate: plus, minus, plus, minus, etc. To insulate the plates, we use pieces of transparent tube (we bought a whole 10 m of it, so there is a supply).
We cut small rings from the tube, cut them and get strips approximately 1 mm thick. This is the ideal distance for hydrogen to be generated efficiently in the structure.
Fifth stage. We attach the plates to each other using washers. We do this as follows: we put a washer on the bolt, then a plate, after it three washers, another plate, again three washers, etc. We hang eight pieces on the cathode, eight on the anode.
Note! This needs to be done in a mirror manner, that is, we rotate the anode 180ᵒ. So the “plus” will go into the gaps between the “minus” plates.
Sixth stage. We look where exactly the bolts rest in the container, and drill holes in that place. If suddenly the bolts do not fit into the container, then we cut them down to the required length. Then we insert the bolts into the holes, put washers on them and tighten them with nuts - for better tightness.
Next, we make a hole in the cover for the fitting, screw in the fitting itself (preferably by covering the joint with silicone sealant). Blow into the fitting to check the tightness of the lid. If air still comes out from under it, then we coat this connection with sealant.
Seventh stage. Upon completion of assembly, we test the finished generator. To do this, connect any source to it, fill the container with water and close the lid. Next, we put a hose on the fitting and lower it into a container of water (to see air bubbles). If the source is not powerful enough, then they will not be in the tank, but they will definitely appear in the electrolyzer.
Next, we need to increase the intensity of gas output by increasing the voltage in the electrolyte. It is worth noting here that water in its pure form is not a conductor - current passes through it due to the impurities and salt present in it. We will dilute a little alkali in water (for example, sodium hydroxide is excellent - it is sold in stores in the form of the “Mole” cleaning agent).
Note! At this stage, we must adequately assess the capabilities of the power source, so before injecting the alkali, we connect an ammeter to the electrolyzer - this way we can monitor the increase in current.
Video - Heating with hydrogen. Hydrogen cell batteries
Next, let's talk about other components of the hydrogen burner - the filter for the washing machine and the valve. Both are for protection. The valve will not allow ignited hydrogen to penetrate back into the structure and explode the gas accumulated under the lid of the electrolyzer (even if there is only a little of it there). If we do not install the valve, the container will be damaged and the alkali will leak out.
A filter will be required to make a water seal, which will act as a barrier preventing an explosion. Craftsmen who are familiar firsthand with the design of a homemade hydrogen burner call this valve a “bulbulator.” Indeed, it essentially only creates air bubbles in the water. For the burner itself we use the same transparent hose. That's it, the hydrogen burner is ready!
All that remains is to connect it to the input of the “warm floor” system, seal the connection and begin direct operation.
As a conclusion. Alternative
An alternative, albeit highly controversial, is Brown's gas, a chemical compound that consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. The combustion of such a gas is accompanied by the formation of thermal energy (moreover, four times more powerful than in the design described above).
Electrolyzers are also used to heat a house with Brown gas, because this method of producing heat is also based on electrolysis. Special boilers are created in which, under the influence of alternating current molecules of chemical elements are separated, forming Brown's coveted gas.
Video – Enriched Brown gas
It is quite possible that innovative energy resources, the reserve of which is almost unlimited, will soon displace non-renewable natural resources, freeing us from the need for permanent mining. This course of events will have a positive impact not only on the environment, but also on the ecology of the planet as a whole.
Also read our article - do-it-yourself steam heating.
Video - Hydrogen heating
The idea that the planet’s reservoirs are literally overflowing with the most impeccable fuel from an environmental point of view - hydrogen - has long been in the minds of scientists.
Over the years, many solutions have been proposed that make it possible to obtain this gas in its pure form.
As it turns out, each of us can extract fuel from water using a simple process called electrolysis. Next, we will learn how to make a hydrogen generator with your own hands for heating.
Pure hydrogen is released through a variety of chemical reactions, but this method of producing it is quite complex and often too expensive.
The exception is technological processes, in which gas is formed as a by-product, but such production is still in scanty volumes.
It is much easier to separate hydrogen from water by passing an electric current through it - this process is called electrolysis. First, the H2O molecule breaks down into a hydrogen atom H and a hydroxo group OH, then the final separation of oxygen and hydrogen occurs.
The first, having a negative charge, rushes to the anode, the second - to the cathode. The elements accumulate in the form of bubbles, which, having reached a certain size, break away from the electrode and float up. Next, oxygen and hydrogen, without any separation (this mixture is called “Brown’s gas”), enter the burner, where, during the combustion process, they are again converted into water. To ensure that the finished product is supplied without difficulty, hydrogen generators are often equipped with air drainage.
It is obvious that the productivity of the installation will increase with increasing contact area between water and electrodes. For this reason, the latter are made in the form of plates. They are assembled into structures reminiscent of steel finned heating radiators.
In order to increase productivity, cylindrical electrodes are used today, as well as those having a more complex shape.
The rate of hydrogen evolution also depends on the material of the electrodes.
Instead of copper or of stainless steel Modern “advanced” generators use special alloys that are quite expensive.
Another condition is that the water must pass current. Note that in distilled form it is a dielectric. This liquid is a conductor of electricity due to the ions into which the substances dissolved in it, primarily salts, break down. The cooler the solution is, the better it will pass current.
As the size of the electrode increases, the power of heat generation when passing through it decreases. electric current. This is very important point, because when heated above 65 degrees, the plates become intensively covered with plaque, which will have to be constantly cleaned off.Benefits of use
The main advantage of hydrogen as a fuel is its absolute harmlessness: when this substance is burned, pure water vapor is formed.
No other type of fuel can boast of this quality.
Even natural gas, when burned, produces carbon dioxide, which, as is commonly believed today, leads to the greenhouse effect.
The second advantage is accessibility. Hydrogen is the most abundant substance in the Universe, and it can be extracted directly from water, the reserves of which on our planet can be considered inexhaustible. True, as we will see later, this accessibility is still only apparent.
An important advantage is that to switch to hydrogen fuel, a gas boiler, like an internal combustion engine, almost does not need to be altered.
Negative aspects of hydrogen heating of buildings
In discussions on the feasibility of using hydrogen fuel for heating systems, skeptics provide compelling arguments:
- High cost: even in the most efficient electrolysis plants created today, to produce hydrogen it is necessary to spend 2 times more energy than its subsequent combustion.
- Explosiveness: people became convinced of the ability of hydrogen to easily explode during the crash of the Hindenburg airship, the cylinder of which was filled with this particular gas.
- The complexity of the preparatory process: getting hydrogen from water is half the battle. To be used effectively in heat generators, it must be supplied at a stable pressure, which requires a compressor and an additional tank with a reducer. In addition, you will need to get rid of water vapor, which will require the use of a dehumidifier.
Making your own hydrogen generator
The installation for separating hydrogen from water is quite simple to make yourself. In terms of its characteristics, it will not be much inferior to the purchased one, but it will cost much less. Let's consider the stages of creation sequentially.
Project (drawing)
To make the generator, you will need a hermetically sealed container, which will be filled with water before starting hydrogen production.
The electrodes located inside will look like a set of plates (16 pieces will be needed), installed with a gap of 1 mm.
To ensure this, nylon spacers must be placed between the plates (any other dielectric is allowed).
A distance of 1 mm is optimal: if you increase it, you will have to increase the current strength; When the gap is reduced, the escape of gas bubbles will be difficult. The plates will be alternately connected to the anode and cathode of a 12-volt power supply. In this case, they must be put on an axis, also made of dielectric material.
Once the electrodes are attached to the holder, it will need to be attached to the housing cover from below.
To select the gas mixture, a tube from a conventional dropper is cut into the housing cover. In addition, it is necessary to drill two more holes through which the wires will be passed. After assembling the installation, all holes in the cover will need to be sealed using silicone sealant or glue.
An important component of the generator is the water seal. To make it you will need a small container (suitable regular bottle), where you will need to pour water before using the device. In the hermetically sealed lid, you need to drill two holes: into one we pass the tube from the generator (it must be lowered to the very bottom), and into the second - another tube through which the gas mixture will flow to the burner. The holes in the water seal cover must also be sealed. Water should be poured into the bottle to ¾ of its volume.
In order for the water poured into the generator housing to have better conductivity, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of table salt or caustic soda(sodium hydroxide).Selection of electrodes
The material from which the electrodes will be made must have low electrical resistance and be chemically inert with respect to oxygen and substances present in the solution.If the second requirement is not met, there will be chemical reaction with the participation of electrodes connected to the cathode pole, as a result of which the solution will become saturated with foreign substances.
This is why copper, one of the best conductors, cannot be used in an aqueous solution. It is recommended to use stainless steel instead. Optimal thickness for electrode plates made of this material – 2 mm.
Container
Taking into account the risk of explosion, the generator housing should be made of durable and plastic material that is resistant to high temperatures. Steel best meets these requirements. It is only necessary to completely exclude contact of wires or electrodes with the housing, which will result in a short circuit.
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DIY hydrogen generator for a car (drawings)
Enriching the fuel-air mixture with hydrogen helps reduce fuel consumption. According to some car enthusiasts, fuel savings can be up to 30%.
The basis for an automobile hydrogen generator is the device that was described in the previous section. The difference is the absence of a water seal (the resulting hydrogen is immediately sent to the intake manifold) and the presence of a control unit. The latter will regulate the current between the electrodes depending on the engine speed.
Self-manufacturing of such a unit is only possible for those who are fluent in radio electronics, so we recommend using a purchased option. Moreover, the factory-made blocks do all the work to regulate performance hydrogen generator take over without requiring user participation.
System elements for a car generator
All you need is to manually select the current value (optimal) for the modes “ idling" and "maximum load", and then the control unit itself will vary the performance of the installation within the specified limits.
It is necessary to seal all connections very carefully: hydrogen leakage can lead to a fire.
It is best to check the tightness of the structure with soap foam: leaks, if any, will manifest themselves as constantly appearing and growing bubbles.
The body of a car hydrogen generator can be made from a water filter, which is quite durable. Its volume is small and so that the installation does not have to be refilled too often, it can be additionally equipped with a tank for storing a supply of solution. It is connected to the working container by two tubes.
Video on the topic
The operating principle of do-it-yourself hydrogen generators for cars is based on the process of electrolysis. The system is activated only while driving and uses electricity from the battery to produce hydrogen from water. Hydrogen does not accumulate in this case, that is, the produced HHO gas quickly enters the engine, mixing with traditional fuel:
- petrol;
- diesel fuel;
The mixture of fuel and hydrogen burns more efficiently, resulting in reduced fuel consumption and the volume of pollutants emitted into the air.
This modern hydrogen technology makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption by 20-60 percent, providing significant reductions in emissions of the following substances:
You can make a hydrogen generator with your own hands according to our instructions.
Selecting Electrodes
Typically, electrodes are made of metal or graphite, so they conduct electrical energy in water. It is important to select a material that will not react with oxygen or a dissolved substance, otherwise the reaction will take place on the surface of the cathode (negative electrode), and the water will be contaminated.
The use of unsuitable electrodes reduces the volume of gas produced and causes the electrode to wear out too quickly.
Hydrogen generator project
There are very simple systems, used to produce hydrogen and oxygen through the electrolysis of water. The point is that to obtain a sufficient volume of gas, technology is used without additional chemical substances and electrode erosion. You can try making electrodes from copper, but this material reacts with water and releases a lot of contaminants, so this option is not suitable.
The amount of gas produced is proportional to the charge that passes through the water. Thus, the higher the current, the more gas. For this purpose, the distance between the electrodes should be as small as possible, but gas bubbles should move easily between them.
Plate material
For plates, we also recommend using good stainless steel, which has a minimal risk of corrosion. Stainless steel does not conduct electricity as well as copper, so the electrode plates are created from sheets about 2 mm thick. This will reduce resistance. The higher the quality of the metal, the more difficult it will be for you to make electrodes (the material is more difficult to cut).
We recommend layering the electrode plates, and the distance between them can be adjusted using nylon washers or washers made of some other dielectric material. The plates should be placed in a variable position so that positive ones alternate with negative ones.
Fasteners
The fasteners must also be made of stainless steel so that the materials match each other. It is important to ensure a tight fit of all elements, which will prevent sparking. Remember that you are dealing with flammable gas.
In our particular case, we assemble a system of 16 plates with a distance between them of about 1 mm. The larger surface area, plate thickness, and bolts allow higher currents to pass through the system without resistively heating the metal. The total capacitance of the electrodes is -1nF when measured in air. This set of electrodes can be used in simple tap water up to 25A.
Gas collection electrodes must be placed inside a container with hermetically sealed connectors, lid and other connections. The container must initially be food-grade and resistant to high temperatures.
If the container is metal, the electrodes should be secured to plastic base to prevent short circuit. Two connectors can be installed on both sides of copper and brass fittings that are used for gas extraction. Fittings and connectors are firmly secured using silicone sealant to ensure a completely sealed container.
Be careful
The gas produced is an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, so it must be used with extreme caution. The container contains a lot of gas, there is a risk of it catching fire, and if excess pressure there may even be an explosion. To avoid detonation of the gas inside the hydrogen generator, the pipes from the container must be connected to another container half filled with water. If there is a fire at the outlet, the flame does not penetrate back into the device. This safety device is absolutely necessary and must be installed.
