Useless adaptation

July 31, 2008 07:35 am

— I read the interesting article about Rev. Trego's device for "producing energy from water." His claims of increased miles-per-gallon were vague and anecdotal; measuring the mpg for just one trip or one tank of fuel is notoriously imprecise. I would like to know just what kind of efficiency he achieves in, say, the next 1,000 miles.
I congratulate The Daily Item for consulting some mechanics who all pointed out that mpg depends mostly on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. But you failed your readers by not asking for some specific data on the efficiency of the hydrogen cell. And the headline seems to offer a 60 percent increase in mpg. Humbug! Other readers may now waste their money on a useless and dangerous adaptation to their vehicle.
From a chemist's point of view, here is how the system works: the battery supplies energy to an electrolysis cell where water is decomposed to hydrogen and oxygen gases. The gases are conveyed to the air intake of the engine and then burned in the engine's cylinders to produce kinetic energy and water. The kinetic energy drives the engine, which then drives an alternator which charges the battery so that it can keep the electrolysis going"¦ The only reason it works is that there is also gasoline being burned at the same time. Decomposing the water uses exactly the same amount of energy that is produced when the hydrogen burns. Want to make a believer out of me? Just put 20 -- or 50 -- Mason jar cells under the hood and disconnect the gas tank. Of course it will not work.
The Rev. Trego seems like a sincere fellow and I will grant that he actually believes he is somehow wresting additional energy from Mason jars full of water, salt and Drano. But to do so would require a violation of the Law of Conservation of Energy, and we all know from eighth-grade science class that you cannot violate that law.
Operating an electrolysis cell in your car's engine compartment is a dangerous enterprise. I'm guessing that it voids any warranties on the engine and gives your insurance carrier good reason to deny a damage claim when your car catches fire. And it will not increase your engine's efficiency.
Ronald L. Blatchley,
New Berlin