JUN 06

Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have revealed that they have driven a car 650 miles on one tank of liquid hydrogen. In a recent test, the team installed a super-insulated hydrogen gas tank in a standard Prius hybrid that was able to keep a full load of the liquid without evaporating for six days, setting a new world record.

The 300-pound tank removes a lot of obstacles to the development of hydrogen-powered cars. Current versions, such as the fleet of hydrogen-electric Toyota Prius’s used by various city governments across Southern California, run on compressed hydrogen gas, and have a limited range of around 80 miles between fill-ups. Even a fairly modest three-gallon tank fills the entire trunk of a Prius, but still only allows a range of around 200 miles, not really enough to compete with gasoline-only vehicles. One way to overcome this limitation is by using liquid hydrogen, which takes up around a third of the volume of compressed gas. However, it is much more difficult to handle, mainly because it must be kept at very low temperatures (around -420oF) and extremely high pressure to prevent it from evaporating as the engine heats up.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Livermore Lab engineer Salvador Alceves said, “We think if you have the cars, and the technology for the cars, the infrastructure will follow. The cars are the hard part.”

The tank can also hold less expensive compressed hydrogen, enabling users to use it for shorter journeys with the option of switching to liquid to triple their range for longer drives. It can also withstand crashes and fires without exploding. The team apparently even shot one tank with a gun without blowing it up – that must have been an exciting day at the office!

Livermore Lab estimates that we could see prototype cars in 2012. Lead technician Tim Ross said, “We will get there, I truly believe I will see this in my lifetime.”

See the full press release and video

Via Mercury News

Comments (12)

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written by paolo, June 06, 2008

The PML electric Mini
http://www.pmlflightlink.com/a...mini.html
gets 1500km of autonomy,,, and doesn't require science-fiction levels of infra$tructure to suddenly appear. It also doesn't require recharging... but you can if you want...

Big Oil are trying really hard to keep selling you fuel, ANY fuel, no matter how wasteful or unrealizable.

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written by Andy, June 06, 2008

300 pound tank empty or full? Even if thats empty, think of 300 pounds of gasoline, that's 37.5 gallons, which at a measly 30mpg could reach 1125 miles. Try again.

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Hydrogen is not the best for land or sea
written by Ugly American, June 06, 2008

Hydrogen is light but too bulky and requires exotic storage. BioDiesel is produced now and runs in existing trucks now.

MJ/L = Energy density by volume

33 = BioDiesel
30 = Gasoline
24 = Ethanol
10 = Liquid Hydrogen

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written by Mike, June 06, 2008

I'm really sick of the whole "hydrogen economy" spiel. The researchers must realize the inefficiencies involved, but I suppose its politics as usual, since this sort of thing gets them funding. Fuel cells really only have viable applications in small scales or very special cases, e.g. electronic devices or outer space. Anything else is a pipe dream.

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Pathetic and laughable
written by Mark, June 07, 2008

"was able to keep a full load of the liquid without evaporating for six days".

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written by jacob, June 07, 2008

Ugly_American
how much of that energy can be harnessed by a standard engine though? And why bother with a fuel at all? If we can just plug into the grid, then we eliminate all the waste involved in growing and transport!

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written by Yaos, June 07, 2008

I doubt we will have a hydrogen economy. Electric vehicles are more efficient in getting energy from the grid, and we already have the infrastructure in place. By the time the infrastructure for hydrogen is in place, electric cars will have already surpassed hydrogen cars in range, not to mention all that wasted money on building thousands of hydrogen stations.

Algae and other biomatter should hopefully be able to take the place of petroleum for application that electricity won't work.

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Two Mules and a Wagon
written by Karen, June 08, 2008

Two mules and a wagon sounds great right now.
Hmmm, I can use them for natural fertilizer, transportation, carpooling, and they can help plow the garden! Let's see any car do all that!

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A long way to go...
written by harry, June 09, 2008

Peugeot 407 1.6 Diesel (mid-sized family car - bigger than a Prius)
tank size 14.5 imperial gallons
mileage (if careful) 50 mpg (imperial)
- 725 miles on a tank. Let's be generous - 700.

I can buy it today.
I can fill it up anywhere (in Europe at least)
Oh, I get to keep my boot (trunk) too.

Yep, keep trying...

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Say NO to Filling Stations (Oil Companie
written by ErikL, June 09, 2008

I am glad to see several people are catching on that this is but a gimmick to keep filling stations going and profits flowing to the oil companies that have been robbing us blind.

Support the electric vehicles - they are already way better than hydrogen and as the demand increases so will the battery technology. You can charge at home or friend's place and we can finally break the international fuel monopoly that has suppressed so many energy efficient advances over the decades.

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The man, The Miz, The MASTER.... of noth
written by steveo, June 17, 2008

Too bad the power grid will not handle the demand of an electric car fleet. It's too old...remember the black out from a few years ago...i'm sure the politicos would rather have the oil companies put in the filling stations rather than pay to upgrade the electric grid.

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none
written by Albert Abel, June 19, 2008

We did this back in 1969 - 1971. Converted a Ford Shelby GT 500 and later a Torino (71)to hydrogen. Those who continue to ignore history and condemned to repeat its mistakes. Hydrogen, for all its charms, is not the answer.

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