Does anyone have any schematics or parts listing, or know where I could obtain one, for a system to crack water into it's constituent parts?

What I would like to do is setup 5 to 8 KW of PV panels. I would then use the energy generated from this to crack water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would then be stored for use later in either a fuel cell or my car.

Are there plans for such a system out there anywhere?

Thanks!

Hello stboulet

There are several ways to obtain hydrogen. There are several rather unfriendly chemical processes to the environment, and there is electricity (generated by oil , coal, gas , or nuclear resources), so neither very friendly. Than there is reversed-osmosis, with all it's problems, aluminum alloy and gallium systems, etc. Just Google your way into knowledge.

But if I were you I would use electricity : a strong current through a reservoir full of water that is made conducting by adding some sodium crystals will do the trick : catch at one side hydrogen, and at the other side oxygen.

Yes there are not many plans, but electricity is the standard way to get hydrogen and oxygen.

Problem : you are not allowed to store hydrogen in a residential area, and you require a license for anywhere else. Because of the danger by the unpreventable leaking of - and resulting explosions by - hydrogen.

Partslist :

One water reservoir
Water
Pack of table salt
2 electrodes
Power supply
Gas collection and storage device

Schematics :

See this website for general instructions and take it from there!

Advice :

Do your wife and children a big favor and get a huge all-covering life insurance...

Success !

:>)

.

Plants crack water during photosynthesis. There's an article about efforts to mimic this process in the current E&S, Caltech's almuni magazine.

I have been reading it, not finished.

http://eands.caltech.edu/articles/LXXI2/lewis.pdf

Quote:

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Originally Posted by asking

Plants crack water during photosynthesis. There's an article about efforts to mimic this process in the current E&S, Caltech's almuni magazine. I have been reading it, not finished. http://eands.caltech.edu/articles/LXXI2/lewis.pdf

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Excellent article ! Thanks for the link !

:)

I did that in grade school. Used a platinum screen for electrodes and inverted test tubes in water. The hydrogen collects at 2x the rate, if I remember.

Storage of hydrogen would require a way to presurize it.

Actually I am more interested in asking's post and link about plants that crack water by photosynthesis.

If we could put that process working for us more efficiently...

:)