Cella Energy: Is It for Real?

[gravenewworld]

http://www.cellaenergy.com/index.php?page=technologyWhat does everyone think about this company's energy technology? Is it for real or is it a hoax? Information on their hydrogen storing nanotechnology that can be used as fuel in automobiles at the cost of $1.50/gallon, that requires no engine modification, and that is claimed to have 0 emissions is cryptic at best.

 

[gravenewworld]

BTW, it is claimed that this technology was developed at Rutheford Appleton Lab in the UK, which is no joke of a facility.

 

[JaredJames]

Where is the emissions claim?

The best I found was saying it can be used to help lower emissions - note that Hydrogen engines don't produce Carbon emissions, only water. So that claim regarding Hydrogen engines is true. They don't claim this of petrol/diesel engines.

They also say you can use Hydrogen for fuel with "few" engine modifications, not none.

Their solution is simply a new storage technology for Hydrogen. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I'd also note the example engine shown includes a heat source which needs to come from somewhere.

Maybe read through it again, I think you might have misread it slightly. The claims aren't extraordinary, just reuse of standard known facts about Hydrogen as a power source.

Once again, they are only proposing a new storage technology with a little bit about potential engines.

 

[gravenewworld]

Where is the emissions claim?

The best I found was saying it can be used to help lower emissions - note that Hydrogen engines don't produce Carbon emissions, only water. So that claim regarding Hydrogen engines is true. They don't claim this of petrol/diesel engines.

They also say you can use Hydrogen for fuel with "few" engine modifications, not none.

Their solution is simply a new storage technology for Hydrogen. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I'd also note the example engine shown includes a heat source which needs to come from somewhere.

Maybe read through it again, I think you might have misread it slightly. The claims aren't extraordinary, just reuse of standard known facts about Hydrogen as a power source.

Once again, they are only proposing a new storage technology with a little bit about potential engines.

http://www.cellaenergy.com/uploads/press/Filling%20up%20with%20hydrogen%20now%20a%20real%20possibility.pdf

Working with the London Centre for Nanotechnology at University College London and University of Oxford, scientists from STFC’s ISIS neutron source have developed a way of making tiny micro-fibres 30 times smaller than a human hair. These form a tissue-like material that is safe to handle in air. The new material contains as much hydrogen for a given weight as the high pressure tanks currently used to store hydrogen and can also be made in the form of micro beads that can be poured and pumped like a liquid. It could be used to fill up tanks in cars and aeroplanes in a very similar way to current fuels, but crucially without producing the carbon emissions.

Forgot to post that link.


http://news.discovery.com/tech/synthetic-gasoline-for-150gallon-and-no-emissions.html

“Early indications are that the micro-beads can be used in existing vehicles without engine modification,” said Cella Energy CEO Stephen Voller in this article on Gizmag.

But like I said, all the info out there on this company and what it is claiming are quite cryptic.

 

[gravenewworld]

What would happen to the microbeads? Would they be environmentally benign?

 

[JaredJames]

Forgot to post that link.

http://news.discovery.com/tech/synthetic-gasoline-for-150gallon-and-no-emissions.html

Well they're claiming to have come up with a material that puts Hydrogen in a more usable form. I can go with that.

They're saying they've come up with a material which contains the Hydrogen and in bead form reacts like liquid.

As long as the end result is burning Hydrogen then I can accept the zero emissions.

Whether or not they've achieved this is another thing - but I don't see why they couldn't have.

So far as in existing vehicles without modification, I'm not so sure. That would require it to have the same properties as regular petrol and diesel. Not impossible if you got the 'mix' right, but hardly a simple task.

 

[JaredJames]

What would happen to the microbeads? Would they be environmentally benign?

Well I'd assume they get burnt - remember, they are saying no carbon emissions. This thing could be pumping out anything else, just not carbon.

 

[gravenewworld]

Right, from what I've gathered so far, after ammonia borane releases H2 it polymerizes. What happens to this polymer when it is released into the environment?http://www.pnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=322