- #1
MacGyver2
- 10
- 0
Does anyone have a quick and dirty method to make methane from pure hydrogen?
Background: I am new here, but a regular at TheBackshed.com, where most of us design and build wind turbines and alternators. When a 'windmill' generates more electricity than its system can handle, the overage is diverted to what is termed a "dump load". A dump load is usually a resistive load (heater) and often times an electric water heater is used. This allows a pathway for over-production of electricity and ultimately stores that energy in the form of usable, HOT potable water.
What we'd like to do is use electricity to produce Brown's Gas (H-O-H), separate (scrub) the oxygen from the mixture (easily done with iron filings or steel wool) and somehow add a carbon atom to the mix to make methane gas (CH4). Sounds easy 'nuf!
The methane produced will then be stored under a water column and be used for either cooking, heating or low-grade internal combustion.
There is an existing process for this named after the guy who discovered it (Sabatuer?) but the process is WAY too complicated. What I (we) are after is something really simple.
Efficiency is not a part of the equation. After all, the energy in this case is basically "free" meaning "no cost" not to be confused with that over-unity business.
I tried posting this on another thread, but in doing that, thinking I had started my own independent thread, somehow I managed to "hijack" an existing thread and things were pretty much downhill from that point.
Anyone got a brilliant idea?
. . . . . Mac
Background: I am new here, but a regular at TheBackshed.com, where most of us design and build wind turbines and alternators. When a 'windmill' generates more electricity than its system can handle, the overage is diverted to what is termed a "dump load". A dump load is usually a resistive load (heater) and often times an electric water heater is used. This allows a pathway for over-production of electricity and ultimately stores that energy in the form of usable, HOT potable water.
What we'd like to do is use electricity to produce Brown's Gas (H-O-H), separate (scrub) the oxygen from the mixture (easily done with iron filings or steel wool) and somehow add a carbon atom to the mix to make methane gas (CH4). Sounds easy 'nuf!
The methane produced will then be stored under a water column and be used for either cooking, heating or low-grade internal combustion.
There is an existing process for this named after the guy who discovered it (Sabatuer?) but the process is WAY too complicated. What I (we) are after is something really simple.
Efficiency is not a part of the equation. After all, the energy in this case is basically "free" meaning "no cost" not to be confused with that over-unity business.
I tried posting this on another thread, but in doing that, thinking I had started my own independent thread, somehow I managed to "hijack" an existing thread and things were pretty much downhill from that point.
Anyone got a brilliant idea?
. . . . . Mac