Date:         Sat, 5 Jan 2008 11:20:38 -0800
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: New electric power option?
Comments: To: John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <6da579340801051044g35b302a9r83609dae723f3d2d@mail.gmail.com>
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Oh yeah, that makes sense. There'd be no need for replacement cartridges
if a catalyst was used to turn the water into hydrogen and oxygen, since
catalysts are not consumed in the process as I understand it. Electricity
I know, chemistry I don't.

How toxic is Mg(OH)2? And, for that matter, how /is/ Mg(OH)2 pronounced,
anyway?

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR



On 1/5/2008 10:44 AM John Bange wrote:

>> 14-hour run time on one cartridge, fuel
>> cell technology (runs on water which is catalyzed into hydrogen which
>> powers a fuel cell).
>
>
> Actually, it's more likely a water-activated chemical hydrogen generating
> compound, similar to the Mg-Fe packs in military field rations' Flameless
> Ration Heaters <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FRH>. The magnesium strips the
> oxygen off the water to make Mg(OH)2, leaving H2 .  I am curious what sort
> of reaction they use, but their literature is very light on technical
> detail. I wonder how much heat these generate as a byproduct. That might be
> useful in and of itself!
>
> --
> John Bange
> '90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"