[V8] Diesels, hybrids, continued! - Hydrodgen

[Dave Saad]

The "working fluid" is I believe Ammonia Bromide (or something close to that) and it is fairly nasty stuff.  However the system you describe has indeed been around for decades.
It might be called the "Servel" system since that is who originally built them (refrigerators). There is no reason you couldn't replace the flame with a solar heater but the typical problems of efficiency  are bound to pop up.  You would also need some electricity for a blower.  I actually kicked this around for a car AC unit.  Practically no load on the motor - but the parts are big and then there is the toxic Ammonia problem.  Maybe it will be interesting when gas is closer to $10 a gallon.

Dave

On Aug 11, 2011, at 7:17 AM, S_Matus wrote:

> Dave - 
> 
> Long ago in a far away life, I ran across a Natural Gas powered Air Conditioning unit.
> 
> Why not use the Steam to power the Nat Gas A/C and reduce the complexity.  I think it used Ammonia for the refrigerant.
> 
> Just a thought.
> 
> Scott.
> Too many Vag Vehicles
> 
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2011 22:40:32 -0600
> From: Dave Saad <dsaad at icehouse.net>
> To: v8audi Fans <v8 at audifans.com>
> Subject: Re: [V8] Diesels, hybrids, continued! - Hydrodgen
> Message-ID: <3C40FA5D-DB7A-4DDF-BE32-E89169E77EE6 at icehouse.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> Bummer -
> 
> I really hate to hear about all the technical problems facing H2 - because I really think that eventually it has to be the answer.  It seems that there are advancements and discoveries made fairly regularly on the production and storage issues, but it always requires some exotic metal of which there is a worldwide supply of 3 pounds (1.36 kilos for you metric types).
> 
> I do think that big wind farms in particular might be more useful to the utilities if they produced hydrogen and stored it onsite - to be consumed as fuel for a traditional steam plant or maybe a giant fuel cell if that becomes possible.  That would solve a lot of problems with the integration of intermittent energy systems.
> 
> Now - to go even further off track, I got interested in trying to make a solar powered (stationary) steam engine.  Don't ask why - if anyone in the world understands the "why" part, it would be this list, I am just curious if a say a parabolic mirror on your roof could make enough steam to power a small piston type engine?  The idea is to make enough power to turn a generator large enough to run a home air conditioner.  I think 5000 watts would be plenty for a large house.The obvious benefit is the hotter it gets, the better your air conditioner works.  The obvious downside is superheated steam under pressure makes an excellent skin remover, and the neighbors will get pissy if they find boiler parts blown into their yards.  Those are the two negatives I hear the most.
> 
> And since this is an Audi forum, I would of course park my Audi in the garage of such a home...
> 
> 
> Dave