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General => Philosophy & Scholarly Debate => Topic started by: anus on July 27, 2007, 09:53:48 PM

Title: Alternative fuels?
Post by: anus on July 27, 2007, 09:53:48 PM
With the U.S.A and other countries depending heavily on oil, but with the fear of destroying the environment, what do you think could be a goo alternative fuel?

Before you say corn based Ethanol, consider this:

-Ethanol gets 30% miles less to the gallon than gasoline
-It's more expensive to produce
-It breaks down, so it has to be trucked
-In balance, it doesn't help that much.
-In order for it to be produced, since you have to grow corn, you'd have to depend on the soil, weather, and other factors to grow a lot of corn successfully.
-The prices of a lot of stuff, including soda, fruits and vegetables, beef, poultry, pork, eggs, milk, diapers, and even more stuff that involves corn.

I'd think the best option hydrogen thing (I forgot it's exact name), since it involves combining water and oxygen and the reaction would power the car. I know it's a terrible explanation, but it's something like that.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Claquesous on July 27, 2007, 10:05:02 PM
Isn't hydrogen very flammable? I wouldn't want to be in a car when it sparks or something. It could work though. But I  still stand by solar powered cars. The way of the future.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Kalahari Inkantation on July 27, 2007, 10:14:16 PM
Also, we'd need three times more farms to grow enough corn to make ethanol for every car in the US.
They have air-powered cars. Let's hope that those become the future. flower;
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: ncba93ivyase on July 27, 2007, 10:32:45 PM
Quote from: Claquesous on July 27, 2007, 10:05:02 PM
Isn't hydrogen very flammable? I wouldn't want to be in a car when it sparks or something. It could work though. But I  still stand by solar powered cars. The way of the future.
I believe it's the most explosive thingy-doodle in the world.

An efficient and effective method of solar power would by far be the best option to go with.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Daddy on July 27, 2007, 10:47:27 PM
Quote from: Claquesous on July 27, 2007, 10:05:02 PM
Isn't hydrogen very flammable? I wouldn't want to be in a car when it sparks or something. It could work though. But I  still stand by solar powered cars. The way of the future.
Gasoline is also flammable.   The tanks holding the hydrogen are pretty sturdy.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Claquesous on July 27, 2007, 11:01:38 PM
Hydrogen is moreso, I think. You have a point though.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: guff on July 28, 2007, 11:01:21 AM
Quote from: Claquesous on July 27, 2007, 10:05:02 PM
Isn't hydrogen very flammable?
If it wasn't, it wouldn't be a very good fuel.  psyduck;
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Snorkel on July 28, 2007, 09:29:10 PM
Hydrogen doesn't work, because the electricity that's needed for electrolysis (a process critical to creating hydrogen fuel cells) would still have to come from somewhere. The clean air problem would be helped, though.

I personally say we take wind-up cars to a whole new level.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Daddy on July 28, 2007, 09:38:46 PM
Quote from: Snorkel on July 28, 2007, 09:29:10 PM
Hydrogen doesn't work, because the electricity that's needed for electrolysis (a process critical to creating hydrogen fuel cells) would still have to come from somewhere. The clean air problem would be helped, though.

I personally say we take wind-up cars to a whole new level.
Stationary solar cells and wind powered generators can do that.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: musica.cards on August 02, 2007, 10:47:47 PM
What about bio diesel?
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: YPrrrr on August 03, 2007, 09:08:57 AM
Look, all we need is a perpetual motion device and the problem is solved. Is that so hard?
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Daddy on August 03, 2007, 10:04:38 AM
Quote from: Your Posting Rival on August 03, 2007, 09:08:57 AM
Look, all we need is a perpetual motion device and the problem is solved. Is that so hard?
Yes, there are some laws of thermodynamics.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: guff on August 03, 2007, 10:15:37 AM
Quote from: Your Posting Rival on August 03, 2007, 09:08:57 AM
Look, all we need is a perpetual motion device and the problem is solved. Is that so hard?
HELLO WE AM BE STEORN
LOOK WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS WE PROMISE IT WORKS
IT JUST HAS SOME PROBLEMS WITH FRICTION AND NOT WORKING
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: YPrrrr on August 03, 2007, 10:16:51 AM
Quote from: JMV290 on August 03, 2007, 10:04:38 AM
Yes, there are some laws of thermodynamics.
That explains my C grade in Physics psyduck;
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Daddy on August 03, 2007, 10:20:36 AM
Quote from: Commodore Guff on August 03, 2007, 10:15:37 AM
HELLO WE AM BE STEORN
LOOK WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS WE PROMISE IT WORKS
IT JUST HAS SOME PROBLEMS WITH FRICTION AND NOT WORKING
"It's the lighting in the room. =|

I swear it was working earlier."
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: Blaze-Senpai on August 07, 2007, 10:20:37 PM
Once they find a combination of chemicals that can absorb enough of the suns energy, we'll be set.
Title: Re: Alternative fuels?
Post by: TheExAm on August 17, 2007, 04:03:14 AM
Quote from: the jockyman on July 27, 2007, 09:53:48 PM
I'd think the best option hydrogen thing (I forgot it's exact name), since it involves combining water and oxygen and the reaction would power the car. I know it's a terrible explanation, but it's something like that.
I believe the process you're referring to is Electrolysis, and from what I know, there's no way to make a self-conained electrolytic system that powers a car on its own. So far, the only way is to do the electrolysis elsewhere at a dedicated facility, and pump the hydrogen to holding tanks, where it's pumped into vehicles. Currently, even this method doesn't give the car a lot of range, since a hydrogen tank big enough to match the range of current gas powered cars would be far too large, and inherently unsafe. Or, so I've read.