Ask HN: Is hydrogen likely to be a major source of power in the next 10 years?

Re:Ask HN: Is hydrogen likely to be a major source of power ... by dredmorbius on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @08:24PM (#24573927)

With vehicle, heating, rocket, or aviation applications, quantities involved are nontrivial. Hydrogen's flammable and explosive ratios with oxygen are large, and contrast starkly with other fuels; kerosene (jet/rocket fuel), bunker oil, and deisel, which ignite with difficulty, petrol, which ignites readily but not explosively, and even natural gas which deflagrates rather than explodes under most circumstances.

Add in hydrogen's extreme tendency to leak, metal embrittlement, and high pressures and/or low temperatures, and the risks are immense. Particularly at scale, in widespread use, with poor maintenance and inspections.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Is hydrogen likely to be a major source of power ... by Retric on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @09:57PM (#24574547)

It’s technically explosive in many situations where the location or net energy released makes that irrelevant. Being significantly lighter than air you might hear a loud bang above the vehicle where gasoline’s foof ends up being significantly more deadly.

It’s not strictly better or worse, just different. Diesel for example can be very dangerous in a large open topped container, hydrogen just doesn’t stick around in that environment.

PS: Consider what it would take to make a large hydrogen fuel air bomb that’s as effective as it’s hydrocarbon equivalent.

[ Parent | on HN ]