Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Fuel cells

["Captain Nemo" <vulcania@interpac.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: <CWall@swri.edu>

" Pat, I haven't seen this one, but I'd suspect it is a PEMFC running on
methanol."

Hi Craig!

Nope.  It wasn't hydrogen or methanol either.  As I recall, it was some kind
of solid chemical with no off-gassing problems at all.  That's what makes it
revolutionary, and why I thought it might have some potential in a minisub.
Sure wish someone would recall that URL.

"Just remember that while the exhaust from a PEMFC running on neat hydrogen
gas is water vapor, operation on methanol yields CO and CO2.   And besides
the requirement for oxygen, you have to get the gaseous waste products off
the boat...and they'll be at low pressure. You'll have to compress them to
get them overboard."

Thanks for reminding me that gaseous waste products need to be collected,
compressed, and ejected from the closed environment; and if I may take this
conversation in what might hopefully be an even more constructive direction,
please note that I wasn't insulted and didn't berate you for thinking I
didn't already know this.  ;-)

You know, Craig, I've been in some heated exchanges here myself.
Fortunately, these guys are still talking to me; and I say "fortunately"
because (no matter what anyone might have told you) the people who share
their knowledge on this website are actually pretty sharp, and one can
definitely benefit from an association with them.

Your propane ballast system idea has pros and cons.  Generally, I don't
think you're going to find much acceptance in this safety conscious group,
if only for the reason that propane is inflammable, while compressed air is
not.   The concern may not only be for you, but also for others who read and
are influenced by the concepts presented here.  At PSUBS, there's a
prevailing tendency towards protecting the information pool from ideas that
could be unusually dangerous.  If the guys think what you're suggesting
might be a little too unsafe, they're going to let you know about it, and
that's just how it is.  (Check out some of the responses I got to my
"underwater dragster" idea!)

Anyway, you've presented your ideas to the members; gotten their responses;
and argued your point according to your own beliefs.  But (and this is
something I learned the hard way)  there comes a time when it's 'nuff said,
and one should just let it go.

Nobody said it more eloquently than Vance did.  I could only cosign his post
by adding that, in my opinion, when people with years of hard experience in
real submarines are willing to freely share the insight they had to work
for, those still in the theoretical stage would be wise to listen.

Time to give it a rest, bud.  Come on back and talk to us about something
else.

VBR,

Pat

BTW: Happy Veteran's Day, everybody!  ;-)