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RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Cylinder choice, H2O2 as Power Source
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 3/25/2003 at 2:35 PM Jonathan Wallace wrote:
>>No, the CO2 levels can't get too low.
>
>Ray, if you recall, the apollo spacecraft use to operate on 100%
>oxygen. So I believe Warren is correct.
>
>Jon
Yes, until it caught fire on the pad and killed Grisson, White and Chaffee
before they could get the damned hatch open. That pure O2 is downright
dangerous.
Power Generation:
I realize I'm talking about a different use of oxygen here, but it might
start another thread that we could all use some information on. I used to
think that you could do dual fuel injection with ethanol and H202 to power a
submersible (actually some mixture ratios of EtOH and H2O2 will
spontaneously combust upon compression). There would be lots of ways to go
with this;(natural gas + injected H2O2; EtOH + catalytic decomposition of
H2O2, etc., like the Walther turbines of WWII, which used diesel). But for
amateurs like us, 80% H2O2 is just as dangerous as pure O2 gas or liquid O2.
Too bad, really. What is needed is power in abundance, and the only way to
get that is by combustion (?). I heard that the Navy research facility at
China Lake was looking at simple decomposition of H2O2 (produces steam under
pressure, some O2, and a lot of heat) as a sole power source for a
submersible. The X-15 aircraft used such a system to generate electricity
on board using a turbine, as would the China Lake system (pricey to say the
least). Anybody out there know of any current, new, or planned developments
in this area for personal subs? If you were going to use a hydrocarbon,
natural gas, methanol, or ethanol would be best, as you want a clean burn
(as it is, you're emitting CO2 as a byproduct of combustion regardless). A
small four stroke engine could be used, but would be incredibly noisy
(robbing us of one of the reasons why we dive in the first place), plus
there would be the problem of overcoming backpressure from the exhaust. The
Germans apparently solved this with the Walther turbine, and did 26 knots
submerged in the first sea trials. Maybe a Wankel would be quieter. There
was a very small Wankel being marketed on the net for a while, but
apparently the company went under.
Anybody else out there interested in this?
Thanks in advance,
Texas Lake Diver