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From: wls@astrovax.UUCP (William L. Sebok)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.physics
Subject: Re: perpetual motion
Message-ID: <567@astrovax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Mar-85 16:09:53 EST
Article-I.D.: astrovax.567
Posted: Tue Mar 26 16:09:53 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Mar-85 04:43:03 EST
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Xref: watmath net.misc:7665 net.physics:2320

> While I tend to agree with Lauren that there is a lot of garbage being
> passed around as truth, I have to wonder why our cars aren't powered
> by liquid hydrogen (a non-polluting fuel) rather than gasoline.
>  Jeff Hull            {decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,scdrdcf,ucbvax}

You have got to be kidding.  Liquid hydrogen is DANGEROUS.  At atmospheric
pressure it boils at 20 degrees Kelvin == -253 degrees Celsius one of the
lowest boiling points known next to helium.  You have to allow blowoff from a
container (pressurized or not) container to keep it from blowing up as the
liquid boils and the pressure builds up.  The blowoff is VERY flameable.

It took quite a bit of effort for the space program to work up the technology
to keep the liquid hydrogen fueled rockets from blowing up on the pad.  I
would be very leery of having it in general by any other than very highly
trained people.

Pressurised  hydrogen though ... well, maybe.
-- 
Bill Sebok			Princeton University, Astrophysics
{allegra,akgua,burl,cbosgd,decvax,ihnp4,noao,princeton,vax135}!astrovax!wls