Book Review: Hydrogen -- Hot Stuff :: Cool Science

I just finished reading this fascinating book by Rex A Ewing. I feel I must warn you, though, if you're looking for a dry and boring text book, you should look somewhere else. In Hydrogen -- Hot Stuff :: Cool Science, Mr. Ewing has fused together the adventure novel and science in a way that is both delightfully funny and intruigingly factual.

Included are 18 chapters and a prolog and epilog with the following energy technologies discussed:

Hydrogen as fuel used the following ways:

• Combustion
• Fuel Cell
• Fusion

Nuclear Fission

Wind

Solar

The following Biomass fuels:

• Biodiesel
• Ethanol
• Methanol

Coal Gasification

Pyrolysis

Electricity

While discussing all of these energy techs, the following science basics are discussed (among others):

• Molecular bonds
• Why water is different than other molecules of its size and weight
• Fusion
• Fission
• Global Warming (the fact and the hype revealed)
• Gasification
• Fuel Stock Relative Energy
• Photosynthisis

Graphs I found interesting and informative detailed CO2 levels with respect to temperature and another one where CO2 levels were compared with human population growth. And most intriguing of all was the one that showed estimated cost of making hydrogen comparing several different methods.

What I found refreshing about the book was Rex's honest appraisal of hydrogen's current shortfalls as well as touting its strengths. Some of the current problems ranged from small-scale storage as in fuel tanks on a vehicle to generation of H2 to current fuel cell costs and failure modes.

As I was analysing the considerable information, I realized, however, that I would have liked to have seen more information about battery technology as well as methods of Carbon sequestering, but I suppose when the book's purpose is to discuss the up-coming Hydrogen Economy, those topics are better left to a different book.

Between each chapter, there was a section called 'Technistoff' which frequently gave hyperlinks to news articles, research papers, or product web pages in order to show how viable and documented the information actually is.

So why did I choose to read this book? Two reasons: I was looking for information on how fuel cell works, and also looking for more information toward improving my hydrogen electrolysis project as I've discussed in previous posts.

What I read therein was awesome to the first end, but troubling to the second end. What I mean is this: Rex dedicated an entire chapter to describing the workings of a feul cell, but when he spoke about using hydrogen in an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) his recommendation was to re-engineer the ICE due to the complications that come with a more simplistic conversion. And he didn't even discuss using on-board hydrogen generation method to supplement gasoline.

Guess that just goes to show that he didn't consult me before he wrote his book.... which is probably a good thing.

He did, however, give a book recommendation for engine conversion: Fuel from Water: Energy Independence with Hydrogen by Michael A. Peavey.

All-in-all I was quite pleased with this book. It will take me some time to work through all the diverse links it has pointed to as I continue seeking the truth behind the Alternate Energy Hype.

Take care, one and all!