Details Published: 04.11.2015 07:48

Stove heating in Ukraine, as they say, is experiencing a rebirth. The reasons for this phenomenon are clear without any explanation. That is why Kharkov innovator Oleg Petrik proposed using pulverized coal thermal power plant technologies to increase the efficiency of home stoves, and for this it is not at all necessary to have the skills of an experienced mechanic.

How can you increase the efficiency of a coal (wood-burning) stove or solid fuel boiler without the use of additional energy resources.

The principle of operation of the technology is quite simple: water from the reservoir (steam generator) is converted into steam at a high temperature (400 - 500 C) and supplied directly to the flame, acting as a kind of combustion catalyst, increasing the productivity of the heating installation.

To create a rationalization system, you will need: a steam generator, which is made from improvised means (a canister or pan will do, preferably made of stainless steel, even an old one can be used alcohol mashine). A nipple from a car tire is cut into the container. You will also need about half a meter of oxygen hose and about one and a half meters of tube, preferably made of thin-walled stainless steel with an internal diameter of 8 mm, from which the superheater is made.

According to the superheater, steam in a heated state enters the grate through a hole in the stove. A steam divider is mounted at the end of the tube to neutralize noise: the tube is cut into slightly less than half with a grinder, in increments of approximately 10 mm, 7 - 10 cuts are made, then the holes are wrapped with a mesh with a window of 20-30 microns made of stainless steel in two or three layers, and it is attached to the tube with a wire with a diameter of 1-1.5 mm.

The rubber tube above the stove must be raised 20-30 centimeters (it is not raised in the photo shown). Although some cooling of the oxygen hose occurs due to water vapor, this must be done for fire safety reasons.

In order, in turn, to speed up the production of steam by the steam generator, when lighting firewood, it is necessary to pour no more than 200 ml of water into the container, it will boil in 5-8 minutes and the device will begin to operate at full power. After this, the steam generator can be completely filled with water for long-term operation of the oven.

The productivity increase is approximately 50% compared to conventional devices. Tests of the device showed that the furnace's output to operating mode was reduced by half, that is, from 2 to 4 hours. This means that you will need half as much wood to fire the stove. The completeness of fuel combustion has improved, the smoke coming out of the chimney is practically invisible, and the amount of ash has decreased significantly. Due to rising energy prices, in particular natural gas, such modernization will become relevant for many homeowners.

Of course, the proposed solution requires significant improvements: it is necessary to automate the water supply process, optimize the design itself, etc. However, the option of inexpensive and quick “pumping” of the furnace using basic means that can be found in every home will help many people save a lot, and may also become an impetus for the development of new technologies and the birth of new ideas.

The craftsman from Kharkov also has an experimental installation with a window for burning coal or wood in a steam atmosphere, or, as he calls it, a “hydrogen potbelly stove.”

Reference. Superheated steam is widely used to improve the efficiency of turbines in thermal power plants, and has been used on all types of locomotives since the beginning of the last century. Moreover, nuclear reactor designs have been developed in which part of the process channels should be used to superheat steam before feeding it into turbines. It is known that the use of a superheater can significantly increase the efficiency of a steam installation and reduce the wear of its components.

The time has long passed when heating a private country house was carried out only by burning wood or coal in a stove. Current heating units use different kinds fuel. But the constant rise in fuel prices forces us to look for cheaper heating options. But literally under our noses lies an inexhaustible source of energy - hydrogen. And in this article we will tell you how you can use ordinary water as fuel by assembling a hydrogen heating boiler with your own hands.

Design and operating principle of a hydrogen generator

The use of hydrogen as fuel for heating a home is a rather tempting idea, because its calorific value is 33.2 kW/m3, while that of natural gas is only 9.3 kW/m3, which is more than 3 times. Theoretically, hydrogen can be extracted from water, and then burned in a boiler; you can use a hydrogen generator to heat your home.

As an energy carrier, nothing can compare with hydrogen, and its reserves are practically endless. As mentioned above, when burned, hydrogen releases a lot of thermal energy, much more than any carbon-containing fuel. Instead of harmful emissions into the atmosphere that are released when using natural gas, hydrogen, when burned, forms ordinary water in the form of steam. There is only one problem: this element is not found in nature in its pure form, but only in combination with other substances.

One such compound is ordinary water, which is oxidized hydrogen. In order to split it into its constituent elements, many scientists spent more than one year. And not to no avail technical solution based on the isolation of its components from water, it was still found. This is the so-called chemical reaction of electrolysis, as a result of which water breaks down into oxygen and hydrogen, the resulting mixture is called detonating gas or Brown's gas.

Below you can see a diagram of a hydrogen generator (electrolyzer) that runs on electricity:

Electrolyzers are installed at mass production and are used for gas-flame (welding) work. A current of a certain frequency and strength is applied to groups of metal plates that are immersed in water. Due to the ongoing electrolysis reaction, oxygen and hydrogen are released mixed with water vapor.

In order to separate gases from steam, everything is passed through a separator, after which it is fed to the burner. To prevent backlash and explosion, a valve is installed on the supply, which allows fuel to flow in only one direction.

A hydrogen installation for heating a home includes the following components: a boiler and pipes with a diameter of 25-32 mm (1-1.25 inches). You can install the pipes at home with your own hands, but one condition must be met - after each branching, the diameter must decrease.

Diameter decreases by to the following principle– pipe D32, pipe D25. After the branching is D20, and the last pipe to be installed is D16. If this condition is met hydrogen torch will work efficiently and effectively.

In order to monitor the water level and timely replenish the device with it, the design has a special sensor that gives a command at the right moment and water is injected into the working space of the electrolyzer. To ensure that the pressure does not jump to a critical point inside the vessel, the unit is equipped with an emergency switch and a relief valve. To maintain a hydrogen generator, you only need to add water from time to time and that’s it.

Advantages of hydrogen heating

U hydrogen heating There are several serious advantages that affect the prevalence of the system:

1. Environmentally friendly systems. The only by-product that is released into the atmosphere during operation is water in vapor form. Which doesn't harm in any way environment.
2. Hydrogen in the heating system works without the use of fire. Heat is generated due to the catalytic reaction. When hydrogen combines with oxygen, water is formed. Because of this, there is a large release of heat. The heat flow itself, the temperature of which is about 40 ° C, goes to the heat exchanger. For a heated floor system, this is the ideal temperature regime.
3. Pretty soon, do-it-yourself hydrogen heating will be able to displace traditional systems, thereby freeing humanity from the production of other types of fuel - oil, gas, coal and firewood.
4. Minimum service life is 15 years.
5. The efficiency of heating a private home with hydrogen can reach 96%.

Hydrogen production is a completely accessible process. All that will need to be spent on is electricity. And when using a heating generator, also include in the system operation solar battery, then energy costs can be minimized. Based on this, we can conclude that this system is the most environmentally friendly and efficient for heating a home.

How to assemble a hydrogen generator with your own hands?

Often, a hydrogen-powered boiler is used to heat floors. These systems nowadays come in a wide variety of capacities. The power of boilers can be very different, ranging from 27 W to infinity. You can take one very powerful boiler to heat the entire house at once, or you can take several small ones. They are installed on their own, but how to make a hydrogen generator with your own hands?

Before you start building a fuel cell, you need to have the following tools on hand:

• hacksaw for metal;
• drill with a set of drills;
• set of wrenches;
• flat and slotted screwdrivers;
• an angle grinder (“grinder”) with a mounted circle for cutting metal;
• multimeter and flow meter;
• ruler;
• marker.

Moreover, if you decide to build a PWM generator yourself, you will need an oscilloscope and a frequency meter to set it up.

In order to make a hydrogen generator for heating a private house, we will consider an absolutely “dry” electrolyzer circuit using electrodes made of stainless steel plates.

The instructions below show the process of constructing a hydrogen generator:

1. Construction of the fuel cell body. The role of the side walls of the frame is played by hardboard or plexiglass plates, cut to the size of the future generator. It is worth noting that the size of the unit directly depends on its performance, but the costs of obtaining NDC will be much higher. For the construction of a fuel cell, the optimal dimensions are from 150×150 mm to 250×250 mm.
2. Holes are drilled in each of the plates for the inlet and outlet fittings for water. In addition, it is necessary to drill in the side wall to allow gas to escape and four holes in the corners to connect the reactor elements to each other.
3. Using a grinder, electrode plates are cut out from a sheet of 316L stainless steel. They should be 10-20 mm smaller in size than the walls. Moreover, when manufacturing each part, it is necessary to leave a small contact pad in one of the corners. This is necessary in order to connect the negative and positive electrodes into groups before connecting them to power.
4. To obtain the required amount of NHO, the stainless steel must be treated with fine sandpaper on both sides.
5. Two holes are drilled in each plate: a drill whose diameter should be 6-7 mm - to supply water into the space between the electrodes and with a diameter of 8-10 mm - to remove Brown's gas. Drilling points are calculated taking into account the installation locations of the corresponding inlet and outlet pipes.
6. Start assembling the generator. To do this, fittings are installed in the hardboard walls to supply water and extract gas. The places where they are connected are carefully sealed with automotive or plumbing sealant.
7. After this, one of the transparent body parts is installed on the studs, after which the electrodes are laid. Laying the electrodes should begin with the sealing ring. Please note: the plane of the electrodes must be absolutely flat, otherwise elements with opposite charges will touch, which will cause a short circuit!
8. Stainless steel plates are separated from the side surfaces of the reactor using sealing rings made of silicone, paronite or other materials. It is important that it is no thicker than 1 mm. Such parts are used as spacers between plates. During installation, ensure that contact pads opposite electrodes were grouped on opposite sides of the generator.
9. After the last plate is laid, the sealing ring is installed, after which the generator is closed with a second hardboard wall, and the structure itself is connected using nuts and washers. When doing this work, carefully monitor the uniformity of tightening and the absence of distortions between the plates.
10. Using polyethylene hoses, the generator is connected to a container of water and a bubbler.
11. The contact pads of the electrodes are connected to each other using any method, after which power wires are connected to them.
12. Voltage is supplied to the fuel cell from a PWM generator, after which they begin to configure and adjust the device according to the maximum output of LNO gas.

In order to obtain Brown's gas in the required quantity, which will be sufficient for cooking and heating, several hydrogen generators are installed that operate in parallel.

1. It is strictly prohibited to independently upgrade such equipment, even if you have a detailed and professional engineering drawing. This may contribute to the possibility of leakage of the hydrogen mixture from the generator into the open space, which is quite dangerous.
2. It is recommended to install special sensors temperature regime inside the heat exchanger, this will make it possible to monitor the likely excess of the water heating temperature level.
3. Shut-off valves can be included in the burner design itself, which will be connected directly to the temperature sensor itself. It is also necessary to ensure normal cooling of the boiler.
4. And finally, what needs to be emphasized is safety. It must be remembered that the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen was not called explosive for nothing. NHO is a dangerous chemical compound that can cause an explosion if handled carelessly. Follow safety rules and be extremely careful when experimenting with hydrogen.

If handled correctly, a hydrogen boiler can last not 15 years, as is usually expected, but 20 or even 30. However, remember that the greater the power of the boiler, the greater the electricity consumption!

Even the medieval scientist Paracelsus, during one of his experiments, noticed that when sulfuric acid comes into contact with ferrum, air bubbles are formed. In fact, it was hydrogen (but not air, as the scientist believed) - a light, colorless, odorless gas, which under certain conditions becomes explosive.

At the present timeDIY hydrogen heating - a very common thing. Indeed, hydrogen can be produced in almost unlimited quantities, the main thing is that there is water and electricity.

This heating method was developed by one of the Italian companies. A hydrogen boiler operates without generating any harmful waste, which is why it is considered the most environmentally friendly and silent way to heat a home. The innovation of the development is that scientists managed to achieve the combustion of hydrogen at a relatively low temperature (about 300ᵒC), and this made it possible to produce similar heating boilers from traditional materials.

When operating, the boiler emits only harmless steam, and the only thing that requires costs is electricity. And if you combine this with solar panels(solar system), then these costs can be completely reduced to zero.

Note! Hydrogen boilers are often used to heat underfloor heating systems, which can be easily installed with your own hands.

How does it all happen? Oxygen reacts with hydrogen and, as we remember from middle school chemistry lessons, forms water molecules. The reaction is provoked by catalysts, resulting in the release of thermal energy, heating water to approximately 40ᵒС – ideal temperature for "warm floor".

Adjusting the boiler power allows you to achieve a certain temperature required for heating a room of a given area. It is also worth noting that such boilers are considered modular, since they consist of several independent friend from other channels. In each of the channels there is the catalyst mentioned above, as a result, the coolant enters the heat exchanger, which has already reached the required value of 40ᵒC.

Note! A feature of such equipment is that each channel is capable of producing a different temperature. Thus, one of them can be carried out to " warm floor", the second to the adjacent room, the third to the ceiling, etc.

The main advantages of hydrogen heating

This method of heating a house has several significant advantages, which are responsible for the growing popularity of the system.

1. Impressive efficiency, often reaching 96%.
2. Environmentally friendly. The only by-product released into the atmosphere is water vapor, which is not capable of harming the environment in principle.
3. Hydrogen heating is gradually replacing traditional systems, freeing people from the need for extraction natural resources– oil, gas, coal.
4. Hydrogen acts without fire; thermal energy is generated through a catalytic reaction.

Is it possible to make hydrogen heating yourself?

In principle, this is possible. The main element of the system - the boiler - can be created on the basis of an NNO generator, that is, a conventional electrolyzer. We all remember school experiments when we stuck bare wires connected to an outlet using a rectifier into a container of water. So, to build a boiler you will need to repeat this experiment, but on a larger scale.

Note! A hydrogen boiler is used with a “warm floor”, as we have already discussed. But the arrangement of such a system is a topic for another article, so we will rely on the fact that the “warm floor” is already installed and ready for use.

Construction of a hydrogen burner

Let's start creating a water burner. Traditionally, we will start with preparation necessary tools and materials.

What will be required at work

1. Stainless steel sheet.
2. Check valve.
3. Two bolts 6x150, nuts and washers for them.
4. Flow-through filter (from a washing machine).
5. Transparent tube. A water level is ideal for this - in building materials stores it is sold for 350 rubles per 10 m.
6. Plastic sealed food container with a capacity of 1.5 liters. Approximate cost: 150 rubles.
7. Herringbone fittings ø8 mm (these are perfect for a hose).
8. Grinder for sawing metal.

Now let's figure out which one stainless steel need to be used. Ideally, you should take steel 03Х16Н1 for this. But buying a whole sheet of “stainless steel” is sometimes very expensive, because a product 2 mm thick costs more than 5,500 rubles, and besides, it needs to be delivered somehow. Therefore, if you have a small piece of such steel lying around somewhere (0.5 x 0.5 m is enough), then you can get by with it.

We will use stainless steel, because ordinary steel, as you know, begins to rust in water. Moreover, in our design we intend to use alkali instead of water, that is, the environment is more than aggressive, and even under the influence of electric current, ordinary steel will not last long.

Video - Brown gas generator simple cell model of 16 stainless steel plates

Manufacturing instructions

First stage. To begin, take a sheet of steel and place it on a flat surface. From a sheet of the dimensions indicated above (0.5x0.5 m) you should get 16 rectangles for the future hydrogen burner, cut them out with a grinder.

Note! We saw off one of the four corners of each plate. This is necessary in order to connect the plates in the future.

Second phase. WITH reverse side plates, drill holes for the bolt. If we planned to make a “dry” electrolyzer, we would drill holes from the bottom, but in in this case there is no need to do this. The fact is that the “dry” design is much more complicated, and the useful area of ​​the plates in it would not be used 100%. We will make a “wet” electrolyzer - the plates will be completely immersed in the electrolyte, and their entire area will participate in the reaction.

Third stage.

The operating principle of the described burner is based on the following: an electric current passing through plates immersed in the electrolyte will cause water (it should be part of the electrolyte) to decompose into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H).

Therefore, we must have two plates at the same time - the cathode and the anode.

As the area of ​​these plates increases, the volume of gas increases, so in this case we use eight pieces per cathode and anode, respectively.

Note! The burner we are looking at is a parallel design, which, to be honest, is not the most efficient. But it is easier to implement.

Fourth stage.

Next, we have to install the plates in a plastic container so that they alternate: plus, minus, plus, minus, etc. To insulate the plates, we use pieces of transparent tube (we bought a whole 10 m of it, so there is a supply).

Sixth stage.

We look where exactly the bolts rest in the container, and drill holes in that place. If suddenly the bolts do not fit into the container, then we cut them down to the required length. Then we insert the bolts into the holes, put washers on them and tighten them with nuts - for better tightness.

Next, we make a hole in the cover for the fitting, screw in the fitting itself (preferably by covering the joint with silicone sealant). Blow into the fitting to check the tightness of the lid. If air still comes out from under it, then we coat this connection with sealant.

Seventh stage.

Upon completion of assembly, we test the finished generator. To do this, connect any source to it, fill the container with water and close the lid. Next, we put a hose on the fitting and lower it into a container of water (to see air bubbles). If the source is not powerful enough, then they will not be in the tank, but they will definitely appear in the electrolyzer.

Next, we need to increase the intensity of gas output by increasing the voltage in the electrolyte. It is worth noting here that water in its pure form is not a conductor - current passes through it due to the impurities and salt present in it. We will dilute a little alkali in water (for example, sodium hydroxide is excellent - it is sold in stores in the form of the “Mole” cleaning agent).

Note! At this stage, we must adequately assess the capabilities of the power source, so before injecting the alkali, we connect an ammeter to the electrolyzer - this way we can monitor the increase in current.

Video - Heating with hydrogen. Hydrogen cell batteries

Next, let's talk about other components of the hydrogen burner - the filter for the washing machine and the valve. Both are for protection. The valve will not allow ignited hydrogen to penetrate back into the structure and explode the gas accumulated under the lid of the electrolyzer (even if there is only a little of it there). If we do not install the valve, the container will be damaged and the alkali will leak out.

A filter will be required to make a water seal, which will act as a barrier preventing an explosion. Craftsmen who are familiar firsthand with the design of a homemade hydrogen burner call this valve a “bulbulator.” Indeed, it essentially only creates air bubbles in the water. For the burner itself we use the same transparent hose. That's it, the hydrogen burner is ready!

An alternative, albeit highly controversial, is Brown's gas, a chemical compound that consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. The combustion of such a gas is accompanied by the formation of thermal energy (moreover, four times more powerful than in the design described above).

Electrolyzers are also used to heat a house with Brown gas, because this method of producing heat is also based on electrolysis. Special boilers are created in which, under the influence of alternating current, molecules chemical elements separate, forming Brown's coveted gas.

Video – Enriched Brown gas

It is quite possible that innovative energy resources, the reserve of which is almost unlimited, will soon displace non-renewable natural resources, freeing us from the need for permanent mining. This course of events will have a positive impact not only on the environment, but also on the ecology of the planet as a whole.

Also read our article - steam heating with your own hands.

Video - Hydrogen heating

The problem of depletion of natural resources has become more pressing than ever. The number of cars is constantly growing, and so is oil consumption. This means that if this activity continues to increase, then soon all the world's oil reserves will be exhausted. This is what prompted engineers around the world to solve the problem by inventing automobile engines that can operate without consuming petroleum resources. An alternative is hydrogen fueled car engines.

How is hydrogen used?

If we take into account all the existing requirements for alternative types fuel, then hydrogen is the most optimal source of energy. When you receive it with the help of water, you can hope for its inexhaustibility. In addition, hydrogen fuel does not harm the environment.

There are already a small number of cars with hydrogen fuel engines, but they are not yet widespread. Although this is planned over time.

The basis for the operation of a car engine using hydrogen fuel is the reaction of water molecules, that is, their division into oxygen and hydrogen components. Nowadays, based on this reaction, two directions work:

Hydrogen internal combustion engines

There are certain nuances regarding this. During operation, heating occurs to high temperatures and, accordingly, compression occurs, which, in turn, causes the gas to react with all metal parts of the mechanism, as well as with lubricants. If even a small leak occurs, a contact reaction with the hot collector is possible, resulting in a flame. To ensure safety, the use of a rotary motor is recommended. Because there is a certain distance between the collectors.

The operating principles of the ignition system in automobile engines running on hydrogen fuel are also undergoing some changes. There is a difference in efficiency between the operation of a car engine with an internal combustion type and the operation of an electric motor based on hydrogen components. But all the shortcomings can be corrected in the future, since this is a new invention.

Units powered by hydrogen batteries

The operation of such units is based on the properties of electromagnetic induction. This principle is also used in the operation of lead batteries. The efficiency percentage is 45.

Protons can pass through the membrane structure. This membrane separates the charges of the electrodes. Thus, hydrogen is supplied to the anode, and oxygen, in turn, to the cathode. Protons passing through the membrane structure move towards the cathode, resulting in a reaction. Subsequently, liquid formation occurs and electric current. Electricity runs through wires to the electric motor and thus powers the car engine.

DIY hydrogen engine

Generator

In order to construct a powerful car engine running on hydrogen fuel, you need to start with a generator. A container that is completely sealed, with liquid and electrodes immersed in it, is thereby a simple generator. For the operation of this device, a source with a voltage of 12 V is required.

The mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is discharged through a special fitting, which is located on the cover of a homemade design. This is the basis for the operation of a generator for a hydrogen fuel engine.

Full operation of the system is not possible without a special storage device and battery. You can take a water filter under the housing or purchase a special installation. The special installation has one significant advantage: they are equipped with high-performance electrodes.

There are no big difficulties in the formation of the required gas - everything is quite simple. The difficulties relate to the amount of gas; it is quite difficult to produce it in the required quantity. The degree of efficiency can be increased by using copper electrodes. Stainless steel electrodes are also used, but they are less productive.

You will also need an electronic unit that stabilizes the current supply, since it has different strengths. For normal reaction conditions, a constant level of water in the container is required. Therefore, it is worth making automatic fluid supply. Due to the intensity of the electrolysis reaction, salt is released in sufficient quantities.

Important! It should be noted that the electrolysis reaction can only take place in distilled water.

For a hydrogen fuel engine, special water is prepared in the amount of 10 liters, to which hydroxide is added in an amount of 50 grams.

Hydrogen engine design

To operate the engine on hydrogen fuel, you will need spare tanks and an exhaust system. In addition, you need to install special device liquid level control.

Advice! To avoid false reactions, you need to install it inside the case. The sensor will send command pulses, which will ensure automatic replenishment.

The pressure sensor is important. It turns on at 40 psi. At the moment when the pressure rises and reaches 45 psi, the pumping is turned off. If the pressure exceeds the 50 psi mark, the installed fuse is activated.

For installation on a car engine with hydrogen fuel, a fuse is used, consisting of a valve designed for emergency pumping and a rupture disk. The rupture disc is activated when the pressure reaches 60 psi. Heat is removed using a cold candle.

Electrical part

The frequency and width of the pulse in a hydrogen fuel engine is regulated by a counter operating on the principle of a pulse plan generator.

The motor board is equipped with two pulse sensors. The closest one must be equipped with a large capacitor. The work of the second begins with the help of the output from contact No. 3.

The last output located on the meter is connected to switches having a resistance of 220 and 820 Ohms. The current is increased to the required level by the transistor. All protection responsibility lies with the 1N4007 diode. This makes it possible to give stability to system processes.

Hydrogen cars

For people who are deeply interested in the idea of ​​hydrogen-fueled car engines or engines with a hybrid system, car market leaders can offer some options for cars that work according to similar schemes. Such concerns as Daimler, Honda, Shanghai, VW have noticeably succeeded in this area. They launched hydrogen-fuelled vehicles on the market that adequately represented the work of their engineers.

The operation of this car is based on a hydrogen system. It is capable of reaching speeds of 160 km/h. One hydrogen refueling is enough for the car to cover a distance of 500 km. The tank volume allows you to fill 5 kilograms of hydrogen in liquefied form. Every day the interest of car enthusiasts in this car model is growing.

This car belongs to the “B-class” series and is equipped with a hydrogen fuel electric motor, which has increased its power by 115 hp. One refueling is enough for the car to cover a distance of 400 kilometers. At the moment, the Mercedes F-Cell has not pleased the public with its appearance, and now engineers are working to improve it.

This is another representative of the “seven” line of the BMW automaker. It has an internal combustion engine hybrid type. Energy sources are hydrogen and gasoline. The hydrogen fuel engine of the Hydrogen system forced its inventors to spend about 20 years on its creation. This car reaches the speedometer mark of 100 km/h in just 9.5 seconds.

Conclusion

The concern of the world society about the possible emergence of a shortage of oil reserves has led to the search for new technological solutions that would become a worthy alternative. This is how the idea of ​​developing a car engine that could run on hydrogen fuel arose. It has not yet reached wide distribution, but interest in such a new product is growing every day with positive dynamics.

Hydrogen fuel cells. How it's done:

Hydrogenium (H2), “generating water”, is the most common element of the universe. According to scientists, it accounts for almost 90% of all atoms in the Universe. Hydrogen, which provides energy to our Sun during the thermonuclear fusion reaction, can serve as an excellent fuel on Earth. This is the only absolutely harmless, environmentally friendly fuel: when gas is burned, it enters into a chemical reaction with oxygen, and the combustion product is distilled water. Hydrogenium is an ideal fuel in all respects, which is also perfect for heating a home. Moreover, a conventional gas heating boiler can be converted into a hydrogen heating boiler, making only minor changes to its design. One problem: despite the prevalence of hydrogen (we ourselves are half made of it), it is almost never found on our planet in its pure form. This gas is not publicly available for sale, so where can we get it in sufficient quantities? The Internet gives us a clear and precise answer: buy or assemble a hydrogen generator for home heating.

Technologies for producing pure hydrogen

There are many technologies for producing hydrogen. We will mention only those that find practical use outside the laboratory walls:

• Chemical reaction of water with metals. The fuel is water, the reagent is an aluminum-gallium alloy. 150 kg of fuel cells are enough to drive a hydrogen car 500 km, then the metal has to be removed and sent for recovery, which requires exposure to high temperatures.
• Natural gas conversion, coal gasification, wood pyrolysis. By heating above 1000 ºС, pure hydrogen can be obtained from hydrocarbons for home heating.
• Electrolysis of water. High temperature electrolysis is more effective.
• Producing hydrogen from biomass. The raw materials can be manure, hay, grass, algae and other agricultural waste. Biogas can contain from 2 to 12% hydrogen.
• “Garbage” hydrogen is obtained from household waste by subjecting it to thermal decomposition.

Home hydrogen generators

As can be seen from the previous section, the majority technological processes industrial hydrogen production involves exposure to high temperatures, which is problematic at home. Let's consider hydrogen heating installations available in private households:

Hydrogen from manure

Biogas plants, of which there are many in Western Europe, are beginning to appear among domestic farmers. The homemade biogas reactors that “crazy hands” talk about on the Internet are not distinguished by either productivity or stability of generation. Only rather complex and expensive installations are effective, provided there is a stable supply of raw materials. This is impossible to do on a small private farmstead, but it is possible on a strong farm. Hydrogen is only a by-product in the production of biogas and, as a rule, it is not separated by burning it along with methane. But if necessary, H2 can be separated.

Schematic diagram biogas plant. To ensure that the process of producing flammable gases is intense, the raw materials are fermented and stirred periodically

Hydrogen from water

Electrolysis hydrogen plant for heating a house - the only solution available today for a private home. The electrolyzer is compact, easy to maintain, and can be installed in a small room. Raw materials for fuel production - tap water. There are a number of well-known manufacturers that offer similar home hydrogen generators for home heating and car refueling. For example, since 2003, Honda has been producing Home Energy Station, and today the third generation is already on sale. HES III is equipped with solar panels and can be installed in a garage or outdoors.

Home Energy Station is a very expensive installation capable of producing up to 2 m2 of hydrogen per hour from natural gas or by electrolysis of water. The station includes a reformer, fuel cells, a cleaning system, a compressor and a gas storage tank. Electricity can come from the grid or be generated by solar panels

In addition to “branded” equipment, which, by the way, no one officially supplies to the CIS countries, today H2 generators produced by our friends in the Middle Kingdom or Tajik colleagues in domestic garages are widely advertised. The level of quality and productivity varies, from none to conditionally acceptable. Sellers of such equipment, unlike the more or less honest Japanese who do not promise manna from heaven, use “dirty” advertising technologies, openly deceiving potential buyers about the characteristics of their equipment, which is sold at inflated prices.

Semi-makeshift hydrogen production plant

Do-it-yourself hydrogen heating, which involves self-production electrolyzer This is possible and not even very difficult if the home master knows the basics of electrical engineering and his hands grow where they should. How effective and safe is a separate question.

Another question is that getting fuel is only part of the problem. It is necessary to ensure its generation in the required volumes, separate it from oxygen and water vapor, create a reserve, and ensure constant pressure when supplied to the heat generator.

How much does a kilogram of hydrogen cost?

The average cost of 1 kg of hydrogen, depending on the technology for its production, according to the INEEL laboratory, is as follows:

• Chemical reaction - 700 rubles with the standard method of reagent recovery and 320 - when using nuclear power plant energy.
• Electrolysis from an industrial network - 420 rubles. The data is valid for “branded”, balanced electrolysers. For handicraft products, the indicators are obviously lower.
• Production from biomass - 350 rubles.
• Conversion of hydrocarbons - 200 rubles.
• High-temperature electrolysis at nuclear power plants - 130 rubles.

From these figures it is clear that the cheapest way to produce hydrogen is at nuclear power plants, where an important resource is heat, is a by-product of the main production. Hydrogen energy from renewable sources also does not pay for itself due to the high cost of equipment. What about hydrogen-based home heating? compact installation? You need to understand that the law of conservation of energy cannot be circumvented. In order to release H2 in the electrolyzer, you will have to spend a certain amount electrical energy. To obtain it, fossil fuels were burned at a thermal power plant or energy was generated by a hydroelectric power station. Electricity was then transmitted through wires. At all stages of the process, inevitable losses occur and the amount of potential thermal energy obtained at the end will be a priori lower than at the beginning.

Is it profitable to heat a house with hydrogen?

Sellers of compact hydrogen generators convince buyers that heating a home with hydrogen is incredibly cheap. Supposedly this is even more profitable than heating with gas. They say that the water that is poured into the installation costs nothing, and they are silent about other costs. Such promises have a magical effect on some of our fellow citizens who love freebies. But let’s not be like Pinocchio and, before setting foot in the Land of Fools, let’s find out how much hydrogen heating at home actually costs.

The average selling price of natural gas for the population for heating and electricity generation is 4.76 rubles/m3. 1 m3 contains 0.712 kg. Accordingly, 1 kg of natural gas costs 6.68 rubles. Average calorific value natural gas - 50,000 kJ/kg. For hydrogen it is much higher, 140,000 kJ/kg. That is, in order to obtain an amount of thermal energy equal to that generated by the combustion of 1 kg of hydrogen, 2.8 kg of natural gas will be required. Its cost is 13.32 rubles. Now let’s compare the cost of thermal energy obtained from burning 1 kg of hydrogen obtained in a good factory electrolyzer and from 2.8 kg of natural gas: 420 rubles versus 13.32. The difference is truly monstrous, 31.5 times! Even compared to the most expensive of traditional types of heating - electric, hydrogen cannot even come close to competing, it costs 4 times more! The electricity that will be spent on the operation of the electrolyzer is better used to operate heating electrical appliances; there will be much more benefit.

As for the prospects for hydrogen energy, they exist, but success is associated with promising industrial technologies that have not yet been invented. Household hydrogen generators and hydrogen vehicles are definitely unprofitable at least for the next decades. Their very limited use in some countries is only possible thanks to significant government subsidies as part of experimental environmental programs.

Memento mori - a few words about safety precautions

Hydrogen is a flammable, explosive gas. At the same time, it is odorless and it is impossible to determine its leak without special equipment. Handling such dangerous looking fuel requires special safety measures. It is necessary to periodically check the tightness of pipelines, storage tanks, serviceability shut-off valves. The H2 generator is not as simple a device as it might seem from the short videos. This is a potential bomb that could blow your house apart. Converting a gas heating boiler to a hydrogen one with your own hands is also dangerous.

A homemade hydrogen heating boiler, somehow converted from an old wood-burning one, and a hydrogen generator for heating the house, assembled on the knee and unsafe. The authors of the video talk about the extraordinary efficiency of the installation, without giving any numbers and offering to order a similar one from them at a reasonable price

Debunking myths about the efficiency of hydrogen boilers

If the economic calculations do not convince you, and you still decide to experiment with the topic of hydrogen heating at a loss, we strongly recommend that you do not engage in amateur activities, but invite specialists with experience in this field of activity. By the way, there are very few of them in our country.