Art Contest Submission by Owen Williams

Hydrogen Hybrid Vehicle Proposal

By-Owen A. Williams

 

Sustainability is something that seems to conflict with our capitalist society, but I feel fortunate to live in the Pioneer Valley where many people see differently. I believe the best way for us to recognize and act on the concept of sustainability it through strengthening our local economy there by reducing our needs from the rest of the world. My proposal is aimed to reduce our need for energy, and generate more jobs in the Valley.

To reduce fuel consumption many people buy new, more efficient cars, but to make a new car is incredibly wasteful. Building a new car requires a huge amount of energy, especially today when most car parts are made overseas. In a country where we have more cars than people we don’t need to make new cars. It would be far more ecologically aware to improve the cars that are already on the road. My objective is to install conversions on cars already in use in the Pioneer Valley that would reduce fuel consumption and greatly reduce climate-changing emissions.

I will install a system on cars that uses conventional fuel (bio-fuel and or petroleum) and makes supplementary fuel from the vast amount of squandered heat cars emit. The fuel made will be hydrogen and oxygen gas in perfect proportion for combustion. The hydrogen, being produced on-bored the vehicle during oppression, will avoided the complications of storing hydrogen. The hydrogen will be made from water, by separating the molecules with an electrical current. A generator, run by a compact steam turbine, will produce this current. The steam will come from a boiler that can easily be added to the cars exhaust system. It the future of this project the engine block cooling system will be incorporated for greater efficiency, but to start off that would be to complicated and costly.

The future of this project is not limited to automobiles. The basic technology can be implemented with anything that releases high temperature exhaust. As a Glass Blower I have designed this type of system for use with a glass furnace, and I am sure there are many other applications in the Valley I have not thought of.

To start this mission I will make a proto-type with an older car, most likely an old Subaru as they are popular in this area, and I’m quite familiar with the mechanics of them. The boiler system will cost more than the car, the majority of which will be made by local machine shops. Unifrax I LLC of New York has already donated some high temperature insulation, which will be needed. I have found someone who had developed a compact and inexpensive turbine that will be well suited for this project. Additional parts and equipment will be required, but it will all fit into the allotted budget. Five thousand dollars is a tight budget for a project requiring an automobile, but I am certain that I can see this project through with my careful planing and resourcefulness.  

The first car will be auctioned off after the public unveiling. This will bring in the funding needed to make this project into a business that can offer this vehicle alteration to all people in the Valley. I also aim to convert public vehicles such as police cars and busses with surplus profits and hopefully some grant money. I hope you find my ideas and goals of a more sustainable, greener, and happier Valley unified with yours’.

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