Hi Paul
On (29 Sep 96) Paul Tortora wrote to Jim Dunmyer...
 PT> .......................................To be as brief as possible: the
 PT> system collects solar energy via a normal PV array.  The current is
 PT> stabalized through an LCB (linear current booster).
Too brief by far! What does an LCB *DO* and why should it be necessary? 
urely
there is no need to "stabilize" the current delivered by a PV array!!
  This current is sent
 PT> to
 PT> electrolyzers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
That makes sense, and the obvious question that results is- are the
electrolyzers cheaper/ more durable/ more efficient than conventional
batteries? What's the attraction of an electrolyzer?
Importantly, can the electrolyzer support the huge momentary overloads that
batteries can supply? It would be a considerable on- cost, if all the
appliances in the subject house had to be modified for "soft start". Common
household  AC motors have starting currents in the range of 4 to 20 times 
ull
load current. Very inconvenient to have the lights go out each time the frig
starts up!
          
  The hydrogen
 PT> is
 PT> the important part; it is purified and stored in hydride storage tanks. 
 PT> The
 PT> energy of the hydrogen is then converted to steady state current using a
 PT> fuel
 PT> cell (recombining the hydrogen with oxygen releases energy).  This info
 PT> and
 PT> more can be found in publicly available technical papers.
I assume this is the usual space satellite type rig- oxygen and hydrogen go
in, DC electricity comes out, and beaut clean drinking water is the waste
product.
 PT>      Our concern, of course, is the "state of the industry" of currently
 PT> available 1 kW power supplies.
I think you have glossed over this a bit, What do you mean by "1 kW power
supplies"?   I had assumed you
meant, DC inverter fed by battery. If you mean DC inverter fed by
electrolyzer, I suspect there is no such beast commercially available. Your
project will get very costly if you elect to use a hefty battery to support
the electrolyzer! And, with the existence of such a battery the merit of
having an electrolyzer at all, fades.
OK I got your meaning wrong. You meant an engine driven generator, these
[here] are petrol or diesel powered. Having a considerable momentum [flywheel
effect] these can thump out a very high momentary overload as can a battery.
This ability, may not be matched by the electrolyzer/ fuel cell rig. Fo
although you may have hours of gas in storage, the ability of the fuel cells
to convert this at overload rates would be a central design limit.
Cheers....ALEC
... ........BUNDANOON, on a dirt track leading to the Info Superhighway
--- PPoint 1.92
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