{"id":19405,"key":"ICE_fuel_generator","title":"ICE fuel generator","latest":{"id":1210714,"timestamp":"2025-11-28T12:19:41Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"{{Speculative}}\n\nA '''ICE fuel generator''' is a [[generator]] that can generate [[fuel]]s from ambient resources (eg air, water), and/or commonly available materials (ie wood, plant matter, feces) using techniques as the application of heat or the use of [[Electricity|electric energy]]. The fuels discussed here are suitable for use in [[internal combustion engine]]s. A common application where these fuels can be useful is [[sustainable transport]] (ie personal vehicles).<ref>[http://h2o.localal.com/ What is a hydrogen generator]</ref>\n\n== Types of generators ==\n\nGenerators exist for a wide array of different fuels. These include compressed air, hydrogen, oxyhydrogen, nitrous oxide, wood gas, syngas, biogas, methane, liquid nitrogen, bioalcohols, plant oils.\n\n=== Compressed air ===\n\nCompressed air generators are often merely called air compressors and are often already imlemented on new cars running this fuel (eg Tata OneCAT, ...). Therefore a separate generator is not required. If the vehicle does not come equipped with a compressor, they can be easily found in any town, as compressors are also used to inflate tires, ...\n\n=== Hydrogen ===\n\n{{Main|Hydrogen as fuel}}\n\n{{Main|Hydrogen_station#Hydrogen_home_stations}}\n\nPopular generators for hydrogen and oxyhydrogen are of the \"dry cell\"-type. Most of these generators usually use Electrolysis of water to produce the hydrogen. Several commercial companies have build hydrogen generators suitable for domestic and larger-scale use..<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090328124207/http://www.itm-power.com:80/html/technology.php ITM Power hydrogen generator]</ref><ref>[http://vadaenergy.com/shop/index.php?cPath=47_50 Vada Energy Hydrogen generator]</ref><ref>[http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/home-energy-station.aspx Honda/Plug Power Inc.'s Home energy station, a hydrogen generator by Honda; suitable if electricity is used instead of natural gas; Honda is working on this]</ref><ref>[http://www.switch2hydrogen.com/h2.htm United Nuclear's hydrogen generator system]</ref> In addition, amateur builders have also made low-cost hydrogen generators that can be used at home.<ref>[http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2427934/how_to_build_an_hho_dry_cell_make_hydrogen_fuel_generator_plans/ DIY Hydrogen fuel generator]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX-vbcaEEWA DIY Hydrogen fuel generator 2]</ref><ref>[http://www.goodideacreative.com/h2_sys2.html DIY hydrogen generator 3]</ref>The amateur devices however are usually insufficient to generate enough hydrogen for use in a vehicle. This, as according to Jim Heathcote, a high-efficiency larger-scale hydrogen generator as ITM Power's Green Box can generates power at around 60% efficiency. This makes that of eg 10000 kwH of power, only 6000 kwH is converted to hydrogen. This would provide for about 7200&nbsp;km in ITM Power's converted Prius (roughly the half of what a conventional family drives with a car).<ref>Natuurwetenschap & Techniek, March 2009</ref> Despite the fact that the DIY generators are thus usually insufficient, they do provide a good proof-of-concept. The commercial units may be used in practice, yet are still quite pricy (around 10000$ for high-efficiency generators) and the power required to run them can eventually come at a hefty price as well. Perhaps that the entrance of more efficient hydrogen generators such as [http://web.archive.org/web/20140328205311/http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html Daniel Nocera's low-cost hydrogen generator]<ref>[http://www.suncatalytix.com/tech.html Sun catalytix spin-off of Daniel Nocera's work]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20100527091354/http://arpa-e.energy.gov/FundedProjects.aspx ARPA-E funding Sun Catalytix]</ref> may make hydrogen use more feasible in practice. Also, the possible [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell#Fuel_cell_economics replacement of platinum] with sulpher/iron or other materials could create a much cheaper hydrogen generator. Besides new hydrogen devices relying on new catalysts, Biological approaches can also be used to make hydrogen (the hydrogen made using this technique being called \"biohydrogen\"). The devices used for this are called [[Media:Microbial electrolysis cell.png|Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MEC's)]].<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-163896478.html Synthetic biology and hydrogen]</ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jun/19/chemistry.agriculture Synthetic biology to make hydrogen]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090108080225/http://pbd.lbl.gov:80/synthbio/aims.htm Synthetic biology at Berkeley Lab]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20100527091354/http://arpa-e.energy.gov/FundedProjects.aspx ARPA-E Affordable Energy from Water and Sunlight project]</ref><ref>[http://www.physorg.com/news165836803.html Hydrogen from urine]</ref><ref>KVDP's letter to Geraldine Botte</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookseries.com/N8/Science/3753_Shanwen_Tao_Heriot-Watt_University_Carbamide_Power_System_Fuel_Cell_Turns_Urine_Electricity_Water_Shanwen_Tao.htm Hydrogen from urine: the Carbamide Power System Fuel Cell]</ref>\n\n=== Hydrogen peroxide ===\n\nHydrogen peroxide can be made using a [http://www.appropedia.org/File:Microbial_electrolysis_cell.png microbial electrolysis cells (MEC)].<ref>Conversion of Wastes into Bioelectricity and Chemical by Using Microbial Electrochemical Technologies by Bruce E.Logan, Korneel Rabaey</ref>\n\n=== Oxyhydrogen ===\n\n{{Main|Oxyhydrogen as fuel}}\n\nOxyhydrogen generators are another type of generator that produces oxyhydrogen. Oxyhydrogen is more energetic than hydrogen and therefore seems more popular to produce at home. Several amateurs have submitted building plans.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090528235113/http://autofuelsaving.com:80/info/building-oxy-hydrogen-generators-using-fruit-canning-jars/ DIY Oxyhydrogen generator]</ref><ref>[http://hhogeneratorkits.com/ Oxyhydrogen generator kits]</ref><ref>water4gas HHO generator</ref><ref>[http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/HHO-generator.html DIY HHO generator 2]</ref><ref>[http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/ Dangerous Laboratories oxyhydrogen generator]</ref><ref>[http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Epoch_Energy_Technology_Corp Epoch HHO generator]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20161007033935/http://pesn.com/2007/09/29/9500450_BobBoyce_Electrolizer_Plans/d9.pdf Bob Boyce electrolyzer]</ref>\n\n=== Syngas ===\n\n{{Main|Synthesis gas as fuel}}\n\n[[Syngas]] can be produced at large facilities (no small-scale devices exist) using CO² and hydrogen. It hence requires a hydrogen generator as well to first produce this gas. Syngas can be made using a CR5 (or Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator)\n\n=== Nitrous oxide ===\n\nSee Nitrous oxide\n\n=== Bioalcohols ===\n\nUnlike plant oils (which are typically extracted (pressed from crops), [[bioalcohols]] (except for biobutanol) are made using bio-organisms which are added in a tank/basin together with plant parts (either non-edible or edible plant parts). This tank can hence be regarded as a ICE fuel generator. See also cellulosic ethanol. Sometimes, a still is needed to increase the ethanol level in the liquid and make it suitable as a (vehicle) fuel.\n\n=== Plant oils ===\n\nSee [[Plant oils as fuel]]\n\n=== Methane ===\n\n{{Main|Methane}}\n\nMethane can be produced using the Sabatier process (see [[Methane]]) or using a methane digesters.<ref>[http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/MethaneDigesters/MD4.html Methane digester]</ref> For the production method using the Sabatier process, [[oxyhydrogen]] could be used which can then be derived of oxygen (creating hydrogen) and then combined with CO<sub>2</sub> to form the methane. Appearantly, Zach West's bubbler could be used for this in combination with Bob Boyce's electrolyser.<ref>[http://www.free-energy-info.co.uk/ZachWest.pdf Zach West's \"electrolyser\" (basically a bubbler)]</ref> Methane is already produced commercially using the Sabatier process for transport purposes. For example by SolarFuel GmbH/Audi AG.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20171205161550/http://www.solar-fuel.net/fileadmin/user_upload/pi-2011-SolarFuel-ContractsignedAudi.pdf Audi AG/SolarFuel GmbH procuding methane using Sabatier process]</ref> Finally, methane can also be produced using [http://www.appropedia.org/File:Microbial_electrolysis_cell.png microbial electrolysis cells (MEC's)].\n\n=== Biogas ===\n\n[[Biogas]] can be produced using [[biodigester]]s.\n\n=== Wood gas ===\n\nSee [[Wood gas as fuel]]\n\n=== Liquid nitrogen ===\n\nAt present, few liquid nitrogen generators are available and few home builders have made liquid nitrogen generators. Despite this, some commercial companies are offering liquid nitrogen generators.<ref>[http://www.stirling.nl/sp/sp3.html Liquid nitrogen generator 1]</ref><ref>[http://www.elan-2.com/ Liquid nitrogen generator 2]</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20110829181645/http://www.cryomech.com:80/cryorefrigerators/liquid_nitrogen_plants.htm Liquid nitrogen generator 3]</ref>\n\n== See also ==\n\n* [[ICE fuel conversion]]\n* [[Comparison of alternative ICE fuels]]\n\n== References ==\n\n<references />\n\n== External links ==\n\n* [[Wikipedia:Alternative ICE fuel generator]]\n* [http://web.archive.org/web/20160303201215/http://peswiki.com/energy/Directory:Home_Generation ]\n* [http://www.alternative-energy-geek.com/hydrogen-energy.html What is Hydrogen Energy]\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| keywords = Transport, Peak oil, Hydrogen production, Alternative propulsion, Green vehicles, Vehicle modification, Energy storage\n| sdg = SDG07 Affordable and clean energy\n| description = ICE generators turn local materials into fuel. Appropedia reviews how they reduce emissions and support transport needs.\n}}\n\n[[Category:Transport]]\n[[Category:Peak oil]]\n[[Category:Energy storage]]"}