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0 pointsphkahler2y ago0 comments

Nope. Hydrogen is not just flammable, the article tells you it is EXPLOSIVE at concentration of 4 percent to 74 percent in air. If the Hindenburg was a hydrogen-air mixture, it would have leveled a large portion of the area rather than just burning where it fell.

I've worked in areas where they were developing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at major auto makers. The facilities are equipped with collectors, detectors, and alarms, and everyone knows to GTFO if the alarm goes off. Hydrogen leaks indoors are extremely dangerous.

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foobarian2y ago

One time I filled a Mylar balloon with H2 by electrolysis. It floated very nicely but I was too cowardly to keep it in the house. It made a nice fireball when lit outside but no particularly notable explosion.

Encouraged by this I filled one of those grocery store vegetable bags with H2 + O2 from the same electrolysis setup (combine both outputs this time). Stoichiometric mixture! The boom was so loud I thought it was going to break my windows from about 20 feet away.

foobarbecue2y ago

Hydrocarbon-air mixtures are also "EXPLOSIVE". See, e.g thermobaric weapons.

Possibly what you're trying to say is that it's easier to get the air in? Or that it's stored under pressure?

thsksbd2y ago

The point is that, as scary as gasoline is, the explosive mixture is quite narrow compared to H2.

Add in a minuscule spark energy and H2 is no joke

bell-cot2y ago

And gasoline is very easily contained. And leaks are visually obvious. And the vapors form & accumulate very slowly.

Hydrogen has zero of those safety virtues.

foobarbecue2y ago

Ah, I see, that's true.

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0 pointsphkahler2y ago0 comments

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foobarian2y ago

foobarbecue2y ago

Hydrocarbon-air mixtures are also "EXPLOSIVE". See, e.g thermobaric weapons.

Possibly what you're trying to say is that it's easier to get the air in? Or that it's stored under pressure?

thsksbd2y ago

The point is that, as scary as gasoline is, the explosive mixture is quite narrow compared to H2.

Add in a minuscule spark energy and H2 is no joke

bell-cot2y ago

And gasoline is very easily contained. And leaks are visually obvious. And the vapors form & accumulate very slowly.

Hydrogen has zero of those safety virtues.

foobarbecue2y ago

Ah, I see, that's true.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse