Alarming Oxygen Depletion Caused by Hydrogen Combustion and Fuel Cells and their Resolution by Magnegas$^{TM}$

Abstract

We recall that hydrogen combustion does resolve the environmental problems of fossil fuels due to excessive emission of carcinogenic substances and carbon dioxide. However, hydrogen combustion implies the permanent removal from our atmosphere of directly usable oxygen, a serious environmental problem called oxygen depletion, since the combustion turns oxygen into water whose separation to restore the original oxygen is prohibitive due to cost. We then show that a conceivable global use of hydrogen in complete replacement of fossil fuels would imply the permanent removal from our atmosphere of 2.8875x10^7 metric tons O_2/day. Fuel cells are briefly discussed to point out similarly serious environmental problems, again, for large uses. We propose the possibility of resolving these problems by upgrading hydrogen to the new combustible fuel called magnegas^TM, whose chemical structure is composed by the new chemical species of magnecules, whose energy content and other features are beyond the descriptive capacities of quantum chemistry. In fact, magnegas contains up to 50% hydrogen, while having combustion exhaust with: 1) a positive oxygen balance (releasing more oxygen in the exhaust than that used in the combustion); 2) no appreciable carcinogenic or toxic substances; 3) considerably reduced carbon dioxide as compared to fossil fuels; 4) considerably reduced nitrogen oxides; and 5) general reduction of pollutants in the exhaust up to 96% of current EPA standards.