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#1 2017-05-06 12:46:48

Dook
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Registered: 2004-01-09
Posts: 1,409

Use Vented Hydrogen and Oxygen To Make Power and Water in Flight

The liquid hydrogen and oxygen rocket fuel tanks have to vent hydrogen and oxyen gas.  In flight the oxygen can be vented inside the Mars Hab but, normally the hydrogen has to be vented into space. 

Is there a machine, or a proposed machine, that we could vent the hydrogen and oxygen to and the machine would have a small burner going constantly that would produce some electricity and convert the hydrogen and oxygen to water for the crew to use in flight?

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#2 2017-05-06 15:42:14

Terraformer
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From: The Fortunate Isles
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,901
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Re: Use Vented Hydrogen and Oxygen To Make Power and Water in Flight

No, because it makes far more sense to use a fuel cell...


Use what is abundant and build to last

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#3 2017-05-06 15:48:44

RobS
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Re: Use Vented Hydrogen and Oxygen To Make Power and Water in Flight

The other alternative to a fuel cell (which powered the Apollo flights) is a cryogenic refrigerator to reliquify the escaping gas.

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#4 2017-05-06 20:23:32

SpaceNut
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Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 29,428

Re: Use Vented Hydrogen and Oxygen To Make Power and Water in Flight

The hydrogen can also be sent into a sabatier reactor with the crews Co2 to make water and methane, send the methane back into the hydrogen tank for use.

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#5 2017-05-06 20:38:56

Dook
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From: USA
Registered: 2004-01-09
Posts: 1,409

Re: Use Vented Hydrogen and Oxygen To Make Power and Water in Flight

If using a fuel cell it seems the vent rate of the hydrogen and oxygen would not be enough to keep the fuel cell powered constantly. 

Wouldn't the gasses have to flow into a separate tank and compress themselves until you get enough to run the fuel cell for an hour or so?

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