I saw a news recently that a Sri Lankan inventor claimed to have (Thushara Edirisinghe) invented a way of running a vehicle by using just water. At first I was really happy that such a feat had been achieved by a Sri Lankan. However then I read the newspaper article1 about it and was not so sure about the claim. The problem I have is that Thushara is claiming to break the water into hydrogen and oxygen, then mix them together in the engine.
We know from basic science the simple governing rule for any reaction is that the energy of the system remains constant before and after the reaction unless we provide some energy externally. So how does Thushara’s engine get energy? is it the energy stored in water? If so, how does the result of the whole process be water again? If we take away the energy in the water, how can we recombine Hydrogen and the Oxygen to get water?
I must say that I am not saying Thushara is laying a false claim. I believe that advancement of Science comes with new inventions and radical thinking. However what I am stressing is the need for screening such new inventions for their feasibility and viability before publishing them in the media. There is no such process in Sri lanka at the moment. As for Thushara, my suggestion would be to apply for a patent for his new technology. This would give the scientists and engineers a chance to look at the technology and decide if it really is what Thushara is claiming. Because if it is possible to achieve, it IS the invention of the 21st century!
However I must say that I am not very optimistic about such a possibility.
September 7, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I believe we will, eventually find some way to ustilise our most plntiful resource for cost-effective energy. However, there will have to be much more focus, in terms of R&D to ensure that is happens quickly, before we all find ourselves answering the the oil giants in more ways than one.
September 7, 2008 at 8:59 pm
On cars running ‘on water’:
Water (H2O) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2)are the *end products* of a chemical reaction of burning fuel and releasing energy.
The (unbalanced) equation is:
CnHm + O2 = CO2 + H2O + energy
(Where, CnHm is the fuel)
H2O is not a fuel. It does not have any energy to release. (if not in a nuclear reaction) So strictly speaking no car can run on using ‘water’ as fuel. (Unless it is powered by a nuclear reactor like Marty McFly’s car in ‘Back to Future’ series)
Of course, it is a child’s play making cars running on Hydrogen – released from water through electrolysis. Any Grade 9 student should know this.
However, the amount of energy required for electrolysis more than the amount of energy produced by the so produced Hydrogen!
So, if there are such cars they pollute the environment more!
If I take an analogy saying we can run cars by water is equivalent to saying world food crisis can be solved by making people to eat their own excrement!
September 7, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Chanuka you are correct and I agree with you 100 percent. The scientist in me tells me the same. However I tried to stay impartial and gave the benefit of the doubt to the “inventor” as he may have more to his claim than meets the eye. I did not want to make the same mistake as the Catholic church of the 18th century which burned scientists at stake for their “radical” ideas.
September 8, 2008 at 7:36 am
One of Arthur C. Clarke’s not so famous science fiction work is ‘Tales from the White Hart’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_White_Hart) The protagonist of the 13 short stories is one Harry Purvis who tells his audience at a pub (named White Hart) about his brilliant inventions. If he were to believe they look excellent, but for one reason of the other he fails to demonstrate at least one of them. (for reasons like ‘My lab blew off’, ’somebody robbed all my notes’ etc) So nobody could make out whether they are real or pure imagination.
This guy Thushara Edirisinghe reminds me that character. He too has nothing to demonstrate. Very conveniently two cars to which he fixed his system are not with him. (Something common I find with many such ‘inventors’)
I am open. If he demonstrates his new innovation to my satisfaction I believe that. Otherwise I am not going to believe some cock and bull story just because it appears in some blog or newspaper.
September 8, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Yes, I do agree with you on that. He really seems very discreet about how his invention works. Anyways, the point I am trying to make is that he is claiming the universities and government are not taking his invention into serious consideration. I saw yesterday on Live at 8, he told that govt. was not doing enough to support him. I mean does he expect the universities to go and talk to everyone claiming to be an inventor? It is absurd!
The problem however is that the general public are not knowledgeable about the science behind this and they probably blame the academics for not listening to this guy.
The media also has a responsibility to check into the truth behind what they are reporting. At least consult a knowledgeable technical person before reporting on such a topic.
September 8, 2008 at 12:47 pm
read this:
http://www.kanabona.com/kanabona/?q=science_local_engineer_makes_engine_run_water