Comments on: Water as a fuel. Science or hoax?

By: shehal

shehal — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:17:44 +0000

read this:
http://www.kanabona.com/kanabona/?q=science_local_engineer_makes_engine_run_water

By: danushkabandara

danushkabandara — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:30:24 +0000

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.

By: Chanuka

Chanuka — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:06:30 +0000

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.

By: danushkabandara

danushkabandara — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:50:49 +0000

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.

By: Chanuka

Chanuka — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:29:33 +0000

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!

By: UK Voter

UK Voter — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:14:54 +0000

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.