Safe Cars Research Articles

Operating characteristics of a LH 2-fuelled automotive vehicle and of a semi-automatic LH 2-refuelling station

Based on earlier papers, new test results and experiences are reported about the refuelling of LH 2 automobile tanks by means of a semi-automatic refuelling station described in an earlier paper. This refuelling unit, designed and constructed only for the purpose of demonstration of liquid hydrogen handling by untrained people, has now been tested for refuelling of a LH 2-car. A specially designed LH 3-tank was mounted on the car as described earlier. The engine was converted for hydrogen fuel, but a switchback to gasoline fuel is possible by means of a very simple manipulation. The vehicle and the refuelling station were tested successfully and are now in continuous operation to demonstrate safe handling of LH 2-fuel. The experiences encountered are encouraging and enable suggestions and recommendations for the design and construction of safe LH 2-fuelled cars.

The effect of the energy crisis on the private car in the U.S.

It is often claimed that the future energy crisis will make the private car obsolete and demand a carless society. Some perspectives on this view are given here and it is shown that these claims are based more on emotion than on facts. The possible savings in gasoline by better design are such that we could allow a growth of 50–80 percent in total mileage without any increase in total gasoline consumption, while maintaining safe convenient cars. The different options of achieving this are summarized and the possible compromises between high efficiency and low pollution are discussed. It is shown that higher compression ratios would have a significant advantage in reducing total energy consumption. So would lower weight, better maintenance and emphasis on designs which allow easy maintenance. The possible savings, due to better design, more reasonable size, and other options are as large or larger than the possible savings by public transportation.