Posted on Aug 31, 2016
Chevy's new hydrogen fuel cell concept is literally 'Army Strong'
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Fuel has become as important as ammunition on the modern battlefield. I can see the benefits of this new fuel but wonder about it's cost. After all, the strength of the economy is just as important as the strength of a nation's armed forces. The biggest, the baddest, and the best aren't of much use if you can't afford to deploy them. Will hydrogen be as economical as traditional fuels?
Chevy's new hydrogen fuel cell concept is literally 'Army Strong'
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Posted >1 y ago
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Captain Durnish,
I too believe this would be more cost prohibitive than many realize. Currently, the hydrogen produced for fuel cells is done with fossil fuels. There are other, simpler ways to generate hydrogen, but defense contractors are ignoring it in favor of large, flashy/shiny things to impress the brass.
Another cost would be armoring the fuel cell. Hydrogen, as you all know, is volatile as hell. A static discharge could set it off quite easily. I can only imagine what a HEAT round would do to a fuel cell. I saw something in another article about removing the fuel cell to use it as an energy source in the field.
Another factor would be, what happens at the tip of a logistics chain? It's all well and good to have huge potential bombs (I meant refilling stations) back in an FOB, but what happens to the guys on the sharp end if the cell runs dry? Some might argue that the batteries would take over, but enough lithium-ion batteries to move that thing long distances would weigh like crazy, or the bank would quickly run out of power. In my opinion it would limit how far operations could move ahead of their supplies. No commander wants to run ahead of their logistics, but there are times where it's best to keep pounding instead of letting your enemy have time to regroup or get dug in. (I wouldn't want to be driving a hydrogen refuel truck, that's for sure.)
The one thing I've yet to see in these articles is the fact that even a hydrogen engine is still an ICE. They made references to V6 in this article, but most people don't really think about what that means. Since it relies on internal combustion, why aren't methods of conversion being considered for existing vehicles? Personally, I'd be looking into hydrogen boosters until such a time as batteries are further advanced.
I'll not go into hydrogen booster technology at this time to keep from derailing your thread Captain. I threw it out there because it's relevant, but also far cheaper than a completely new design with a fuel cell.
I too believe this would be more cost prohibitive than many realize. Currently, the hydrogen produced for fuel cells is done with fossil fuels. There are other, simpler ways to generate hydrogen, but defense contractors are ignoring it in favor of large, flashy/shiny things to impress the brass.
Another cost would be armoring the fuel cell. Hydrogen, as you all know, is volatile as hell. A static discharge could set it off quite easily. I can only imagine what a HEAT round would do to a fuel cell. I saw something in another article about removing the fuel cell to use it as an energy source in the field.
Another factor would be, what happens at the tip of a logistics chain? It's all well and good to have huge potential bombs (I meant refilling stations) back in an FOB, but what happens to the guys on the sharp end if the cell runs dry? Some might argue that the batteries would take over, but enough lithium-ion batteries to move that thing long distances would weigh like crazy, or the bank would quickly run out of power. In my opinion it would limit how far operations could move ahead of their supplies. No commander wants to run ahead of their logistics, but there are times where it's best to keep pounding instead of letting your enemy have time to regroup or get dug in. (I wouldn't want to be driving a hydrogen refuel truck, that's for sure.)
The one thing I've yet to see in these articles is the fact that even a hydrogen engine is still an ICE. They made references to V6 in this article, but most people don't really think about what that means. Since it relies on internal combustion, why aren't methods of conversion being considered for existing vehicles? Personally, I'd be looking into hydrogen boosters until such a time as batteries are further advanced.
I'll not go into hydrogen booster technology at this time to keep from derailing your thread Captain. I threw it out there because it's relevant, but also far cheaper than a completely new design with a fuel cell.
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They have been using them for 20 years
why are they just now getting around to mass producing them and trying to get them on the Market...
why are they just now getting around to mass producing them and trying to get them on the Market...
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Yes, eventually. CNG is a good interim step, but it is my belief that fuel cells, a proven technology will win out.
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