Final report and Powerpoint

The Report and PowerPoint Can be Viewed through the Following Links:

Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUhfapIAJCzMvhTF69uJZnDUaWJK3zT6p2Utqj63LiA/edit

Power Point https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUhfapIAJCzMvhTF69uJZnDUaWJK3zT6p2Utqj63LiA/edit

Week Eight

This week the lab group made a trip to Jason Gallaghers house to begin testing. On the way to the testing site, gasoline was acquired to perform the control test with the engine running on its intended fuel. The lab group got to work setting up the engine and fuel tank. It was powered via the electric start using a battery powered jumper box. Once the lab group got the electrical system set up, it came time to adjust the carburetor to allow for the proper gas to air ratio so it would run properly. This took a while, as initially gasoline was just injected into the carburetor through air intake to get it started This, however, made it stall out after running for about 30 seconds. The aim was to have it run for at least a minute in order to ensure that it attained its maximum output and the data could be properly collected. After making the appropriate adjustments, the engine was finally able to run for over 2 minutes. The lab group then proceeded to attach the temperature probe to the exhaust outlet.This would keep measuring the exhaust temperature until it reached a stable maximum value which could be recorded. Lacking access to pure alcohol, it became necessary for the lab group to seek alternative sources of the alcohol. Following the  initial experiment, ethanol was acquired in the form of 190 proof (95% alcohol) Everclear. The lab group plans on finishing testing on Sunday of week 9.

Week Seven

This week the lab group continued gathering supplies and refined the details on the experiment even more. After realizing it would be extremely inefficient to attain hydrogen the project prameters had to be modified. The lab group, with assistance from the group adviser Som Tyagi, decided that the objective of the project would be to measure the efficiency difference between gasoline and gasoline combined with varying amounts of ethanol. To do this the lab group decided to test the gasoline mixture attained at a local gas station to that of various ethanol gasoline blends. This week the lab group also attained various materials for the experiment. These materials were a gas tank as well as the oil necessary for the lubrication of the engine. Som Tyagi also provided a temperature probe for the experiment, and the aperture design for fuel injection was finalized.

Week Six

After referencing dozens of Chinese electrical diagrams, this week the lab group prepared the engine for use by wiring up the engine so that the kick start would produce a charge and create a spark via the spark plug. The lab group also wrote up the draft final report for the experiment. The search for a site to conduct the experiment safely and without disturbing other continues. However, due to the fact that the experiment releases harmful exhaust, the lab group was barred from utilizing any of the Drexel campus labs. Therefore the lab group decided that it would be most reasonable to do the lab at an off campus location at Jason Gallagher's house.

Week Five

The engine has arrived and we have set upon the daunting task of assembling it correctly. The group has determined that measuring the temperature of the exhaust would be the most efficient method of measuring efficiency. After assembly is completed, we will get cylinders of ethanol and hydrogen and find a safe place to conduct the experiment. The initial trial will run the engine on pure ethanol to measure its efficiency alone. Once this is complete, it will be compared to an ethanol/hydrogen fuel. The efficiency of the fuels will be considered in terms of cost per kilo-BTU. If these ratios are proven to be near or exceeding those of common gasoline, an argument for the cleaner fuel source could be made.

Week Four

Examination of Drexel's calorimeter proved it to be inoperable without extensive repair, and some extra parts. Learning about the way it functions was educational in itself, however, and gave us a much better understanding of how we should hope to get test data from our experiment. Our next step will be to order a 50cc motorcycle engine, and modify it to conduct testing with ethanol mixtures. The testing method for this would be to either make efficiency calculations off of the piston movement, or by measuring exhaust temperatures.

The hydrogen generator was proven to work as expected, instead of forming any unexpected gasses. This was confirmed by using an ignition test; by holding a small open flame up to the newly formed gasses, a flare-up was detected, thereby proving that we were successfully separating hydrogen and oxygen cleanly.

Week Three

While exploring our options for calculating efficiencies, we have developed a prototype hydrogen generator.
Embedded here are three videos that demonstrate a basic model. Two copper coils are inserted into a jar of H2O. Each coil is brought into contact with either end of a 9-volt battery. This reduces the hydrogen and oxidizes the oxygen, causing the gasses to come off the respectively charged wire. The variable in these three experiments comes from the amount of Sodium Bicarbonate put into the water to increase electrolytes.

This trial features no added baking soda, and very little gas is produced.

The second trial incorporates 1 tbsp of baking soda, significantly increasing the reaction rate.

The third trial is with excess baking soda, and a very rapid reaction rate.


Factors to consider are the effect of the sodium bicarbonate on the reaction;
Is it being incorporated into the reactants and itself forming a resulting gas?
Is it bonding with the newly formed oxygen gas, possibly forming CO2?

Tests for precipitates and pH would have to be conducted to confirm the validity of this process.