Sunday, June 9, 2013

Economic analysis of aluminum electrolysis, part 2

Part 1 was here.

This idea is what Aronsson proposes as a solution for bringing hydrogen to his fuel cells.  I studied that idea back in January and found that it probably isn't very economical.  It so happens that this discussion from the US Energy Dept. is actually quite definitive that it won't work.  That's because you'd have to increase the amount of aluminum produced in this country by a factor of 25.  Plus, it just takes too much electricity to regenerate the aluminum( 140 kwh per kg).  Even at 4 cents per kwh from a molten-salt reactor, that $5.60 per kg for the hydrogen.  That's not including other costs.

Another idea bites the dust.


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