Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2001 09:48:00 -0500 (EST) From: Jim Sander <jim@federation.addy.com> Cc: freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: RE: Redundancy... final(?) summary Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10102201604110.41299-100000@federation.addy.com> In-Reply-To: <DBEIKNMKGOBGNDHAAKGNMEGLDLAA.dave@hawk-systems.com>
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> much ado about fuel-cell technology It seems that my question has been answered with a silent "no." Nobody seems to have any real experience with commercially available fuel-cell technology products, at least in a format that is appropriate for my situation. A 125KW system is a bit much for a handful of servers! :) I guess this is simply wanting what doesn't (yet) exist- in another year perhaps things will be different. Some good FAQS to start with... http://www.fuelcells.org/ Everything I got through other sources can also be accessed from there. > comments about safety, etc. CO2 emissions still need to be vented to the atmosphere, unless you are into suffocation. Even though H2 fuel-cells produce only H2O and heat, the conversion of LPG or propane to H2 usually results in some CO2 and other "trace" HC emissions- whether this ends up being significant is dependent upon the situation. (in most cases I suspect it is, but I'm no expert) About the Hindenburg reference... modern research about the disaster points away from H2 being the cause. Just FYI of course- http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/flash/hindenburg_script.html Anything flammable is dangerous if you store or use it incorrectly. When storing any fuel, you need to address safety. Local laws may regulate what you can legally do at your location, regardless of what is really safe. Lighter or heaver than air gases will only affect whether the room fills from the top down or the bottom up. (gulp!) > practicality and cost Fuel-cells are, and for the foreseeable future will continue to be, relatively expensive. An equivalent amount of energy from internal combustion sources will cost significantly less. That may change as technology improves and is mass produced, so eventually the fuel-cell's advantages will outweigh its increased cost. Personally, I'd pay more for clean power without a lot of complaint, assuming fuel-cells don't have "hidden" environmental impact. (probably a false assumption) I also would be more comfortable storing propane, CNG, or even H2 than I would compared to gasoline or even the less volatile diesel. My gas grill seems a lot safer than my lawn mower, even if it's really not- I think the parallel holds between generator and a fuel cell. -=Jim=- To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
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