MousePotato's Journal: Scientist Discovers Way To Burn Salt Water As Fuel

Ran across this great article on Breitbart about a cancer researcher who has discovered a way to burn salt water as fuel using radio frequencies. Originally, he was trying to desalinate the water and found a novel way to get it to burn. While the article is a little short on the details, it is none the less an exciting discovery as salt water is one of the most abundant resources on the planet. If this turns out to be a viable method of using it as fuel, this would certainly be a coup de gras for oil cartels and the petroleum industry.

Hm

[turg]

The radio frequencies act to weaken the bonds between the elements that make up salt water, releasing the hydrogen, Roy said. Once ignited, the hydrogen will burn as long as it is exposed to the frequencies, he said.

That's very different than something that is ignited and then continues to burn on its own. How much energy is required to generate these frequencies? The fact that this question isn't addressed makes me suspect that it's more than the energy generated by the burning.

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[MousePotato]

Good point. I think that the interesting part noted in the article was this;

The scientists want to find out whether the energy output from the burning hydrogen--which reached a heat of more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit--would be enough to power a car or other heavy machinery.

You'd think there would be a way to utilize that kind of heat to make it work for you. Perhaps by using it to super heat water for a steam engine/turbine for example. Or maybe a direct turbine and use electric motors to drive the vehi

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[stoolpigeon]

It's been on the front page of digg a few times in the last few months - I thought it had already been on the front page of the dot too - but I'm not finding it, so maybe I only thought so. It has been submitted quite a few times though for sure. a google on "site:slashdot.org John Kanzius" brings me back at least 5 of them.