why do we electrolyse water? (1 Viewer)

[clintmyster]

Any ideas? apart from trying to obtain oxygen and hydrogen? maybe something to do with industrial use?

 

[appletooth]

Perhaps the hydrogen obtained from the electrolysis of water can be used in the production of ammonia? (i.e. Haber process.) Ammonia can then be used to produce a multitude of things, like detergent or fertilisers.

 

[minijumbuk]

Because it's the most practical and easiest way to demonstrate the separation of elements by electrolysis from a compound in a classroom? xD

 

[clintmyster]

Perhaps the hydrogen obtained from the electrolysis of water can be used in the production of ammonia? (i.e. Haber process.) Ammonia can then be used to produce a multitude of things, like detergent or fertilisers.

ahh we havent learnt of that process yet..what module is that covered in? seems to make sense though.

Because it's the most practical and easiest way to demonstrate the separation of elements by electrolysis from a compound in a classroom? xD

LOLL i bett mai teacher would crack up if i said that!

 

[appletooth]

ahh we havent learnt of that process yet..what module is that covered in? seems to make sense though.

HSC Course, Module 3. So I guess you don't really need to know what electrolysis is used for in year 11, just how it works.

 

[Aerath]

I thought we learnt that electrolysis allows for extraction of more reactive elements in Metals. I think. :\
But not sure about uses for water, other than the fact that it's simple.

 

[Lucid Scintilla]

+1.

Production of hydrogen gas; such gas is used in hydrocracking.

 

[Slidey]

Perhaps the hydrogen obtained from the electrolysis of water can be used in the production of ammonia? (i.e. Haber process.) Ammonia can then be used to produce a multitude of things, like detergent or fertilisers.

Using electrolysis to create ammonia is an expensive process.

Still, places like Iceland do it because they have lots of free electricity from geothermal and hydroelectric sources.

Iceland also uses electrolysis to produce raw hydrogen as a fuel. One of the few countries capable of doing so, again due to the cost.

To avoid transportation difficulties (it explodes a lot) hydrogen is produced on site using electrolysis to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. All of the energy used to produce the hydrogen comes from Iceland’s renewable energies and the full cycle of energy, from the water to the hydrogen in the fuel cells, emits no CO₂.

The product of burning hydrogen is water.

Similarly, Iceland is one of the few countries that does aluminium smelting (very energy intensive).

 

[brenton1987]

Perhaps the hydrogen obtained from the electrolysis of water can be used in the production of ammonia? (i.e. Haber process.) Ammonia can then be used to produce a multitude of things, like detergent or fertilisers.

It is far more economical to produce hydrogen from methane.

Methane Cleaning
CH₃SH + H₂ --> CH₄ + H₂S
H₂S + ZnO --> ZnS + H₂O

Hydrogen Production
CH₄ + H₂O --> CO + 3H₂
CH₄ + ¹/₂O₂ --> CO + 2H₂
CH₄ + 2O₂ --> CO₂ + 2H₂O

Water Gas Shift
CO + H₂O --> CO₂ + H₂ high temperature
CO + H₂O --> CO₂ + H₂ low temperature

Removal of CO₂
K₂CO₃ + H₂O + CO₂ --> 2KHCO₃

CO₂ Recycling
CO₂ + 4H₂ --> CH₄ + 2H₂O

Similarly, Iceland is one of the few countries that does aluminium smelting (very energy intensive).

I was always told that aluminium was too reactive to be smelted so instead it is electrolysed from a molten salt.