Hydrogen for airships

[mysticman]

Where did they get all the hydrogen from which went into the huge airships of the early 1900's?

I presume it was made chemically rather than using electrolysis, but I don't know. Such a lot of hydrogen.

Any thoughts?

x

[MTbowels]

Just over half way down the page on the following link, there's a question "From Bill". It should give you a good general idea.

http://www.nlhs.com/mail-p7.htm

[Teddio]

Blowing steam through a white hot bed of coke produces a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This is an endothermic process.

[MTbowels]

Err mysticman asked how they did it NOT how they might have done it.
Do you really consider that they would have gone to the the trouble of using a method that that required separating the CO from the H?

[mysticman]

I just wondered if they had an efficient way of collecting hydrogen - you know - thinking towards low carbon fuel sources etc.

[Teddio]

M T bowels: Do you know anything about chemistry? If not refrain from commenting on such matters. The method I described was a method used for inflating airships. The carbon monoxide is easily removed from the hydrogen/carbon monoxide mixture by oxidising it to carbon dioxide.

[mysticman]

Thank you Teddio. Perhaps a bit harsh on MTbowels?

I wonder how efficient a method it is? Could this method be used for cheaplly making hydrogen for motor vehicle use, I wonder?

Anyway - all very interesting.