The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has given the thumbs up to hydrogen injection technology. In an 81-page document released in November 2007, the DOT talks about how hydrogen injection (HHO gas generators) are being used in the diesel trucking industry.

But, as we already know, this technology has also been surging in smaller vehicles as well like cars, pickup trucks and SUVs. The DOT gives ultra conservative numbers when talking about gas mileage savings and emissions reduction based upon one test of a diesel powered vehicle. The DOT has some catching up to do with their facts in this area.

The document is long and I’m sure only a few interested geeks like me will read it end to end, but it does mention hydrogen injection in many passages along with fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles that run on compressed hydrogen gas and liquid hydrogen.

The document is geared towards the safe handling of hydrogen both inside and outside of the vehicles. It mentions hydrogen injection (or hydrogen on demand) technology as one of the safest methods for using H2 since no compressed hydrogen gas is stored onboard, only water.

Water is electrolyzed on demand to create small amounts of hydrogen and oxygen, which are then ported into the vehicle’s intake system. When the vehicle is turned off, no hydrogen is being generated.

This document may just be the “smoking gun” that run your car on water advocates have been looking for in order to sway the critics and skeptics that HHO technology is indeed viable. The question is not “if” it works, but “how well”.

Filed under: Facts