FAQ
Frequently Asked Question
Aqua Green Fuel (Pty.)Ltd. (AGF).
Patent Pending no: 2009/03032
Making your vehicle's engine more efficient...
What is HHO?
HHO is an acronym for Hydrogen-Hydrogen-Oxygen. This is the final product manufactured by the electrolysis of water (H2O). This gas is highly combustible and will return to pure water when ignited, causing no polution.
Why add HHO when there is already hydrogen and oxygen in the air?
First, please refer to the following Wikipedia page for the composition of air. Note that most of air is made up out of Nitrogen (+- 78%). Oxygen (O2) comes in badly second place at 21%. Hydrogen (H2) is so rare that it comes in at 0.005%. So the chances of Hydrogen and oxygen burning in air is quite remote. By adding HHO gas one can easily push this value up to about 5% to 10%. At the same time oxygen levels are also increased by another 2% to 5%.
What happens without the added HHO gas?
Well, really bad things. I don't know which ones are worse so I will just list a few them, as they come to mind.
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Most of the air is nitrogen. During the combustion cycle, and for reasons beyond the scope of this FAQ, nitrogen combines with the precious oxygen and form all kinds of nasty noxious gases.
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With the fuel mix, burning at a slower tempo, the carbon in the fuel does not burn efficiently. The result is an unsuccessful conversion to CO2 namely CO or carbon monoxide. This stuff is dangerous. Google it for more information.
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Also, with the unburnt fuel you will get compounds like formaldehyde, benzene and butadiene. With the sulfur content also sulfur dioxide. Mix that with water and you have acid rain.
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As the engine is now less effective you require more fuel to get the vehicle up to speed. For every 1% more fuel you are pumping out 1% more carbon dioxide (CO2).
Why are we only now getting excited over this technology?
So far oil was cheap, bountiful and the middle east was a fairly manageable district. But these days people are pumping in a fair portion of their salaries to idle the fuel away in congested traffic. We got so dependent on oil that you can trace back about 90% of all costs to just about anything to oil. By cutting just 10% of your fuel bill you can save plenty in the long run. At current fuel prices you should be able to pay the system off within less than one year, with plenty of profit in years to come. Plus you can either opt to take your unit out or sell your vehicle at a higher price if you do leave the unit.
Now onto the green side of things. Unfortunately the planet cannot handle the large amount of gases anymore. Normally trees will absorb the CO2 and release O2 into the atmosphere, but we are cutting these wonderful organisms down at an alarming rate. So why are we only now realizing the full extent of the problems? Probably because we have been listening to oil pushing scientists all these years. Looking at CO2 we "find" that the levels are not really that high. So we got the go ahead to burn oil and coal like crazy. So where does all the CO2 go? The answer is as simple as looking at your fizzy cola drink. Water, especially sea water, has the capability of absorbing 50 times more CO2 than the atmosphere. Now as these fizzy drinks are acidic, eating your teeth and body away, so is the CO2 making the sea acidic. It is killing sea life, dissolving limestone and causing general havoc on the eco systems. How much more can the atmosphere and the oceans take? Nobody really knows, but looking at the +-14 billion liters of oil pumped PER DAY (and yes that is B for billions ... per day) I reckon we are not far away from something really nasty. About 60% of the is burnt, the rest goes into lubricants, solvents and plastics. So it is important that we save the planet in every possible way until we get another renewable power source.
Can the system be installed in any type of car?
Theoretically yes. The system can be installed in both petrol and diesel vehicles. There is, however, a problem. All the newer fancier cars have new and fancy onboard computers. These computers need to sense in some way if the petrol mix is correct, BUT they are measuring it in the worst possible way. The computer attempts to keep the air to fuel mix at 14.7 : 1 ratio and to do that a lambda sensor measures the carbon monoxide levels emitted from the vehicle. This is equivalent to deciding how much to feed your children based on how sick they are. Just think about this backwards logic. So the problem we have is that with out system the carbon monoxide levels drop way down (the way it should be), but at the same time the computer panics, boosts the petrol and drops the air intake. This means that vehicles, with these sensors, will most probably not save a lot of fuel. We are in the process of designing and manufacturing a circuit that will bypass this problem. But in theory all diesel and the majority of petrol vehicles can use this system without any problems.
Why does it work?
HHO ignites MUCH faster than carbon based fuels. Keep in mind that HHO, in the form we generate it, is not a fuel. In fact the system is quite ineffective converting water to HHO. But the HHO facilitates the burning process, of the fuel, in such a way that the combustion cycle is now far closer to complete than without it. More carbon based fuel is fully burnt, resulting in less CO and more utilization of the energy in the fuel. The faster the process the less chance of non burnt fuel still flaming in the exhaust pipe.
Some math:...
Efficiency = Th-Tc/Th (where Th is the hot ignition temperature and Tc the cold exit temperature).
Without going into too much detail the HHO makes the fuel burn quicker and hotter, releasing more energy during the combustion period, and cooling down quicker, resulting in lower pressure and faster exhaust speeds. The internal combustion engine is notoriously inefficient. Most cars don't even get to the 20% mark. If you only marginally increase Th and lower Tc then the efficiency of engine increases to levels where you can notice performance increase and fuel saving.
Why should you install our system?
I will be honest, there are probably thousands of HHO generators/reactors available from PVC pipe garage models to very sophisticated commercial units. Most of the proper ones uses the right type of stainless steel, the correct electrolyte etc... But, and people who have played with HHO reactors will relate to this, HHO reactors are inherently unstable. At some stage your reactor will run away and blow fuses. By trying to control the conduction levels, by tuning your electrolyte, you will cause very quick oxidation of the anode as well. I have seen people driving around with large power switches on their dashboards, ready to switch the unit off when the Ammeter starts running away, ... and this is while they are driving!
No, you want something that you can almost forget about. Our system uses a specialized power supply that (1) controls the power supplied to the reactor and (2) it is designed to operate at the ridiculous high temperatures found inside the engine compartment of your car. There are also other safety features built in to stop gas production when the engine is switched off but ignition power is still on. We can supply metered amounts of gas to your engine. You don't have to worry about flipping switches, wires burning out or even water damage. Our power supply unit is completely water proof.
You need to control the power levels to insure that (1) the corrosion of the anodes are at minimum levels during the lifetime of the year, (2) that the gas levels are deterministic (i.e. correct for your car and no run-aways) and that (3) the system is inherently safe. Note that each system does come with an inline fuse incase of a malfunction.
Are there any maintenance requirements?
Yes, the system is rather effortless, but it requires some human interaction on a regular basis. Like you would check your tyre pressure and water/oil levels you will need to check your system. The small vehicle unit has a capacity of around 1.5litres of water. Depending on the model we would require from you to keep it topped up with the water we suggest or supply. Please don't put in tap water (unless you cannot find anything else) as tap water contains many nasty salts and other chemicals that can damage the reactor in the long run. On the smaller car systems the normal water usage is about 7ml/hour. Also, in hot conditions more evaporation will cause more water loss. So don't run it for months without checking it. This unit will save you money if you look after it.
Next you will be required to bring your vehicle in every few months, depending on usage (especially time on the road). You will be asked to sign an agreement that will force you to bring the vehicle to an authorized service centre. The "Why" will be discussed next. At the service centre the technician will drain all the water from the reactor and fill it up with a new clean batch.
Why must the water be replaced at a service centre?
We have 2 goals. The first is to save fuel for the client. The second is to reduce harmful effects to the planet. Now unfortunately there is no perfect system in the world. The reactor is made out of a special low corrosion stainless steel. The steel contains chromium. The one byproduct is hexavalent chromium. This is really nasty stuff. One, two or ten spilled units (like in an accident situation) would harm the planet, but thousands of people flushing the water down their drains would. We have the facilities to take the water and process it to harmless salts. Please, if someone markets their HHO unit to you ask them if they provide waste treatment for the water.
So we will, contractually (for the sake of the planet and everybody's continued health), require you to (1) bring the unit in for regular, based on usage, services and (2) transfer the contractual requirements to the new owner when the vehicle is sold.
What will I notice after the unit is installed?
You will notice more power. Please note that the gas production is constant so the saving effect is better felt at pull-away and at cruising speed. The system adds 5% to 10% to the air intake, so being "heavy-footed" will use up the spare capacity. We have noticed two classes of drivers. The most common wants to save fuel and drives moderately. The others enjoy the better performance, but suffer the penalty of not saving fuel.
We suggest that you remove the inline fuse and then drive a full tank of fuel, making notes of the driving conditions, mileage and fuel used. Then re-install the fuse and do the same again and compare. Some vehicles require more air and might require a larger power supply, reactor or both. Without proper statistics you won't know. We have also found people who have never really checked their usage now feeling that they are not really saving. In those cases we found that removing the fuse for the use of one tank's amount of fuel shows the real saving.
What is involved installing the system?
The system needs ignition power, and optional alternator sensor connection, a place to mount the two units and some way of injecting the HHO into the air inlet. Worse case scenario the HHO will require a little hole in a pipe to be injected. We provide plastic plugs to fill the hole if the unit is taken out of the vehicle.
Care must also be taken to make sure that the reactor unit is always mounted lower than the air inlet. This differs for the different versions but the main reason is to keep any water out of the air inlet. As we cannot oversee each and every installation the user must go through the supplied checklist and familiarize themselves with the requirements.
What about my vehicle's warranty?
We hear you and we are in the process of testing and approving the system via prominent testing authorities. We also believe that some vehicle manufacturers will be sticky about this and will use any excuse to get out of their warranty agreements, as they will financially gain out of this. So far we have noticed cooler running engines and our belief is that the engines will in fact have a longer life.
We have broken the market into 3 sections: (1) The newer cars with owners not interested in any modifications, (2) the middle section of older cars older than 3 years, some barely under warranty with most at mercy of fate and (3) the really used, old cars driven by people who can barely afford fuel. We are mainly focusing on the 2nd group. The group of people in this group usually cannot afford to buy new cars but can easily afford to install our system. For this section of the market the warranty is normally not a problem.
What does it cost?
Currently the we cannot give accurate pricing as each vehicle is different. We can provide systems which will fit in a small 12V based car up to a 100Ampere monster system for a truck. However, I can say that the entry level costs are well below R5000 ($500 t o $600) for a fitted system.
We target for the single customer as well as for fleet installations. These differ completely as we provide additional training to fleet owners to install, un-install, move and maintenance their own systems.
The services also cost money, unfortunately, but these can be included in the upfront price at a huge discount as an incentive to use the service facilities on a regular basis.
There are also various financing options available. This is particularly important for businesses who want to claim expenses back from tax. We only facilitate the deals an get no proceeds from interest charged. One exciting option opening up is to pay a monthly cellphone bill only. Our sister company manufactures GSM/GPS fleet management systems which allows us to finance the entire HHO system as well as fleet system in one single package, payable over 2 years. If you are interested please email us to find out what we can provide.
What will I save by installing your system?
Well, if you are a housewife driving 50km per month then you won't really save all that much. But for those sitting in traffic each month the savings can be tremendous. Lets look at an example. You drive between Johannesburg and Pretoria each day (50km x 2 = 100km per day). You work 22 days per month. That is 2200km per month just for work. At at average of R8/L and 10km/L you are paying R1760 per month. Lets push it up to R2000 to cover driving to the shops and other places over weekends. Now lets work on 20% saving (most people get more). That means you will save R400 per month. In 10 months you would have saved R4000 covering the base unit cost. If you decide to only use the unit in the car for 3 years then you would save an additional R10400 on the remainder of the 26 months.
Now, if you are driving much more than that, e.g. you are a sales rep. driving 300km per day then the figures are much more interesting. Such a person would save enough to cover the unit in 4 to 5 months. After that he/she will save +-R1100 per month.
Now that is at an average saving of 20%. Also at roughly R8/L for petrol. Now our unit does not go up in price when the petrol/diesel prices fluctuate (we do have extra costs, but only marginally in relation to the oil prices). The economic specialists believe oil will go up to $150 per barrel again, sooner than later. That means that the South African fuel prices might be hitting R16/L or more when the people can least afford it.
So, currently you might be wondering if spending money to just save a lousy R400 to R1000 per month and then R10000 to R30000 over the next few years is really worth it, but you might be tempted to look again if the fuel prices double (or more). We also have component supply issues. There is a finite manufacturing limit and a long lead time on the specialized components we use. By the time you want a system you might be waiting in a long queue.
What about safety?
The power supply is double fuse protected, namely the built-in fuse in the vehicle and an in-line fuse to the power supply input. Also, all the cabling is done with colour coded, 105 degree Celsius rated, automotive specified cable with a safety factor.
The power supply is always installed on ignition power meaning that when the vehicle is switched off no current flows and no gas is generated. There is also an added feature where the circuit monitors engine activity. If there is no activity the power is cut to the reactor. This means that you can listen to your radio and not supplying power to the reactor at all.
The entire power supply electronics are packaged in a metal enclosure and completely covered with extremely robust epoxy, making it fairly idiot proof as well as water proof.
The reactor is made out of stainless steel. In case of an accident you will probably have to worry more about the battery acid and other fluids than the liquid contained in the reactor. One must still keep in mind that it is filled with a liquid containing a strong electrolyte like caustic soda and proper precautions must be made when handling the liquid.
So, what about the highly flammable gas contained in the reactor and pipes? Our suggestion is, like with all other flammable gases and liquids, to keep devices away that could cause a spark. But what happens if some spark does happen to magically be there when it is not supposed to? Firstly you will probably require clean underwear as you and your next door neighbor will be fully aware of the loud bang the HHO gas makes. This will convince you to keep all 'magical' sparks away from the unit. And, again, this will probably only happen if you remove the pipe, while the system is on, and you bring you flame close by. But seriously now, the amount of gas will basically make a loud bang, but it will not have enough force to scatter or shoot anything. It should not aggravate an accident situation. We use high quality pipes and connectors, so in the case of an unlikely ignition, internally in the reactor or air inlet, the pipe will physically pop itself off. At a later stage we will load a few videos onto YouTube showing the full extent of the ignition if a pipe and 3/4 full reactor ignites. Let me stress that this is far less dangerous than lighting a match at the petrol inlet of the car.
Why should we not buy another company's HHO reactor system?
Firstly because our product now has patent protection. Only our product contains both the reactor and power supply. Although many other companies have reactors they are now not allowed to sell theirs with power supplies. And with no power supply with safety controls I would not even dare to install one in a written off 1970 VW Beatle.
Our product is actively tested and trusted by the directors of the company, friends and family, business associates and clients. We have addressed all the issues that other designers have been battling with for years and solved them.
It is my personal opinion that if you decide on another manufacturer, especially one who claims to have a specialized power supply to drive it, that you would be looking for trouble.
Be careful of reactors that look like plumbing exercises. Many of these designs float around on internet and the person selling it to you might sound intelligent but probably has difficulty remembering his wife's birthday. Our company has years of business, sales, after sales, vehicle, manufacturing and engineering background. The reactors are precision welded, scaled for optimal cost, gas production and temperature. The power supplies use the best quality components, ISO rated circuit boards with double the standard thickness copper, assembled by ISO rated companies and individually tested at full load. Anything less would not be good enough.
Do we provide a warranty?
Each product is different and we will provide the correct information for the particular model supplied. We do not cover any damage to vehicles. We use 3rd party installers and the agreement would fall between the client and the installer. We do, however, cover the hardware against manufacturing defects. The reactor is covered for 1 year against leaks (metal seams, thread on plugs) and unrealistic corrosion. The warranty will be voided if incorrect water is added, mechanical damage occurs that influences the operation, the system is not serviced on the agreed on times and/or the reactor is driven without the proper supplied power supplied. The power supply is covered for 1 year against failure. As the unit has no repairable part it will be swapped out with a working unit. The warranty will be void if there is any visible attempt to open the unit, broken wires or if it appears that the power supply was incorrectly installed (including installed with the no fuse or a rating higher as specified).
We also urge people to please, even after the warranty period, to inform us of any failure. So far we have not had any failures on the power supplies, under normal conditions, and any faulty unit will provide us with valuable information for future designs.
Miscellaneous
No, the product will not make you sterile, help you get a girlfriend (but the money you save just might do that) or turn your 1970 Beatle into a Porsche. The product is also not a fuel. We are not in competition with oil/fuel companies. Our product has nothing, nada, zero to do with any so-called "free energy" devices.
Conclusion
We provide a convenient service to install a safe device in your vehicle that exploits the inherent inefficient design of internal combustion engines.
Please send us an email to info@worldwater2fuel.com