the Group of students of Technical university of Eindhoven in Netherlands developed the first-ever bus which works at formic acid. According to inventors, this much cheaper and practical decision, than use of other alternative types of fuel. Thus students want to develop a transport network without harmful emissions which will help with fight against changes klimata.
Formic acid for the first time was brought out of red forest ants (why received the name) in the XVII century. Also in the nature it is in some plants, for example, to a nettle and needles, and in caustic allocations of bees. Usually it receive a chemical way by production of acetic acid as collateral . Formic acid already use in many spheres: the chemical industry (as solvent), food (as preservative), beekeeping (for fight against parasites) and medicine (as external obezbolivabyushchy).
Fuel which uses the new bus, students inventors called byhydrozine (not to confuse with a hydrazine ). It is liquid which it is possible easily and it is rather safe to transport. Stations with formic acid will look and be used as the most usual gas stations. Difference only that fuel in them is much purer. The bus will not emit any harmful gases — only water and CO 2 .
Fuel is created byin the device which the Dutch students try to patent now. There Hydrozine by means of the catalyst breaks up to hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Then hydrogen is added to a fuel element with which it will react for generation of electricity which feeds the engine.
the Bus has the system of the electric drive developed by VDL Groep bv. The tank is calculated on 300 liters therefore researchers say that the bus will be able to pass to 200 kilometers. It is expected that by the end of this year the vehicle already will be actively used.