Can we run our cars on salt water!?

I stumbled on this interesting news the other day.

An American inventor John Kanzius in search of a cure for cancer was making a radio wave transmitter, to be able to heat up small gold and silver nanoparticles injected to the body that would adhere to the cancer cells. His theory is that this will heat the cancer cells and cause them to die.

However as a bi-product, or lets says “bi-invention” he realized that salt water burns under the influence of his radio waves. I guess this means no smoking and crying during cancer therapy sessions, but it also means that for example cars could run on salt water.

Top engineers at APV Polymer in Akron OH have checked out John’s invention and are amazed.

Salt water is the ultimate clean fuel, and abundant. Imagine eventually using this for fuel.

Check out the WKYC news coverage here: http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=35660&bw=

Read more about his invention at: PESWiki or Look at a WPBF News slideshow here
Photo Credits: John Beale, Post-Gazette

There are several other projects for creating hydrogen from water going on, one of which is even funded by the Bush Administration. Looking for a way to do this is interesting; the problem as usual is to get a descent efficiency rate out of it. That means getting some reaction going that actually releases more energy than needed to fuel the reaction itself. Currently John’s invention is at a 76% efficiency *, meaning the radio wave generator chews up more energy than the burning water (hydrogen) creates.

* According to http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:John_Kanzius_Produces_Hydrogen_from_Salt_Water_Using_Radio_Waves,  retrieved 2007-06-03