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Hydrogen Powered Car Celebrates 200th Year Anniversary |
In 1806 Francois Isaac de Rivaz is a Swiss inventor designed and successfully
constructed the first-ever internal combustion engine.
The history of our modern day engine first started with scientist Huygens who in 1673,
published a paper describing the concept of using the combustion of gases to force
movement of a cylinder inside a piston. De Rivaz took this concept and developed an
electric ignition to ignite Hydrogen gas inside such a chamber.
This engine's ignition system was electric and is the basis of what we use in cars today.
The current came from a Volta cell now our modern day battery and the gas Hydrogen
stored in a balloon generated from the electrolyis of water. François did not use
gasoline, because it had not been developed yet.
A year after his invention of the internal combustion engine, Francois Isaac de Rivaz built
a car. The driver had to open the valve to fill the gas, close it and switch on the current
to make the electric spark - for each cycle of the piston.
constructed the first-ever internal combustion engine.
The history of our modern day engine first started with scientist Huygens who in 1673,
published a paper describing the concept of using the combustion of gases to force
movement of a cylinder inside a piston. De Rivaz took this concept and developed an
electric ignition to ignite Hydrogen gas inside such a chamber.
This engine's ignition system was electric and is the basis of what we use in cars today.
The current came from a Volta cell now our modern day battery and the gas Hydrogen
stored in a balloon generated from the electrolyis of water. François did not use
gasoline, because it had not been developed yet.
A year after his invention of the internal combustion engine, Francois Isaac de Rivaz built
a car. The driver had to open the valve to fill the gas, close it and switch on the current
to make the electric spark - for each cycle of the piston.
In 1813 ran his car around Vevey, Switzerland, on
Lake Geneva.
The Fondation Giannada Automobile Museum
produced two reconstructions of this car. On one
occasion this car was driven about 100 meters in
front of the museum for a demonstration.
The driver found this experience excessively
dangerous due to the poor design of the car - it was
difficult to stay on the road.
Lake Geneva.
The Fondation Giannada Automobile Museum
produced two reconstructions of this car. On one
occasion this car was driven about 100 meters in
front of the museum for a demonstration.
The driver found this experience excessively
dangerous due to the poor design of the car - it was
difficult to stay on the road.
In the town of Sion (in the center of the Valais, the region of Isaac) there is still today a room in
the "Bibliothèque Cantonale" (Library) dedicated to the de Rivaz family. There are some
documents explaining in a precise way the development of the car, with schematics.
the "Bibliothèque Cantonale" (Library) dedicated to the de Rivaz family. There are some
documents explaining in a precise way the development of the car, with schematics.
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