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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE cooled, and small amounts of salt, citric acid and secret chemicals were added. About a pint of combustible liquid that smells and burns like kerosene was pro- duced within 30 minutes. The National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, India, analysed the substance and found it to be a pure hydrocarbon with a boiling point of 170°C. The new fuel is more efficient than gasoline and it pro- duces no sulphur exhaust. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Petroleum confirmed the reality of the process. Ramar Pillai was granted 20 acres of land on which to cultivate the marvellous bush, and he applied for patents on the process. But then Pillai was accused of being a charlatan; allegedly he had added oil to the process by legerdemain, even as scientists watched him perform the experiment. around the city without any trouble." A few days later, however, reporters learned that Enricht had been indicted for fraud in 1903 and had been involved in other phony schemes. Despite his lack of credibility, Enricht was able to get Benjamin Yoakum to finance him and organise the National Motor Power Company. Investigators from the British Army were given a demonstration and they reported: "The car operated as expeditiously and efficiently as it would have on gasoline." The deal soured, however, and Yoakum sued Enricht, who was forced to open a safe deposit box in which he supposedly had placed the formula and a sample of the substance. It wasn't there, and the National Motor Power Company folded. Enricht eventually was convicted of another fraud (extracting gasoline from peat) and served several years in Sing Sing prison. CONVERTING WATER INTO GASOLINE FUEL SUBSTITUTES by Robert A. Nelson © 2001 ouldn't it be nice if we could burn water for fuel? Think of all the money we could save, since s only 25 cents a gallon (this week!). It's a wet dream that has been ful- filled several times. Ramar Pillai’s Herbal Formula The most recent instance occurred in 1996 at the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT), where 30-year-old Ramar Pillai demonstrated the conversion of water to a hydrocarbon fuel by mixing it with a secret herbal formula he had discovered. Scientists were understandably amazed by the experiment, which was organised by ITT chemist N. K. Jha. "It is incredible, but true," Jha said. About two ounces of leaves and bark were boiled in a litre of water and then About two ounces of leaves and bark Louis Enricht's Green Pill were boiled in a litre of water and then In 1916, Louis Enricht announced that he had invented "a substi- tute for gasoline that can be manufactured for a penny a gallon". Asa demonstration, Enricht allowed reporters to inspect the empty gas tank of an automobile. The reporters also tasted the water that Enricht then poured into the tank. He added a green pill, started the car and gave the reporters a ride around Farmingdale, Long Island. William Haskell, publisher of the Chicago Herald, inves- tigated Enricht's claims. He wrote: "Texamined the entire engine and tank. I even tasted the water before the mysterious green pill was dropped into the tank. Then I opened the petcock and exam- ined the liquid, which now tasted like bitter almonds. I also tasted the liquid at the carburator, which was the same. I was amazed when the auto started. We drove it Guido Franch demonstrating Mota. Photo by Tom Valentine. John Andrews's Green Powder In 1917, John Andrews approached the US Navy with his claim that he could con- vert fresh or salt water into a fuel with the same power as gasoline. The chemical costs were about two cents per gallon. Andrews was allowed to demonstrate his invention at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where a motor boat was fitted with a dynamometer for the test. Commander Earl P. Jessup, who was captain of the yard, said: "We gave Andrews a bucket of water drawn from the Navy Yard [fresh water] hydrant by one of the yard attachés. He got into his car with a gallon can which we inspected and found to be empty, and a little satchel he carried with him. In about a minute he handed out the filled can which I personally carried to the open fuel tank. While pouring the liquid into the tank, Andrews held a lighted cigarette close to the liquid, which did not ignite. That showed it was not gaseous or inflammable at that part of the demonstration, which to me was most important. The engine caught just as quickly as it would have done with gasoline, and after a moment's adjustment of the carburator it settled down to its work, developing 75% of its rated horsepower, a remarkable showing with any fuel with so slight a readjustment of the carburator." In a second test, Andrews was put in an empty room with no possible way to get rid of the bucket of salt water with which he 50 = NEXUS Guido Franch demonstrating Mota. Photo by Tom Valentine. www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2001 — JANUARY 2002