Hydrogen As A Future Source of Commercial Fuel

Hydrogen as a Future Source of Commercial Fuel
John Letarte
Department of Chemical Engineering
Abstract
Abstract
Finding cleaner energy sources for transportation has

been a goal of engineers for many years now. The
main concern is moving away from fossil fuels as a
main source of energy. An alternate fuel source being
researched is hydrogen fuel, which is arguably the
cleanest and most abundant fuel source. There are
many obstacles to overcome in order for this to be a
viable source in todays commercial vehicles, which
will be discussed in this poster. A government
initiative made in 2003, called the Hydrogen Fuel
Initiative, with the goal of making hydrogen powered
vehicles available for commercial use by the year
2020.
Current Obstacles
One of the main obstacles facing the use of hydrogen as a fuel
source in commercial vehicles is the on-board storage of it.
Hydrogen can be stored both as a high pressure gas or a liquid.
The problem with gas is the large volume it takes to be filled with
a usable amount of hydrogen in order for the vehicle to have a
reasonable driving life. The volume would be so large, the car
itself is not practical for sale. When hydrogen is in liquid form, it
does not require as large of a storage capacity. However, it does
require extremely low temperatures to stay in liquid form. Without
good insulation, hydrogen evaporation can be relatively high,
making it hard to keep a tank full. Thirty percent of the energy
burned also goes towards keeping the hydrogen cooled.
Evaporation is estimated to be as high as a few percent a day [2].
This constant loss of fuel restricts future uses of liquid nitrogen
since a customer doesnt want their tank to empty on its own.
Standards
Gravimetric Energy Density
Volumetric Energy Density
H2 Storage Capacity(mass
fraction)
Operating Temp.
Re-fuelling Time
Re-fuelling Rate
Recoverable Amount of H2
Cost Target
Figure 1: A graph released along the side the hydrogen fuel initiative,
showing the dependence on petroleum decrease as hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles (FCV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are used more
commonly. [1]
Current Uses
Currently, hydrogen fuel is used only for space

travel as a main source of fuel. With its
inception in the 50s the idea of hydrogen fuel
has been around for many years. In rockets,
hydrogen is used in liquid form. This form
requires hydrogen to be stored at the extreme
temperature of minus 423 It requires strong
insulation and a large volume to achieve the
power needed for propulsion (a problem faced in
commercial vehicles). To activate liquid
hydrogen, an oxidizer, generally liquid oxygen,
must be mixed with the hydrogen. The
combination of the two causes combustion
which produces a hot exhaust pushed through a
nozzle to create thrust. Due to the large and
expensive nature of rockets, this is possible.
Values
2 kWh/kg
1.5 kWh/L
6 wt%
-30 to 50C
<5 min
1.5 kg H2/min
90%
$5/kWh
Table 1: This table shows standards that petroleum and oil can achieve in
current cars on the market. This proves to be a target for engineers in the
development of hydrogen fuel. [2]
Hydrogen Fuel Cells

At the moment, hydrogen storage systems are inadequate to
meet driver expectations without intruding into cargo or
passenger space. The answer to this is the hydrogen fuel cell.
The fuel cell that has proved to be most effective up to this date
is the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell. In this process,
hydrogen is ionized into protons and electrons at the anode of
the cell. The protons then move through a membrane to the
cathode of the cell, where water is produced through chemical
reaction. This fuel is oxidized electrochemically at low
temperatures, making it a safer system and avoiding the
production of nitrogen oxides, a substance harmful to the
process. Each cell produce very small amounts of energy (~.6
eV), requiring many to produce the necessary amount of energy
to power a vehicle (~1kW/L). These hydrogen fuel cells,
however, require a source of hydrogen, which increases weight
and takes up space. Due to this, hydrogen fuel cells might first
be seen in busses before cars, due to the weight and capacity
differences. Progress is being made in making these fuel cells
smaller, along with designing different sources of hydrogen as
fuel, such as steam reformation [3].
Steam Reformation
Steam reformation is a method for the on-board
creation of hydrogen. A stream of hydrocarbons is
fed to a catalyst. A reaction occurs which results
in the production of hydrogen. Steam reformation
generally occurs at high heats, whether it be a
external heat or the continuous heat of reaction.
Too low of heats can cause the exiting stream to
contain large amounts of the hydrocarbon used in
the production, which can affect the quality of
energy the hydrogen provides. Propane proves to
have the lowest activation temperature, making it
the preferred hydrocarbon in most cases. The
catalyst also plays a large role. Nickel is a
common catalyst in many formats, however, more
precious metals prove to be more active for higher
conversion rates. This method of hydrogen
formation will help the move towards hydrogen
powered vehicles, as the storage of a hydrocarbon
is more feasible and cheaper than storing pure
hydrogen [3].
Conclusions
With a push for cleaner energy sources,
engineers have been putting lots of time and
money into hydrogen fuel. It will be more
efficient, cheaper, and exponentially cleaner
than current fossil fuels. It is estimated that it
can save 3700 to 6400 lives a year due to
pollution and reduce asthma by 1 million to 3
million cases a year [4]. This proves to be more
than just an energy initiative but rather a push
for the better health of all people in the world.
References
[1]: Chalk, Steven G., and James F. Miller. "Key
Challenges... for Clean Energy Systems." Journal of Power
Sources 159.1 (2006)
[2]: Ross, D.K. "Hydrogen Storage..." Vacuum 80.10 (2006)
[3]:Trimm, David L., and Z. Ilsen Onsan. "Onboard Fuel
Conversion..." Catalysis Reviews 43.1-2 (2001)
[4]:Chalk, Steven G., and James F. Miller. "Key
Challenges... for Clean Energy Systems." Journal of Power
Sources 159.1 (2006)

Hydrogen As A Future Source of Commercial Fuel

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hydrogen As A Future Source of Commercial Fuel

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hydrogen As A Future Source of Commercial Fuel

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hydrogen as a Future Source of Commercial Fuel

Department of Chemical Engineering

Finding cleaner energy sources for transportation has

Currently, hydrogen fuel is used only for space

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

You might also like