Hydrogen as a Hydrogen as a RealityReality

Brief Overview: Brief Overview: • Potential as an applied energy Potential as an applied energy sourcesource• Sustainable methods of productionSustainable methods of production

Ready or Not….Fuel Cells are Ready or Not….Fuel Cells are ComingComing““Hydrogen fuel cells will finally end the 100-year Hydrogen fuel cells will finally end the 100-year

reign of the internal combustion engine."reign of the internal combustion engine." - - Bill Ford, Chairman of the Ford Motor CompanyBill Ford, Chairman of the Ford Motor Company

GM, Shell Join Forces on Fuel Cells Published: Mar 5, 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) - Showcasing hydrogen power, General Motors Corp. and Shell Hydrogen are bringing a fleet of fuel-cell minivans to Washington for lawmakers and policy-makers to use. GM and Shell, which announced their plans Wednesday, are forming a partnership to speed the development of hydrogen technology.

Fuel Cells in Mass TransitFuel Cells in Mass Transit

Packaging for 40-Foot Buses, Suburban Coachesand Articulated Transit Buses

Fossil fuels in the marketFossil fuels in the market 100 gallons of oil will produce fuels 100 gallons of oil will produce fuels

that sell in the market for less than that sell in the market for less than $100 total $100 total

The same 100 gallons of oil could be The same 100 gallons of oil could be made into (recyclable) durable goods made into (recyclable) durable goods that sell for $3500 in the market that sell for $3500 in the market placeplace

Over $60 billion in annual federal Over $60 billion in annual federal subsidiessubsidies

Solar driven Stirling-cycle heat Solar driven Stirling-cycle heat engine engine

(functioning Hydrogen model)(functioning Hydrogen model)

Uses concentrated solar energy to run an external combustion Uses concentrated solar energy to run an external combustion engine. The engine drives a small generator typically producing engine. The engine drives a small generator typically producing from 5 to 25 kilowatts of electricity at peak. Sterling engines, from 5 to 25 kilowatts of electricity at peak. Sterling engines, together with their solar concentrators, are small and portable together with their solar concentrators, are small and portable and can be sited near electrical loads. The sterling engine also and can be sited near electrical loads. The sterling engine also can be powered with natural gas or propane so energy can be can be powered with natural gas or propane so energy can be produced even when the sun isn't shining. produced even when the sun isn't shining.

More than 100 million watt hours of renewable electricity have More than 100 million watt hours of renewable electricity have been delivered to the public grid using this engine to drive been delivered to the public grid using this engine to drive electric generatorselectric generators

Solar/Wind efficiencySolar/Wind efficiency Annual efficiency for converting solar to Annual efficiency for converting solar to

electricity in Southern California has been electricity in Southern California has been about 23% (using a Stirling cycle heat engine)about 23% (using a Stirling cycle heat engine)

During optimum weather conditions these During optimum weather conditions these concentrator-engine-generator sets concentrator-engine-generator sets convert/deliver energy at 30% efficiencyconvert/deliver energy at 30% efficiency

Bottom line: we can be 164 times more Bottom line: we can be 164 times more efficient as we harness the highly available efficient as we harness the highly available solar energy to make energy-intensive solar energy to make energy-intensive products (or even H2)products (or even H2)

OverviewOverviewCombustion:Combustion: HH2 2 + .5 O+ .5 O22 H H22O O Hydrogen can be burned below the Hydrogen can be burned below the

threshold for Nthreshold for Nox ox formationformation Combustion can reduce atmospheric Combustion can reduce atmospheric

concentrations of CO, Hydrocarbons, concentrations of CO, Hydrocarbons, soot and tire particles soot and tire particles

Useful figures and factsUseful figures and facts 3412 BTU = 1 kWh at 100% efficiency3412 BTU = 1 kWh at 100% efficiency 1 lb of Hydrogen = approx ½ Gal Gas 1 lb of Hydrogen = approx ½ Gal Gas

= ½ GGE= approx 61,050 BTU= ½ GGE= approx 61,050 BTU

HH2 2 325 325 BTU/ftBTU/ft33 61,030 61,030 BTU/LBBTU/LB 2 2 lbs/359 ftlbs/359 ft33

CHCH4 4 1,064 1,064 BTU/ftBTU/ft3 3 23,890 23,890 BTU/LBBTU/LB 16 16 lbs/359 ftlbs/359 ft33

Gas 120,000 Gas 120,000 BTU/GALBTU/GAL 18,750 18,750 BTU/LBBTU/LB

H2 Production: Electrolysis and H2 Production: Electrolysis and more more

Electrolysis produces 8 lbs of oxygen for Electrolysis produces 8 lbs of oxygen for every pound of Hevery pound of H22

We don’t need pure water to extract H2 We don’t need pure water to extract H2 so…so…

Why not use waste water?Why not use waste water? Better yet, why not turn our wastes in to Better yet, why not turn our wastes in to

profits? profits? Many ways to do this….Many ways to do this….

Production to end-user Production to end-user scenarioscenario

Hydrogen heavy waste (sewage, organics Hydrogen heavy waste (sewage, organics etc) could be a great source for productionetc) could be a great source for production

Producing (in the end): Hydrogen, Carbon Producing (in the end): Hydrogen, Carbon and soil nutrients (sludge fertilizer)and soil nutrients (sludge fertilizer)

More efficient to transport Hydrogen rich More efficient to transport Hydrogen rich methane (biogas)methane (biogas)

Can get approx 10% dry weight of organics Can get approx 10% dry weight of organics in H2 (harnessing microbes)in H2 (harnessing microbes)

H2 will be approx 25% of methaneH2 will be approx 25% of methane End user/industrial park: CHEnd user/industrial park: CH4 4 + ∆ + ∆ C + 2H C + 2H22

Reversible fuel Reversible fuel cell/electrolyzer cell/electrolyzer

So….what’s goin on inside that So….what’s goin on inside that box?box?

Anode side:Anode side:2H2 => 4H+ + 4e- 2H2 => 4H+ + 4e-

Cathode side:Cathode side:O2 + 4H+ + 4e- => 2H2O O2 + 4H+ + 4e- => 2H2O

Net reaction:Net reaction:2H2 + O2 => 2H2O2H2 + O2 => 2H2O

What about compressed H2 in What about compressed H2 in cars?cars?

Simulation comparing severity of a hydrogen and petrol fuel leak and ignition. (Dr Michael Swain, University of Miami.)

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?