Hydrogen Digest

New FC Locomotive Unveiled

2010-02-01T16:03:00.000+08:00

The BNSF Railway Co. and Vehicle Projects Inc. rolled out the nation’s first hydrogen-powered fuel cell locomotive Monday morning at the railroad’s shops in the Oakland neighborhood.

BNSF, Vehicle Projects, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and the Department of the Army announced plans to develop the locomotive on Jan. 9, 2008.

Funding came from BNSF and the Department of Defense, said Steven Forsberg, BNSF spokesman. In 2008, Brownback announced the Department of Defense was providing a second year of funding for the experiment — $2.4 million for fiscal year 2008 following $2 million in the previous fiscal year.

“The prototype switch locomotive has the potential to reduce air pollution, is not dependent on oil for fuel, and could serve as a mobile backup power source for military and civilian disaster-relief efforts,” a news release from BNSF stated.

Brownback was joined by Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., in addressing a small crowd gathered Monday under a purple and white tent in front of the BNSF offices at the Topeka System Maintenance Terminal, 1001 N.E. Atchison.

“It is truly an honor to be here with Sen. Sam Brownback for this unveiling,” Jenkins said. “This is a real-world, common sense way to move forward.”

Brownback called Monday a “great day in Topeka.”

“This has been a long-storied railroad town,” he said. “This is a new story.”

After addressing the crowd, Brownback listened along with spectators as Kris Hess, of Golden, Colo.-based Vehicle Projects, gave a description of the major components of the locomotive.

Brownback then boarded the locomotive and rode up and down tracks in the BNSF yard. After the demonstration, he toured the locomotive and asked questions.

“It is extremely quiet,” he told members of the media after he disembarked. “I think this is an exciting process.”

Shawn Semple, groundsman for BNSF, rode on the front of the locomotive as it headed north in the yard. He then got off and switched the rails. “It’s very similar to diesel locomotive,” he said. “It’s very interesting.”

The locomotive will be sent to Colorado for additional testing this summer, said Chris Roberts, BNSF vice president of engineering. Then, it will be sent to California to test the viability of the technology.

“We look forward to the testing,” Roberts said. “At BNSF, we’re proud to be a part of this.”

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Honda Begins Operation of New Solar Hydrogen Station

2010-02-01T15:53:00.000+08:00

Honda today began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc., intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles.
Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user's garage, Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.
The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyzer and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure electrolyzer, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor entirely - a world's first for a home use system. This innovation also reduces the size of other key components to make the new station the world's most compact system, while improving system efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar hydrogen station system it replaces.
Compatible with a "Smart Grid" energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO2 emissions by using less expensive off-peak electrical power. During daytime peak power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining energy neutral.
Designed for simple, user-friendly operation, the intuitive system layout enables the user to easily lift and remove the fuel hose, with no hose coiling when the hose is returned to the dispenser unit.
Engineered for an 8-hour, slow fill for overnight refilling of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the home-use Solar Hydrogen Station would replenish the hydrogen for a typical daily driving, meeting the commuting requirements of many drivers. As with the previous generation system, the hydrogen purity from the new station meets the highest SAE (J2719) and ISO (14687) specifications.
Installed at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, the new Solar Hydrogen Station will employ the same 48-panel, 6.0kW solar array that powered the previous system. The array utilizes thin film solar cells composed of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) produced by Honda Soltec Co., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda that was established for the mass production and sales of solar cells capable of efficient renewable electricity generation. Honda's unique solar cells reduce the amount of CO2 generated during production as compared to conventional solar cells.
Designed to support the needs of the future owners of fuel cell electric vehicles, the Honda Solar Hydrogen Station was also designed to complement a public network of fast fill hydrogen stations. The Honda FCX Clarity electric vehicle is fast fill capable and offers an EPA-estimated driving range of 240 miles. With fast fill public stations providing 5-minute fueling time for longer trips, and the opportunity of convenient nighttime slow filling at home using a solar station with a Smart Grid connection, the Honda FCX Clarity can cover a wide range of driving demands from the daily commute to weekend trips.
A key strategy in creating a solar hydrogen station for home-use was to create a new lifestyle with convenient, clean, energy-efficient and sustainable home refueling, by addressing the need for refueling infrastructure that can advance the wider use of fuel cell electric vehicles by consumers.
The combination of a fuel cell electric vehicle and the solar hydrogen station could help lead to the establishment of a hydrogen society based on renewable energy, resulting in a major reduction of CO2 emissions and greater energy sustainability.
Honda began operation of its first Solar Hydrogen Station at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas in 2001:
July 2001: 3-unit system with hydrogen storage begins operation.

October 2003: new 2-unit system with an original Honda electrolyzer and a new solar array utilizing prototype Honda CIGS solar cells offers improved system efficiency.
August 2008: solar array fitted with mass production CIGS cells from Honda Soltec Co., reducing the size of the array by 20% and further improving photo voltaic (PV) energy efficiency.
January 2010: new single-unit station begins operation, improving to world's best system efficiency - increasing the efficiency by more than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the previous solar hydrogen station system, for a world's highest system efficiency.

About Honda R&D Americas, Inc.
Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) is responsible for creating advanced technologies and products in the U.S. that provide new value to Honda and Acura customers. HRA began R&D operations in the U.S. in 1975 with market research activities in California, and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 35 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development, as well as taking a leading role in the advancement of leading-edge safety and environmental technologies.
Today, Honda operates 15 major R&D facilities in the U.S. with more than 1,300 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets.
HRA's major centers include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier development; and a dynamic test facility in Ohio; and the North Carolina Center (Swepsonville, NC) responsible for power equipment R&D.

Honda News & Views: http://www.honda.com/news
Honda Multimedia Newsroom (For Press Only): http://www.hondanews.com
Honda on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/honda
Honda on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/alicia_at_honda
Honda on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/hondanews
Honda Web site: http://www.honda.com

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Local source for hydrogen fuel ‘very close'

2010-01-29T10:27:00.000+08:00

Bus breakdowns, meanwhile, reported as full fleet goes into service in Whistler

As politicians, dignitaries and the media gathered last week to celebrate Whistler's now-complete fleet of 20 hydrogen buses, news came of the strong possibility that hydrogen fuel for the buses will be produced in North Vancouver as early as next year.

Liquid hydrogen is currently being trucked from Quebec every two weeks for Whistler's hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet, the largest fleet in the world. The project's critics point out that fossil fuels are being burned to get the zero-emission hydrogen to Whistler.

Plans are underway to build a hydrogen liquefier in North Vancouver, with a target delivery date of mid-2011, Rick Hopp, president of Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation (HTEC), said at a ribbon cutting event at Whistler's new transit facility on Friday (Jan. 22). The company has been capturing small quantities of waste hydrogen from an electrochemical plant since 2006 and developing distribution and end-use technologies for the fuel.

A funding announcement for the liquefier project is expected from the federal government soon, said Manuel Achadinha, president and CEO of B.C. Transit. He said he's been looking for a “made in B.C.” solution for the hydrogen fleet's fuel needs.

“We're very close,” Achadinha said.

If the project comes to fruition, B.C. Transit is “100 per cent committed” to sourcing hydrogen from North Vancouver, he said.

Because the hydrogen is produced in North Vancouver as a by-product of an electrochemical process, it's a “green” source, Hopp said.

Enough by-product hydrogen is currently produced in North Vancouver to fuel 20,000 passenger vehicles, said Colin Armstrong, HTEC director. Most of the hydrogen has been vented for the past 40 years, he said.

Meanwhile, some people around Whistler this weekend were experiencing hiccups with the start-up of the hydrogen bus fleet. The breakdown of at least two hydrogen buses was reported on Saturday (Jan. 23).

On Monday (Jan. 25), in response to a question about the breakdowns, B.C. Transit spokesperson Joanna Morton said the buses are still in the midst of the commissioning process.

“We have to understand that the buses are coming off the production line,” she wrote in an email to the Question. “…We're testing these buses, and learning more about the technology with each day.

“It's new and complex technology, but B.C. Transit, along with our partners, have been working together (and will continue to do so) to oversee the success of the demonstration project.”

At Friday's event, Achadinha said the performance of the hydrogen buses is “fine.” The buses have been in the commissioning phase for the past six months, undergoing testing in all conditions, he said.

B.C. Transportation Minister Shirley Bond, who attended the ribbon cutting event, said B.C is “very, very proud” to have the largest fleet of hydrogen buses as well as the largest hydrogen fuelling station in the world.

“We are going to be the leader in the world with this technology,” she said.

Achadinha recognized Whistler for its high per-capita transit ridership — one of the highest in North America. Mayor Ken Melamed flashed his bus pass to the crowd and said he's doing his part to show that public transit is a viable option.

“I'm a devoted user of transit,” he said.

The total cost of the hydrogen bus project — including capital and operating costs until March 2014 — is $89.5 million. According to a Ministry of Transportation info sheet, Whistler's share of that is $16.8 million. That's in addition to the municipality's $11.7 million share for the new transit yard.

Source: Link

SunHydro looks ahead to highway lined with hydrogen fueling stations

2010-01-28T13:40:00.000+08:00

Among the many advanced vehicles set to hit the road in the next several years, a few under development at Daimler, Honda, Mercedes Benz and other automakers are being design to run on hydrogen fuel cells. But they will still hit the big roadblock facing their electric-powered peers: How will drivers refuel in a world of petroleum gas stations? What’s the point if you can only juice up at home?

Now a company calledSunHydro is stepping up to answer the big question of infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles, pitching a so-called “hydrogen highway” extending from Portland, Maine to Florida dotted with 11 fueling stations tailored specifically to fuel-cell powered vehicles.

In addition to infrastructure limitations, cost has been the big barrier holding back transportation innovation. Hydrogen fuel cells in particular are incredibly expensive to build and maintain. Looking at SunHydro’s process you can see why. Each station will split water molecules using solar power. This sounds incredibly clean, and will save the costs and emissions related to shipping hydrogen gas in tanker trunks over long distances. It’s unclear how SunHydro plans to foot this bill.

Especially when you consider how few cars will require its services in the immediate future. Building fueling stations for any type of advanced vehicle has always presented a chicken-and-the-egg style problem. Electric and hydrogen-powered cars won’t be widely adopted until consumers know they can reliably refuel on the go. But companies developing fueling stations won’t be able to afford mass expansion until they have some customers. For now, it looks like the government may need to step in the break the deadlock.

Better Place, a company that has pitched battery-switching stations for electric cars — allowing drivers to quickly swap out depleted batteries for new ones — just raised $350 million in private investment led by HSBC, but will clearly need millions if not billions more to make its vision a nationwide staple. Venture capital and equity will probably not be enough to change the game.

SunHydro says that each of its stations, with the technology as is, costs about $3 million to build. That’s not so infeasible — it already has the funding it needs from private investors. But if its solution is to be scaled, a lot of other pieces, including government aid, will need to fall into place. Automakers need to move their hydrogen models closer to market. Both Toyota and Daimler have pegged 2015 as the year fuel-cell cars will roll into showrooms, begging the question: What will SunHydro do for the next five years?

The first phase of its rollout plan includes the construction of stations in Portland, Maine, Braintree, Mass., Wallingford, Conn., S. Hackensack, N.J., Claymont, Del., Richmond, Va., Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., Savannah, Ga., Orlando, Fla., and Miami, Fla. Phase two is a much longer hydrogen highway connecting New York and California.

Source: Link

Honda's next generation solar hydrogen station prototype

2010-01-28T13:35:00.001+08:00

Honda's next generation solar hydrogen station prototype began operating today at the Los Angeles Center of Honda R&D Americas, Inc. The system is ultimately intended for use as a home refueling appliance capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles, such as the Honda FCX Clarity.
Designed to fit in the user's garage, Honda's station produces enough hydrogen via an 8-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle.
(Photo: Business Wire)

Source: Link

Horizon Hydrofill Hydrogen Refueling and Storage Solution

2010-01-12T13:32:00.001+08:00

[CES 2010] We published about Horizon Hydrofill, when it was announced prior to CES on Jan. 4th, and we got a chance to see the device at the show. Hydrofill is a major fuel cell innovation, allowing everyone to have a personal hydrogen generator and portable hydrogen cartridges. The Hydrofill system basically extracts hydrogen from water using electrolysis, and store it in the Hydrostick solid hydrogen cartridges. 60 W DC power is enoufght to extract 10 liters of Hydrogen per hour and fill one of the Hydrostick cartrigdge.Using the cartridge, you can charge your cellphone, or laprtop or any device with USB connector. According to Horizon, the metal hydride alloys contained in the cartridge absorb hydrogen into their crystalline structure and creates the highest volumetric energy density of any form of hydrogen storage. Horrizon Hydrofill can be powered by AC power, a solar panel or a small wind turbine.

Source: Link

Horizon Fuel Cell technologies will be lifting the curtains on its Hydrofill hydrogen refueling and and storage solution at the upcoming CES, making it the first personal hydrogen station in the world. This extremely small desktop device will plug into your AC, solar panel or a sufficiently small wind turbine in order to extract hydrogen from its water tank, only to store it in a solid form in small refillable cartridges for future use. This could potentially remove dependence on large-scale fueling infrastructure investments, where all the energy-gathering action happens right in the comfort of your own home. Even better is its environmental-friendly theme, and it won't blow up like those fuel cells in Terminator Salvation.

Source: Link

Toyota expands hydrogen car program, aims to hit the road by 2013

2010-01-12T13:02:00.001+08:00

Toyota plans to have more than 100 hydrogen fuel-cell cars on the road by 2013, the company has announced. While most of them will be given to government agencies and universities for testing in California and New York, expanding this pilot program is designed to win consumers to the idea before automakers introduce hydrogen-powered cars to the market in 2015.

This is the third pillar in Toyota’s robust green technology strategy. Already, its Prius is the dominant brand in low-emissions vehicles. Whenever anyone thinks of hybrid cars, it immediately springs to mind, giving Toyota all the cred it will need to successfully launch the revamped, plug-in version of the Prius in 2012. Both Priuses have built a strong foundation for Toyota to move beyond battery technology to fuel cells.

“We plan to come to market in 2015 or earlier with a vehicle that will be reliable and durable, with exceptional fuel economy and zero emissions at an affordable price,” Toyota head of environmental affairs Irv Miller said during the announcement.

The major automaker started testing fuel cell technology in 2002 with a fleet of 20 vehicles in California. In the last eight years, it has more than doubled the range of its fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs). In late 2007, it took of the models on a seven-day road test between Fairbanks, Alaska and Vancouver, Canada. The cars are said to get 68 miles per gallon of gasoline and have a driving range of 431 miles while emitting zero greenhouse gases.

The one snag in Toyota’s plan? It might be hard to find a hydrogen station to fuel up. The company hopes its program, and those being explored by its competitors, will jump start the development of hydrogen fuel infrastructure. Producing the hydrogen fuel cells themselves isn’t too difficult. It only requires electricity and water. The trick will be to accelerate both car production and infrastructure development at the same right and at the right time to achieve rapid adoption, Toyota says.

In September, Daimler also came out with similar plans to get average consumers behind the wheel of hydrogen fuel cell cars by 2015 (and is looking to partner with Toyota in the endeavor). The big challenge, that company said, will be to make them cost-competitive with other automotive options. It hopes to commercialize a hydrogen version of its compact Mercedes Benz B class, which it unveiled at the auto show in Frankfurt in the fall.

It will be interesting to see how collaborative the companies involve get in order to make a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid a reality. Considering the hurdles ahead — both steep costs and the need for extensive, perhaps policy-motivated, changes to fuel infrastructure — it seems like even the biggest names in the car industry will be willing to partner so that more can benefit.

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Water electrolysis explained

2010-01-07T15:11:00.000+08:00

Electrolysis - when coupled with renewable energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines...), it is one of the cleanest methods of hydrogen production. It is being utilized in hydrogen on demand applications - e.g HHO fuel for cars. Here are some basic knowledge related with electrolysis.

Electrolysis of water
Electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen gas (H2) due to an
electric current being passed through the water. This electrolytic process is rarely used in industrial
applications since hydrogen can be produced more affordably from fossil fuels.

An electrical power source is connected to two electrodes, or two plates, (typically made from some inert
metal such as platinum or stainless steel) which are placed in the water. In a properly designed cell
Hydrogen will appear at the cathode (the negatively charged electrode, where electrons are pumped into the
water), and oxygen will appear at the anode (the positively charged electrode). The generated amount of
hydrogen is twice the amount of oxygen, and both are proportional to the total electrical charge that was sent
through the water. However, in many cells competing side reactions dominate resulting in different products.

Electrolysis of pure water requires a great deal of excess energy in the form of over potential to overcome
various activation barriers. Without the excess energy the electrolysis of pure water occurs very slowly if at
all. This is in part due to the limited self-ionization of water. Pure water has an electrical conductivity about
one millionth that of seawater. Many electrolytic cells may also lack the requisite electrocatalysts. The
efficacy of electrolysis is increased through the addition of an electrolyte (such as a salt, an acid or a base)
and the use of electrocatalysts.

Thermodynamics of the process
Decomposition of pure water into hydrogen and oxygen at standard temperature and pressure is not
favorable in thermodynamical terms.

Thus, the standard potential of the water electrolysis cell is -1.23 V at 25 °C at pH 0 (H+ = 1.0 M). It is also
-1.23 V at 25 °C at pH 7 (H+ = 1.0x10-7 M) based on the Nernst Equation.

The negative voltage indicates the Gibbs free energy for electrolysis of water is greater than zero for these
reactions. This can be found using the G=-nFE equation from chemical kinetics, where n is the moles of
electrons and F is the Faraday constant. The reaction cannot occur without adding necessary energy,
usually supplied by an external electrical power source.

Electrolyte selection
If the above described processes occur in pure water, H+ cations will accumulate at the anode and OH−
anions will accumulate at the cathode. This can be verified by adding a pH indicator to the water: the water
near the anode is acidic while the water near the cathode is basic. These charged ions will repel the further
flow of electricity until they have diffused away, a slow process. This is why pure water conducts electricity
poorly and why electrolysis of pure water proceeds slowly.

If a water-soluble electrolyte is added, the conductivity of the water rises considerably. The electrolyte
disassociates into cations and anions; the anions rush towards the anode and neutralize the buildup of
positively charged H+ there; similarly, the cations rush towards the cathode and neutralize the buildup of
negatively charged OH− there. This allows the continued flow of electricity.

Care must be taken in choosing an electrolyte, since an anion from the electrolyte is in competition with the
hydroxide ions to give up an electron. An electrolyte anion with less standard electrode potential than
hydroxide will be oxidized instead of the hydroxide, and no oxygen gas will be produced. A cation with a
greater standard electrode potential than a hydrogen ion will be reduced in its stead, and no hydrogen gas
will be produced.

The following cations have lower electrode potential than H+ and are therefore suitable for use as
electrolyte cations: Li+, Rb+, K+, Cs+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+, Na+, and Mg2+. Sodium and lithium are frequently
used, as they form inexpensive, soluble salts.

If an acid is used as the electrolyte, the cation is H+, and there is no competitor for the H+ created by
disassociating water. The most commonly used anion is sulfate (SO42-), as it is very difficult to oxidize, with
the standard potential for oxidation of this ion to the peroxodisulfate ion being −0.22 volts.

Strong acids such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and strong bases such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), and
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) are frequently used as electrolytes.

A solid polymer electrolyte can also be used such as NAFION and when applied with a special catalyst on
each side of the membrane can efficiently split the water molecule with as little as 1.8 Volts.

Applications
About four percent of hydrogen gas produced worldwide is created by electrolysis. The majority of this
hydrogen produced through electrolysis is a side product in the production of chlorine. This is a prime
example of a competing side reactions.

2 NaCl + 2 H2O → Cl2 + H2 + 2 NaOH

The electrolysis of brine (saltwater), a water sodium chloride mixture, is only half the electrolysis of water
since the chloride ions are oxidized to chlorine rather than water being oxidized to oxygen. The hydrogen
produced from this process is either burned, used for the production of specialty chemicals, or various other
small scale applications.

The majority of hydrogen used industrially is derived from fossil fuels. One example is fossil fuel derived
hydrogen used for the creation of ammonia for fertilizer via the Haber process and for converting heavy
petroleum sources to lighter fractions via hydrocracking. The production of this hydrogen usually involves
the formation of synthesis gas a mixture of H2 and CO. Synthesis gas can be hydrogen enriched through
the water gas shift reaction. In this reaction the carbon monoxide is reacted with water to produce more H2
with CO2 byproduct.

Efficiency
Water electrolysis does not convert 100% of the electrical energy into the chemical energy of hydrogen. The
process requires more extreme potentials than what would be expected based on the cell's total reversible
reduction potentials. This excess potential accounts for various forms of overpotential by which the extra
energy is eventually lost as heat. For a well designed cell the largest overpotential is the reaction
overpotential for the four electron oxidation of water to oxygen at the anode. An effective electrocatalyst to
facilitate this reaction has not been developed. Platinum alloys are the default state of the art for this
oxidation. The reverse reaction, the reduction of oxygen to water, is responsible for the greatest loss of
efficiency in fuel cells. Developing a cheap effective electrocatalyst for this reaction would be a great
advance.

The simpler two-electron reaction to produce hydrogen at the cathode can be electrocatalyzed with almost
no reaction overpotential by platinum or in theory a hydrogenase enzyme. If other, less effective, materials
are used for the cathode then another large overpotential must be paid.

The energy efficiency of water electrolysis varies widely with the numbers cited below on the optimistic side.
Some report 50–80% These values refer only to the efficiency of converting electrical energy into hydrogen's
chemical energy. The energy lost in generating the electricity is not included. For instance, when
considering a power plant that converts the heat of nuclear reactions into hydrogen via electrolysis, the total
efficiency may be closer to 30–45%.

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The Toilet That Can Help Solve Our Water and Energy Problems

2010-01-05T23:02:00.000+08:00

There is a 'toilet revolution' taking shape -- and it may be coming just in time.

Upwards of 3 million people die annually from diarrhea, dysentery, and parasitic diseases -- all for the want of clean water. Meanwhile, each year in the water-rich United States, 2.1 billion gallons of the world's most precious liquid are used, not to water thirsty crops or slake parched throats, but to flush human waste from home toilets to municipal sewers. While harvesting rainwater and recycling graywater are fine strategies, it's time to get to the seat of the problem. We need a Toilet Revolution.

As frequently happens, the solution to this modern problem can be found in the recent past -- and the Third World present. Jeff Conant, author of The Community Guide to Environmental Health, has traveled the world in search of the perfect "waterless toilet." He found it in the Mexican town of Tepotzlan, which boasts hundreds of "non-traditional waterless" eco-loos. In the 1980s, Tepotzlan's innovators got a boost when former UNICEFworker Ron Sawyer settled in to help the locals design a new generation of "eco-san" toilets.

While the practice of using human waste as fertilizer is as old as humanity itself, Tepotzlan's eco-sanistas marked an engineering watershed when they found a way to separate feces from urine. A locally designed toilet seat harvests the fluids while allowing the solid wastes to fall into a dry compost toilet. (Not such a strange idea: The human body is designed to send solid and liquid wastes in opposite directions.) One immediate result of separating pee from poo is the elimination of the unpleasant aromas associated with the traditional outhouse.

While installing waterless toilets in high-rise apartments might raise certain engineering challenges, "urine-separating dry toilets" are being adopted around the world -- from South Africa, Peru, Cuba, and India to the United States, where composting waterless toilets can be purchased online. There are several to choose from, including Biolet, Envirolet, Sun-Mar, the venerable-sounding Clivus Multrum, and the EcoJohn (an "incinerating toilet" that's being used in US homes and military camps). Most sell for around $1,500. Home Depot lists a Biolet for $1,400 (about the price of a new fridge). The Nature's Head urine-separating dry toilet (designed by sailors for onboard use) is a bargain, priced at $850.

Dry-compost toilets not only conserve water, they also protect rivers and oceans. By circumventing modern sewers, dry-compost toilets avoid diverting nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate-rich wastes from the land (where they would enrich the soil) to rivers and oceans, where they cause algal blooms, oxygen-robbing eutrophication, and oceanic "dead zones."

The first flush of the Toilet Revolution was heard in Orange County, of all places. In 1997, San Diego announced plans to have a "Toilet-to-Tap" system up and running by 2001. In 1998, California's governor signed a law directing the state to evaluate the potential of recycling the post-toilet flow to "ensure that any water produced by these systems meets the identical standards that our drinking water does now." While San Diego's filtration system successfully reduced contaminants to the same level as "untreated fresh water," many people had trouble swallowing the idea of sipping treated waste water, even though toilet-to-tap is a proven, Space-Age technology. For decades, America's orbiting astronauts have thrived by drinking their own urine, recycled endlessly through space shuttle filtration systems.

There's another powerful reason to separate and recycle urine. It turns out that urine -- the world's most abundant waste -- could become the "fuel of the future." Ohio University researcher Geradine Botte has developed a catalyst that can extract hydrogen fuel from urine. While it takes 1.23 volts to split two hydrogen atoms from H2O, it only takes 0.37 volts to strip four hydrogen atoms from a urea molecule. That's twice as much hydrogen for one-third the effort. The Royal Society of Chemistry's journal, Chemical Communications, confirms Botte's discovery: "While water is an increasingly limited essential resource," the journal notes, "there will never be a lack of urine."

Existing nickel electrode technology can be easily scaled up to produce hydrogen from the effluent of today's sewage treatment plants. As Botte notes: "We do not need to reinvent the wheel." But tomorrow's water-smart homeowners will need to adapt. There will be one more container to add to the line-up for weekly curbside pick-up -- the urine bin.

Solving two problems for the price of one is a rare deal, especially when tankless toilets will start paying back the investment immediately as household water use falls by one-third. Sometimes, relief can come from surprising places. If this all pans out, we may need to replace the phrase "piss-poor" with "urine-rich."

Source: Link

2011 Mercedes-Benz B-class F-Cell - First Drive Review

2009-12-31T15:00:00.001+08:00

Mercedes refines its fuel-cell technology and plans to put it in the hands of U.S. consumers.

This May, the Mercedes-Benz B-class F-Cell will be the second fuel-cell-powered car to be delivered to consumers (Honda’s FCX Claritybeing the first). What you may not know is that Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer to produce a fuel-call vehicle. Dubbed NECAR (new electric car), it debuted in 1994 and was a single-seat van. Its fuel cell, battery pack, electric drive unit, and associated control devices took up all the interior space, making the van impractical for consumers, or just about anything other than research and marketing.

By 1999, Mercedes-Benz had shrunk the size of its system enough so that it could fit in the sandwich-floor architecture of the A-class. That version never made it to production, but in 2004, 10 Berlin residents were given fuel-cell-powered A-classes to drive. Those vehicles were direct precursors to the 2011 B-class featured here.

Did You Sleep Through Science Class?

The B-class is based on the A-class architecture. The aforementioned sandwich design (a hollow void beneath the cabin floor that, among other things, funnels the engine below the passengers in a frontal collision) makes it an ideal candidate for alternative powertrains, as it provides a place to put some of the technology. This B-class actually has identical interior dimensions to its gas- and diesel-powered brethren. The only noticeably difference inside is the lack of a moveable cargo shelf; the shelf is locked in the higher (normal to the untrained eye) position to make room for the battery pack.

What makes this B-class F-Cell a zero-emissions car is its polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Yes, it’s a mouthful. The simple explanation is that the fuel cell converts high-pressure hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2, gathered from the air) into electrical energy and water (H2O). It is some fancy chemistry, but it boils down to reverse electrolysis. If you recall junior-high science, when an electric current is introduced to H20, the result is H2 and O2. For the fuel cell to produce energy and H2O, H2 is fed through a membrane that allows H2 protons, but not H2 electrons, to pass. Those protons join with the O2 on the far side of the membrane to complete H20, and the leftover H2 electrons (once the poles are aligned) generate an electrical current, thus powering the vehicle’s electric motor. Got that? If not, just remember it is reverse electrolysis, and you’ll survive a conversation with anyone holding a liberal-arts degree.

Actually moving the B-class F-Cell from point A to point B is a 134-hp electric motor coupled to a single-speed, direct-drive transmission. On start-up the motor gets its juice to move from a 1.4-kWh lithium-ion battery array. The battery cells are the same as those used in Mercedes’ own S400 hybrid, although there are many more of them here. The fuel cell kicks in at about 7 mph, delivering the needed wattage. The changeover is undetectable unless one is staring at the energy-flow display readout (similar to any hybrid’s display). Both the fuel cell and battery will supply juice simultaneously, but only for brief moments, like when passing on the highway. It is similar to an overboost feature on a turbocharged engine. You can engage the battery boost by tripping the kickdown detent in the accelerator and the extra grunt can be felt.

Lease Now, Maybe Buy Later

California will get the majority of the 70 or so F-Cell Bs slated for the U.S., with some ending up in Washington D.C., too. The first will be on the road in May. Mercedes is following the Honda approach to fuel-cell ownership: You can’t own one, at least for now. All of the B-classes will be leased (all maintenance and non-accident repairs included) for about the cost of a nicely optioned C-class. That translates to a monthly payment of around $800 –$1000, which is quite a bit more than the $600 per month commanded by the Clarity. Also, Mercedes is not sure how many individuals will be getting a B-class. The company wants to have as many people drive the cars as possible and it hopes to have a majority of the U.S. allotment in fleets. So the LAX Hertz may get a couple to rent.

The hydrogen infrastructure is one of the biggest limiting factors to getting hydrogen-powered cars into the garages of the masses. This car’s three 10,153-psi carbon-fiber tanks (total capacity is 8.2 pounds) require H2 flow of about 11,600 psi to top off in about three minutes. By comparison, the FCX stores H2 at 5000 psi, a pressure more hydrogen stations can operate at, meaning there are more available refueling locations. The Merc’s range is about 250 miles in combined driving situations, so owners won’t want to travel too far from a suitable filling station; 11 such stations are planned for the Los Angeles area by the end of 2010. Mercedes claims there will be 40 stations of this type by 2015. That’s good, because it also plans to sell—yes sell, not just lease—fuel-cell vehicles in the U.S. by 2015. We’ll believe that when we see it.

Still a Real Car

The utility of the hatchback makes sense to us, but most of our fellow Americans wouldn’t be caught dead in one. Perhaps this B-class’s advanced tech could sway them. The high roofline allows for good front and rear headroom, and there is enough space in the back seat for two adults; three could squeeze in on a short trip. As stated before, cargo space is slightly limited when compared with a regular B-class, but there is plenty of room for a four-person weekend getaway.

Driving the F-Cell is relatively benign. There are no weird actuator sounds, no beeps. And there will be no gimmicky clean-energy slogans slathered across the doors, like those on our test car in Europe. The car weighs roughly 3750 pounds (about 550 pounds more than a standard internal-combustion B-class) and it accelerates like any small European compact—slowly by U.S. standards. The power-to-weight ratio is slightly worse than the FCX’s, so 0-to-60-mph runs in the mid nines are expected, as are quarter-mile runs in the high 17s. But the low-end torque (max torque is available at 0 rpm) makes it fell rather peppy. Fully electric steering comes without any real feel, but none was expected. The F-Cell uses regenerative braking and this usually makes for a totally limp-feeling and nonlinear brake pedal. But brake feel, though light, is surprisingly smooth and linear, especially when we compare it to the pedal in the S400. Around town, the car is eerily silent, with just a little hum from the motor.

Abundant Energy

So where does hydrogen come from? Well, it’s the most abundant element in the universe. It’s in the air we breathe. A bunch of it burned up in the Hindenburg. And some of the H2 Americans will be fueling their cars with will come from H2 farming locations. The cleanest of these use renewable energy, like wind, to power the collectors. Hydrogen is also a byproduct of some biomass manufacturing processes. There is enough produced to power around 750,000 cars per year, so Mercedes has a long way to go if they want to use up all that byproduct H2. The first step is making the technology affordable, but if the inventor of the automobile ends up making production cars powered by fuel cells, then the technology is likely here to stay.
Source: Link

Can Aluminum Make Hydrogen Real?

2009-12-31T14:53:00.000+08:00

Hydrogen may not be dead after all. Keep that hate mail coming.

Hydrogen is a dream fuel that's a nightmare to make.

Most companies currently produce it by cracking methane molecules, a process that requires large amounts of energy and generates 9.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide for every kilogram of hydrogen. Cracking water molecules with electricity also consumes a lot of power. Transporting hydrogen, the smallest molecule out there, is also difficult.

Some researchers, though, believe that hydrogen could be economically generated through chemical catalysis and the latest one is AlumiFuel Power. AlumiFuel says it can generate 1,000 liters of hydrogen in 20 minutes by mixing water with two 32-ounce cans of aluminum powder and other additives. The reaction between the water and the aluminum and chemical powders creates the hydrogen. (Aluminum has a strong urge to react with oxygen, which is why aluminum powder gets used as an accelerant in rocket fuel.) Carbon dioxide does not get produced in the reaction.

AlumiFuel will begin delivering its PBIS-1000 generator to customers in early 2010.

The PBIS generator was originally created to inflate weather balloons, but the hydrogen can also be used in fuel cells, according to the company. As an added bonus, the cans of catalysts don't need to be pressurized and external power sources are not required to generate the reaction. That cuts down distribution headaches: cans of aluminum powders can be delivered to filling stations instead of raw hydrogen gas.

The catalyst crowd is small but determined. Purdue University professor Jerry Woodall has discovered a way to make hydrogen out of a reaction of water and an alloy of aluminum and gallium. Mixing water and pellets made up of the alloy in a tank can produce fuel for a small engine or a car. Woodall discovered the process in 1967 and started to move toward commercialization two years ago. Signa Chemistry has a hydrogen catalyst based around sodium. Other researchers have identified microbes that can produce hydrogen with sunlight and water. The downside: some species of bugs die in the presence of the oxygen. Oxygen, of course, gets released when water breaks down into hydrogen and oxygen.

Is it an uphill battle? Yes. Critics of government-funded initiatives often hold up he hydrogen car program sponsored by the Department of Energy as an example of why the government shouldn't get involved in sponsoring technologies.

"The present hydrogen fuel cells are losers," Nobel prize winner Burton Richter told us earlier this year and he provided a list of cogent, sound reasons.

The cost of generating hydrogen in mass production through catalysis also must be established. Woodall has said it could be competitive with $3 a gallon gas, but cheap hydrogen is a big part of his life's work.

Still, many car companies, particularly Toyota, still hold out the idea that hydrogen could play an essential role in transportation in the 2020s. That's further out that earlier estimates, but the technology is not simple and the potential benefits remain large. Fuel cell cars can be recharged in minutes (compared to hours for a battery-powered car) and the fuel cell stack weighs far less than a lithium ion battery pack, increasing range and performance.

Source: Link

Mohave Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

2009-12-30T14:23:00.000+08:00

What is the next-generation power source that will replace the internal combustion engine? At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, many pointed to the electric vehicle. However, prominent global automakers are still hard at work to find the answer to that question. Kia Motors is making progress to commercialize the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

On December 1, the test drive car of Mohave FCEV was unveiled at Kia’s domestic sales headquarters in Seoul’s Apgujeong-dong. Present at the unveiling were five consumers chosen for the test drive among 17,800 applicants. They were joined by local movie star Yu Ji-tae, lawmaker Won Hee-ryong and Lee Joon-hyun, president of Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning. The test drive will last for six months during which engineers will identify and make necessary corrections. Free charging will be available at six hydrogen charging stations in the Seoul metropolitan area.

In June, Kia Motors took part in the Hydrogen Road Tour 2009 in the US. Kia Borrego FCEV successfully completed the 2,655km course from San Diego in the US to Vancouver in Canada.

Several issues still have to be addressed for FCEV commercialization. They include the possibility of hydrogen leaks, charging time and building the infrastructure (hydrogen stations). The safety of Mohave FCEV has been proven through crash and fire testing, while the charging time is under five minutes, similar to diesel or gasoline cars. However, the necessary infrastructure has yet to be completed which relies on governments, energy companies, lobbying groups and citizens.

In terms of driving performance, the Mohave FCEV doesn’t pale compared to cars with an internal combustion engine. It has a maximum power of 110Kw/147hp (torque: 300Nm) and maximum speed of 163km/hr. It has a 0->60mph acceleration time of 12.5 seconds and can run 454km on a single charge under 350bar pressure.(From the video below, the Mohave FCEV can go 685Km on a single charge under 700 bar pressure). I had a chance to drive the Mohave FCEV. Like a car running on an electric motor, it was quiet and accelerating power was better than expected. Mohave FCEV is so quiet that it may even seem a little dull to drivers like me who enjoy the powerful roar of an internal combustion engine and exhaust sound.

Kia plans to begin small-scale production in 2012, with full-fledged production slated from 2015. The price tag will be about KRW50 million($50,000). It seems that zero emission cars of our dreams will soon become reality.

For promotional video of the Kia FCEV, refer to: Youtube Video

Source of the report: Link

Hydrogen-Powered Fuel Cell Unmanned Air Vehicle Sets 26-Hour Flight Endurance Record

2009-12-01T10:51:00.000+08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2009) — The Naval Research Laboratory's Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV), has flown 26 hours and 1 minute carrying a 5-pound payload, setting another unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight. The test flight took place on November 16th through 17th.

The electric fuel cell propulsion system onboard the Ion Tiger has the low noise and signature of a battery-powered UAV, while taking advantage of hydrogen, a high-energy fuel. Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and heat. The 550 Watt (0.75 horsepower) fuel cell onboard the Ion Tiger has about four times the efficiency of a comparable internal combustion engine and the system provides seven times the energy in the equivalent weight of batteries. The Ion Tiger weighs approximately 37 pounds and carries a 4- to 5-pound payload.

The Ion Tiger fuel cell system development team is led by NRL and includes Protonex Technology Corporation, HyperComp Engineering, and Arcturus UAV. The program is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

This latest flight test improves on Ion Tiger's previous unofficial flight endurance record of 23 hours and 17 minutes that took place on October 9th and 10th.

NRL has now demonstrated that PEM fuel cell technology can meet or surpass the performance of traditional power systems, providing reliable, quiet operation and extremely high efficiency. Next steps will focus on increasing the power of the fuel cell to 1.5 kW, or 2 HP, to enable tactical flights and extending flight times to 3 days while powering tactical payloads.

Source: Link

Fuel Cell Robot

2009-11-27T15:47:00.002+08:00

Fuel Cell, as a power generator, is largely attracting military researchers not because of its zero-emission, or eco-friendliness, but because of its almost absolute zero silence during operation. Sub-marines, under several hundred meters below water are prone to sound and heat detectors. Fuel Cells are enabling them to work in STEALTH mode.

Robots are another application for Fuel Cell makers.

A company named GEAR-EDS has renovated their incumbent GEARS SMP (Surface Mobility Platform) with Heliocentris 50 W Constructor Kit. From the picture it is evident that the hydrogen fuel storage was made by Ovonic WORKS, which specializes in low pressure Metal Hydride Hydrogen Storage. Not only is this robot the coolest looking robot, it is also extremely functional and robust.

For further information on Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Storage, refer to: Link

Swarthmore College Fuel Cell Vehicle Research

2009-11-27T14:57:00.002+08:00

Two guys, namely Alex Bell and Andres Pacheco of Swarthmore College, have put together a nifty looking Fuel Cell bike, an addition to ever increasing fuel cell applications. Pictures speak thousand words, take a look at these photos, judgment is up to you.

Andres (left), Alex (right), and Motorcycle in front of Parish Hall

PROJECT SUMMARY

The main goal of the project was to design and build a functional hydrogen fuel cell motorcycle. The vehicle will be used as a point of comparison to other technologies in terms of efficiency, range, speed, etc and help evaluate the viability of a hydrogen economy by providing real world data.

Q and A

Is 1.2kw(1.6hp) enough to propel a motorcycle?
In short no. The performance with which the average motorcycle rider demands from their bikes is much more than be supplied by a 1.6hp source especially in a 400 pound vehicle. When we designed the vehicle we knew that the performance would be less than that of an electric bicycle or restricted moped. However the data on efficiency that we collect as well as experience in the design of the vehicle can all be scaled up to larger more practical designs. We wish we could have built a hydrogen power sport bike, but the cost and present commercial options are just not available yet. The design can also be viewed as accomplishing more with less, consider that the walk behind lawn mowers for sale at home depot have over 6HP. That is almost 4 times the power that we are using in the motorcycle. The reason the performance of the motorcycle with such little power is possible highlights one of the strengths of electric vehicles which is high efficiency and constant torque over a wide rpm range.

What is the total cost of the vehicle?
The total cost of the vehicle was around 10,000 dollars with the vast majority of the price being the fuel cell unit.

What will happen to the motorcycle when you are finished?
The motorcycle will be dissembled in march of 2009. The fuel cell unit will go into a class demonstration unit which will be used for heat transfer and energy conversion experiments. The motor and controller will be used in future electric vehicles.

Is the motorcycle street legal?
No. We have not added the necessary safety and lighting gear or bothered with insurance and government licensing. As such it is ridden solely on private property.

When will I be able to purchase a fuel cell vehicle?
We don’t know. However, we can say that there are many positive features of fuel cell vehicles which will increase their popularity in the future. The two biggest positives are zero emissions and greater vehicle efficiency than internal combustion engines. However there are still many serious technical but mostly economic answers which may permanently prevent the implementation of fuel cell vehicles. The two biggest problems are the creation of a hydrogen refueling and production infrastructure which is cheaper and cleaner than other propulsion alternatives.

Who We Are

Alex Bell is a senior at Swarthmore College majoring in Engineering. His interests are in vehicle efficiency and more specifically power electronics.

Andres Pacheco is from Caracas,

Venezuela

and is a senior at Swarthmore College majoring in Engineering and Economics. His interests are in alternative energies and vehicle efficiency.

For further information, visit: Link

Intro

2009-11-27T14:24:00.001+08:00

It has been once been written on FuelEconomy.gov that:

Although they are not expected to reach the mass market before 2010, fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) may someday revolutionize on-road transportation.

This emerging technology has the potential to significantly reduce energy use and harmful emissions, as well as our dependence on foreign oil. FCVs will have other benefits as well.

A Radical Departure

FCVs represent a radical departure from vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Like battery-electric vehicles, FCVs are propelled by electric motors. But while battery electric vehicles use electricity from an external source (and store it in a battery), FCVs create their own electricity. Fuel cells onboard the vehicle create electricity through a chemical process using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air.

Meeting Challenges Together

Before FCVs make it to your local auto dealer, significant research and development is required to reduce cost and improve performance. We must also find effective and efficient ways to produce and store hydrogen and other fuels.

Main goals of FC cars and trucks developers are:

Cheaper to operate
Pollution-free
Competitively priced
Free from imported oil vehicle design and development.

Text source: Link

But 2010 is not far from now. Has there been any initiative that fully addressed commercialization of FCVs?

I have mentioned several times on this blog that only Research and Development of new technology is not enough for product penetration. It should be demonstrated to the public to build solid image, or presence among average users. DEMO marketing has become key to new technology penetration.

Fuel Cell Basics

2009-11-27T13:39:00.003+08:00

Nowadays everyone is talking about Fuel Cells, when faced with alternative, clean energy source debates. It is almost a sin not have basic understanding of fuel cell technology. Here is a simple introduction of fuel cell, taken from Link

What is a fuel cell?
A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, one positive and one negative, called, respectively, the anode and cathode. The reactions that produce electricity take place at the electrodes.
Every fuel cell also has an electrolyte, which carries electrically charged particles from one electrode to the other, and a catalyst, which speeds the reactions at the electrodes.
Hydrogen is the basic fuel, but fuel cells also require oxygen. One great appeal of fuel cells is that they generate electricity with very little pollution—much of the hydrogen and oxygen used in generating electricity ultimately combine to form a harmless byproduct, namely water.
One detail of terminology: a single fuel cell generates a tiny amount of direct current (DC) electricity. In practice, many fuel cells are usually assembled into a stack. Cell or stack, the principles are the same.

How do fuel cells work?
The purpose of a fuel cell is to produce an electrical current that can be directed outside the cell to do work, such as powering an electric motor or illuminating a light bulb or a city. Because of the way electricity behaves, this current returns to the fuel cell, completing an electrical circuit. (To learn more about electricity and electric power, visit “Throw The Switch” on the Smithsonian website Powering a Generation of Change.) The chemical reactions that produce this current are the key to how a fuel cell works.
There are several kinds of fuel cells, and each operates a bit differently. But in general terms, hydrogen atoms enter a fuel cell at the anode where a chemical reaction strips them of their electrons. The hydrogen atoms are now “ionized,” and carry a positive electrical charge. The negatively charged electrons provide the current through wires to do work. If alternating current (AC) is needed, the DC output of the fuel cell must be routed through a conversion device called an inverter.

Graphic by Marc Marshall, Schatz Energy Research Center

Oxygen enters the fuel cell at the cathode and, in some cell types (like the one illustrated above), it there combines with electrons returning from the electrical circuit and hydrogen ions that have traveled through the electrolyte from the anode. In other cell types the oxygen picks up electrons and then travels through the electrolyte to the anode, where it combines with hydrogen ions.
The electrolyte plays a key role. It must permit only the appropriate ions to pass between the anode and cathode. If free electrons or other substances could travel through the electrolyte, they would disrupt the chemical reaction.
Whether they combine at anode or cathode, together hydrogen and oxygen form water, which drains from the cell. As long as a fuel cell is supplied with hydrogen and oxygen, it will generate electricity.
Even better, since fuel cells create electricity chemically, rather than by combustion, they are not subject to the thermodynamic laws that limit a conventional power plant (see “Carnot Limit” in the glossary). Therefore, fuel cells are more efficient in extracting energy from a fuel. Waste heat from some cells can also be harnessed, boosting system efficiency still further.

So why can’t I go out and buy a fuel cell?
The basic workings of a fuel cell may not be difficult to illustrate. But building inexpensive, efficient, reliable fuel cells is a far more complicated business.
Scientists and inventors have designed many different types and sizes of fuel cells in the search for greater efficiency, and the technical details of each kind vary. Many of the choices facing fuel cell developers are constrained by the choice of electrolyte. The design of electrodes, for example, and the materials used to make them depend on the electrolyte. Today, the main electrolyte types are alkali, molten carbonate, phosphoric acid, proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide. The first three are liquid electrolytes; the last two are solids.
The type of fuel also depends on the electrolyte. Some cells need pure hydrogen, and therefore demand extra equipment such as a “reformer” to purify the fuel. Other cells can tolerate some impurities, but might need higher temperatures to run efficiently. Liquid electrolytes circulate in some cells, which requires pumps. The type of electrolyte also dictates a cell’s operating temperature–“molten” carbonate cells run hot, just as the name implies.
Each type of fuel cell has advantages and drawbacks compared to the others, and none is yet cheap and efficient enough to widely replace traditional ways of generating power, such coal-fired, hydroelectric, or even nuclear power plants.
The following list describes the five main types of fuel cells. More detailed information can be found in those specific areas of this site.

Different types of fuel cells.

Drawing of an alkali cell.

Alkali fuel cells operate on compressed hydrogen and oxygen. They generally use a solution of potassium hydroxide (chemically, KOH) in water as their electrolyte. Efficiency is about 70 percent, and operating temperature is 150 to 200 degrees C, (about 300 to 400 degrees F). Cell output ranges from 300 watts (W) to 5 kilowatts (kW). Alkali cells were used in Apollo spacecraft to provide both electricity and drinking water. They require pure hydrogen fuel, however, and their platinum electrode catalysts are expensive. And like any container filled with liquid, they can leak.

Drawing of a molten carbonate cell

Molten Carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) use high-temperature compounds of salt (like sodium or magnesium) carbonates (chemically, CO₃) as the electrolyte. Efficiency ranges from 60 to 80 percent, and operating temperature is about 650 degrees C (1,200 degrees F). Units with output up to 2 megawatts (MW) have been constructed, and designs exist for units up to 100 MW. The high temperature limits damage from carbon monoxide "poisoning" of the cell and waste heat can be recycled to make additional electricity. Their nickel electrode-catalysts are inexpensive compared to the platinum used in other cells. But the high temperature also limits the materials and safe uses of MCFCs—they would probably be too hot for home use. Also, carbonate ions from the electrolyte are used up in the reactions, making it necessary to inject carbon dioxide to compensate.

Phosphoric Acid fuel cells (PAFC) use phosphoric acid as the electrolyte. Efficiency ranges from 40 to 80 percent, and operating temperature is between 150 to 200 degrees C (about 300 to 400 degrees F). Existing phosphoric acid cells have outputs up to 200 kW, and 11 MW units have been tested. PAFCs tolerate a carbon monoxide concentration of about 1.5 percent, which broadens the choice of fuels they can use. If gasoline is used, the sulfur must be removed. Platinum electrode-catalysts are needed, and internal parts must be able to withstand the corrosive acid.

Drawing of how both phosphoric acid and PEM fuel cells operate.

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells work with a polymer electrolyte in the form of a thin, permeable sheet. Efficiency is about 40 to 50 percent, and operating temperature is about 80 degrees C (about 175 degrees F). Cell outputs generally range from 50 to 250 kW. The solid, flexible electrolyte will not leak or crack, and these cells operate at a low enough temperature to make them suitable for homes and cars. But their fuels must be purified, and a platinum catalyst is used on both sides of the membrane, raising costs.

Drawing of a solid oxide cell

Solid Oxide fuel cells (SOFC) use a hard, ceramic compound of metal (like calcium or zirconium) oxides (chemically, O₂) as electrolyte. Efficiency is about 60 percent, and operating temperatures are about 1,000 degrees C (about 1,800 degrees F). Cells output is up to 100 kW. At such high temperatures a reformer is not required to extract hydrogen from the fuel, and waste heat can be recycled to make additional electricity. However, the high temperature limits applications of SOFC units and they tend to be rather large. While solid electrolytes cannot leak, they can crack.
More detailed information about each fuel cell type, including histories and current applications, can be found on their specific parts of this site. We have also provided a glossary of technical terms–a link is provided at the top of each technology page.

123 move towards hydrogen

2009-11-24T11:13:00.004+08:00

It all started with FIRE!

Fuel: We - naked apes - started to burn Wood, Coal, Petroleum, Uranium to retrieve HEAT.

Energy Transformation: Steam Turbine, Internal Combustion Engine , Nuclear Reactor, Electric Generators...they all transform different types of energy (thermal, chemical, mechanical) from one to another by resulting Torque (A term added to auto industry by Top Gear Head - Jeremy Clarkson) and Electricity.
Each transformation is subjected to energy loss.

All in all, BURNING has become basic human instinct.

Finite fuel resource & Green house gas are the main factors of Fossil Fuel Depletion & Global Warming. Quest for clean, renewable energy source "Renewable Energy" has lead to

researches on Wind Turbine, Solar Panel, Wave Turbine, Biomass...

BUT they are not readily available - no place on earth gives 24hours of direct sunlight or continuous wind blows.

Therefore, Clean, Safe, Renewable, Abundant Back Up Power's Required.

Fuel Cell: H2 + O2 = Electricity + H2O

Electrolysis: H20 = H2 + O2

New Fuel: H2
75% of Universe’s Elemental Mass (abundant)

Clean, efficient burning (water vapor as by product, current technology up to 65% efficiency)

Lightest, smallest gaseous element (compression required for economic storage)

Flammable (safe storage required)

Exists in combinations (efficient production required)

Therefore, move to hydrogen era requires careful planning of hydrogen infrastructure (storage, refilling stations, safety regulations), down to earth applications of hydrogen, government subsidies and a little FAITH.

Hello World

2009-11-24T11:02:00.003+08:00

Dear energy conscious citizen of the world,

The environmental crisis is affecting us more obviously than financial crisis. News about Tsunami, Earthquake, Typhoon, Hurricane, Flu, Flood, Deforestation, and Desertification bombard us everyday. Yet we pay more attention to stock market changes than environmental changes. Energy industry is looking for feasible alternative fuel sources and hydrogen is one of the most promising energy carriers that will lead to incremental energy transition since late 19^th century transition from coal toward oil.

Innovative technologies on emission reduction are being tested and advertised all around the world, but most of them are still in the R&D phase, far away from real life application. Any Research and Developed activity needs Demonstration to be put to practice, but due to internet information clutter regularly do we ignore these findings, dragging the technology backwards.

What if there is a way to put an end into both financial and environmental crisis through redistribution of reserved world wealth by letting everyone participate in the creation of hydrogen economy? It is vital to be fully educated when the actual transition takes place.

Allow us to armor you with the most up date knowledge of hydrogen related technology, and move this industry forward in unison.

Stay tuned to the channel. Over the next few issues, we have scheduled to discuss:

1. The most efficient Sun Engine made possible by hydrogen

2. Hydrogen powered Steam turbine

3. Hydrogen, gasoline mixed fuel burning – the fastest way of increasing gas mileage

4. Hydrogen Burning Stoves

5. Spinning the world with 10L hydrogen

6. Hydrogen production

7. Be the power plant yourself

8. Cheap ways of purifying hydrogen

9. Comparing hydrogen storing methods

10. Most affordable fuel cells

Let’s “spin” the world with energy literacy and prosper from the fruits of its “torque”.