This literature review examines the viability of a hydrogen economy and addresses barriers to hydrogen fuel technology. The key barrier identified is hydrogen storage. Various storage methods are discussed, including high-pressure gas storage, liquid storage, chemical storage, and storage in porous solids, but each presents challenges like high pressures or low temperatures needed. Studies of hydrogen bus fleets show some success but high costs. Cost analyses of hydrogen vehicles show conflicting results, with estimates both above and below gasoline costs. Government support for hydrogen is discussed, but implementation has been greater in other countries than the US. There is disagreement around hydrogen's environmental impacts. The review identifies questions around implementing a hydrogen bus fleet at the University of Colorado as potential topics for further research.
Raj Vachhani's document discusses solar power plants. It describes two main methods of solar power generation: photovoltaic and concentrated solar power. Photovoltaic uses solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity, while concentrated solar power uses mirrors to focus sunlight and heat a liquid to create steam to power turbines. The document also outlines the basic components of solar power systems, including solar panels, batteries, controllers, and inverters. It discusses the working principles and applications of solar energy generation.
The document discusses hydroelectric power systems and their components. It explains that hydroelectric power harnesses the kinetic energy of flowing water to turn turbines that generate electricity. It describes the main components of hydropower dams including penstocks, surge tanks, turbines, power houses, draft tubes and tail races. It also discusses different types of hydroelectric schemes based on water head, including low, medium and high head plants.
Basic layout, elements, advantages, disadvantages of hydro electric power plant, multi purpose hydro project, types of hydro electric power plant, types of turbine
This document provides information on hydroelectric power plants. It discusses the essential components which include a catchment area, reservoir, dam, intake house, waterways, power house, and tailrace. It describes the different types of dams and turbines used. Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy since water is continuously available from rainfall and rivers. While hydroelectric power plants have many advantages like low operating costs, they also have disadvantages such as high initial costs and reduced power production during drought seasons.
The Stirling engine was invented in 1816 by Robert Stirling as an alternative to steam engines due to their explosions. It works by alternately compressing and expanding a fixed quantity of air or other gas between a hot and cold section, driving a piston. There are three main types - alpha, beta, and gamma - distinguished by how they move the air between sections. Advantages include various heat sources, low pressure operation, and efficiency theoretically equal to Carnot efficiency. Applications include water pumps, solar power, micro-CHP, and cryocoolers.
MICRO PROJECT ON , HYDROELECTRICITY & HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT Al KAREEM SHAIKH
This document discusses hydroelectricity and hydroelectric power plants. It begins by providing background on hydroelectricity, noting that it generates 16.6% of the world's electricity through converting the potential energy of water into electricity. It then describes the basic construction and working of hydroelectric power plants. Dams are used to store water in a reservoir, which is then sent through a turbine to spin a generator and produce electricity. The document outlines the main types of hydroelectric power plants, including conventional dams, pumped storage, run-of-the-river, and tide power. Conventional dams have the largest reservoirs while run-of-the-river plants rely on continuous water flow without significant storage. Pumped storage involves pumping
This study offers an overview of the technologies for hydrogen production especially alkaline water electrolysis using solar energy. Solar Energy and Hydrogen (energy carrier) are possible replacement options for fossil fuel and its associated problems of availability and high prices which are devastating small, developing, oil-importing economies. But a major drawback to the full implementation of solar energy, in particular photovoltaic (PV), is the lowering of conversion efficiency of PV cells due to elevated cell temperatures while in operation. Also, hydrogen as an energy carrier must be produced in gaseous or liquid form before it can be used as fuel; but its‟ present major conversion process produces an abundance of carbon dioxide which is harming the environment through global warming. Alkaline water electrolysis is considered to be a basic technique for hydrogen production. In the present study, the effects of electrolyte concentration, solar insolation and space between the pair of electrodes on the amount of hydrogen produced and consequently on the overall electrolysis efficiency are experimentally investigated. The water electrolysis of potassium hydroxide aqueous solution was conducted under atmospheric pressure using stainless steel 316 as electrodes.
The experimental results showed that the performance of alkaline water electrolysis unit is dominated by operational parameters like the electrolyte concentration and the gap between the electrodes. Smaller gaps between the pair of electrodes and was demonstrated to produce higher rates of hydrogen at higher system efficiency
This study shows some attempts to product pure Hydrogen and pure Oxygen as both Hydrogen and Oxygen have there commercial demands.
This document provides an overview of different types of power plants including thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, gas, diesel, and non-conventional power plants. It describes the basic components and working principles of each type of power plant. For hydroelectric plants specifically, it explains the key features and applications of Pelton wheels, reaction turbines, Kaplan turbines, and Francis turbines. The document also provides details on ocean thermal energy conversion, wind power, tidal power, geothermal energy, and magnetohydrodynamic power generation.
Raj Vachhani's document discusses solar power plants. It describes two main methods of solar power generation: photovoltaic and concentrated solar power. Photovoltaic uses solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity, while concentrated solar power uses mirrors to focus sunlight and heat a liquid to create steam to power turbines. The document also outlines the basic components of solar power systems, including solar panels, batteries, controllers, and inverters. It discusses the working principles and applications of solar energy generation.
The document discusses hydroelectric power systems and their components. It explains that hydroelectric power harnesses the kinetic energy of flowing water to turn turbines that generate electricity. It describes the main components of hydropower dams including penstocks, surge tanks, turbines, power houses, draft tubes and tail races. It also discusses different types of hydroelectric schemes based on water head, including low, medium and high head plants.
Basic layout, elements, advantages, disadvantages of hydro electric power plant, multi purpose hydro project, types of hydro electric power plant, types of turbine
This document provides information on hydroelectric power plants. It discusses the essential components which include a catchment area, reservoir, dam, intake house, waterways, power house, and tailrace. It describes the different types of dams and turbines used. Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy since water is continuously available from rainfall and rivers. While hydroelectric power plants have many advantages like low operating costs, they also have disadvantages such as high initial costs and reduced power production during drought seasons.
The Stirling engine was invented in 1816 by Robert Stirling as an alternative to steam engines due to their explosions. It works by alternately compressing and expanding a fixed quantity of air or other gas between a hot and cold section, driving a piston. There are three main types - alpha, beta, and gamma - distinguished by how they move the air between sections. Advantages include various heat sources, low pressure operation, and efficiency theoretically equal to Carnot efficiency. Applications include water pumps, solar power, micro-CHP, and cryocoolers.
MICRO PROJECT ON , HYDROELECTRICITY & HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT Al KAREEM SHAIKH
This document discusses hydroelectricity and hydroelectric power plants. It begins by providing background on hydroelectricity, noting that it generates 16.6% of the world's electricity through converting the potential energy of water into electricity. It then describes the basic construction and working of hydroelectric power plants. Dams are used to store water in a reservoir, which is then sent through a turbine to spin a generator and produce electricity. The document outlines the main types of hydroelectric power plants, including conventional dams, pumped storage, run-of-the-river, and tide power. Conventional dams have the largest reservoirs while run-of-the-river plants rely on continuous water flow without significant storage. Pumped storage involves pumping
This study offers an overview of the technologies for hydrogen production especially alkaline water electrolysis using solar energy. Solar Energy and Hydrogen (energy carrier) are possible replacement options for fossil fuel and its associated problems of availability and high prices which are devastating small, developing, oil-importing economies. But a major drawback to the full implementation of solar energy, in particular photovoltaic (PV), is the lowering of conversion efficiency of PV cells due to elevated cell temperatures while in operation. Also, hydrogen as an energy carrier must be produced in gaseous or liquid form before it can be used as fuel; but its‟ present major conversion process produces an abundance of carbon dioxide which is harming the environment through global warming. Alkaline water electrolysis is considered to be a basic technique for hydrogen production. In the present study, the effects of electrolyte concentration, solar insolation and space between the pair of electrodes on the amount of hydrogen produced and consequently on the overall electrolysis efficiency are experimentally investigated. The water electrolysis of potassium hydroxide aqueous solution was conducted under atmospheric pressure using stainless steel 316 as electrodes.
The experimental results showed that the performance of alkaline water electrolysis unit is dominated by operational parameters like the electrolyte concentration and the gap between the electrodes. Smaller gaps between the pair of electrodes and was demonstrated to produce higher rates of hydrogen at higher system efficiency
This study shows some attempts to product pure Hydrogen and pure Oxygen as both Hydrogen and Oxygen have there commercial demands.
This document provides an overview of different types of power plants including thermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, gas, diesel, and non-conventional power plants. It describes the basic components and working principles of each type of power plant. For hydroelectric plants specifically, it explains the key features and applications of Pelton wheels, reaction turbines, Kaplan turbines, and Francis turbines. The document also provides details on ocean thermal energy conversion, wind power, tidal power, geothermal energy, and magnetohydrodynamic power generation.
This document provides an overview of a thermal power station. It begins with defining a thermal power station as a generating station that converts the heat energy from coal combustion into electrical energy. It then outlines the main components of a thermal power station in a block diagram and lists the main equipment, including the coal handling plant, pulverizing plant, boiler, turbine, alternator, condenser, and cooling towers. Each of the major equipment is then explained in more detail. Finally, the document discusses the advantages of thermal power stations in being able to use cheap fuel and their disadvantages in polluting the atmosphere.
Comenius Water for Life - presentation by Martyna Borek, Paulina Borek, Piotr Rzepka and Mateusz Kot - students of Gimnazjum Publiczne im. A. Wajdy w Rudnikach
The document discusses hydrogen fuel cells, including their history, working principles, types, and applications. It provides the following key points:
- Hydrogen fuel cells were discovered in 1838 and work by combining hydrogen and oxygen to efficiently produce electricity and water. This is done through an electrochemical process without combustion.
- There are several types of fuel cells including proton exchange membrane, phosphoric acid, solid oxide, and alkaline fuel cells, which differ in their electrolyte and operating temperatures.
- Fuel cells have many potential applications from transportation to backup power and are more efficient than combustion engines. They produce only water and heat as byproducts, making them a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.
The document is a seminar report on bladeless wind energy submitted by Ashish Kumar Saroj. It discusses the working principle of Vortex Bladeless wind turbines, which harness wind energy through vortex shedding without the use of blades. Vortex Bladeless turbines use an oscillating mast that enters resonance with vortices shed from the wind flow. This oscillation is used to generate electricity through an alternator system integrated into the base of the mast. The report outlines the key benefits of Vortex Bladeless turbines over conventional wind turbines, such as lower costs, reduced maintenance needs due to having no gears or moving parts, lower environmental impacts, and reduced impacts on wildlife.
A thermal power plant uses steam to generate electricity. Coal is burned in a boiler to produce steam, which spins a turbine connected to a generator. The steam is then condensed in a condenser and recycled to the boiler to repeat the process. The main components are the boiler, turbine, generator, condenser and cooling system. Thermal power plants have the advantages of low cost and reliability but also have the disadvantage of air pollution from coal combustion.
The document discusses considerations for power plant selection and operation. It covers factors that influence plant design like variable load conditions. Selection depends on available water, proximity to load centers and populations, and accessibility. Cost considerations include fuels, labor, maintenance, taxes, and profits. Depreciation methods include straight line, percentage, sinking fund, and unit. Plant selection involves transportation, raw materials, markets, incentives, climate, waste disposal, utilities, site preparation, construction, labor, taxes, and living conditions.
Hydroelectric power plants capture the kinetic energy of flowing water from a river or reservoir and convert it into electrical energy. These power plants are generally located in hilly areas where a dam can be constructed to form a reservoir. Water from the reservoir flows through penstocks and turbines, using the force of gravity and water pressure to turn the turbine blades. This kinetic energy is then converted into electrical energy by an attached generator. The electricity is stepped up in voltage by transformers and distributed via power lines to customers. Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy and provides the additional benefits of flood control, water storage, and irrigation.
A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fast moving flow of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid and converts it into useful work. Also a turbine is a turbo-machine with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and impart rotational energy to the rotor. According to the fluid used:
• Water Turbine
• Steam Turbine
• Gas Turbine
• Wind Turbine
Although the same principles apply to all turbines, their specific designs differ sufficiently to merit separate descriptions.
Working Principle Water Turbine
• When the fluid strikes the blades of the turbine, the blades are displaced, which produces rotational energy.
• When the turbine shaft is directly coupled to an electric generator mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy.
• This electrical power is known as hydroelectric power.
In a hydraulic turbine, water is used as the source of energy. Water or hydraulic turbines convert kinetic and potential energies of the water into mechanical power. Water turbines are mostly found in dams to generate electric power from water kinetic energy.
Classification
Based on hydraulic action of water
Based on direction of flow
Based on head of water and quantity of flow
Based on specific speed
Based on disposition of turbine shaft
Based on name of originator (commonly used turbines)
This presentation provides an overview of nuclear power plants, including their history, key components, and operation. It discusses the basics of nuclear fission and nuclear fuel, and describes the major components of a nuclear reactor like control rods, steam generators, turbines and coolant pumps. It outlines different types of nuclear reactors including boiling water, pressurized water and heavy water reactors. The presentation also provides details about India's nuclear power program and its plans to significantly expand nuclear power generation in the coming decades.
The document provides information about the Obra Thermal Power Plant located in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is owned and operated by Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam. The power plant has 13 functioning coal-fired units with a total generation capacity of 1350 MW. The document discusses the generating units at the plant, including their installation dates and original equipment manufacturers. It also provides a brief overview of the typical components of a coal-fired thermal power station, including the boiler, steam cycle, turbine generator, and quality assurance process.
This document discusses the mountings and accessories of boilers. It defines mountings as items used for safety and accessories as items used to increase efficiency. It then lists and describes the common mountings, which include water level indicators, pressure gauges, safety valves, fusible plugs, blow-off cocks, steam stop valves, and feed check valves. Accessories are described as economizers, preheaters, superheaters, steam separators, injectors, and feed pumps. The purpose and function of each accessory is explained.
The presentation gives a basic idea of cooling towers in big industries including the Power Plants. The performance of cooling towers and the commonenly used terms with reference to the cooling towers are also discussed at length. Care to be taken while in freezing temperatures in the European countries is also discussed.
Boiler mountings are fittings that are mounted on boilers for their proper and safe functioning. Some key mountings include water level indicators, pressure gauges, safety valves, stop valves, blow off cocks, feed check valves, and fusible plugs. Safety valves prevent explosions from excessive steam pressure by releasing steam when pressure exceeds safe limits. Boiler accessories like feed pumps, superheaters, economizers, and air preheaters help boilers run efficiently by feeding water, increasing steam temperature, recovering heat from flue gases to preheat feed water and air.
Fuel cells provide a promising alternative source of electricity. They convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water vapor and heat as byproducts. There are several types of fuel cells but proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are well suited for transportation and small stationary power applications due to their high power density and low operating temperatures. A fuel cell consists of an anode and cathode separated by an electrolyte that allows protons to pass through but blocks electrons, forcing them into an external circuit where they can power devices before being reunited with oxygen at the cathode. While fuel cells have advantages over traditional combustion engines like higher efficiency and lack of emissions, challenges remain around infrastructure, cost and
This document summarizes different types of turbines used to generate hydroelectric power. It describes impulse turbines like the Pelton wheel and cross-flow turbine, which use the velocity of water to turn the runner. Reaction turbines like the Francis turbine and propeller turbine develop power from both pressure and moving water. Kinetic turbines generate electricity from the kinetic energy in flowing water sources like rivers and ocean currents without requiring diversion of water through pipes. The document provides details on the basic design and operation of each turbine type as well as factors to consider like head, flow, and efficiency.
The document provides an overview of diesel power plant engineering. It discusses the key components of a diesel power plant including the diesel engine, starting system, fuel supply system, air intake system, lubrication system, cooling system, exhaust system, and governing system. It describes the basic four-stroke operating cycle of a diesel engine and highlights advantages such as simple design and ability to handle varying loads, as well as disadvantages like high operating costs.
Brief description of Hydraulic power pack, basic parts of it and affecting parameters for the same, it is used in many industrial applications and in some heavy civil applications
This document discusses different types of green cars including electric cars, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars, and solar cars. It provides details on what each type of green car is and their benefits and limitations. Some key points made are that electric cars do not produce exhaust fumes but have limited travel distances before recharging, hybrid cars use both electric motors and combustion engines to be more efficient but can be more complex, hydrogen cars use hydrogen as a fuel but production of hydrogen is expensive, and solar cars obtain energy from solar panels but have limited range without sunlight. The document aims to explain different environmentally friendly vehicle options and their characteristics.
Seminar on Hydrogen powered TechnologiesSahil Garg
The document discusses hydrogen powered vehicle technologies. It explains that hydrogen cars have fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity to power electric motors, emitting only water. The status of hydrogen technology development in India is outlined, including prototypes developed. Challenges for hydrogen storage on vehicles are described. Various hydrogen-powered vehicles under development or in use are presented, including the Toyota Mirai and a hydrogen bus in India. The document considers whether hydrogen fuel cell technology can be considered green.
This document provides an overview of a thermal power station. It begins with defining a thermal power station as a generating station that converts the heat energy from coal combustion into electrical energy. It then outlines the main components of a thermal power station in a block diagram and lists the main equipment, including the coal handling plant, pulverizing plant, boiler, turbine, alternator, condenser, and cooling towers. Each of the major equipment is then explained in more detail. Finally, the document discusses the advantages of thermal power stations in being able to use cheap fuel and their disadvantages in polluting the atmosphere.
Comenius Water for Life - presentation by Martyna Borek, Paulina Borek, Piotr Rzepka and Mateusz Kot - students of Gimnazjum Publiczne im. A. Wajdy w Rudnikach
The document discusses hydrogen fuel cells, including their history, working principles, types, and applications. It provides the following key points:
- Hydrogen fuel cells were discovered in 1838 and work by combining hydrogen and oxygen to efficiently produce electricity and water. This is done through an electrochemical process without combustion.
- There are several types of fuel cells including proton exchange membrane, phosphoric acid, solid oxide, and alkaline fuel cells, which differ in their electrolyte and operating temperatures.
- Fuel cells have many potential applications from transportation to backup power and are more efficient than combustion engines. They produce only water and heat as byproducts, making them a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.
The document is a seminar report on bladeless wind energy submitted by Ashish Kumar Saroj. It discusses the working principle of Vortex Bladeless wind turbines, which harness wind energy through vortex shedding without the use of blades. Vortex Bladeless turbines use an oscillating mast that enters resonance with vortices shed from the wind flow. This oscillation is used to generate electricity through an alternator system integrated into the base of the mast. The report outlines the key benefits of Vortex Bladeless turbines over conventional wind turbines, such as lower costs, reduced maintenance needs due to having no gears or moving parts, lower environmental impacts, and reduced impacts on wildlife.
A thermal power plant uses steam to generate electricity. Coal is burned in a boiler to produce steam, which spins a turbine connected to a generator. The steam is then condensed in a condenser and recycled to the boiler to repeat the process. The main components are the boiler, turbine, generator, condenser and cooling system. Thermal power plants have the advantages of low cost and reliability but also have the disadvantage of air pollution from coal combustion.
The document discusses considerations for power plant selection and operation. It covers factors that influence plant design like variable load conditions. Selection depends on available water, proximity to load centers and populations, and accessibility. Cost considerations include fuels, labor, maintenance, taxes, and profits. Depreciation methods include straight line, percentage, sinking fund, and unit. Plant selection involves transportation, raw materials, markets, incentives, climate, waste disposal, utilities, site preparation, construction, labor, taxes, and living conditions.
Hydroelectric power plants capture the kinetic energy of flowing water from a river or reservoir and convert it into electrical energy. These power plants are generally located in hilly areas where a dam can be constructed to form a reservoir. Water from the reservoir flows through penstocks and turbines, using the force of gravity and water pressure to turn the turbine blades. This kinetic energy is then converted into electrical energy by an attached generator. The electricity is stepped up in voltage by transformers and distributed via power lines to customers. Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy and provides the additional benefits of flood control, water storage, and irrigation.
A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fast moving flow of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid and converts it into useful work. Also a turbine is a turbo-machine with at least one moving part called a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades so that they move and impart rotational energy to the rotor. According to the fluid used:
• Water Turbine
• Steam Turbine
• Gas Turbine
• Wind Turbine
Although the same principles apply to all turbines, their specific designs differ sufficiently to merit separate descriptions.
Working Principle Water Turbine
• When the fluid strikes the blades of the turbine, the blades are displaced, which produces rotational energy.
• When the turbine shaft is directly coupled to an electric generator mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy.
• This electrical power is known as hydroelectric power.
In a hydraulic turbine, water is used as the source of energy. Water or hydraulic turbines convert kinetic and potential energies of the water into mechanical power. Water turbines are mostly found in dams to generate electric power from water kinetic energy.
Classification
Based on hydraulic action of water
Based on direction of flow
Based on head of water and quantity of flow
Based on specific speed
Based on disposition of turbine shaft
Based on name of originator (commonly used turbines)
This presentation provides an overview of nuclear power plants, including their history, key components, and operation. It discusses the basics of nuclear fission and nuclear fuel, and describes the major components of a nuclear reactor like control rods, steam generators, turbines and coolant pumps. It outlines different types of nuclear reactors including boiling water, pressurized water and heavy water reactors. The presentation also provides details about India's nuclear power program and its plans to significantly expand nuclear power generation in the coming decades.
The document provides information about the Obra Thermal Power Plant located in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is owned and operated by Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam. The power plant has 13 functioning coal-fired units with a total generation capacity of 1350 MW. The document discusses the generating units at the plant, including their installation dates and original equipment manufacturers. It also provides a brief overview of the typical components of a coal-fired thermal power station, including the boiler, steam cycle, turbine generator, and quality assurance process.
This document discusses the mountings and accessories of boilers. It defines mountings as items used for safety and accessories as items used to increase efficiency. It then lists and describes the common mountings, which include water level indicators, pressure gauges, safety valves, fusible plugs, blow-off cocks, steam stop valves, and feed check valves. Accessories are described as economizers, preheaters, superheaters, steam separators, injectors, and feed pumps. The purpose and function of each accessory is explained.
The presentation gives a basic idea of cooling towers in big industries including the Power Plants. The performance of cooling towers and the commonenly used terms with reference to the cooling towers are also discussed at length. Care to be taken while in freezing temperatures in the European countries is also discussed.
Boiler mountings are fittings that are mounted on boilers for their proper and safe functioning. Some key mountings include water level indicators, pressure gauges, safety valves, stop valves, blow off cocks, feed check valves, and fusible plugs. Safety valves prevent explosions from excessive steam pressure by releasing steam when pressure exceeds safe limits. Boiler accessories like feed pumps, superheaters, economizers, and air preheaters help boilers run efficiently by feeding water, increasing steam temperature, recovering heat from flue gases to preheat feed water and air.
Fuel cells provide a promising alternative source of electricity. They convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water vapor and heat as byproducts. There are several types of fuel cells but proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are well suited for transportation and small stationary power applications due to their high power density and low operating temperatures. A fuel cell consists of an anode and cathode separated by an electrolyte that allows protons to pass through but blocks electrons, forcing them into an external circuit where they can power devices before being reunited with oxygen at the cathode. While fuel cells have advantages over traditional combustion engines like higher efficiency and lack of emissions, challenges remain around infrastructure, cost and
This document summarizes different types of turbines used to generate hydroelectric power. It describes impulse turbines like the Pelton wheel and cross-flow turbine, which use the velocity of water to turn the runner. Reaction turbines like the Francis turbine and propeller turbine develop power from both pressure and moving water. Kinetic turbines generate electricity from the kinetic energy in flowing water sources like rivers and ocean currents without requiring diversion of water through pipes. The document provides details on the basic design and operation of each turbine type as well as factors to consider like head, flow, and efficiency.
The document provides an overview of diesel power plant engineering. It discusses the key components of a diesel power plant including the diesel engine, starting system, fuel supply system, air intake system, lubrication system, cooling system, exhaust system, and governing system. It describes the basic four-stroke operating cycle of a diesel engine and highlights advantages such as simple design and ability to handle varying loads, as well as disadvantages like high operating costs.
Brief description of Hydraulic power pack, basic parts of it and affecting parameters for the same, it is used in many industrial applications and in some heavy civil applications
This document discusses different types of green cars including electric cars, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars, and solar cars. It provides details on what each type of green car is and their benefits and limitations. Some key points made are that electric cars do not produce exhaust fumes but have limited travel distances before recharging, hybrid cars use both electric motors and combustion engines to be more efficient but can be more complex, hydrogen cars use hydrogen as a fuel but production of hydrogen is expensive, and solar cars obtain energy from solar panels but have limited range without sunlight. The document aims to explain different environmentally friendly vehicle options and their characteristics.
Seminar on Hydrogen powered TechnologiesSahil Garg
The document discusses hydrogen powered vehicle technologies. It explains that hydrogen cars have fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity to power electric motors, emitting only water. The status of hydrogen technology development in India is outlined, including prototypes developed. Challenges for hydrogen storage on vehicles are described. Various hydrogen-powered vehicles under development or in use are presented, including the Toyota Mirai and a hydrogen bus in India. The document considers whether hydrogen fuel cell technology can be considered green.
Fuel cells provide a possible solution to issues with battery technologies by efficiently converting chemical energy from hydrogen into electricity. Fuel cells strip electrons from hydrogen molecules to produce electricity and then recombine the electrons and protons to form water. While fuel cells have benefits like higher efficiency and lower emissions than conventional power sources, challenges remain around developing hydrogen infrastructure and bringing down production costs.
this is the representation of hydrogen fuel. In this presentation we showed how hydrogen is useful for future consumption of fuel. We know that in the future the non-renewable sources of energy will be extincted so we have to concentrate on conventional sources of energy like solar energy energy, nuclear energy, hydrogen fuel. Because hydrogen is highly combustible and produce large of energy so we consider to use hydrogen fuel in future aspect
- Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. It is the most abundant element in the universe and can be produced from water through electrolysis using renewable energy sources.
- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles operate by using hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction without combustion, emitting only water vapor. Several automakers have developed hydrogen fuel cell vehicle prototypes.
- For widespread adoption, infrastructure is needed for large-scale hydrogen production, storage, and distribution similar to today's gas stations. Challenges include the flammability of hydrogen and high costs of production compared to fossil fuels.
The document provides an overview of hydrogen fuel cells, including their history, types, basic functioning, and connections to electrochemistry, thermodynamics, the environment, and potential applications as an energy source. It discusses how hydrogen fuel cells work through redox reactions at the anode and cathode to produce electricity from hydrogen and oxygen, and are more efficient than combustion engines due to their electrochemical rather than combustion process. It also notes that hydrogen fuel cells can be powered through renewable energy sources like electrolysis of water using solar or hydro power.
The document summarizes key information about fuel cells. It describes that fuel cells directly convert the chemical energy of a fuel, like hydrogen, into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions. It compares the process of fuel cells to ordinary combustion, noting that fuel cells produce electricity and water as products rather than heat. The document then provides details about the components and basic operations of fuel cells, focusing on two commercially important types: phosphoric acid fuel cells and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
This document summarizes a wind resource assessment for Ísafjörður and surrounding areas in Iceland. It analyzed wind data from four potential wind farm sites over two years to evaluate their wind speeds, capacity factors, temperatures and consistency. The best site was Þverfjall, with an average speed of 12.1 m/s and 56.8% capacity factor. Issues that could limit wind development are the short time frame of data collected, data limitations, and potential effects on tourism. The analysis used common metrics to evaluate wind resource and identify the most suitable location for a potential wind farm.
Rhode Island Wind Power Resource Assessmentriseagrant
The document discusses Rhode Island's wind power resource assessment, which was conducted by a team from the University of Rhode Island's Ocean Engineering department and analyzed wind speed data and maps, bird migration patterns, conceptual frameworks for energy assessments, and the theoretical and technical wind resources in the region. It also covers vertical wind profiles, wind farm siting considerations regarding ecosystem services and environmental impacts, and methods for modeling and measuring wind resources.
The document discusses using hydrogen as a clean and renewable fuel source to help address global warming. It describes how hydrogen can be produced from water through electrolysis, using solar power or other renewable energy sources. Hydrogen could then be used as a fuel for vehicles, power generation systems, and other applications as a non-polluting alternative to fossil fuels. The company discussed has developed various hydrogen production and fuel cell technologies.
The document discusses fuel cells and hydrogen as renewable energy sources. It notes that fuel cells produce electrical current from hydrogen to power things without pollution. Hydrogen is a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and reduces dependence on foreign oil. However, current technology requires more energy to produce hydrogen than is obtained from it. Fuel cells also have limitations in storing hydrogen and operating in cold environments. The document provides background on the history and development of fuel cell technology. It also discusses the potential for hydrogen to be used in fuel cells for power generation, transportation, and applications like homes and businesses in the future.
Response information is for reference. We recommend attending an emergency response workshop to better understand the properties of hydrogen and fuel cell electric vehicles.
Carbon capture for coal to chemical industry in North West ChinaGlobal CCS Institute
Commercial coal-to-chemicals processes are being rapidly deployed as a clean coal technology, particularly in China. The process generally has a large carbon foot print. While CCS has been successfully applied to capture and store carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations, it is also one of the only technology options for reducing emissions from industrial coal-to-chemicals processes.
Among others, Yanchang Petroleum Group has developed/planned several coal to chemical projects. Yanchang Petroleum Group is located in Shaanxi Province, in North West China. Yanchang Petroleum owns large reserves of oil, gas, coal and salts. To optimise the utilisation of its resources, Yanchang Petroleum developed technologies to convert coal, natural gas, and residue heavy oil to chemical products at its Jingbian Industry Park, in conjunction with a whole chain CCS project. Yanchang Petroleum will produce four knowledge sharing reports on critical aspects of carbon capture and storage (CCS) based on its practice in CCS.
In this webinar, Yanchang Petroleum reported on the capture aspects of the project, covering:
- Background of the project
- Technical details of capture process
- Project timeline
- Commercial drivers
- Lessons learned
This document appears to be notes from research on a topic. It includes a research question, a list of 6 references, and a theme for each. There is a section for study findings and conclusions which likely summarized several main ideas from the references but this section is incomplete. The document focuses on compiling and organizing information from multiple sources around a research topic but does not provide the summarized conclusions.
This document discusses Canada's opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive economic growth through the deployment of hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. It outlines that Canada is well-positioned to lead in the development of a hydrogen economy due to its abundant energy resources, strength in hydrogen technologies, and growing public support for reducing emissions. The document presents a four-step action plan to realize Canada's potential in this area through developing hydrogen production, delivery, technologies, markets and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy systems.
This document discusses various techniques for storing electrical energy, including batteries, compressed air, flywheels, pumped water, and hydrogen storage. It focuses on using hydrogen produced by hydrolysis as an energy storage method. When excess energy is generated, it is used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. During energy deficits, the stored hydrogen is reconverted to electricity through fuel cells. The document outlines the benefits of hydrogen storage such as high energy density and lack of carbon emissions, as well as safety testing procedures.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and can be used as a renewable energy. It rarely occurs naturally on Earth as H2. There are three main production methods - chemical reforming, electrolysis, and thermochemical processes. Chemical reforming, also called steam reforming, uses high temperatures to produce hydrogen. Electrolysis uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Thermochemical processes employ chemical reactions and heat to produce hydrogen at lower temperatures than steam reforming. Fuel cells that use hydrogen have higher efficiencies than gasoline engines and can power vehicles. Further improvements to hydrogen production and fuel cells are needed to enable widespread use.
Future towards renewable hydrogen storage and powered applicationsVijayalakshmi Ganesan
Future renewable hydrogen storage and applications rely on metal hydrides and nanomaterials. Metal hydrides can store hydrogen at low pressures and ambient temperatures, making them suitable for portable consumer products. Nanocrystalline metal hydrides exhibit faster hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics and altered thermodynamic stability compared to bulk materials. Catalysts also help accelerate hydrogen sorption reactions in metal hydrides. Sodium borohydride is a commonly used complex hydride for hydrogen storage but requires a catalyst and produces waste that limits recyclability.
Nepal is currently reeling under acute fuel crisis due to undeclared economic blockade by India. Transportation and cooking are two main areas that have been severely affected due to the fuel shortages. Alternative sources of cooking fuels have become a crucial topic of research and investigation on an international scale and Nepal may require such unconventional solutions to cope with the crisis that does not seem to be winding down anytime soon. The utilization of Hydrogen as an energy carrier with regards to domestic cooking has been explored and studied by countless experts over the years and is still a relatively novel concept that requires further exploration.
This document discusses hydrogen as a potential future fuel. It provides background on hydrogen, including its position in the periodic table, common isotopes like protium and deuterium, and current production methods. The document argues that hydrogen could power vehicles and provide an emissions-free transportation fuel when produced through clean methods like electrolysis using solar power. However, it notes that widespread adoption of hydrogen as a fuel still faces challenges related to storage, transportation infrastructure and the need to shift production to renewable energy sources. The document concludes that while hydrogen shows promise as a sustainable transportation fuel, more research is still needed to optimize production and distribution systems before it can fully replace fossil fuels.
1) The document proposes strategies for encouraging a hydrogen economy and examines pathways for integrating hydrogen generation and storage into the global energy system.
2) It finds that while hydrogen research focuses on transportation, infrastructure challenges make transportation applications only feasible for fleet vehicles refueling at central depots in the short term. Distributed hydrogen storage may be more practical for grid-scale energy storage.
3) In the short term, steam reformation of methane is the most cost-effective hydrogen production method, but photoelectrocatalysis is not yet feasible. Long-term material and process improvements could change this.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN FUELED INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEijsrd.com
In the history of internal combustion engine development, hydrogen has been considered at several phases as a substitute of hydrocarbon-based fuels. Starting from the 70’s, there have been several attempts to convert engines for hydrogen operation. Together with the development in gas injector technology it has become possible to control precisely the injection of hydrogen for safe operation. Here we are using stainless steel plate as electrode in the electrolytic cell, the electrolyte being water and NACL salt. The electrolytic cell we used is a 12V battery case made of plastic. The cross sectional layers are cut such that the stainless steel plate fix in the battery case. The plates are separated by very small distance and the plates are given parallel holes for electron flow to be uniform. The power source to the kit is provided by a 12V and 9Ams battery. We used a transparent tube to supply the hydrogen produced in the kit to the air hose tube of our motor cycle. In order to keep the battery charged we used two 6 Amp diode to power the battery while running. There is a separate switch to power the kit and to protect the battery from getting drained. The stainless steel plates are of 50cm length, 25cm height, 2 millimeter thickness. The battery case can hold up to 5 liters of electrolyte. The use of hydrogen with petrol to power the vehicle has resulted in increase in vehicle mileage, accelerating speed with most important task of reduction in exhaust emission.
It is a brief PPT on the hydrogen fuel cell and it's benefits.the fuel cell has proven to be the better technology ever seen.
It is the field that is yet to be discovered more
So there is a high chance of growth in this technology
This document provides a summary of a term paper on hydrogen fuel cells. It discusses the history of fuel cell development from their invention in 1839 to recent technological advances. Key points include: hydrogen fuel cells were not initially economical but recent developments are making them more viable alternative energy sources. The document also defines different types of fuel cells based on electrolyte and operating temperature and provides examples of new fuel cell technologies under development, such as flexible fuel cells and alternatives to platinum catalysts.
The document summarizes an experiment conducted by three students to test the efficiencies of an electrolyzer and hydrogen fuel cell within a PEMPower1-XL system. The electrolyzer was found to have a Faraday efficiency of 97.4% ± 3.85% and an electrical efficiency of 87.4% ± 4.67%. The fuel cell had a Faraday efficiency of 96.7% ± 4.09% and an electrical efficiency of 45.4% ± 4.25%. The experiment involved measuring the volumes of hydrogen gas produced by the electrolyzer and consumed by the fuel cell over time to calculate efficiencies based on Faraday's laws of electrolysis.
Tobi Fadiran's hydrogen energy Virtual Abstract (Independent Research)guesta70415
The document discusses the potential for hydrogen energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. It outlines the various components involved, from production through delivery, storage, conversion and end use. While promising, hydrogen energy technologies are still in development and lag behind other renewable options like solar and wind. The document argues researchers should focus on improving biophotolysis for production, carbon adsorption/physisorption for storage, and fuel cells for conversion to help hydrogen energy contribute to the global energy supply in the future.
Governor Schwarzenegger wants to build a network of 200 hydrogen filling stations in California within the next 5 years as part of a plan to create a "hydrogen highway" stretching from Vancouver to Baja California. Hydrogen fuel cells could provide a clean energy solution if the hydrogen is produced from low-emission sources, but challenges remain around producing enough green hydrogen and developing efficient hydrogen storage for vehicles. Honda's new FCX Concept fuel cell vehicle is capable of driving 350 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, demonstrating progress being made in fuel cell technology.
This document discusses hydrogen as an alternative fuel. It outlines several methods for producing hydrogen including natural gas reforming, electrolysis, gasification, and fermentation. It also describes how hydrogen fuel cells work and their advantages as being more efficient than internal combustion engines. However, challenges with hydrogen storage and the costs of extraction are discussed as disadvantages. The document concludes that while hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel, further research is still needed to make its implementation more sustainable and reliable.
A Comprehensive Review of Hydrogen Automobiles Future ProspectsIRJET Journal
This document provides an overview of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and their future prospects. It discusses how hydrogen fuel cells work by separating hydrogen ions from electrons and using them to generate electricity through a reaction with oxygen. The document also examines various methods for storing hydrogen on board vehicles, such as compressed gas tanks and liquid hydrogen, and the challenges associated with energy density and storage capacity. It concludes that with further improvements in hydrogen storage technologies, fuel cell vehicles could overcome limitations of battery electric vehicles and for hydrogen to become a widely used transportation fuel.
This document discusses using hydrogen produced from water as an alternative fuel for internal combustion engines. It begins by outlining issues with fossil fuels like depletion and pollution. Producing hydrogen from water using electrolysis and using it to fuel engines could provide a clean and renewable alternative. The document then describes how a device that generates hydrogen gas ("Brown's Gas" or "HHO gas") from water can be used to supplement gasoline in engines. This improves mileage and efficiency while reducing emissions. The gas mixture is said to burn very smoothly and provide more energy than gasoline alone.
This document provides an overview of hydrogen powered vehicles, including their types and benefits as well as challenges. It discusses how hydrogen can be used as an alternative fuel source for vehicles, produced through various methods like methane steam reforming and from coal. The key challenges of hydrogen storage are also outlined, such as liquid hydrogen, metal hydrides, compressed hydrogen gas. The working of hydrogen fuel cells is explained, noting they generate electricity through an electrochemical process without combustion. Advantages are zero emissions and high efficiency, while disadvantages include high production and storage costs.
This document is a seminar report on green hydrogen fuel cell technology submitted for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. It provides an introduction to green hydrogen production through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources like solar. It describes the working of fuel cells and their major components. The different types of fuel cells are also discussed along with the advantages and applications of green hydrogen fuel cell technology, such as in transportation. However, there are also challenges like high costs and lack of infrastructure that need to be addressed for its widespread adoption.
HYDROGEN AS A SOLUTION TO REPLACE FOSSIL FUEL AND AVOID THE EMISSION OF GREEN...Faga1939
This article aims to present how hydrogen can be used as one of the energy sources of the future and collaborate in the elimination or reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing effectively to the fight against global climate change, which tends to be catastrophic. The International Energy Agency (IEA) assured in a report dated 2019 that hydrogen is an energy of the future. Hydrogen appears to be a real alternative because it does not emit CO2 when associated with a fuel cell. It is important to note that hydrogen is also a renewable energy source that was discovered several centuries ago. There is gray hydrogen, produced from fossil fuels. When this production comes from natural gas and there is carbon capture and storage, we have blue hydrogen. Green hydrogen is that made from the electrolysis of water. However, the initial energy to carry out this process needs to come from renewable sources (hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy and biomass) so that the hydrogen obtained qualifies as green hydrogen. Thus, its production takes place without carbon emissions. Although the best-known use of hydrogen is probably in motor vehicles, there are many other possible uses such as generating power for buildings, it can also provide heat, it can be used in aircraft, as an emergency generator system and on a hydrogen-powered cruise ship. It is also possible for hydrogen to power service vehicles such as forklifts and trucks, as well as buses and trains.
Hydrogen storage for micro-grid application: a framework for ranking fuel ce...IJECEIAES
To securely address energy shortage and various environmental issues attributed to fossil fuel, the adoption of renewable energy is growing across the globe. However, wind and solar which form the bulk of the emerging renewable energy for micro-grid applications are intermittent and need energy storage device for backup. Due to its environmentally friendly nature, the use of hydrogen as storage mechanism is now being explored for micro-grid applications. However, due to the various technical criteria attributed to various fuel cell (FC) technologies used for hydrogen production, selecting the most suitable alternative remains a challenge. This study uses evaluation based on distance from average solution, a multicriteria decision making tool to rank FC technologies that can be used to produce of hydrogen energy storage in micro-grid applications. The analysis was based on 4 FC technologies and 6 technical criteria. The results of the study show that the most preferred FC technology for micro-grid application is the polymeric electrolyte membrane while the least preferred is molten carbonate FC. It is expected that future analysis would explore the inclusion of socio-economic criteria in the evaluation of the most preferred FC technology for micro-grid application.
Botkin, Daniel B. Environmental Science Earth as a Living Planet,.docxAASTHA76
Botkin, Daniel B. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet, 9th Edition. Wiley, 2013-12-23. VitalBook file.
Every other October since 1987, solar-powered cars have raced from Darwin to Adelaide, Australia, in the World Solar Challenge, an 2,900 km (1,800 mi) route that puts the latest alternative-energy technology to the test. The cars can run only on sunlight that their solar cells capture and convert to electricity. Electric motors that are at least 90% efficient are necessary. Racing teams are usually comprised of college students, and teams are backed by major aerospace and high-tech corporations. The eleventh race, held in 2011, was won by a Japanese team; a Netherlands team finished second, and the fast- est U.S. team, from the University of Michigan, finished third. Drivers had to avoid a bushfire, wallabies, cattle, sheep, lizards, and strong winds.1 Top speeds ranged from 143–154 km/hr (89–95 mph), and the average speed of the winning car was about 70 mph.
Suppose you decided to organize a team from your university, design and build a solar-powered car, and enter the race. Here’s the challenge: The roof of an automobile is just barely large enough to hold a solar panel that can gather enough energy to drive a car. It can’t power a regular sedan or SUV, and it can just barely power any car at all. How would you win? Should you build a car that, under the race rules, has the largest solar-powered area and tries to gather as much sunlight as possible, making the car as heavy as you can? Or would you opt for energy efficiency and build the lightest car, trading off a larger energy in- put for greater energy efficiency? Would you spend money and add weight to make the car’s shape as aerodynamic as possible, so that it would have the least resistance from the wind? And how about reliability? Would you build a stronger, therefore heavier car, or would you place your bet on the sleekest, lightest, car?
The car built by the Netherlands Nuon team, the Luna 6, had three wheels, a body made of carbon fiber, and solar panels covering nearly every inch of its top surface. The students who designed it tested a model in a wind tunnel
14.1 Outlook for energy
Energy Today and Tomorrow
The decisions we make today will affect energy use for generations. Should we choose complex, centralized en- ergy production methods, or simpler and widely dispersed
by covering it with oil; the oil activated an ultraviolet light used to highlight any impediments to its aerodynamic de- sign. The Luna 6 was 140 kg (308 lb), 20 kg (44 lb) lighter than the Luna 5 designed two years before.
The Tokai Challenger 2, also a three-wheeler, featured carbon monocoque construction on its top surface that incorporated a 6-m square array of silicon solar cells.
The Netherlands team lost out to the Tokai Challeng- er 2 largely because of the gains the Japanese team made on Day 3 of the four-and-a-half-day race, wrote British Diederik Kinds in The Register.2 He analyzed the ra ...
I want to write an argument about my Annotated Bibliography tha.docxscuttsginette
The document discusses developing an argumentative paper on tapping biofuels as an alternative energy source. It provides guidance on the necessary components of the paper, including making a clear thesis claim, researching the intended audience, choosing an effective structure, finding evidence to support reasons, addressing opposing views, and including citations and a works cited page. Research should incorporate multiple credible sources, including integrating relevant quotes and paraphrasing. Visual aids must also be included to support the arguments.
The document discusses Green (Cell) Shipping as a method to increase sustainability and efficiency in the shipping industry. Green (Cell) Shipping involves powering ships primarily through renewable energy sources like solar and wind power stored in on-board batteries. This allows ships to reduce or eliminate their reliance on diesel engines and fuel. The document provides several examples of pilot projects using this technology, including a converted research vessel in Canada and cargo ships in Europe powered by hydrogen fuel cells and solar panels. It concludes that while renewable energy technologies still need improvements, Green (Cell) Shipping has the potential to significantly reduce emissions and costs in the shipping industry.
In the quest for sustainable and clean energy solutions, hydrogen has emerged as a promising candidate, offering a myriad of possibilities to reshape the global energy landscape. Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, holds the potential to revolutionize the way we produce, store, and consume energy. This article explores the advancements in hydrogen energy technology and its role in fostering a more sustainable and greener future.
Michael F. Hordeski-Hydrogen & Fuel Cells_ Advances in Transportation and Pow...ZeenathulFaridaAbdul1
This document provides an overview of advances in hydrogen and fuel cell technology for transportation and power applications. It discusses the development of hydrogen fueling stations in locations around the world. Barriers to widespread adoption include high costs and technical challenges in producing, storing, and distributing hydrogen on a large scale without releasing greenhouse gases. The document outlines efforts by automobile companies to develop fuel cell vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them, including hydrogen stations and maintenance facilities. It also notes remaining issues that must be addressed such as reducing the cost of fuel cells and developing onboard hydrogen storage systems with sufficient capacity and driving range.
Michael F. Hordeski-Hydrogen & Fuel Cells_ Advances in Transportation and Pow...
literature review FINAL
1. Snow 1
Ian Snow
ENVS 3020
9 April 2015
Literature Review on the Viability of a Hydrogen Economy
Abstract
This paper is a literature review on past and present knowledge of hydrogen fuel and fuel
cell vehicles. The purpose is to consider the possibility of both a global hydrogen economy (a
system based on hydrogen fuel and energy, rather than fossil fuels) as well as one within the
United States. The paper attempts to answer this question: what barriers exist for hydrogen fuel,
what are the known and proposed solutions for them, and is the technology ready for commercial
use in the United States?
The review includes background on the technology itself, the production of hydrogen as a
fuel, and how it is used to power vehicles. Following is a review of studies, focusing on storage
solutions, existing bus programs, monetary costs, governmental support, and finally international
support. Then follows a brief section on differing opinions, which demonstrates that there is
uncertainty within the research. Finally, there is a consideration of further questions and areas
that might spur future research.
Introduction
Although most science agrees that there is a need, or there will soon be a need, there is
not yet a great alternative to fossil fuel and coal for producing energy and fuel. While knowledge
2. Snow 2
of renewable technologies is quickly progressing, and in many cases has reached a fully
functional capability, some of the most promising alternatives still contain uncertainties and
barriers, which hold back widespread implementation.
One such alternative is hydrogen fuel. When isolated and compressed, hydrogen as a fuel
can power vehicles and utilities. Additionally, it can be produced sustainably, using
photovoltaics powered by wind, solar, geothermal energy, etc. However, compared to “mature”
renewable sources, such as wind power, this technology still presents several barriers. This
literature review attempts to answer the question, what policies and solutions are known or
considered to overcome the barriers to hydrogen energy, and are those applicable to
implementing the technology in the United States?
Background
First, it is necessary to describe briefly the process for creating hydrogen fuel, and how it
is used to power vehicles. There are several different ways to isolate hydrogen. Some methods
like gasification and steam reforming involve extracting it from other substances such as
methane, coal, or oils (Sharma 2014). However, the simplest and most environmentally friendly
way to isolate hydrogen is to extract it from water through electrolysis. This process involves
running an electrical current through water, which breaks the water into separate hydrogen and
oxygen molecules. The attraction of this method is that the source of electricity can come from
anywhere, including renewable sources like wind and photovoltaics. Another advantage is that
“electrolysis is dispatchable” (Pyper 2014), meaning that the amount of electricity fed into the
process, and therefore the amount of hydrogen produced can be adjusted quickly according to the
energy demand on the electricity grid. The next step is to store the hydrogen in a way that can be
3. Snow 3
useful for vehicles. This is the most controversial and difficult aspect of using hydrogen fuel, and
will be discussed in more depth later.
The next process is that of actually creating electricity from hydrogen. This can be
accomplished by using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The basic shape of a fuel
cell is a two-chambered box, separated by catalysts and a selectively permeable membrane,
usually a metal in the case of hydrogen cells. The hydrogen fuel, as a liquid for example, feeds
into one side of the box and reacts with the catalyst. The protons from the hydrogen molecule are
able to pass through the membrane, while it separates electrons that must pass through an
external circuit. This is the electricity that can be diverted to power anything requiring electricity,
from a lightbulb to an engine. Meanwhile, oxygen from air feeds through the other side of the
box, which receives the hydrogen protons, producing the only byproduct of the fuel cell, which is
water (Hydrogen Fuel Co 2009). The electricity created from this process can be used to power
an electric vehicle for example. The advantage of a fuel cell over a traditional electric vehicle
(EV) however, is that the fuel can theoretically be carried on-board, allowing for a longer range,
as well as the fact that the electricity is produced without any pollution as opposed to EV
charging stations which still rely on traditionally coal-powered sources.
Review of Literature
There has been knowledge of fuel cell technology since the mid-1800s as proposed in the
journal article “Mr. Grove on the Gas Voltaic Battery” (Grove 1843). Recently however, there
has been an explosion of literature on the subject, in light of the rising issue of climate change
and because hydrogen fuel cells may be important in reversing global warming. There have since
been studies about the science of hydrogen, analyses of developmental programs, and
4. Snow 4
governmental plans to discern the viability of personal hydrogen fueled vehicles and a “hydrogen
economy”. Many sources support the viability of the resource, both economically and in terms of
efficiency.
A good place to begin review is with the governmental writings on hydrogen.
Governmental agencies have provided research and certainly funding, but more importantly for
this review, have set goals for development in order to make the technology commercial. These
goals center on the assumption that hydrogen will need to be as effective and easy to use as
gasoline, as well as competitively cheap for consumers. Some crucial goals that have been set by
the Department of Energy (DOE) are an operating temperature of -30 to 50 degrees Celsius, a
system cost of $30 per kW (James 2012), and a storage capacity of 6 wt% (Ross 2006). This
refers to what is called the Weight Percent, meaning the ratio of the hydrogen molecule in
relation to the substance in which it is stored (Sk 2015). These all seem like reasonable goals at
first glance, a large range of temperatures, a cost still well above gasoline, and a seemingly low
wt%. However, these goals have all been set for the future, because none has yet been
successfully met.
One aspect that the literature all seems to agree upon is that the primary issue from which
most of the barriers to hydrogen stem, is storage. There are up to five types of hydrogen storage
that are usually considered. These include high-pressure storage, storing hydrogen molecules
within other chemicals, liquid storage, storage within porous solids and similarly storage within
carbon- based materials. Each aspect has its advantages, but studies on each have presented
reasons why they would not be ideal for a hydrogen economy.
High-pressure storage as a gas is the most basic of the alternatives, and has been
commercially popular for many years and applications. While there certainly are casks that can
5. Snow 5
sufficiently hold hydrogen, the tank pressure usually ranges from 5,000 – 10,000 psi (James
2012). Certainly, there are concerns about the safety of placing these tanks on personal vehicles,
considering that people will not know how to care for them properly, and they could certainly
exacerbate the danger of auto accidents.
The next simplest method is liquid storage. This would seem a good alternative; the
infrastructure of a hydrogen economy based on this liquid form would not be too different from
the current gasoline structure. Again, the properties of hydrogen create a barrier for any simple
infrastructure however. The storage temperature for liquid hydrogen is -252.8 degrees Celsius
(Energy.gov), and evidently not conducive to a filling station.
Chemical storage within other substances have shown promising prospects as well. For
example, as study at (SLAC 2014) by Yu Lin showed that ammonia borane and the hydrogen
contained therein can be pressurized and stored at efficient levels above that of DOE standards,
at 7.5 wt%. However, this efficiency still occurs at 100 degrees Celsius, and therefore not ideal
for on-board storage.
Finally, storage within porous solids and carbon nanofibers in particular, has been the
most recent focus of research. This is because carbon compounds are light compared with
pressurized tanks and the fibers have a high surface area as well on which to carry hydrogen
molecules. One report for the International Conference on Materials Science and Technology
found that graphite flakes produced a 6 wt% efficiency at only 37 degrees Celsius. This certainly
is promising, but still only barely meets the DOE goals, which will surely change again in the
future.
Despite what seem to be many failures, there have been many studies as well as
development projects that have thus far been successful, and continue to make great strides. Most
6. Snow 6
of the commercial progress so far has been with fleets of hydrogen buses. Worldwide there are
about 100 hydrogen fuel cell buses operating, mostly in Europe, but Canada has the most in one
country at 20 buses (Hua 2014). This Whistler bus fleet has had several incredible breakthroughs
compared with personal vehicles. For example, the fleet has been operational since October 2009
and has accumulated almost 4 million kilometers driven. More surprisingly, the fueling station
appears to have been wildly successful, capable of filling up to 15 buses per day with liquid
hydrogen, created by solar-powered electrolyzers. Evidently, public transportation is much easier
to supply and maintain than personal vehicles, without a need for many fueling stations or nearly
as many possibilities for safety concerns. Yet the implications are still promising. There have
been no notable safety incidents within the fleet and the fact that the hydrogen fuel has been
successfully produced at large quantities and varying demands, as well as entirely by renewable
sources is incredible. Similarly, buses in the US have made strides as well, some with lifetimes
of five or more years and the ability to operate for 20 hours, seven days per week. Yet the cost of
a single bus in 2013 was $2,000,000, and the DOE’s ultimate goal is set at $600,000. Hua states
that reaching the future targets requires “manufacturing at a fully commercial level”.
This raises the question of how economically viable are not only hydrogen fuel cell bus
fleets, but personal vehicles, and what steps are being taken to bring down the costs? There are
several indications that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles may indeed be close to meeting a competitive
price. For example, in 2002, the cost of a PEM fuel cell was at least $1000/kW (Jeong 2002), and
estimates at the time claimed that it would only be more profitable to use a pure fuel cell vehicle
as opposed to a hybrid if that cost were below $400. Yet in 2011, the system cost had dropped all
the way to just $48/kW, only just above the DOE target of $30. This demonstrates tremendous
progress. Additionally, there are studies showing that fuel cell systems might have a total life
7. Snow 7
cycle cost of as low as $0.086 per mile driven (James 2012). If one conducts a simple estimate, it
is easy to see that this is not too far beyond the cost of gasoline. For example, take the regular
gas price in Boulder today, about $2.20 per gallon, and divide that by an optimistic 30 miles per
gallon fuel efficiency: the result is $0.073 per mile, just below the estimated cost of a hydrogen-
powered vehicle. However, these estimates are clearly highly dependent on criteria considered,
for there are studies, which show much less optimistic numbers. For example, considering just
the fuel itself rather than the cars, some have estimated that mass-produced hydrogen for more
than 50,000 cars, it would cost about $20/Gj (Jeong 2002). Unfortunately, a single Gj
(Gigajoule) contains about as many BTUs of energy as one sixth of a barrel of oil (IRS 1999).
This analysis would mean that a comparable barrel of hydrogen would cost at least $120,
whereas the current cost of a barrel of oil is just $52 (Nasdaq 2015). Clearly, there are many
analyses that find different conclusions about the economic viability of personal hydrogen
vehicles. However, one thing is clear among them, at some level, hydrogen fuel cells would be
more expensive currently than gasoline, although the costs have dropped drastically compared
with those of just ten years ago.
Despite this mixed optimism, there still seems to be growing and large support for
hydrogen programs in the United States. This comes mainly in the form of governmental
research and development money, as government sites like NREL have conducted much of the
research already done in this field. However, there are a few key initiatives that actually
incentivize hydrogen production, such as facets of the Economic Stabilization Act from 2008
which created tax credits for fuel cell producers of a hefty 30% of the costs per kW if installed
by 2016 (Energy.gov). In terms of vehicles, there have been strong policy initiatives as well. As
far back as 2006, the FTA began funding the bus fleet program, and provided $90 million (FTA
8. Snow 8
2015). More recently, the California Energy Commission committed millions to a “hydrogen
highway” to build 100 fueling stations by 2023 (Pyper 2014). Clearly, the US has invested much
into this technology. The technical barriers are coming closer to resolution, and the costs are
nearing competitive levels, so the next step ought to be implementation of the technology on a
widespread scale. This would both drive down costs, and help smooth out any remaining
technological issues.
Considering the wider global scope, literature describes much higher implementation of
hydrogen than the United States. Aside from the Canadian bus fleet already described, even
several developing countries have high installed capacities such as China at 17 percent, Morocco
at 10 percent and Egypt at 15 percent (Sovacool 2009) of energy coming from renewables
including hydrogen. One country of particular interest is Iceland; which announced as early as
1999 a commitment to making its economy based on hydrogen and energy independent by 2030,
and in fact already very much depends on a hydrogen economy. This country began with only
three city buses but is quickly replacing all buses and even fishing boat fleets with hydrogen fuel
cell power. The U.S. similarly created senate bill S.665, The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell
Technology Act of 2005 which appropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars to hydrogen fuel
through 2015 (Dorgan 2005). Yet the entire framing of this bill is in the context of research,
development, and demonstrations, and is therefore nowhere as firm and significant as Iceland’s
efforts. The evident advantage that other countries and Iceland in particular enjoy however is that
they have much smaller, more concentrated populations compared to the U.S. Iceland for
example claims that there will be a need for only one filling station (Arnason 2000). Although
this is a setback for prospects in the U.S., other countries may be able to solve some of the
remaining barriers, making hydrogen fuel easier to implement in the U.S. soon.
9. Snow 9
Differing Opinions
One area in which opinions on the merits of a hydrogen economy differ is in the
estimation of effects on the atmosphere. Some studies focus on the positive effects of CO₂
decrease, while others consider the effects of excess hydrogen buildup.
On the supporting side of a hydrogen economy, an extensive study in 1999 considered
several types of hydrogen production, storage, pollution, and compared pure fuel cells to hybrid
vehicles. The results describe that pure fuel cell vehicles result in less pollution than hybrids, and
that they might reduce CO₂ emissions in the U.S. by up to 24%. The key findings however, were
that a fuel cell fleet would leak less hydrogen and water vapor into the atmosphere than the
current gas powered fleet. These are important pollution considerations, though these molecules
are often not detrimental. This is because, as the paper suggests, these molecules may ascend and
form polar stratospheric clouds, which cause a reduction of ozone in the atmosphere, a very
severe problem (Colella 2005). However, this paper dismisses this fear in terms of hydrogen
vehicles as having no little to no proof thus far.
A study following in 2003 proposes the opposite, suggesting that hydrogen emissions
from a hydrogen fuel economy might be four to eight times the current emissions (Tromp 2003).
The implication of this difference is that of ozone reduction both directly, and indirectly simply
by the cooling of atmospheric layers. The paper also suggests the possibility of changes in the
earth’s albedo due to an increase of clouds due to water vapor emissions. Similarly to the
previous paper however, this one admits that there is uncertainty in the findings, due to
knowledge of exactly how much H₂ is currently emitted, or might be emitted by future hydrogen
technologies. Additionally, it contends that implementing technologies in 50 years as opposed to
10. Snow 10
20 might mitigate some of the effects on ozone, as some cluorofluorocharbons are still present in
the atmosphere from before the Montreal Protocol, but will eventually be lost.
Questions for Further Research
This literature review has illuminated areas in the hydrogen economy research, which
still require work, and even present opportunities for undergraduate research. One question of
particular interest is finding the cost of implementing new hydrogen bus fleets, specifically on
the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. What would it take to replace the Buff Buses on
campus with hydrogen fuel cell buses in terms of several aspects: fueling based on the usage
loading and availability of the fleet, cost of the actual buses, any public support, possible funding
avenues, etc.?
Another area of interest comes from the papers that consider the atmospheric impacts of a
hydrogen economy. There seem to be few studies conducted in this aspect of hydrogen fuel. Yet,
the two papers considered here both agree that there are still uncertainties requiring further
knowledge of hydrogen and water vapor emissions. In addition, both papers were published
more than a decade ago. As the rest of this review has shown, hydrogen technology has changed
drastically in that time, and perhaps has improved enough to make the emission implications
negligible. It would be worthwhile to conduct another study on the byproducts of the current
PEM cells and then model those emissions within the atmosphere.
11. Snow 11
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