Chapter 9 - Fuel Cell Vehicles

Chapter 6
HYDROGEN FUEL CELL VEHICLES

1.
Hydrogen Properties
Hydrogen is abundant in our environment.
It's stored in water (H2O), hydrocarbons (such as methane),

and other organic matter.
One of the challenges of using hydrogen as a fuel comes

from being able to efficiently extract it from these compounds.
Currently, steam reforming, combining high-temperature
steam with natural gas to extract hydrogen, accounts for the
majority of the hydrogen produced
Hydrogen can also be produced from water through

electrolysis. This is more energy intensive but can take
advantage of inexpensive excess renewable energy, such as
wind or solar, while avoiding the harmful emissions
associated with other kinds of energy production.
The cost of hydrogen production through electrolysis is

double compared to steam methane reformed natural gas
with carbon capture and storage.
The interest in hydrogen as an alternative transportation
fuel stems from its ability to power fuel cells in zero-
emission FCEVs,
its potential for domestic production,
its fast filling time,
and the fuel cell's high efficiency.
Hydrogen can also serve as fuel for internal combustion

engines. However, unlike FCEVs, these produce tailpipe
emissions and are less efficient
In fact, a fuel cell coupled with an electric motor is two to

three times more efficient than an internal combustion
engine running on gasoline.
The energy in 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of hydrogen gas is
about the same as the energy in 1 gallon (6.2 pounds, 2.8
kilograms) of gasoline.
Because hydrogen has a low volumetric energy density, it is

stored onboard a vehicle as a compressed gas.
Most current applications use high-pressure tanks capable of

storing hydrogen at either 5,000 or 10,000 pounds per square
inch (psi).
Retail dispensers, which are mostly co-located at gasoline

stations, can fill these tanks in about 5 minutes.
Other storage technologies are under development, including

bonding hydrogen chemically with a material such as metal
hydride, or low-temperature sorbent materials.
Japan intends to use the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to showcase
the technology with thousands of hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles, a network of filling stations and a hydrogen-
powered athletes’ village.
Japan’s car makers are selling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

and Toyota is building a plant to manufacture fuel cell
stacks.
Japanese homes are being equipped with fuel cell

technology to provide electricity and plants are being built to
make hydrogen using renewable energy
2.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Hydrogen is fed to the anode where catalysis releases
hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons (e-).
The electrolyte is a material which allows ions to pass

through it, but blocks electrons.
The hydrogen ions (H+) released in catalysis travel through

the electrolyte to the cathode while electrons blocked by the
electrolyte are taken out to generate electricity.
Oxygen (O2) is fed to the cathode where catalysis separates

it into two oxygen atoms.
Those oxygen atoms, electrons (e-) travelling from the load

and hydrogen ions (H+) passing through the electrolyte
combine to produce water (H2O).
3.
Hydrogen on board storage

(442)
(443)
4.
Application of Hydrogen
on ICE powered vehicles
Wide Range of Flammability
Hydrogen has a wide flammability range in comparison with

all other fuels.
As a result, hydrogen can be combusted in an internal

combustion engine over a wide range of fuel-air mixtures.
A significant advantage of this is that hydrogen can run on a

lean mixture.
Generally, fuel economy is greater and the combustion

reaction is more complete when a vehicle is run on a lean
mixture.
The final combustion temperature is generally lower,

reducing the amount of pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides,
emitted in the exhaust
Low Ignition Energy
Hydrogen has very low ignition energy. The amount of

energy needed to ignite hydrogen is lower than that
required for gasoline.
This enables hydrogen engines to ignite lean mixtures and

ensures prompt ignition.
Unfortunately, the low ignition energy means that hot gases

and hot spots on the cylinder can serve as sources of
ignition, creating problems of premature ignition and
flashback
Small Quenching Distance
Hydrogen has a small quenching distance, smaller than

gasoline. Consequently, hydrogen flames travel closer to
the cylinder wall than other fuels before they extinguish.
Thus, it is more difficult to quench a hydrogen flame than a

gasoline flame.
The smaller quenching distance can also increase the

tendency for backfire since the flame from a hydrogen-air
mixture more readily passes a nearly closed intake valve,
than a hydrocarbon-air flame
High Autoignition Temperature
Hydrogen has a relatively high autoignition temperature.
This has important implications when a hydrogen-air

mixture is compressed.
In fact, the autoignition temperature is an important factor

in determining what compression ratio an engine can use
This higher compression ratio is important because it is

related to the thermal efficiency of the system
High Flame Speed
Hydrogen has high flame speed at stoichiometric ratios.
This means that hydrogen engines can more closely

approach the thermodynamically ideal engine cycle.
At leaner mixtures, however, the flame velocity decreases

significantly
High Diffusivity
Hydrogen has very high diffusivity.
This ability to disperse in air is considerably greater than

gasoline and is advantageous for two main reasons.
Firstly, it facilitates the formation of a uniform mixture of fuel

and air.
Secondly, if a hydrogen leak develops, the hydrogen

disperses rapidly.
Thus, unsafe conditions can either be avoided or minimized

Low Density
Hydrogen has very low density.
This results cause problems when used in an internal

combustion engine.
A very large volume is necessary to store enough

hydrogen to give a vehicle an adequate driving range
Hydrogen can be used advantageously in internal combustion
engines as an additive to a hydrocarbon fuel.
Hydrogen is most commonly mixed with high pressure natural

gas for this purpose since both gases can be stored in the
same tank.
If hydrogen is blended with other fuels, it usually has to be

stored separately and mixed in the gaseous state immediately
before ignition
One commercially available gas mixture known as
Hythane contains 20% hydrogen and 80% natural gas.
At this ratio, no modifications are required to a natural

gas engine, and studies have shown that emissions are
reduced by more than 20%.
Mixtures of more than 20% hydrogen with natural gas can

reduce emissions further but some engine modifications
are required
The real reason that Hydrogen (H2) is not much considered
for engines has to do with the thermodynamic efficiency of
engines vs. fuel cells.
An internal combustion engine (ICE) running on gasoline

(the Otto cycle) or Hydrogen operates at thermodynamic
efficiency level of around 20–25%.
A fuel cell that converts H2 and Oxygen into electricity to

feed an electric motor operates at an efficiency level of 60%
or even greater.
5.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

6.
Hydrogen Fueling Stations

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Chapter 6

HYDROGEN FUEL CELL VEHICLES

It's stored in water (H2O), hydrocarbons (such as methane),

One of the challenges of using hydrogen as a fuel comes

Hydrogen can also be produced from water through

The cost of hydrogen production through electrolysis is

its potential for domestic production,

its fast filling time,

and the fuel cell's high efficiency.

Hydrogen can also serve as fuel for internal combustion

In fact, a fuel cell coupled with an electric motor is two to

Because hydrogen has a low volumetric energy density, it is

Most current applications use high-pressure tanks capable of

Retail dispensers, which are mostly co-located at gasoline

Other storage technologies are under development, including

Japan’s car makers are selling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Japanese homes are being equipped with fuel cell

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

The electrolyte is a material which allows ions to pass

The hydrogen ions (H+) released in catalysis travel through

Oxygen (O2) is fed to the cathode where catalysis separates

Those oxygen atoms, electrons (e-) travelling from the load

Hydrogen on board storage

Hydrogen has a wide flammability range in comparison with

As a result, hydrogen can be combusted in an internal

A significant advantage of this is that hydrogen can run on a

Generally, fuel economy is greater and the combustion

The final combustion temperature is generally lower,

Hydrogen has very low ignition energy. The amount of

This enables hydrogen engines to ignite lean mixtures and

Unfortunately, the low ignition energy means that hot gases

Hydrogen has a small quenching distance, smaller than

Thus, it is more difficult to quench a hydrogen flame than a

The smaller quenching distance can also increase the

Hydrogen has a relatively high autoignition temperature.

This has important implications when a hydrogen-air

In fact, the autoignition temperature is an important factor

This higher compression ratio is important because it is

Hydrogen has high flame speed at stoichiometric ratios.

This means that hydrogen engines can more closely

At leaner mixtures, however, the flame velocity decreases

Hydrogen has very high diffusivity.

This ability to disperse in air is considerably greater than

Firstly, it facilitates the formation of a uniform mixture of fuel

Secondly, if a hydrogen leak develops, the hydrogen

Thus, unsafe conditions can either be avoided or minimized

Hydrogen has very low density.

This results cause problems when used in an internal

A very large volume is necessary to store enough

Hydrogen is most commonly mixed with high pressure natural

If hydrogen is blended with other fuels, it usually has to be

At this ratio, no modifications are required to a natural

Mixtures of more than 20% hydrogen with natural gas can

An internal combustion engine (ICE) running on gasoline

A fuel cell that converts H2 and Oxygen into electricity to

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Hydrogen Fueling Stations

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