Conference Section A5
Paper 67
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USE OF PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS IN CARS
Robin Thomas, [email protected], Mena, 3:00, Collin Vastine, [email protected], Vidic, 2:00
Abstract—A specific type of hydrogen fuel cell known as
proton exchange membrane (PEM) has recently drawn the
interest of chemical scientists and peaked the interests of
researchers in the automobile industry. The chemical
reaction that occurs in a fuel cell is a process that splits
hydrogen atoms into ions used to create energy and water;
this reaction that occurs in these cells would help eliminate
environmental pollution that results from gasoline-powered
vehicles.
Automobiles release exhaust fumes, causing a high percent
of the air pollution in the world. Cars powered by hydrogen
fuel cells create virtually no pollution because the byproduct
is steam, and these cars do not need to refill as often, if there
is a storage of hydrogen gas. In addition, they do not have the
range limits of electric cars, so they are practical for everyday
use. PEM fuel cells are more efficient and compact than their
predecessors in many ways. They are not battery powered,
potentially allowing for long distance driving without having
to “recharge.”
Despite these advantages, hydrogen fuel cell cars make up
a very small percentage of cars on the road, for a few reasons.
One is that pure hydrogen is not normally available for fuel
cell operation; pure hydrogen is preferred because it reduces
the chances of polluted steam. As of now, hydrogen and
oxygen storage is required to sustain the life of the fuel cell in
an automobile. Arguably, the most difficult hurdle to
overcome is the high cost of production. To create an electric
current through a series of electrodes and make it into a
compact cell for a car is expensive. Fortunately, hydrogen
fuel cell cars are constantly being researched and improved
upon to become more efficient.
powering vehicles. In addition, gasoline powered cars release
exhaust fumes that are detrimental to the environment. For
this reason, many people have started to use electric vehicles
because they produce no air pollution and have a small carbon
footprint. Electric cars also run on a battery that the user
charges on their own, which is more user-friendly than
refilling at a gas station. However, electric vehicles tend to
have shorter ranges and less power overall. Clearly, car
production companies need an efficient solution.
The idea of fuel cells was initially brought to light by Sir
William Grove in 1839, but was not demonstrated until 1959
[1]. A fuel cell is a device that produces electricity and heat
by chemically reacting a fuel (in this case, hydrogen gas) with
oxygen gas [1]. This device is similarly to a battery in an
automobile except rather than adding fuel to run it, the
aforementioned gases are used as the reactants in a chemical
reaction [2]. Through a chemical process called electrolysis,
electricity is produced just by using oxygen and hydrogen gas.
At the same time, fuel cells only generate a byproduct of
steam, so the lack of air pollution is a similar quality to that
of electrically-powered vehicles [3]. The only difference is
that fuel cell powered vehicles can travel for longer distances
with stored hydrogen gas.
Despite its many advantages, fuel cells are still a work in
progress due to some problems and overall practicality. For
example, hydrogen gas is a highly flammable gas. How can it
be potentially stored in a vehicle with such a high risk of
reacting with something other than oxygen gas? But with the
proper research, the benefits of using these cells in cars could
exponentially outweigh the costs. It all starts with the reaction
that fuels the fuel cell.
Key Words—fuel cells, hydrogen splitting, oxidationreduction
reaction,
proton
exchange
membrane,
sustainability, vehicle technology
THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND FUEL CELLS
As mentioned previously, a fuel cell generates electricity by
a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction is the process of
splitting hydrogen into two positively charged proton ions. A
fuel cell consists of two electrodes, which are conductors
through which electricity enters or leaves an object or, in this
instance, the fuel cell. The electrodes are differentiated by a
positively charged anode end and a negatively charged
cathode end. Hydrogen gas enters the anode end and
chemically reacts with a platinum-based catalyst in a process
called absorption [4]. Another process called desorption
WHAT ARE FUEL CELLS?
Gasoline prices are constantly fluctuating, given the
continual unrest happening in the Middle East. The United
States mainly depends on countries like Saudi Arabia for
gasoline. But, the economic turmoil in countries like Saudi
Arabia greatly affects the economic stability when it comes to
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
03.31.2017
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Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
allows the hydrogen gas to be easily split into two positively
charged hydrogen ions and two electrons [3]; this is also
known as an oxidation reaction. The described reactions
proceed via the following mechanism:
2H2  4e-+4H+
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells have many benefits
over standard fuel cells for automotive use. The original
concept for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell was created
in the early 1970’s, but it was not until January 4, 2000 that
the first actual design was patented in the United States [6].
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells differ from standard
fuel cells because they have a proton conducting membrane
between an anode and a cathode. As shown in Figure 1, the
hydrogen goes from the tank to the anode side where it
diffuses the anode catalyst and then breaks it into protons and
electrons. The protons are able to conduct electricity through
the membrane towards the cathode side. The electrons are
forced to leave the system and go on to provide power.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells have many strengths
that make them ideal for use in vehicles. One benefit of proton
exchange membrane is that they have a lower operating
temperature range than other types of fuel cells. They can
generally operate from -35 °C to 40 °C, compared to many
other fuel cell designs which must operate at temperatures of
over 80 °C [7]. This is because of Gibb’s Free Energy, the
idea that the energy contained in a system that is available is
useful to do work. There is a formula to find Gibb’s Free
Energy that also relates the spontaneity of a reaction. The
more spontaneous a reaction is, the more likely it will occur
easily. The formula is as follows:
(1)
The following visual shows the chemistry behind a fuel cell:
ΔG°=ΔH°-T*ΔS°
FIGURE 1 [6]
The chemical process of a fuel cell
In the preceding reaction, ΔG° is Gibb’s Free Energy in
standard conditions, ΔH° is the change in enthalpy (the
measure of how much heat is absorbed or given off when a
chemical reaction takes place), T is the temperature in degrees
Kelvin (K), and ΔS° is the change in entropy (the measure of
the dispersal of energy and matter that takes place during a
reaction) [8]. By the Second Law of Thermodynamics,
reactions must have a positive ΔS° in order to be spontaneous,
which is preferred compared to being nonspontaneous [8]. In
standard conditions, the synthesis of water, shown in equation
(3), has a positive ΔS° of +188.84 Joules/K*moles [8].
Moreover, a reaction is spontaneous if it has a negative value
for ΔH [8]. In standard conditions, water has a ΔH° of -483.6
Kilojoules/moles [8]. Furthermore, a reaction is spontaneous
if its ΔG° is also negative [8]. Therefore, by equation (4), if
water has a positive ΔS° and a negative ΔH°, the temperature
must be lower in order to produce a negative ΔG° [8]. This
flexibility is extremely important for automobiles because
their engines must still be able to start on extremely cold
days. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are also
extremely compact and modular, which is important for
vehicle design. One fuel cell generates about 0.5-0.8 volts or
roughly 2 watts of power [5]. However, a car needs around 34
kilowatts of voltage to drive roughly 100 miles. Therefore,
one fuel cell’s energy will not power a vehicle, especially for
long distance driving. Many fuel cells connected in a series to
obtain a higher power output is called a stack. The number of
The electrons flow through the cell to create an electric
current, thereby powering the electric motor, in this case, of
the vehicle [4]. The electrons then continue to flow until they
reach the cathode end, where they react with oxygen gas. The
hydrogen ions also travel to the cathode end and are again
catalyzed [5]. This reaction consists of hydrogen ions reacting
with oxygen gas that has entered the fuel cell from the air [3].
Both reactions together relate the combination of electrons
and the hydrogen ions with oxygen to create a byproduct of
steam [5]; this is known as a reduction reaction. These
processes occur via the following mechanism:
4H++4e-+O2  2H2O
(4)
(2)
The overall reaction for the entire fuel cell, found by adding
equations (1) and (2) together, shows the oxidation-reduction
chemical reaction of water via the following mechanisms:
2H2  4e-+4H+
(1)
+ 4H++4e-+O2  2H2O
(2)
2H2+O2 2H2O
(3)
This process is beneficial to power vehicles, more so than
gasoline, diesel, or electric powered vehicles due to the
advancements in fuel cell technology.
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
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Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
cells correlates to the amount of voltage, or energy, that can
be used by the vehicle. Theoretically, a fuel cell stack can be
as compact as the consumer wants it, depending on the
amount of energy needed. But in general, a fuel cell
automobile would not need a larger engine block than a
standard automobile.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells have the potential to
become even more efficient in the near future, so their
application in vehicles will be more prominent. Not only are
proton exchange membrane fuel cells currently an extremely
efficient option for fuel cell vehicles, but the technology will
improve even further in the future.
major gains in performance, efficiency, reliability,
manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness” [11].
Recently, a fuel cell design company called Protonex
discovered a process to produce reliable, high performance
PEM fuel cell stacks at a low cost. This process uses adhesive
bonded stack technology, although there is not much research
on the efficiency of the process [7]. Traditionally, fuel cell
stacks are composed of catalyst-coated anode end plates,
catalyst-coated cathode end plates, and other diffusion plates
stacked on top of each other [7]. Protonex’s patented stack
manufacturing reduces the size and overall cost [7]. The
differences in traditional stack manufacturing and Protonex’s
stack manufacturing is shown in Figure 2.
PROBLEMS INVOLVED WITH FUEL
CELL TECHNOLOGY
Platinum as a Catalyst
While there are many benefits to using proton exchange
membrane fuel cells for vehicles, there are also some
technological drawbacks. Fuel cells are not as popular due to
the high cost of mass producing the cells for consumer use in
cars. Hydrogen fuel cells use a catalyst to split the hydrogen
gas into ions, as shown in equation (1). Most modern-day fuel
cells use platinum as the anode catalyst because it is a
common gas-permeable, electrically conductive collector [7].
The problem is that platinum is an expensive metal, most
likely so expensive that the cost outweighs the benefits of the
product [2]. As of 2015, the cost of platinum is $32 per gram,
which adds up to about $1,100 for a typical fuel cell stack [9].
In a study titled “Polyelectrolyte Functionalized Carbon
Nanotubes as Efficient Metal-free Electrocatalysts for
Oxygen Reduction” published in the Journal of the American
Chemical Society, carbon nanotubes were found to be an
equally or more effective catalyst than platinum at 1% the cost
[10]. Wide-scale use of carbon nanotubes as anode catalysts
would greatly reduce the price of fuel cells and therefore the
cost of fuel cell vehicles. The application of carbon nanotubes
to many different technologies is a rapidly growing field, so
there is already some research specific to the use of carbon
nanotubes in hydrogen fuel cells. In fact, there have been tests
of successfully energy-generating fuel cells using these
nanotubes. The main problem is that the overall performance
of the fuel cell using carbon nanotubes is lacking, but research
in optimizing the efficiency of the cells is still developing
[10]. A paper titled “Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
modeling: A review of the last ten years results of the Fuel
Cell Research Center-IEEF” published in the International
Journal of Energy & Environment by researchers at the Fuel
Cell Research Center explains, “PEM fuel cells are still
undergoing intense development, and the combination of new
and optimized materials, improved product development,
novel architectures, more efficient transport processes, and
design optimization and integration are expected to lead to
FIGURE 2 [6]
Traditional stack manufacturing versus Protonex’s stack
manufacturing.
Regardless of carbon nanotubes or Protonex’s stacks process,
the high cost of fuel cells currently is not acceptable for mass
consumer use compared to the prices of gasoline or
electrically powered vehicles [2]. Since this is the case as of
now, hypothetically, if batteries in vehicles became more
efficient, the relevance of fuel cells might decrease and the
demand for fuel cells may become nonexistent [2]. Therefore,
fuel cells continue to adapt and evolve, as they are still being
researched.
Hydrogen Gas Used in Fuel Cells
The most prominent issue with hydrogen fuel cells is the
use of hydrogen gas. As most people know, hydrogen gas is
highly flammable and very reactive. Gasoline, diesel, and
natural gases are also flammable and reactive, but this
reasoning has not prevented these gases from being used in
vehicles [5]. Hydrogen gas is composed of small, light
molecules [12]. In fact, hydrogen gas is much less dense than
air [12]. Therefore, if hydrogen gas were to leak out of a
container, it will disperse upward very quickly [12]. In
contrast, leaked gasoline will flow to the ground, staying there
as a hazard until it evaporates [12]. In conclusion, hydrogen
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Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
gas will be less dangerous than gasoline in the case of a leak.
It is unlikely there will be a hydrogen gas leak anyway as the
containers used to hold hydrogen gas are put through many
rigorous tests to ensure that the containers are safe for
consumer use [12]. The same tests are used on hydrogen
storage tanks, which will be discussed in a later section. With
careful procedures and the correct equipment, like those
containers, hydrogen gas should be safe to use. Therefore,
why not burn hydrogen gas rather than use it in a fuel cell?
Hydrogen gas could be an environmentally friendly
alternative to gasoline or diesel for combustion engines [5].
Hydrogen fuel cells are beneficial to the environment because
of the use of hydrogen and oxygen to create only water as a
“pollutant,” rather than substances that are harmful to the
environment. Using hydrogen in place of gasoline or diesel
would still produce small amounts of pollution that is toxic to
the environment. This impact will be discussed in a later
section.
There are a few other problems with using hydrogen in fuel
cells. One is the energy input of splitting hydrogen gas.
Overall, fuel cells can convert chemical energy into electrical
energy with efficiencies of up to 60%, much more than
combustion engines [10]. However, the energy cost of
actually splitting hydrogen to create electricity may be more
than the energy that is produced from the cell. Researchers are
currently working to improve the energy input efficiency.
The entire concept of hydrogen fuel cells stems from the
idea that hydrogen gas will be available to the consumer. Th
presents a problem, however, because hydrogen gas is not
readily available, contrary to popular belief. Storing hydrogen
gas in the vehicle or having a type of hydrogen gas station for
users to refill would have to be a requirement of a fuel cellpowered vehicle. A feature of hydrogen fuel cells should be
that users can potentially travel longer with a selfreplenishing supply of hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell
continues to produce a voltage, just as solar panels continue
to work as long as there is sunlight. But a fuel cell cannot
function with some form of stored hydrogen gas.
several different vacuum-sealed designs [13]. The basic
principle of this design is first removing all air and residual
hydrogen gas from the tank before it is filled, creating a
vacuum. This allows for 20-30% more hydrogen to be stored
in the tank, which increase the range of the vehicle [13]. This
technology is important because the more hydrogen that can
be compressed, the higher the range of the vehicle.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
With pure hydrogen, the only product released by hydrogen
fuel cells is water, which is not detrimental to the
environment. Also, fuel cells have an efficiency of about 40
to 50% whereas regular combustion engines operate at about
15 to 20% [14]. Overall, using fuel cells currently cuts
greenhouse emissions from automobiles by at least 30%. That
percentage is low because it takes into account the fact that
the production of steam could be from tainted hydrogen [14].
There are a few processes used to produce pure hydrogen gas,
which are discussed in the next section, that are quite
extensive. However, the quality of hydrogen produced can
significantly increase that percentage.
Hydrogen Production for Fuel Cell Use
There are several different ways that the hydrogen
necessary for fuel cells can be produced. In a report by the
Electric Vehicle Transportation Center on hydrogen fueling
station infrastructure, listed are some of the methods: “Unlike
gasoline, hydrogen can be generated from multiple feedstocks
such as natural gas, ethanol, biomass, water, using multiple
sources of energy such as fossil fuel, nuclear power, solar
energy, and wind energy, etc. Hydrogen can be either
produced at centralized locations and delivered to fueling
stations, or generated on-site” [15]. The methods used depend
on the location of the fueling station, relative to a hydrogen
production plant. If the distance is too great to efficiently pipe
in hydrogen in, the best solution is to produce the hydrogen
on-site. One method of creating hydrogen on-site is steam
methane reforming. A steam methane reformer converts other
fuels, such as natural gas or methane, into hydrogen. This
process consists of heating methane to a high temperature and
exposing it to a catalyst, which creates a mixture of hydrogen
and carbon monoxide. This process follows the mechanism
below:
Hydrogen Storage in Cars
An important feature of a hydrogen fuel cell car would be
its hydrogen storage tank. The hydrogen tank has a similar
function to a gas tank in a car, but it has to be designed to
withstand the pressure from the hydrogen inside of it.
Researchers are contemplating ideas about reducing the
pressure needed for hydrogen storage, a concept that presents
some technological barriers. The safety features of these
designs are extremely important, because of the risk of failure
due to the pressure if the tank is not properly designed. A
peer-reviewed article that was published in the Journal of
Vacuum Science & Technology, called “Hydrogen storage:
The major technological barrier to the development of
hydrogen fuel cell cars,” discusses the solutions for the largest
technical issues with fuel cell vehicles, the storage of the
necessary hydrogen. The proposed solution consists of
CH4 + H2O → 3H2 + CO
(5)
The next reaction involves the carbon monoxide from
equation (4). The carbon monoxide reacts with water to
produce carbon dioxide and more hydrogen. The process
occurs via the mechanism:
H2O + CO  CO2 + H2
4
(6)
Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
Finally, the carbon dioxide and other impurities are removed
by a pressure swing adsorption system, leaving only hydrogen
[14].
Another on-site process for the creation of hydrogen is
electrolysis of water. In this process, an electric current is run
through water that contains an electrolyte membrane and
catalysts that splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen. This
process is very good for smaller scale stations because it is
80-85% efficient, but can only produce around 30-100 kg of
hydrogen per day [15].
These processes to create hydrogen highly increase the need
for hydrogen refueling stations around the country. If neither
of these processes can be used efficiently in the desired
location of the hydrogen refueling station, the hydrogen can
also be piped in. There are already over 400 miles of long
distance hydrogen pipelines in the United States, so it would
not be an issue to create more hydrogen infrastructure.
Overall, there are enough ways to obtain hydrogen fuel that
hydrogen refueling stations could easily be made across the
country. But what if there were a more sustainable way to
produce hydrogen gas for fuel cells?
[18]. The two most commonly used pressures of hydrogen for
automotive use are 35 MPa and 70 MPa [18]. The higher
pressure allows for more to be stored in the tank, but it
requires a different system for filling. The 400-mile range
meets the average range of most gasoline vehicles on the road
today [18]. This study proves that fuel cell cars can easily
compete with currently used technology [18].
A very important feature of fuel cells is that they can easily
be refueled at hydrogen refilling stations, which operate
similarly to a gas station. The hydrogen gas can be produced
on-site at hydrogen producing plants. The hydrogen is then
purified to meet the quality required for fuel cells, and then
stored in large storage vessels. Fuel cells require high quality
hydrogen to prevent the formation of products other than
water, heat, and power. The quality of hydrogen for use in
vehicles is usually required to be type 1 Grade A, which
means it is 99.995% pure.
Another alternative is having the hydrogen brought in
through a pipeline in liquid form, which is better for larger
stations that are centrally located. When it needs to be pumped
into the car, it is compressed and then cooled so that it does
not overheat in the tank of the car. The actual process of filling
the car with hydrogen is similar to a gas station. To fill a
hydrogen car, the user first connects a communicator that
relays how filled the tank is to the fueling station, and then a
tube is connected that delivers the hydrogen to the fuel cell.
Fortunately for the user, this process does not require any
training.
In addition to being more environmentally friendly than
gasoline, hydrogen is also less expensive. A kilogram of
hydrogen costs about $2-4, and provides a slightly greater
range than a gallon of gasoline [18]. These prices would be
extremely stable, as the production of hydrogen is an
industrial process that is not dependent on high-conflict
regions such as the Middle East. Wide-scale use of fuel cell
vehicles would allow the United States to be more self-reliant.
Making Fuel Cells Sustainable Using Renewable
Resources and Processes
It was mentioned at the beginning of the paper that due to
economic unrest in the Middle East, gas prices rise and fall in
the United States. Wind and solar energy are being considered
as potential power sources for the reactions in the fuel cell.
Equation (1) shows the electrolysis of hydrogen. This process,
combined with the generating of electric power, might be able
to operate using wind farms [16]. If so, this process could
become entirely green, making hydrogen gas a renewable
resource and the use of hydrogen fuel cells one of the most
environmentally friendly electric power sources [17].
Basically, the research explores integrating multiple
electrolyzers, or sources of electric currents, to produce
hydrogen gas using energy from wind turbines [17]. This
would eliminate the need for creating hydrogen on-site, which
was mentioned in the previous section. Overall, this
technology could potentially allow hydrogen gas to be created
domestically in an environmentally friendly process, reducing
the United States’ dependence for gasoline.
Comparison with Electric Cars
Electric vehicles are the main competitor with fuel cell
vehicles, with electric cars currently having a much larger
market share than fuel cell cars. Electric cars have many
similar benefits to fuel cell cars in terms of environmental
impact, but fuel cells have some distinct benefits. As
discussed earlier, the current range of fuel cell vehicles is over
400 miles, while the average range of a current day electric
car is only 100 miles. Having over four times the open road
range of an electric car makes fuel cells cars much more
practical and dependable.
Another important benefit is that the production of pure
hydrogen gas is a completely clean process. Electric cars still
have a negative environmental impact if the electricity used
to power them is provided from coal or other environmentally
damaging sources. Recharging time is also a factor. For most
electric cars, it takes around 4 hours to completely charge. In
contrast, hydrogen fuel cells take about 5 minutes to refuel.
PRACTICALITY OF FUEL CELLS
Not only do fuel cell vehicles have a much lower harmful
impact on the environment, but they are also a practical and
long term replacement for the traditional gasoline, diesel, and
electrically-powered vehicles on the market. Fuel cell
vehicles can operate at similar or greater ranges than gasoline
vehicles. In a test by the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, they verified that the Toyota Fuel Cell Hybrid
Vehicle (FCHV-adv) achieved driving ranges of over 400
miles using 70 Megapascals (MPa) compressed hydrogen
5
Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
[3] “Fuel Cell Basics.” American History. 2008. Accessed
1.11.2017. http://americanhistory.si.edu/fuelcells/basics.htm
[4] “Fuel Cells.” Hydrogenics. 2017. Accessed 3.2.17.
http://www.hydrogenics.com/technologyresources/hydrogen-technology/fuel-cells/
[5] “FAQ About Fuel Cells.” Fuel Cell Today. Accessed
3.2.17. http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/about-fuel-cells/faq#1
[6] A. Hammerschmidt. “PEM Fuel Cell” United States
Patent.
1.4.2000.
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1.26.2017.
https://www.google.com/patents/US6010798
[7] “Proton Exchange Membrane.” Protonex: a Ballard
company.
2017.
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https://www.protonex.com/technology/proton-exchangemembrane/
[8] “Thermochemistry—Enthalpy, Entropy, and Gibb’s Free
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http://chemistry-reference.com/thermochemistry/
[9] “Hydrogen car price breakthrough: it’s the platinum.”
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/hydrogen_car_price_breakthrough_its_the_platinum.html
[10] S. Wang. "Polyelectrolyte Functionalized Carbon
Nanotubes as Efficient Metal-free Electrocatalysts for
Oxygen Reduction." 3.17.2011. Accessed 2.28.2016
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja1112904?journalCode
=jacsat
[11] S. Al-Baghdadi. “Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
modeling: A review of the last ten years results of the Fuel
Cell Research Center-IEEF.” International Journal of Energy
& Environment. 11.31.2016. Accessed 1.26.2017
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=953bebb8
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=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=ap
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[12] “Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: Science Behind Fuel Cells.”
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[13] D. Ross. “Hydrogen storage: The major technological
barrier to the development of hydrogen fuel cell cars.” Journal
of Vacuum Science & Technology. 8.2006. Accessed
1.11.2017.
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=e
37f5f65-c87a-4b59-9d6c62dfc200e649%40sessionmgr4006&hid=4106&bdata=JnNp
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[14] “Hydrogen Production: Electrolysis.” Energy.gov.
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[15] N. Qin. "Hydrogen Fueling Stations Infrastructure."
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http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/howdo-hydrogen-fuel-cells-work#.WIqipxkrJPY
Electric cars are clearly much less practical than their
hydrogen fuel cell counterpart. Hydrogen fuel cell cars will
most likely become much more common in the near future
due to the many advantages they have over both gasoline and
electric vehicles.
THE FUTURE OF FUEL CELLS IN
VEHICLES
The number of alternative energy cars on the road is
continually increasing, this includes both electric and
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. As gas prices rise in the future
due to petroleum sources slowly running out, and as the
general populace continues to become more environmentally
conscious, this trend will clearly continue. Many major car
companies such as Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, and
General Motors have made significant investments in
advancing fuel cell vehicle technology. In an interview,
Merten Jung, BMW’s head of fuel cell development explains
why he believes in the future of fuel cells: “A fuel cell
drivetrain combines zero-emissions mobility with the fastrefueling time that’s needed for long-distance driving.
Moving forward, electric vehicles will have longer ranges
thanks to advances in battery technology, but the refueling
time won’t be competitive with that of a hydrogen-powered
model. It takes about three to five minutes to top up a
hydrogen tank, and then you’re set to go. We expect that
battery-electric vehicles and fuel cell-electric vehicles will coexist in the future, and plug-in hybrids are simply a temporary
solution until we get to that point” [19].
Fuel cell vehicles have the same environmental benefits of
electric cars, but they also are more practical for day-to-day
driving. Because of this, as the use of gasoline cars declines,
fuel cell cars will fill that gap instead of electric cars, because
electric cars are unable to replicate the long distance travel of
gasoline and fuel cell cars. Currently, the biggest road block
to more wide spread use of hydrogen fuel cell cars is the lack
of hydrogen infrastructure around the country, but due the
relative ease of producing hydrogen on-site hydrogen
infrastructure could be quickly developed in the future.
Hydrogen vehicles powered by proton exchange membrane
fuels have many benefits over both traditional gasoline
powered vehicles and electric vehicles, so once the necessary
hydrogen infrastructure has been constructed, hydrogen
vehicles could become the most common type of vehicle on
the road.
SOURCES
[1] “PEMFC.” Fuel Cell Today. Accessed 1.11.17.
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/technologies/pemfc
[2] R. Siegel. “Fuel Cell Energy: Pros and Cons.” 5.10.2012.
Accessed
3.2.17.
http://www.triplepundit.com/special/energy-options-prosand-cons/fuel-cell-energy-pros-cons/
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Robin Thomas
Collin Vastine
[17] “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research.” NREL. 7.14.2016.
Accessed
on
3.2.17.
http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/proj_wind_hydrogen.html
[18] K. Wipke. “Evaluation of Range Estimates for Toyota
FCHV‐ adv Under Open Road Driving Conditions.” National
Renewable Energy Laboratory. 8.10.2009. Accessed
2.26.2017.
http://www.cleancaroptions.com/html/Toyota_431_mile_ran
ge.pdf
[19] R. Glon. "While You're Charging your EV, BMW is
Preparing for a Hydrogen Future." 3.26.2016. Accessed
2.27.2017.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/bmw-ispreparing-for-a-hydrogen-future/
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
J. Cooper. “Review and analysis of PEM fuel cell design and
manufacturing.” Journal of Power Sources. 2.25.2003.
Accessed
1.26.2017.
http://rt4rf9qn2y.scholar.serialssolutions.com/?sid=google&
auinit=V&aulast=Mehta&atitle=Review+and+analysis+of+
PEM+fuel+cell+design+and+manufacturing&id=doi:10.101
6/S0378-7753(02)005426&title=Journal+of+power+sources&volume=114&issue=1
&date=2003&spage=32&issn=0378-7753
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank our co-chairs Marade Bergen and
Robert Boback for all the advice they gave and questions they
asked. We would like to thank Andrew Ford for helping us
figure out our conference paper idea. We would like to thank
our writing instructor Keely Bowers. Robin would like to
thank her family for supporting her in her decision to become
a chemical engineer.
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