Mahboobin 10:00
L09
Disclaimer—This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on
publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose
other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
HOW HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS ARE CHANGING THE WAY WE USE
ENERGY
Ryan Rice ([email protected])
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS: THE NEXT BIG
STEP IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
One of the biggest problems engineers face in the world
today is the growing trend towards a clean energy source. We
have made many strides towards this with renewable energy
sources such as hydroelectric power, solar power, and wind
power. However, with all the ways of using renewable
sources, they provided only about 14% of United States
energy in 2014 [1]. One newer source of energy is the
hydrogen fuel cell. Used mostly in vehicles, these fuel cells
provide power without harmful CO2 gas emission.
While there are still many problems to be solved with
this technology, there have been many steps taken to make the
cells more efficient. With enough time and research put into
hydrogen fuel, we should find a permanent replacement for
the polluting business of obtaining energy from fossil fuels.
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS: WHAT THEY
ARE AND WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT
Hydrogen fuel cells are essentially large batteries that
produce a current from stored hydrogen gas and oxygen from
the air. Within the cell, the H2 gas separates into protons and
electrons. These electrons pass along a wire creating an
electric current forms water from the O2 in the atmosphere
and H+ protons. Using large stacks of these cells, we have
been able to power vehicles such as cars and even some small
planes without harmful emissions. In a paper titled
“Accelerating Progress on Hydrogen Fuel Cells,” Jesse
Dufton explains “As with the changes in automobile
technology, the absence of harmful exhaust emissions will
mean cleaner air and fewer health problems, particularly in
the world’s emerging nations” [2]. Thus the use of hydrogen
fuel cells will help the world stay healthy and make it a safer
place to live.
The biggest benefit today of hydrogen fuel cells is the
practical use of them on cars and buses. Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) have already begun to sell in
California which houses many new hydrogen fuel stations.
The California Energy Commission claims these cars fill up
on hydrogen just as other vehicles fill up on gasoline yet the
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
11/01/2016
FCEVs provide a “reduction in greenhouse gases ranges from
40% to 50%, and can be higher when hydrogen is produced
from renewable sources” [3]. Therefore, using hydrogen fuel
cells to power cars is both safer for the environment than
gasoline powered vehicles and more efficient than battery
powered ones.
PROBLEMS WITH HYDROGEN FUEL
CELLS
While these fuel cells are efficient and environmentally
friendly, there are still many problems associated with this
sort of energy use. The first of these problems is the
production of hydrogen gas. While we can obtain hydrogen
using the electrolysis of water, this is not an efficient way of
producing if a large scale amount of hydrogen gas is needed
to power these vehicles. Currently the most efficient way of
producing hydrogen is from using heat energy produced by
combustion reactions [4]. Since the purpose of the hydrogen
fuel cells is to avoid the byproducts of combustion, this is
very counterproductive. However, there are other methods to
split hydrogen from a compound including solar energy and
microorganisms that break down the compounds [4].
Another problem we face is the availability for
consumers to refuel on hydrogen fuel. Jesse Dufton says “for
widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cells there will need
to be an established hydrogen infrastructure” [2]. This means
that we would need many more fueling stations around the
country for people to consider buying FCEVs. California has
begun testing with Hydrogen Fuel Cells and has built
numerous refueling stations but more work must be done in
order for this to become a mainstream way of transportation.
Another thing to keep aware of is the explosive nature
of hydrogen gas when it is mixed with water. It is not
difficult to store hydrogen gas in a pressurized tank, but if
the tank were punctured in any way, the car could easily
explode killing anyone involved in an accident.
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
In recent years there have been advances into solving
some of the problems to using hydrogen as a fuel source. The
Ryan Rice
cleanest and most environmentally friendly way of producing
hydrogen would, be through electrolysis. However,
electrolysis of plane water requires a nearly identical amount
of energy as the amount of energy produced from hydrogen
gas reactions. For this reason, a way is needed to produce
more hydrogen gas with a lower voltage of power.
However, the creator of the engine has to know what he/she
is doing in order to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce risk
of explosion.
TOYOTA MIRAI
One of the many car companies that is implementing
hydrogen fuel cells into their new car designs is Toyota. The
Toyota Mirai is a brand new car made by Toyota unique in
the fact that it relies solely on hydrogen gas. Instead of
combustion reactions, the Mirai uses hydrogen fuel cell
reactions from stored hydrogen gas and oxygen which it
intake from the atmosphere. As the gas pedal is pressed, more
hydrogen gas is sent to the fuel cell creating an increase in
power. Instead of the toxic emission from combustion of
gasoline, the tail pipe of the Mirai only emits water vapor [8].
Electrocoagulation of Industrial Waste
A group from the Kongu Engineering College in India
recently discovered a way of using electrolysis to produce
hydrogen with much less energy. After doing research, they
looked into the industrial waste treatment of sago, a popular
starch used around the world. The group claims that
“Industrial wastewaters are a low-cost substrate that can be
used for the production of energy in the form of hydrogen
gas, with the use of eco-friendly methods such as
electrocoagulation (EC)” [5]. Using this EC method for
electrolysis, we can form hydrogen gas for a lower cost while
cleaning out waste from industrial runoff so that it is safe for
the environment.
The reason the electrolysis of this waste is cheaper than
that of regular water has to do with the standard potentials of
hydrogen and aluminum found within the waste. Since
aluminum has a lower standard electric potential than
hydrogen (-1.662 V < -0.828 V), aluminum will react at the
anode spontaneously providing a current for water to
dissociate at the cathode causing the formation of H2 and O2
gas. This hydrogen gas can now be used as an energy source
for the fuel cells.
HOW THE HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
WILL REVOLUTIONIZE THE WORLD
Just as Toyota has begun to implement ways to use
hydrogen fuel cells, many other companies have jumped on
board trying to innovate ways to use this new technology.
Once the problems are worked out and hydrogen fuel
becomes more accessible, the world will experience a drastic
change. Any power source at all will be able to run off of a
supply of hydrogen gas and wind. Could you imagine a world
where power lines are all replaced by hydrogen pumps
underground? A world where cell phones go months on end
without needing to be charged. Cars would be filled with
water instead of with gasoline. The world is changing fast,
and finding a renewable source of clean energy is just one of
the ways that a difference can be made.
Hydroxyl Gas Reactions
Another similar way of powering cars with hydrogen is
with a hydroxyl gas (HHO) generator. While this is not
technically a hydrogen fuel cell, it is similar in the fact that it
uses hydrogen gas to enhance the power of an automobile
while created cleaner and safer emissions. Rather than
installing an entire new engine, HHO generators are additions
to current combustion engines found in most cars on the road
today [6]. Using the same electrolysis method as explained
above, byproducts of the combustion of gasoline are used to
electrolyze water to form H+ and O2- ions. These ions are then
combined in a controlled way to form hydroxyl gas. This gas
is then used in the combustion reaction mixed with the
gasoline expanding the engine’s potential by over 3 times.
The explosive nature of HHO is what causes the combustion
cylinder to fill at much more rapid speeds causing the piston
to move faster and the engine to work harder [6].
While it is largely debated whether HHO generators
actually do improve efficiency, it was founded to reduce the
harmful emissions of combustion reactions in an automobile.
A team is Ontario, Canada recently did a study on HHO and
hydrogen fuel cells vs normal combustion reactions. They
concluded that, “Using pure hydrogen or HHO in combustion
chamber can lead better thermodynamic efficiency” [7].
SOURCES
[1] K. Bossong. “US Renewable Electrical Generation Hits
14.3 Percent.” Renewable Energy World. 08.27.2014
Accessed 10.31.2016.
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2014/08/usrenewable-electrical-generation-hits-14-3-percent.html
[2] J. Dufton. “Accelerating Progress on Hydrogen Fuel
Cells.” The Chemical Engineer. 03.01.2016 Accessed
10.31.2016.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=
ee2e834c-056e-4763-9233edf45aca18bd@sessionmgr107&vid=11&hid=107
[3] “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.” California
Energy Commission. Accessed 10.31.2016.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/drive/technology/hydrogen_fuelce
ll.html
[4] “Hydrogen Production Processes.” US Department of
Energy. Accessed 10.31.2016
2
Ryan Rice
http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-productionprocesses
[5] K. Thirugnanasambandham & K. Shine. “Hydrogen Gas
Production from Sago Industry Wastewater Using
Electrochemical Reactor: Simulation and Validation." Energy
Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental
Effects. 08.11.2016. Accessed 10.31.2016
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/command/detail?sid=2218
5210-ceca-443f-8a29d1e1284264d1%40sessionmgr4010&vid=5&hid=4204
[6] “How to Assemble a HHO Generator and Why It Works.”
Instructables. Accessed 10.31.2016.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-assemble-a-HHOGenerator-and-why-it-works/
[7] M. Baltacioglua, H. Arata, M. Özcanlib, K. Aydinc.
“Experimental Comparison of Pure Hydrogen and HHO
(Hydroxyl) Enriched Biodiesel (B10) Fuel in a Commercial
Diesel Engine.” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.
05.25.2016 Accessed 10.31.2016
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/command/detail?sid=0486
2ec6-b0e6-4ec8-bbeff9a2631d18b5%40sessionmgr4009&vid=5&hid=4204
[8] “Mirai.” Toyota. Accessed 10.31.2016
https://ssl.toyota.com/mirai/fcv.html?&srchid=sem%7cGOO
GLE%7cMirai%7cSegment_Mirai_Hydrogen%7cHydrogen
_General_Hydrogen_Car%7c6_1_16_Restructure_PreExisti
ng%7cMirai_Questionnaire&gclid=CNi43r2dhtACFYWfN
wodVKcJGw&gclsrc=ds
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank everyone who helped me stay the
course and complete this paper. I want to thank my roommate
Tyler for dealing with me working late into the night. I want
to thank my friend Austin for yelling at me when I stop
working and get off topic. I want to thank my neighbor Owen
for giving me advice for what to write about. I would also like
to thank my neighbor Jacob for watching out for me and
making sure I got this done on time. I want to thank God for
giving me life to live on this Earth and learn all that I can.
Lastly, I want to thank my parents for sending me to the
University of Pittsburgh and for all that they do for me every
day.
3