Vehicles hydrogen powered fuel cell

Figure 4.2. Schematic layout of power system for a PEMFC vehicle. (From R. Ahlu-walia, X. Wang, A. Rousseau, R. Kumar (2004). Fuel economy of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. J. Power Sources 130,192-201. Used by permission from Elsevier.)...

Many car manufacturers are researching ways to mass produce vehicles that are powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Some hydrogen-powered cars that manufacturers have already developed can reach speeds of over 150 km/h (90 mi/h). These types of cars will also travel 400 to 640 km (250 to 400 mi) before refueling. 

Ahluwalia R K, Wang X, Rousseau A and Kumar R (2004), Fuel economy of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles , J Power Sources, 130,192-201 Alberti G and Casciola M (2003), Composite membranes for medium-temperature PEM fuel cells , Annu Rev Mater Res, 33,129-154. 

Hickner, M. A., Ghassemi, H., Kim, Y. S., Einsla, B. R. emd McGrath, J. E. (2004) Alternative polymer systems for proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Chem. Rev. 104, 4587-4612 Imamura, D., Akai, M. and Watanabe, S. (2005) Exploration of hydrogen odorants for fuel cell vehicles. J. Power Sources 152, 226—232... 

Ballard Power Systems, in conjunction with the province of British Columbia and the government of Canada, have converted a diesel bus for Vancouver, B.C. Transit (43). This 9.1-m vehicle is powered by a 105-kW fuel cell. Gaseous hydrogen, stored on board the bus in DOT-approved glass-wound composite cylinders operating at 20.7 MPa (3000 psi), provides the necessary fuel requited for the 150-km projected vehicle range. 

Ogden, J. Steinbugler, M. and Kreutz, T. (1999). A Comparison of Hydrogen, Methanol, and Gasoline as Fuels for Fuel Cell Vehicles. Journal of Power Sources 79 143-168. 

Small engines may incorporate the fuel cell as a power source. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen in a way that generates electricity, which drives a motor. Leading automobile manufacturers have already developed fuel-cell vehicles. 

Iceland, an island nation with abundant hydroelectric and geothermal power sources close to where people live, is using natural power sources to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. In April 2003, Iceland opened its first hydrogen filling station for fuel-cell vehicles. If this initiative proves successful, perhaps the rest of the industrialized world will eventually convert to a hydrogen-fueled economy. 

Compressed gas is being used in most current demonstration vehicles. But, the path to commercialization of any major new technology is a long one. In 2003 Toyota recalled some of its hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles when a leak was found in the fuel tank of one of the cars leased to Japan s Ministry of the Environment. The leak was found when a driver at the ministry heard a strange noise in the car when he was filling up the hydrogen tank. The problem was quickly identified and fixed a few weeks later. 

In order for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to reduce global warming gases, the electrolysis process will need to become more efficient, and the electric power will need to be produced from a higher percentage of low-to zero-carbon sources (renewables or coal with carbon capture and storage). 

GM and Federal Express announced a partnership where the HydroGen3 fuel cell vehicle will be used by Federal Express in the first commercial use of a fuel cell vehicle in Japan. FedEx will use the HydroGen3 vehicle during one year for regular delivery services in two downtown districts of Tokyo. GM also launched a Washington-based fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles. 

In GM s Hy-wire hydrogen powered concept vehicle, there is a fuel cell for the power source and electronics replace mechanical parts in the steering and braking systems. The driver looks through a large, sloped windshield that covers space usually taken up by an engine. There is no dashboard, instrument panel, steering wheel or pedals, only a set of adjustable footrests. 

DaimlerChrysler had a fleet of more than 100 F-cell fuel cell cars called the F-Cell which were used for worldwide testing. They have also built 33 fuel cell buses for 10 European cities as well as Beijing and Perth. DaimlerChrysler has invested over 1 billion in hydrogen fuel cell technology. The fuel cell vehicle fleet is powered by Ballard stacks. 

The biggest attraction of fuel-cell-powered vehicles for car manufacturers is the fact that they no longer emit nitrogen oxides or hydrocarbons (or carbon dioxide if they are fuelled with pure hydrogen). (Burning hydrogen in internal combustion engines results in NOx emissions fuel-cell vehicles emit only water.) This effectively does away with one of the main environmental discussion points about traffic. In California, these zero-emission cars have been demanded since the foundation of the California Fuel Cell Partnership in 1999. 

Today, the power train costs of fuel-cell vehicles are still far from being competitive. They have the largest influence on the economic efficiency of hydrogen use in the transport sector and the greatest challenge is to drastically reduce fuel-cell costs from currently more than 2000/kW to less than 100/kW for passenger cars. On the other hand, fuel-cell drive systems offer totally new design opportunities for... 

The overarching drivers for the development of hydrogen technologies are climate change and reductions in oil consumption with additional benefits in emissions reductions. The use of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles can reduce oil use and carbon plus other emissions in the transportation sector, while hydrogen can enable clean, reliable energy for stationary and portable power applications. 

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