Hybridization, for fuel cells

Hybridization for fuel cells refers to the meaning of hybrid as a hybrid energy system, which is a system that combines two or more forms of energy or power to provide a particular energy service [4]. A fuel-cell hybrid is a special form of a hybrid energy system. Relating to vehicles, a fuel-cell hybrid is an electric vehicle... 

Another important potential appHcation for fuel cells is in transportation (qv). Buses and cars powered by fuel cells or fuel cell—battery hybrids are being developed in North America and in Europe to meet 2ero-emission legislation introduced in California. The most promising type of fuel cell for this appHcation is the SPEC, which uses platinum-on-carbon electrodes attached to a soHd polymeric electrolyte. 

Summary ol Hybrid Vehicle Fuel Economy Results on the FUDS and Highway Driving Cycles using Various Engines and a Fuel Cell (1) mpg diesel fuel for diesel engine and mpg gasoline equivalent for fuel cell powered vehicles... 

Some timetables for fuel cell prototypes announced by government and industry have proven too conservative. Many auto companies already have running drivable fuel cell prototypes. There was also some modest commercialization being achieved by 2004. Some of the predictions for commercialization have fallen behind or been discarded, but this is normal where complex products are involved and where vast market forces are at work. In the early days of automobiles little infrastructure was available, it grew along with the demand. The product was simple and could be repaired on the road with a few simple tools much as wagons were at the time. Transportation options were few and autos proved to be much superior over earlier methods of transportation. Today, hybrid cars are proving to be in demand and most manufacturers have models available in their lines... 

One of the applications for hydrogen is for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. As mentioned earlier, one application is a hydrogen fuelled hybrid fuel cell / ultra-capacitor transit bus program where significant energy efficiencies can be demonstrated. Another commercial application is for fuel cell powered forklifts and other such fleet applications that requires mobile electrical power with the additional environmental benefits this system provides. Other commercial applications being developed by Canadian industry is for remote back-up power such as the telecommunications industry and for portable fuel cell systems. 

This edition of the Fuel Cell Handbook is more comprehensive than previous versions in that it includes several changes. First, calculation examples for fuel cells are included for the wide variety of possible applications. This includes transportation and auxiliary power applications for the first time. In addition, the handbook includes a separate section on alkaline fuel cells. The intermediate temperature solid-state fuel cell section is being developed. In this edition, hybrids are also included as a separate section for the first time. Hybrids are some of the most efficient power plants ever conceived and are actually being demonstrated. Finally, an updated list of fuel cell URLs is included in the Appendix and an updated index assists the reader in locating specific information quickly. 

Gasoline to Hydrogen - A New Route for Fuel Cells," ANL, Electric Hybrid Vehicle Technology of97,1997. 

Burke, A.F. (2007) Batteries and ultracapacitors for electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, Proceedings of the IEEE, 95 (4), 806-820. 

The near-term prospects for fuel cell vehicles were also overhyped in the late 1990s. In November 2002, a major study titled Hybrid Competitive Automobile Powerplants concluded, The industry is currently experiencing a backlash to the just around the corner hype that has surrounded the automotive fuel cell in recent years. 6... 

The high efficiency that hybrids have in urban settings poses particularly tough competition for fuel cell vehicles because, at least initially, fuel cell vehicles are likely to be used mainly for urban driving, for several reasons ... 

S. Ahmed, R. Doshi, R. Kumar, and M. Krumpelt, Gasoline to Hydrogen A New Route for Fuel Cells, Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Technology 97, pp. 77-88, (1997). 

Hybrids of electric and combustion processes could also be used. Currently, hybrid electric vehicle technology combines the combustion of petroleum products (gasoline or diesel), over a wide range of degrees of hybridization, with electric motors for propulsion. Hybrids could be created for any of the other fuels. Hybrids of fuel cells and batteries are under consideration today. 

The committee s upper-bound market penetration case for fuel cell vehicles, premised on hybrid vehicle experience, assumes that fuel cell vehicles enter the U.S. light-duty vehicle market in 2015 in competition with conventional and hybrid electric vehicles, reaching 25 percent of light-duty... 

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