Novel Applications for Hydrogen Fuel Cells

When pure hydrogen is to be used as fuel, the gas must first be recovered from the process stream where it is produced. Membranes may be used for this purpose, and several of the new materials under development may be suitable depending on gas volume to be handled and process conditions like temperature and pressure. Along with the introduction of fuel cells, development of small-scale gas-processing units will follow. Several small, integrated production units with direct conversion of fuel to hydrogen gas combined with a membrane unit for hydrogen recovery are patented [125,126]. 

FIGURE 4.24 Schematic illustration of how two different fuel cells work with pure hydrogen as fuel (left), and with methanol as fuel (right). (From Nunes S.P., Review on fuel cells. Presentation at EMS Summer School, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway, 2003. With permission.) 

Technology Application Projected Average Annual Shipment In Europe In the United States In Japan Rest of the World 

The market predictions for fuel cell systems worldwide presented by Hagler Bailey is shown in Table 4.9 [128]. 

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