Why Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell!
 
Changes in temperature, sea level and Northern Hemisphere snow cover : Effect of Green House Gas (GHC) emission
RCP: Representative Concentration Pathways – Different Models
 
It is very likely that the Arctic sea ice cover will continue to shrink and thin and that Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover will decerese during the 21st century as global mean surface temperature rises. Global glacier volume will further decerease. {12.4, 13.4}}
 
 
 
Global anthropogenic GHG emissions Source: IPCC
 
 
Open-ended energy systems: GHG emission
 
 
Quality of Life vs. Energy Usage
 
 
Trend in Crude Discoveries, Consumption and Price with Time
 
Crude oil Discoveries
Year
G bbl/Year
1960
60
1980
30
2000
10
2020
5
Crude oil Consumption
Year
X 10 19 J /year
1960
25
1980
120
2000
160
2020
200
Crude Oil Price

Year
US$ / bbl (5.74 GJ)
Note: crude price is highly fluctuating in last few years. 2008/09 - US$ 142 / bbl. In 2010, US$ 65 / bbl
1960
20
1980
55
2000
30
2020
 ?
bbl: barrels of oil equivalent
 
Energy Consumption in Different Types of Passenger Cars
 
 
Type
Energy consumption, kJ/km
 
Well-to-tank
Tank-to-wheel
Well-to-wheel
Gasoline ICE
694
2777
3471
Diesel ICE
377
2314
2691
CNG ICE
423
2834
3257
H2 ICE
1424
2136
3560
Gasoline ICE-HEV
479
1915
2394
Diesel ICE-HEV
251
1543
1794
CNG-ICE-HEV
241
1615
1856
H2 ICE-HEV
1102
1653
2755
H2 FC
771
1157
1928
H2 FC-HEV
740
1111
1851
 
Carbon Dioxide Emission From Different Types of Passenger Cars
 
 
Fuel Cell Makes Sense
 
Closed Hydrogen Energy System: Min GHG Emission
 
 
Brief History of Fuel Cell Development
 
  • William Grove in 1839, 1st demonstrated H2-O2 fuel cell while working on water electrolyses. In the experiment, water is first electrolysed into hydrogen and oxygen by a power supply. When the power supply is replaced by an ammeter, a small current is observed, as the flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode. Thus he postulated that if H2 and O2 is supplied to Pt electrodes (anode and cathode) dipped in electrolyte solution, electricity is generated . He coin the word Fuel Cell (Gaseous Voltaic Battery).
  • Francis T. Becon in 1939 used platinum catalyst in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell. Developed further with Parsons & Co Ltd, King’s College University College of London, University of Cambridge and patented it in 1954
  • Applied in Apollo Mission in 1965: 3 FCs 463-1463 Watt by NASA for space program
 
 

Fig (a)The electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen. (b) The combination of hydrogen and oxygen to produce electric current (demonstrated by William Grove in 1839)

Larminie and Dicks, Fuel cell systems explained, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2006

 
Fuel Cell : Advantages over ICE
 
  • Fuel cells are silent as there are no moving part and hence long lasting and highly reliable.
  • No undesirable products like SOx, NOx and particulate emissions are virtually zero.
  • Fuel cells are not subject to the Carnot efficiency limit. If there is no ‘irreversibility’ the efficiency could be 100%.