Kate Wallace

Erin Turner

Jillian Abraham

What is hydrogen all about?What is hydrogen all about?

• 9% of your body is made up of hydrogen9% of your body is made up of hydrogen

• Greater than 90% of all matter is hydrogenGreater than 90% of all matter is hydrogen

• Hydrogen is 4 times lighter than airHydrogen is 4 times lighter than air

• Hydrogen can power a car with a non-polluting fuel and an electric Hydrogen can power a car with a non-polluting fuel and an electric motormotor

• The combustion of hydrogen produces no carbon dioxide (CO2), The combustion of hydrogen produces no carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate, or sulfur emissions. It can only produce nitrous oxide (NOX) particulate, or sulfur emissions. It can only produce nitrous oxide (NOX) emissions under some conditions. (DOE)emissions under some conditions. (DOE)

• The amount of energy produced by hydrogen per unit weight of fuel is The amount of energy produced by hydrogen per unit weight of fuel is about 3 times the amount of energy contained in an equal weight of about 3 times the amount of energy contained in an equal weight of gasoline, and almost 7 times that of coal. (FSEC)gasoline, and almost 7 times that of coal. (FSEC)

Why hydrogen?Why hydrogen?

• Solve air pollution problemsSolve air pollution problems

• Eliminate dependence on oilEliminate dependence on oil

• Eliminate oil spillsEliminate oil spills

• Create domestic jobsCreate domestic jobs

To have an energy source be made from unlimited, renewable, & sustainable resources

AdvantagesAdvantages

• High safetyHigh safety– Self-ignition = 550 Self-ignition = 550

• vs gas at 228-501vs gas at 228-501– Disperses quickly in Disperses quickly in

atmosphereatmosphere– Cleans airCleans air

• Completes combustion Completes combustion of the unburned of the unburned hydrocarbons that hydrocarbons that surround ussurround us

– Stores safelyStores safely• Can be used to replace Can be used to replace

anything using fossil anything using fossil fuels unless carbon is fuels unless carbon is specifically neededspecifically needed

History of HydrogenHistory of Hydrogen

• NASA 1NASA 1stst to experiment to experiment– Apollo & Gemini Apollo & Gemini – By 1965 hydrogen fuel By 1965 hydrogen fuel

cells were standard cells were standard equipment in spacecraftequipment in spacecraft

• Fuel cell price changeFuel cell price change– NASA used niobium plated NASA used niobium plated

with gold as a catalyst & with gold as a catalyst & expensive electrolyteexpensive electrolyte

– Today platinum is used as Today platinum is used as catalyst catalyst • $30,000 to $500$30,000 to $500

Hydrogen fuel cells power the shuttle's electrical systems, producing a clean byproduct—pure water, which the crew drinks. You can think of a fuel cell as a battery that is constantly replenished by adding fuel to it—it never loses its charge.

-First Road Legal Hydrogen Car--First Road Legal Hydrogen Car-

• In the 1960s a man named In the 1960s a man named Karl Kordesch used Karl Kordesch used pressurized hydrogen gas to pressurized hydrogen gas to run a car, which was stored run a car, which was stored on the roof. The remodeled on the roof. The remodeled Austin reached a peak power Austin reached a peak power of 20 kW and a maximum of 20 kW and a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The range speed of 80 km/h. The range was 300 km. was 300 km.

• The only requirement by the The only requirement by the licensing board was a warning licensing board was a warning sign on the roof and a strict sign on the roof and a strict smoking prohibition in the smoking prohibition in the passenger room. passenger room.

What hydrogen can do…What hydrogen can do…• Fuel today’s internal Fuel today’s internal

combustion engine vehicles combustion engine vehicles and tomorrow’s fuel-cell and tomorrow’s fuel-cell vehiclesvehicles

• Replace natural gas for Replace natural gas for heating and cooling homes heating and cooling homes and hot water heatersand hot water heaters

• Wind and hydroelectric Wind and hydroelectric plants can produce plants can produce hydrogen and store energy hydrogen and store energy during off-peak hoursduring off-peak hours

• Hydrogen production from Hydrogen production from hydrocarbons can produce hydrocarbons can produce carbon carbon – This carbon can be made This carbon can be made

into carbon fiber which is 10 into carbon fiber which is 10 times the strength of times the strength of steel….used for auto bodiessteel….used for auto bodies

TodayToday

• hydrogen fuel cell driven car manufactured by the hydrogen fuel cell driven car manufactured by the Daimler-Chrysler company. Daimler-Chrysler company.

• Prototype hydrogen fuel cell attached to a bicycle.Prototype hydrogen fuel cell attached to a bicycle.– brake system powered by a fuel cell, the fuel source being brake system powered by a fuel cell, the fuel source being

hydrogen stored in a pressure tank hydrogen stored in a pressure tank

Hydrogen in your carHydrogen in your carHydrogen Cycle

•Hydrogen is infinitely recyclable and is converted back into water

•The only waste in hydrogen powered cars

Where does Hydrogen come Where does Hydrogen come from?from?You must make it….You must make it….• ElectrolysisElectrolysis

– using electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygenusing electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen– Can do it anywhereCan do it anywhere

• Reforming fossil fuelsReforming fossil fuels– Using a fuel processor or a reformer to split hydrocarbons into a useful Using a fuel processor or a reformer to split hydrocarbons into a useful

hydrogen and a harmful carbon using heathydrogen and a harmful carbon using heat• Used today with fossil fuelsUsed today with fossil fuels

Electricity for electrolysis?Electricity for electrolysis?

• Nuclear PowerNuclear Power• Hydroelectric damsHydroelectric dams• Solar powerSolar power• Wind turbines Wind turbines • Geothermal power Geothermal power • Wave and tidal power Wave and tidal power • Co-generation Co-generation

– a sawmill might burn a sawmill might burn bark to create power, or bark to create power, or a landfill might burn a landfill might burn methane that the rotting methane that the rotting trash producestrash produces

4 Ways to Make Hydrogen4 Ways to Make Hydrogen• ThermochemicalThermochemical

A A steam reformingsteam reforming process is currently used to produce hydrogen process is currently used to produce hydrogen from such fuels as from such fuels as natural gasnatural gas, , coalcoal, , methanolmethanol, or even gasoline. , or even gasoline. To draw on renewable energy sources, the To draw on renewable energy sources, the gasificationgasification or or pyrolysispyrolysis of biomass—organic material—can be used to generate a fuel gas of biomass—organic material—can be used to generate a fuel gas that can be reformed into hydrogen. that can be reformed into hydrogen.

• ElectrochemicalElectrochemicalThe electrolysis of water produces hydrogen by passing an The electrolysis of water produces hydrogen by passing an electrical current through it. electrical current through it.

• PhotoelectrochemicalPhotoelectrochemicalThe photoelectrochemical (PEC) process produces hydrogen in one The photoelectrochemical (PEC) process produces hydrogen in one step, splitting water by illuminating a water-immersed step, splitting water by illuminating a water-immersed semiconductor with sunlight. semiconductor with sunlight.

• PhotobiologicalPhotobiologicalPhotobiological systems generally use the natural photosynthetic Photobiological systems generally use the natural photosynthetic activity of activity of bacteriabacteria and and green algaegreen algae to produce hydrogen. to produce hydrogen.