Development of a Cost-Effective Hydrogen Production System for Vehicle Fueling Stations

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Aaron ◽  
Joseph M. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fueling Station

The need to transition from oil dependency to an alternative transportation fuel has been well documented over the last 30 years. Many alternative energy sources have been researched and developed, but none, to this point, has been able to compete with the cost and versatility of gasoline. The use of hydrogen fuel cells for transportation is one of the concepts being highly supported as a potential environmentally clean alternative energy technology. Significant research and development has dramatically increased the feasibility of this technology, but many additional breakthroughs, including a cost effective supply of hydrogen at fueling stations, will be required for fuel cell vehicles (FCV) to compete with gasoline fueled internal combustion engines (ICE). This paper describes the development of an on-site hydrogen supply system based on steam methane reforming (SMR) that could easily be added to a typical fueling station. The system is not intended to fuel the equivalent of all the cars on the road today, but to provide enough hydrogen for the transition period from gasoline powered transportation to the hydrogen fuel cell. Opportunities exist for a significant reduction in hydrogen cost by introducing advanced design technologies, such as Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA), to the development of hydrogen production systems. A reformer-based system designed using the DFMA approach is expected to significantly reduce the capital cost by minimizing the overall part count, simplifying the design, and optimizing the assembly process. Praxair, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is developing a small SMR-based system using this approach. This paper presents an overview of the impact of this approach on the system design as well as the overall cost for small on-site hydrogen production. The paper also provides an analysis of hydrogen fueling station criteria and an overview of issues related to on-board hydrogen vehicle storage.

scholarly journals Energy Sustainability Study of a Rural ICT Telecenter at the Bario Highland

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Omar Abdullah ◽  
Voon Chun Yung ◽  
Audra Anak Jom ◽  
Alvin Yeo Wee ◽  
Martin Anyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Combined System ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Simple Method

The eBario project has won the eAsia Award and the Mondialogo Engineering Award in 2004 and 2005 respectively for it’s successful implementation of an Information and Telecommunications Technology Center (ICT) and solar renewable energy-incentive rural community project at the Bario Highland of Sarawak, East Malaysia, Borneo (http://www.unimas.my/ebario/). Although solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has been opted for power generation at the ICT Telecenter for the past five years, there is still a need to investigate the cost-effectiveness of the current energy setup as well as to conduct sustainability study taking into account factors such as system efficiency, weather, costs of fuel, operating costs, as well as to explore the feasibility of implementing alternative energy resources for the rural ICT Telecenter. Recent theoretical study conducted has shown that renewable combined power systems are more sustainable in terms of supplying electricity to the ICT Telecenter, and in a more cost-effective way compared to a standalone PV system which is subject to the cloud and the recent dense haze problems. For that purpose, two combined power systems are being put into consideration namely PV-Hydro and PV-Hydro-Fuel Cell, where the total simulated annualized cost for these two system configurations are US$10,847 and US$76,010 respectively as far as the present location is concerned. The PVHydro-Fuel Cell produces electrical energy at the amount of 3,577 kWh/yr while the annual energy consumption is 3,203 kWhr/yr. On the other hand, PV-Hydro produces 3,789 kWhr/yr of electricity annually load which consumes energy at 3,209 kWhr/yr. Results thus obtained has shown that the PVHydro scheme is expected to have advantages over the existing PV standalone system. Firstly, it is more cost-effective. Secondly, it provides the best outcomes for the local indigenous community and the natural highland environments both for now and the future. Thirdly, it also able to relate the continuity of both economic and social aspects of the local society as a whole. As the combined PV-Hydro system had been chosen, plus for completeness purposes, the present paper also discussed the custom design and construction of a small waterwheel breast-shot hydro-generator, suited to the local location and existing water energy resources. Energy saving design calculations and Sankey diagram showing the energy flows for the new combined system are also given herein. Finally, the energy system performance equations and the performance curves introduced in this study provide a new simple method of evaluating renewable energy systems.

scholarly journals Fuel Cells: The Next Evolution

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 581-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Lashway
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Electrical Conductance ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Pure Oxygen ◽  
Combustion Engines ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe articles in this issue of MRS Bulletin highlight the enormous potential of fuel cells for generating electricity using multiple fuels and crossing a wide range of applications. Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy, and as a powergeneration module, they can be viewed as a continuously operating battery.They take in air (or pure oxygen, for aerospace or undersea applications) and hydrocarbon or hydrogen fuel to produce direct current at various outputs. The electrical output can be converted and then connected to motors to generate much cleaner and more fuelefficient power than is possible from internal combustion engines, even when combined with electrical generators in today's hybrid engines. The commercialization of these fuel cell technologies is contingent upon additional advances in materials science that will suit the aggressive electrochemical environment of fuel cells (i.e., both reducing an oxidizing) and provide ionic and electrical conductance for thousands of hours of operation.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Battery Hybrid Architecture for Range Extension of Electric VTOL (eVTOL) Aircraft

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Wanyi Ng ◽  
Mrinalgouda Patil ◽  
Anubhav Datta
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
Hybrid Architecture ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Lift Off ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this paper is to study the impact of combining hydrogen fuel cells with lithium-ion batteries through an ideal power-sharing architecture to mitigate the poor range and endurance of battery powered electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The benefits of combining the two sources is first illustrated by a conceptual sizing of an electric tiltrotor for an urban air taxi mission of 75 mi cruise and 5 min hover. It is shown that an aircraft of 5000–6000 lb gross weight can carry a practical payload of 500 lb (two to three seats) with present levels of battery specific energy (150 Wh/kg) if only a battery–fuel cell hybrid power plant is used, combined in an ideal power-sharing manner, as long as high burst C-rate batteries are available (4–10 C). A power plant using batteries alone can carry less than half the payload; use of fuel cells alone cannot lift off the ground. Next, the operation of such a system is demonstrated using systematic hardware testing. The concepts of unregulated and regulated power-sharing architectures are described. A regulated architecture that can implement ideal power sharing is built up in a step-by-step manner. It is found only two switches and three DC-to-DC converters are necessary, and if placed appropriately, are sufficient to achieve the desired power flow. Finally, a simple power system model is developed, validated with test data and used to gain fundamental understanding of power sharing.

Advanced Hydrogen Fuel Systems for Fuel Cell Vehicles

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andris R. Abele
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Storage ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Fuel Cell Vehicles ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Engineered Systems ◽  
On The Road ◽  
Safety Features

On-board storage and handling of hydrogen continues to be a major challenge on the road to the widespread commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies WorldWide, Inc. (QUANTUM) is developing a number of advanced technologies in response to the demand by its customers for compact, lightweight, safe, robust, and cost-effective hydrogen fuel systems. QUANTUM approaches hydrogen storage and handling as an engineered system integrated into the design of the vehicle. These engineered systems comprise advanced storage, regulation, metering, and electronic controls developed by QUANTUM. In 2001, QUANTUM validated, commercialized, and began production of lightweight compressed hydrogen storage systems. The first commercial products include storage technologies that achieved 7.5 to 8.5 percent hydrogen storage by weight at 350 bar (5,000 psi). QUANTUM has also received German TUV regulatory approval for its 700 bar (10,000-psi) TriShield10™ hydrogen storage cylinder, based on hydrogen standards developed by the European Integrated Hydrogen Project (EIHP). QUANTUM has patented an In-Tank Regulator for use with hydrogen and CNG, which have applications in both fuel cell and alternative fuel vehicle markets. To supplement the inherent safety features designed into the new 700 bar storage tank, QUANTUM’s patented 700 bar In-Tank Regulator provides additional safety by confining the high pressure in the tank and allowing only a maximum delivery pressure of 10 bar (150-psi) outside the storage system. This paper describes initial applications for these hydrogen fuel systems, which have included fuel cell automobiles, buses, and hydrogen refueling stations.

Hydrogen as Fuel for Urban Transportation Environmental Footprint of Different Hydrogen Production Routes and the Influence on the Total Life Cycle of FC Powered Transportation Systems: An LCA Case Study within CUTE

2005 ◽  
Vol 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Binder ◽  
Michael Faltenbacher ◽  
Matthias Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Environmental Footprint ◽  
European Cities ◽  
Total Life

AbstractFuel cells have the potential to offer an alternative propulsion system to convential internal combustion engines used in transportation at the present time. As a result fuel cells may provide consumers a cleaner and more efficient technology. Fuel cells are powered with hydrogen fuel which can be produced from various energy sources, which include renewable sources of energy or conventional fossil fuel. Thus, the emerging hydrogen infrastructure needs to be addressed carefully.A consortium of industries, research institutes and several European cities launched the EU-project CUTE (Clean Urban Transport in Europe), whose aim is not only to develop and demonstrate 30 fuel cell busses and the accompanying infrastructure in 10 European cities, but also assess the environmental impacts. Within the project scope the potential of fuel cell powered transport systems for reducing environmental influences such as greenhouse effect, improving the quality of the atmosphere and conserving fossil resources is assessed. This first large scale test run of fuel cell transportation systems is the best possible information base to give real life numbers about environmental impacts of a fuel cell system including hydrogen used as fuel.Meanwhile the use of hydrogen fuel is mostly considered as environmental friendly. However a statement about the actual environmental impacts is only possible by regarding the entire Life Cycle of the hydrogen, which include its production and use. Within CUTE different routes of the hydrogen production have been assessed: hydrogen production via electrolysis and steam reforming, considering different boundary conditions, e.g. country specific energy production/ supply, different ways for electricity production (e.g. wind power, geothermal energy etc.) etc.This presentation will show the environmental footprint of these routes (Life Cycle Assessment results), which enable the comparison of the environmental impacts of the different hydrogen production routes and the transportation system considering the total life cycle (production of FC bus, operation and end of life) along with diesel and natural gas as “conventional” fuels for bus operation.

scholarly journals Design for On-Site Hydrogen Production for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Refueling Station at University of Birmingham, U.K.

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 606-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Symes ◽  
Bushra Al-Duri ◽  
Aman Dhir ◽  
Waldemar Bujalski ◽  
Ben Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Fuel Cell Vehicle ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel

Numerical Simulation of an Axisymmetric Ethanol Reforming Reactor for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Applications

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory A. Buck ◽  
Hiroyuki Obara
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Autothermal Reforming ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Gaseous State ◽  
Ethanol Reforming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Production Of Hydrogen

Hydrogen fuel cell technology is currently capable of providing adequate power for a wide range of stationary and mobile applications. Nonetheless, the sustainability of this technology rests upon the production of hydrogen from renewable resources. Among the techniques under current study, the chemical reforming of alcohols and other bio-hydrocarbon fuels, appears to offer great promise. In the so called autothermal reforming process, a suitable combination of total and partial oxidation supports hydrogen production from ethanol with no external addition of energy required. Furthermore, the autothermal reforming process conducted in a well insulated reactor, produces temperatures that promote additional hydrogen production through the endothermic steam reforming and the water-gas shift reactions, which may be catalyzed or uncatalyzed, with the added benefit of lowered carbon monoxide concentrations. In this study, an adiabatic ethanol reforming reactor was simulated assuming the reactants to be air (21% O2 and 79% N2) and ethanol (C2H5OH) and the products to be H2O, CO2, CO and H2, with all constituents taken to be in the gaseous state. The air was introduced uniformly through a ring around the side of the reactor and the gaseous ethanol was injected into the center of one end, with products withdrawn from the center of the opposite end, to create an axisymmetric flow field. The gas flows within the reactor were assumed to be turbulent, and the chemical kinetics of a simple four reaction system was assumed to be controlled by turbulent mixing processes. Air and fuel flow rates into the reactor were varied to obtain six different levels of oxidation (air-fuel ratios) while maintaining the same total gaseous mass flow out of the reactor. The numerical results for the reacting flow show that hydrogen production is maximized when the air-fuel ratio on a mass basis is held at approximately 2.8. These findings are in qualitative agreement with observations from previous experimental studies.

scholarly journals Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine

2021 ◽  
pp. 112-115
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Rare Earths ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Internal Combustion ◽  
Combustion Engines ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Short Time

Hydrogen fuel constitutes an attainable alternative strategy, which can be implemented in the long term. This strategy can avoid the risk of commodity supply dependency (rare earths and copper) and can delay the still open decisions on e-mobility. Hydrogen internal combustion engines represent a doable and less expensive solution for using hydrogen than purchasing a new car equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell. Conventional piston engines can be switched to gas operation with relatively little change. This approach is environmentally more viable, as in a short time most vehicles can be switched to emission-free operation. Also, it can avoid the risk of commodity supply dependency (rare earths and copper) and can delay the still open decisions on e-mobility.

scholarly journals Benefit and performance impact analysis of using hydrogen fuel cell powered e-taxi system on A320 class airliner

2019 ◽  
Vol 123 (1261) ◽  
pp. 378-397
Author(s):  
J. A. Stockford ◽  
C. Lawson ◽  
Z. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Impact Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the work carried out to evaluate the benefits and performance impacts of introducing a hydrogen fuel cell powered electric taxiing system to a conventional short-haul aircraft. Tasks carried out in this research and reported in this paper include the initial system design, hydrogen tank initial sizing, calculation of the impact on fuel burn and emissions and the evaluation of the effects on Direct Operating Cost (DOC). The Airbus A320 has been selected as the datum aircraft for sizing the system, and the benefits analysis is particularly focused on the fleet composition and financial data of a Europe-based, low-cost, large-scale A320 family operator in 2016. The maximum power capacity of 400 kW has been sized based on the rolling friction coefficient of 0.02. Based on the operator’s 2016 financial, up to 1% fuel reduction can be achieved using the proposed system and the reduction in total maintenance cost is expected to be up to 7.3%. Additionally, up to 5.97% net profit improvement is estimated in comparison with the annual after-tax profit of the datum operator in 2016.

scholarly journals Bridging the Gap between Automated Manufacturing of Fuel Cell Components and Robotic Assembly of Fuel Cell Stacks

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3604
Author(s):  
Devin Fowler ◽  
Vladimir Gurau ◽  
Daniel Cox
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Vision System ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Robotic Assembly ◽  
Assembly Process ◽  
Work Cycle ◽  
Cell Components ◽  
Dual Arm Robot ◽  
Manufacturing Technologies

Recently demonstrated robotic assembling technologies for fuel cell stacks used fuel cell components manually pre-arranged in stacks (presenters). Identifying the original orientation of fuel cell components and loading them in presenters for a subsequent automated assembly process is a difficult, repetitive work cycle which if done manually, deceives the advantages offered by either the automated fabrication technologies for fuel cell components or by the robotic assembly processes. We present for the first time a robotic technology which enables the integration of automated fabrication processes for fuel cell components with a robotic assembly process of fuel cell stacks into a fully automated fuel cell manufacturing line. This task uses a Yaskawa Motoman SDA5F dual arm robot with integrated machine vision system. The process is used to identify and grasp randomly placed, slightly asymmetric fuel cell components, to reorient them all in the same position and stack them in presenters in preparation for a subsequent robotic assembly process. The process was demonstrated as part of a larger endeavor of bringing to readiness advanced manufacturing technologies for alternative energy systems, and responds the high priority needs identified by the U.S. Department of Energy for fuel cells manufacturing research and development.

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