A 2011 Mercedes Benz F-Cell Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Car
Hydrogen is one of the two main natural elements, which when combined together turns to H20, i.e. Water. In the past few years, hydrogen has been successfully utilized in fuel cells and batteries as a compact energy source. In future, it has a great potential to take place of crude fuels because it is a clean energy fuel and keeps our environment pollution-free when used. It also saves us from the undesirable side effects of green house gases.
Researchers and environmentalists have been continuously searching for a greener and cleaner fuel. Until now, they have put in a lot of energy and talent into hydrogen fuel, a fuel that will emit vapor and not a cloud of toxics. This is due to the fact that when hydrogen is burned, it only emits water vapor, and is considered an ideal solution to cut down 25 percent of all carbon emissions released.
Recently, an excellent technology for hydrogen usage as a fuel is developed by Cella Energy Ltd., a spin-off from Britain’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. It has been found that hydrogen could be released at a much rapid rate and at lower temperature than before. It is based on a way to produce nano-fibers from hydride, a compound of hydrogen with another element. Later these fibers are encapsulated into countless minute plastic beads, which act like liquefied hydrogen fuel. Therefore, it also means one can pump it like a fluid and it’s safe because it is not going to easily burst into flames.
Hydrogen comes with its drawbacks as well, mainly that its storage is not consumer-friendly. It requires being stored like other compressed natural gases. Also pure hydrogen is not found easily and requires to be manufactured. When it’s produced it is then used as an energy carrier. But, Cella Energy Ltd. does affirm that after a few modifications, their technology would allow people to use the de-carbonated fuel in their existing cars.
The liquid hydrogen could be easily pumped into the petrol tank of vehicles. When the vehicle starts up, the engine gets to initiate the heating of hydrogen and helps boost up to motion the vehicle. Also, the tiny beads reside back after the liquid hydrogen is utilized and gets accumulated in the vehicle. When the vehicle is refueled the waste beads are eliminated. Later these are recycled and again filled with hydrogen and are then used as liquid hydrogen fuel.
Till date, the hydrides have been successfully turned into fibers/beads, which are 30 times undersized than a human hair. This is done through a process called Electro-Spinning. These tiny beads can be controlled to capture and release hydrogen. The encapsulation, with tiny beads, protects the hydrides from oxygen and water, extending their life and making it feasible to handle safely in air. One can also carry the liquid hydrogen in tankers for later use.
With regular fuels, we fill vehicle tanks within minutes and zoom off; similar experience could be possible with liquid hydrogen now, which earlier was not found very promising with electric cars. Also, hydrogen has thrice more energy than per weight of petrol and could be used in vehicles that run on hydrocarbons.
Hydrogen, today, is used primarily for manufacturing chemicals, but a brighter future is predicted for it as a substitute for crude fuel. It is environment-friendly and has the potential to be a strong contender, especially with our over-dependence on crude; but several significant challenges must be overcome before it can be widely used.
Via: Reuters