Eamon Keane Conference Presentation on Hydrogen from Aluminium Gallium
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Aluminium as a Fuel Aluminium Eamon Keane Co-Authors: Dr David Browne & Dr Alun Carr University College Dublin 1
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If you want to see why using aluminium as a vector to store energy for later reproduction of hydrogen is a terrible idea, then look no further.
Transcript of Eamon Keane Conference Presentation on Hydrogen from Aluminium Gallium
Aluminium as a Fuel
Aluminium
Eamon KeaneCo-Authors: Dr David Browne & Dr Alun Carr
University College Dublin 1
Water + Aluminium-Gallium Fuel Pellets
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Prof. Jerry Woodall, Purdue University Claims:
• Energy efficient – 50% recycling efficiency• Environmentally sound• Cheap – equivalent to $3/gallon for petrol• Scalable (enough gallium for 1 billion cars)• Reaction is: • Gallium is inert in the reaction• Can use variable wind power for electrolysis
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2.2L=1L
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2 2 332 2Al O Al O
energy trapped
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Water+ =
Hydrogen on Demand
Aluminium Hydroxide
+
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Aluminium Fuel Cycle Inputs
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Aluminium Hydroxide Alumina
Calcining Smelting
Aluminium Fuel Cycle
13.5% energy efficiency, not 50% 8
Energy and CO2 Per Km Travelled
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Pourbaix Diagram
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33um
Pure gallium in grain boundaries, β phase
α phase: solid solution
Aluminium-Gallium Phase Diagram
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Fuel Pellet
The Reaction
Gallium is not inert in the reaction12
Element E°V (V)
Lithium -3.04
Aluminium -1.66
Gallium -0.56
Hydrogen 0
Gold +0.80
Standard Electrode Potential
Large difference, galvanic corrosion expected.
Reaction Mechanism
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Surface After Reaction
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Gallium Production
Enough for ~ 30,000 cars – not 1 billion!
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Elements with very low worldwide 2008 production (Up to ~ 10,000 tons)
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Aluminium as a Fuel
Aluminium
Any Questions?
Renewable ≠ Green
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