Hydrogen and fuel cells technology: the past, the present and the future

Dr Justyna Kulczyk-Malecka

Overview

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1. Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre – who are we and what we do?

2. History, development and safety – myths and facts

3. Science lesson: Hydrogen and fuel cells – what are they?

4. Where we are today – global technological aspect of hydrogen and fuel cells

Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre £4.1m partially funded by ERDF and match funded by Manchester Metropolitan University

Team of scientist, academics, inventors and businessman's

R&D in fuel cells with SMEs engagement in local Greater Manchester field,but also across the UK and worldwide

Developing talents of the future

We pursue the ambition of decarbonising the region to become net zero CO2 emissions city by 2038 - the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is the first local government to undertake this commitment

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THE AMBITION : Be one of the easiest and best places in Europe to start up, develop and grow a high productivity business

Policy: Northern Powerhouse Partnership UK

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The hydrogen fuel cell strategy for Manchester:

Creating Greater Manchester energy plan, which aims to generate, store and decarbonise heat and low-carbon transport. The regulations will be formally adopted into local policy in 2020.

Introducing clear regulations for the NPP energy sector to implement the Northern Powerhouse energy strategy and put it into practice.

Manchester Met, through Chancellor’s Fellowship, has created a document on hydrogen and fuel cells that will provide the basis for determining the amount of fund to be devoted to the development of Northern England's energy economy.

Case Studies

The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University signeda STEM educational partnership with The Blair project to develop projects to students,e.g. assembling karts powered by FC and batteries as part of the final year project.

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Improving fuel cell efficiency by implementing 2D materials in energy devices. MFCIC has signed an agreement with Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and will collaborate on the project.

Manchester Met as"Case Study" for the use of fuel cells (supplied by Bosch) demonstrating their effectiveness to other potential users in the region, such as Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Football Club.

Supporting decarbonisation of GMP vehicle fleet. Identifying and submitting join applications for financing potential research projects in which both parties could apply for funding.

“Oh the humanity!”: The Hindenburg crash

The German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg took off from Frankfurt on May 3, 1937 and caught fine and exploded over the Lakehurst in New Jersey on May 6 at 7.25 pm

The crash was the first massive technological disaster caught on film, and the scene became embedded in the public's consciousness

Out of the 97 passengers and crew on board, 62 survived and 36 deaths included 13 passengers, 22 crewmembers and one worker on the ground

Hydrogen gas, which was used for the buoyancy of the airship has been blamed for the disaster ever since

The fuel cell that took us to the moon

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In 1839 Sir William Grove had demonstrated the concept of a fuel cell for the first time

In 1950’s Cambridge engineer Tom Bacon made the breakthrough that led to the development of the highly efficient fuel cells used to power the Apollo 11 spacecraft

In 1959 40-cell 10-inch diameter hydrogen-oxygen power cell capable of producing 5 kW of power was built and demonstrated

In 1969 the fuel cell consuming hydrogen and oxygen gasses as fuel was supplying Apollo 11 spacecraft with on-board electrical power with the additional advantage of the exhaust water used for drinking by the crew and humidification of the capsule's atmosphere

Hydrogen safety

True or False

Hydrogen is more dangerous than gasoline.

Hydrogen gas is dangerous to store and use.

The Hindenburg exploded because of hydrogen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IknzEAs34r0

Its millions of cubic feet of hydrogen burned awayin just over 30 seconds

Most of the smoke and flames seen in the images, came from burning diesel fuel and the painted canvas "gas bag" covering, hydrogen burns with almost invisible flame

In 1996 NASA scientist Addison Bain concluded that the coatings on the fabric contained both iron oxide and aluminum-impregnated cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), which remain reactive. Iron oxide and aluminum can be used as components of solid rocket fuel or thermite.

Hindenburg: Hydrogen disaster?

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What is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in our universe

Hydrogen does not exist by itself in nature

Hydrogen-first and lightest element on the periodic table75% = H2

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Hydrogen production routes

Electrolysis: The process of using an electrical current to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Where can we get electricity from?

Steam methane reforming : hydrogen-rich fuels, such as natural gas and coal, are converted into hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

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Clean Hydrogen economy

“Grey” H2, mainly produced industrially from natural gas, which generates significant carbon emissions. Production costs are about €1.50 per kilo

“Blue” H2, a cleaner version for which the carbon emissions are captured and stored, or reused. The CCUS costs from €50 to €70 per ton of CO2

“Green” H2, which is estimated to be around €3.50 per kilo at the moment, which is the cost of electrolysis, the process through which H2 is produced from water using renewable energy

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Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Half-reaction

Cathode (+) reduction: 1/2O2+2H++2ē→H2O

Half-reaction

Anode (-) oxidation: H2→2H++2ē

Overall reaction: H2+1/2O2→H2OMobile Ion: H+

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Fuel Cell – a device that produces electricity directly from a chemical reaction

Fuel Cell components – Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA)

Electrolyte:The PEM is a fluoropolymer called Nafion proton permeable but electrical insulator (barrier for electrons).

Electrodes + Gas DiffusionLayer:• Porous, electrically conductive

material (carbon cloth or paper),provide the diffusion of activespecies (GDL)

• Catalyst layer is the activesurface where redox reactionsoccurs – noble metal catalyst onC support (e.g. Pt)

• Allow conduction of ions andelectrons produced in the redoxreactions

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High temperature fuel cells:Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

• The electrolyte is a fully dense ceramic, usually Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) or Gadolinia doped Ceria (GDC). • The fuel cell operates from 600°C to 900°C• The ions flowing through the electrolyte are O2-

• The anode is usually a porous cermet (mixture of ceramic and metal), Ni+YSZ

• Due to high working temperatures noblecatalysts are not required

• Half reactions:H2+O2- H2O+2e-

CO+O2- CO2+2e-

CH4+4O2- 2H2O+CO2+2e-

• The two most used cathode materials are Lantanium Strontium Manganite(LSM) and Lantanium Strontium Cobalt Ferrite (LSCF)

• No noble metals are required, but rare earth elements are used to catalyse the reaction of oxygen

• Half reaction:1/2O2+2e- O2-

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SOFC design concepts

Fuel cell applications

1W-1MW

Portable electronics

Automotive

Auxiliary power

Back-up power

Distributed generation

Military & Aerospace

PEMFC

PEMFC

PEMFC

PAFCMCFCSOFC

SOFC

AFC

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Fuel cell type Operating Temperature (o C)

System Output (kW) Efficiency Application

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEMFC)

50 – 100 <250 50 -60 % electric •Back – up power•Portable power•Small distributed generation•Transportation

Phosphoric Acid (PAFC) 150 – 200 50 – 1000 (250 module typical) 80 – 85 % CHP; 36 – 42 % electric •Distributed generation

Alkaline (AFC) 90 – 100 10 – 100 60 – 70 % electric •Military•Space

Molten Carbonate (MCFC) 600 – 700 <1000 (250 module typical) 85 % CHP; 60 % electric •Electric utility•Large distributed generation

Solid Oxide (SOFC) 650 – 1000 5 – 3000 85 % CHP; 60 % electric •Auxiliary power•Electric utility•Large distributed generation

Types of fuel cells and their applications

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H2 fuel cell vehicles

• Use hydrogen as its on-board fuel for motivepower

• Convert the chemical energy of hydrogen tomechanical energy by reacting hydrogen withoxygen in a fuel cell to run electric motors

• No tail pipe air pollutants release, fastrefuelling (3-5 min), increased range on oneH2 tank (~500 km)

• Hydrogen fuel cells are relatively expensive toproduce, as their designs require raresubstances such as platinum as a catalyst

• Refuelling station infrastructure required

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Fuel cells for stationary applications

• µ-CHP systems are currently powered by steam turbines, reciprocating internal combustion engines, combustion turbines, micro turbines, Stirling engines and fuel cells

• Fuel cells are the most efficient way to convert the hydrogen – or hydrogen-rich hydrocarbons – to heat and power at the point of use for decentralised stationary power systems, and transport

• Conversion of the chemical energy in fuel cell systems takes place in a single step, which reduces the energy losses and enables fuel cells to achieve efficiencies in the region of 40–60%

• These products could be used to meet the electrical and thermal demands of a building for space heating and domestic hot water and absorption cooling (AC)

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