Hydrogen Power: Future Concept, or Hip-and-Happening?

By Nick S.

When you think of the future, you inevitably think about flying cars and different ways we can power these cars. After all, we only have so many resources to go around. You might think about hydrogen power as a thing of the future, far from our grasp. However, you would be wrong. Hyundai and Toyota are in the midst of the hydrogen power generation.

Honda FCX Clarity

In 2005, Honda leased the first commercial FCV (hydrogen fuel cell vehicle) to a family in Redondo Beach, California. In 2008, the Honda FCX Clarity, shown above, became the first production line built fuel cell lease vehicle rolled out to the same family plus dozens of others. In late 2012, Hyundai started building production line fuel cell vehicles for sales to fleet managers worldwide.

For the past 36 years, the Los Alamos National Laboratory has been conducting research on fuel cells for use in transportation, industry and residential use. Unlike many of the hybrid and “green” vehicles currently on the market, hydrogen fuel cells can offer the promise of zero emission technology, where the only byproduct from the automobiles is heat and water vapor. Current fossil-fuel burning vehicles

emit all sorts of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, ozone and microscopic particulate matter.

How Do They Work?

There are many organic compounds that are rich in hydrogen, prominently hydrocarbons that is major source for many other flues like gasoline, natural gas, methanol, and propane. Under process of reforming, hydrogen can be separated from hydrocarbons that are used to generate electric current.

1. Hydrogen gas from the tank feeds down a pipe to the positive terminal. This hydrogen is very explosive, so the tank must be made strong. 

2. Oxygen from the air comes down a second pipe to the negative terminal. 

3. The positive terminal is made of platinum, a precious metal catalyst designed to speed up the chemistry that happens in the fuel cell. When atoms of hydrogen gas reach the catalyst, they split up into hydrogen ions and electrons. Basically, hydrogen ions are simply hydrogen atoms with their electrons removed. Since they have only one proton and one electron to start with, a hydrogen ion is the same thing as a proton.

4. The protons, being positively charged, are attracted to the negative terminal and travel towards it through the electrolyte (a thin membrane made of a special polymer film).

5. Electrons flow through the outer circuit, which powers the electric motor that drives the cars wheels. 

6. At the negative terminal, the protons and electrons recombine with oxygen from the air, which produces water vapor, and is given off via the exhaust pipe. 

Honda FC Sport

After becoming more familiar with hydrogen power and its application in cars, among the many other things that it's already used for, I hope that you are ready to make the switch to hydrogen power when the time comes.  

Sources

 Woodford, Chris. "Fuel Cells." How Do Fuel Cells Work in Hydrogen Cars? 8 June 2015. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. 

 Kantola, Hydro Kevin. "Hydrogen Cars Now." Hydrogen Cars Now. 9 Sept. 2015. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. 

 Admin. "What Is Hydrogen Energy - How Hydrogen Energy Works?" Solar Power Notes. 16 Apr. 2015. Web. 07 Feb. 2016.