Debugging Hydrogen, Hydrogen Fuel Cells

September 21, 2003 – Vol.8 No.26

DEBUGGING HYDROGEN, HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS.

There’s a long list challenges ahead to bring hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells into the mainstream, particularly for use in vehicles. Reliability, durability, cold weather operation, the construction of fueling infrastructure and cost to name a few. But at least one challenge - and big one at that - may have a solution - hydrogen storage.

While the notion of reforming hydrogen from natural gas on board a vehicle has faded, most of the emphasis recently has been on making hydrogen on site at a refueling station and storing it under pressure - 5000 to 10,000 pounds per square inch (psi) - in the vehicle. A lot of pressure for the average driver to cope with at the pump.

But a more reasonable solution has been available for a number of years and is improving technologically - the solid storage of hydrogen in metal alloy powder.

Most of the work being accomplished in solid hydrogen storage is by Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) as well as sister company Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems. Getting closer to a viable technology, the companies are now coming forth with a solid hydrogen storage system that would store hydrogen at only 1500 psi in a vehicle and/or at refueling stations.

As a proof of this concept Texaco Ovonic has converted a 2002 Toyota Prius to run on hydrogen stored in a metal hydride system. The present storage system can hold enough hydrogen for a 130 mile range, but a larger one could fuel the car for 250 miles. Refueling would take only 10 minutes, but even that could be reduced.

Neither ECD or Texaco Ovonic has stated the cost of the system. Visit Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems at http://www.txohydrogen.com/ ECD at http://ovonic.com/ .