HYDROXY AUTOMOTIVE

Hydrogen is the smallest and simplest element known to man. Each atom of hydrogen has one proton and one electron. It is also the most abundant gas in the universe. Every star is primarily made of hydrogen.

The sun is essentially a giant ball of hydrogen and helium gases. At the sun’s core, the hydrogen atoms combine to form helium atoms. In this process called nuclear fusion, the sun gives off radiant energy.

It’s this radiant energy that causes life to exist on earth. The sun gives us light and makes plants grow. It causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall. It is stored as chemical energy in fossil fuels. Most of the energy we use today comes from or came from the suns’ radiant energy.

Hydrogen gas is lighter than air and, as a result, it rises in the atmosphere. This is why hydrogen as a gas (H₂) is not found by itself on earth. It is found only in compound form within other elements. Hydrogen combined with oxygen, is water (H₂O). Hydrogen combined with carbon, forms different compounds such as methane (CH₄), coal, and petroleum. Hydrogen is also found in all living things as biomass. It is also an abundant element within the earth’s crust.

Hydrogen has the highest energy content of any common fuel by weight (three times more than gasoline), but the lowest energy content by volume (four times less than gasoline). It is the lightest element, and exists as a gas at normal temperature and pressure.

HYDROGEN IS AN ENERGY CARRIER

An energy carrier is a substance or system that moves energy in a usable form from one place to another. Electricity is the most well-known energy carrier. We use electricity to move the energy in coal, uranium, and other energy sources from power plants to homes and businesses. We also use electricity to move the energy in flowing water from hydropower dams to consumers. It is much easier to use electricity than the energy sources themselves.

Like electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier and must be produced from another substances. Though hydrogen is not widely used today, it has great potential as an energy carrier. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of sources (water, fossil fuels, biomass) and is a byproduct of other chemical processes. Unlike electricity however, large quantities of hydrogen can be easily stored for later use. Hydrogen can also be used in places where it’s hard to use electricity.  Hydrogen can easily be stored, and can then be shipped as needed.

MAKING HYDROGEN

Since hydrogen doesn’t exist on earth as a gas, we have to separate it from other elements. We can separate hydrogen atoms from water, biomass, or natural gas molecules. The two most common methods for producing hydrogen are steam reforming and electrolysis (water splitting). Scientists have even discovered that some algae and bacteria give off hydrogen.

• Steam reforming is currently the least expensive method of producing hydrogen and accounts for about 95 percent of the hydrogen produced in the United States. It is used in industries to separate hydrogen atoms from carbon atoms in methane(CH₄). Because methane is a fossil fuel, the process of steam reforming results in greenhouse gas emissions that are linked with global warming.
• Electrolysis is a process that splits hydrogen from water. It results in no emissions but it is currently a very expensive process. New technologies are being developed all the time.

Hydrogen can be produced at large central facilities or at small plants for local use. Every region of the country (and the world) has some resource that can be used to make hydrogen. Its flexibility is one of its main advantages.

USES OF HYDROGEN

About 7.8 million metric tonnes (17.2 billion pounds) of hydrogen are produced in the United States today, enough to power 20-30 million cars or 5-8 million homes. Nearly all of this hydrogen is used by industry in refining, treating metals, and processing foods. Most of this hydrogen is produced in just three states: California, Louisiana, and Texas.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the primary user of hydrogen as an energy fuel; it has used hydrogen for years in the space program. Liquid hydrogen fuel lifts the space shuttle into orbit. Hydrogen batteries—called fuel cells—power the shuttle’s electrical systems. The only by-product is pure water, which the crew uses as drinking water.

Hydrogen fuel cells (batteries) make electricity. They are very efficient, but expensive to build. Small fuel cells can power electric cars. Large fuel cells can provide electricity in out of the way places with no power lines.

Because of the high cost to build fuel cells, large hydrogen power plants won’t be built for a while. However, fuel cells are being used in some places as a source of emergency power to hospitals and to wilderness locations. Portable fuel cells are being sold to provide longer power for laptop computers, cell phones, and military applications.

HYDROGEN USE IN VEHICLES

There are currently about 200 hydrogen-fueled vehicles in the United States – mostly in California. Most of these vehicles are buses and automobiles powered by electric motors. They store hydrogen gas or liquid on board and convert the hydrogen into electricity for the motor using a fuel cell. Only a few of these vehicles burn the hydrogen directly (producing almost no pollution).

Hydrogen vehicles are starting to move from the laboratory to the road. One California family has recently leased a hydrogen car for personal use. The U.S. postal service, a package delivery company, a few Florida Park rangers, and a few private utility companies are also using hydrogen vehicles. It will probably be at least 10 years, though, before you can walk into your local car dealer and drive away in an affordable hydrogen-powered car.

Even then, you will need a place to refuel your hydrogen car. Currently, there are about 25 hydrogen refueling stations nationwide. This is the so-called “chicken and egg” problem that hydrogen developers are working hard to solve. Namely: who will buy hydrogen cars if there are no refueling stations? And who will pay to build a refueling station if there are no cars and customers?

One possible solution is to eliminate refueling stations entirely. Automobile manufacturers have already designed a refrigerator-sized hydrogen generator for your garage that works off electricity.  Consumers would simply refill their cars with hydrogen each night while it is parked.

THE FUTURE USES OF HYDROGEN

Hydrogen is the best resource for providing an environmentally clean fuel and as a way to reduce the reliance foreign oil.  As easy as we can convert an automobile for natural gas, we can also fit a car for Hydrogen gas.  With water as the most abundant resource on the planet, hydrogen can easily be created through electrolysis and used for fuel.

Before hydrogen can play a bigger energy role, many misconceptions must be changed and some technologies must be introduced to the consumer.  Home hydrogen generating systems will need to be purchased by consumers where home fueling stations can be made a reality. No need to find gas stations when you can fuel up at home.  Gas stations can also make and dispense their own on site fuel using the same methods. Another alternative is to have hydrogen replace coal and diesel in existing power plants.  This now environmentally friendly electricity can be distributed cheaply through the existing power grid.

The more the general public learns about uses and benefits of hydrogen the more they will understand and realize that hydrogen can truely be one of our best energy sources.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 31st, 2008 at 2:05 am and is filed under Hydrogen Info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.