GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC AURANGABAD

(An Autonomous Institute of Government of Maharashtra)

A seminar report on

“Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle”

(In Partial Fulfilment award of Diploma in Automobile Engineering)

Submitted By

AVINASH CHANGDEV HIVRALE

Under the guidance of

Prof. A.S. Joshi

 DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE

I wish to declare that the work embodied in this seminar report entitled “Hydrogen fuel cell
vehicle” forms my own contribution to the seminar work carried under the guidance of Prof. A.
S. Joshi. Lecturer in department of Automobile Engineering Government Polytechnic,
Aurangabad.

This work is carried out, written, compiled and submitted by me for the award of Diploma in
Automobile Engineering Government Polytechnic, Aurangabad.

Date: Place: Aurangabad

2
 CERTIFICATE
Date:

This is to certify that, the project work embodied in this report entitled “Hydrogen fuel cell
vehicle” submitted by Avinash Changdev Hivrale for the award of Diploma in the subject of
Automobile Engineering is a work carried out by him under my guidance and supervision within
the institute. The work described in this seminar report is carried out by the concerned student and
has not been submitted for the award of any other program of this department.

Further, it certifies that the student was regular during the academic year and has worked under
the guidance of concerned faculty until the submission of this seminar at Government Polytchnic
Aurangabad.

Prof. A.S. Joshi Prof. D. Deore

(Seminar Guide) (H.O.D.)

Prof. F. A. Khan

(Principal)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express a deep sense of gratitude and profusely thanks to my seminar guide Prof.
A. S. Joshi. Under his able guidance it would have been possible to complete the seminar in this
manner.

Moreover i also thankful to Prof. F.A.Khan, principal of our institute for extending all sorts of
infrastructure facilities of institute in general and department in particular without which this
would not have been to its present status.

I am thankful to all the faculty members and support staff who have directly and indirectly helped
me in completing seminar.

Finally, I once again extend my sincere thanks to all whosever have contributed in this work.

Avinash changdev hivrale

Enrollment No.: 189014

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 INDEX

Chapter Title/Subtitle Page No.

1 Introduction 9-11
1.1 Introduction of seminar title 11

1.2 Seminar title 11

1.3Seminar objectives 11-12

1.4 History of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle 12-13

1.4.1 japan 13

1.4.2 south Korea 13-14

1.4.3 India 14

2 Literature Survey 15

2.0 principle of fuel cell 15-16

2.1 types of fuel cell 16

2.1.1 Polymer electrolyte membrane 17

(PEM) Fuel Cells

2.1.2 direct methanol fuel cells 18

2.1.3 phosphoric acid fuel cells 18

2.1.4 Solid oxide fuel cell 19

2.2 literature review 20

3 Hydrogen Storage in FCVs 20-21

3.1 Hydrogen Uptake in Metal-Based 22-23

Compound

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 3.2 Unitized reversible fuel cell 23-24

4 Construction of fuel cell 24

4.1 working of fuel cell 25-26

Progress in India. 26-27

5

5.1 Running cars on hydrogen: What is 27-28

India’s National Hydrogen Mission?

5.2 The case for green hydrogen fuel 28

5.3 The problem of critical mass 28

5.4 Govt notifies new standards for 29

hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
6 Conclusion 29

References 30

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ABBREVIATIONS
1. FCEV- fuel cell electric vehicle
2. H- HYDROGEN
3. 02- OXYGEN
4. DC -DIRECT CURRENT
5. MPA- MEGA PASCALS
6. LPG – LIQUIFIED PETROLIUM GAS
7. RTO – REGIONAL TRAFFIC OFFICE

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ABSTRACT

The hazardous effects of pollutants from conventional fuel vehicles have caused the scientific
world to move towards environmentally friendly energy sources. Though we have various
renewable energy sources, the perfect one to use as an energy source for vehicles is hydrogen. Like
electricity, hydrogen is an energy carrier that has the ability to deliver incredible amounts of
energy. Onboard hydrogen storage in vehicles is an important factor that should be considered
when designing fuel cell vehicles. In this study, a recent development in hydrogen fuel cell engines
is reviewed to scrutinize the feasibility of using hydrogen as a major fuel in transportation systems.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that can produce electricity by allowing chemical gases
and oxidants as reactants. With anodes and electrolytes, the fuel cell splits the cation and the anion
in the reactant to produce electricity. Fuel cells use reactants, which are not harmful to the
environment and produce water as a product of the chemical reaction. As hydrogen is one of the
most efficient energy carriers, the fuel cell can produce direct current (DC) power to run the
electric car. By integrating a hydrogen fuel cell with batteries and the control system with
strategies, one can produce a sustainable hybrid car.

Keywords: hydrogen; fuel cell; battery; clean transportation; electric vehicle

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Motive:

Hydrogen is the simplest form of all molecules; it has the lowest energy content by volume, but
as the highest energy content of any fuel by weight. It is available in the atmosphere as gas and I
water as liquid. Due to the high energy content of hydrogen, it is employed as a fuel in applications
such as FCs and rockets. Hydrogen creates zero harmful emissions, which is one of the most
significant drawbacks of fossil fuels, and the heating value of hydrogen is three times higher than
that of petroleum. There is a hefty production cost involved with hydrogen, since it is a manmade
fuel, costing about three times more than petroleum refining. Substantial amounts of research are
dedicated to creating ancient and sustainable way to produce hydrogen and applications for
hydrogen in transportation engines. Automobile manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota, and
Hyundai have started to manufacture fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) with hydrogen as fuel. These FCVs
are currently available in North America, Asia, and Europe, and have primarily been bought by
early adopters. The current consumers early adopters are primarily highly educated people, high
income families, those with larger household units, those willing to change their lifestyle, and
those with other similar attributes. As of June2018, there have been over 6500 FCVs sold to
consumers. California is the leading market for FCVs, with nearly 3000 FCVs being delivered
there out of the 5233 vehicles sold globally due to the state housing the largest network of hydrogen
refueling stations in the world and automakers selling the vehicles there. Presently, several
automakers are promoting FCVs to consumers, which are often compared to BEVs. Both BEVs
and FCVs offer zero tailpipe emissions, the ability to be fueled using renewable and sustainable
energy sources, and use electric motors. The most notable differences between FCVs and BEVs
are the driving range and the refueling style. FCVs have above a 300-miledriving range and can
be refueled in less than 10 min at a hydrogen refueling station, which is more comparable to a
traditional ICE fossil fuel powered vehicle. Hydrogen has greater potential for use as a fuel in the
future. It is estimated that, by the year 2030, the cost of fuel cells will be competitive with ICEs
based on the technological improvements being made and the increased availability [14]. One of
the main hurdles that mass hydrogen use faces is more efficient storage. Because of the low density
of hydrogen, it cannot be stored as easily as traditional fossil fuels. Hydrogen requires
compression, cooling, or a combination of them. The most favorable method of hydrogen storage

9
is physical containment, specifically in compressed tanks, because they are readily available. All
composites (Type IV) are primarily used, and sometimes metal lined composites (Type III) are
used. The fill time of these tanks is competitive with fossil fuels when the hydrogen is pre-cooled.
Cost is the main setback for the wide scale use of compressed hydrogen (CH2) tanks, because the
material and the assembly are expensive. Another potential setback is the public’s concern of using
such high pressure (70 MPa) storage tanks in vehicles. An alternative to traditional CH2tanks that
is still being researched is a tank with an internal skeleton, which is a complex design of struts in
tension within the tank to resist the forces of the compressed gas. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage
has improved significantly, achieving the best specific mass (15%) of any other automotive
hydrogen storage system. Energy efficiency is decreased when liquid hydrogen is used. Boil off is
an area that needs improvement before LH2systems can be widely accepted. A promising
alternative design is a cryo-compressed tank in which hydrogen is highly compressed at cryogenic
temperatures. More studies must be done on this method to determine long term durability and
public acceptance of the system. Hydride storage systems require substantial research and progress
to meet the requirements for large scale use. The most well studied hydride is NaAlH4, but it does
not have the capacity necessary for application. Based on the results of the few existing studies, it
is indicated that tanks with no internal heat transfer elements could be constructed based on the
moderate heat of absorption of hydrogen on surfaces. Though hydrogen presence is abundant in
the atmosphere, it is not in the purest form. Hydrogen can be extracted from water, hydrocarbon
fuel, hydrogen sulfide, and other chemical elements. The energy that is used to produce hydrogen
from its associated elements requires external energy, such as thermal, electrical, photonic, and
biochemical energy. The chemical element, ammonia, has a high percentage of hydrogen within
and was proposed as a fuel for internal combustion engines through onboard decomposition to
hydrogen and nitrogen. Hydrogen can be extracted from either non-renewable or renewable energy
sources. Hydrogen production from renewables is always environmentally friendly, whereas the
hydrogen produced from non-renewables emits greenhouse gases (GHG)]. Hydrogen production
from the waste biomass using electrochemical reactions is GHG-less, and it does not require a
large amount of energy or high production costs. Possible biomass feedstocks are bread residue,
cypress sawdust, and rice chaff. Similar to these, newspaper could be used to produce hydrogen
by direct electrolysis. Newspaper is composed of 69.2% cellulose and 11.8% lignin, and it is
decomposed into monosaccharides and disaccharides as well as aliphatic keto acid in the solvent

10
H3PO4under conditions similar to electrolysis. Hydrogen can also be generated by the electrolysis
of humidified methane.

1.2 Seminar title:

“Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle”

1.3 Seminar objectives:

1. To Introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

2. Types of fuel cell

3. To know working and construction of fuel cell

4. Future scope of hydrogen cars

5. To know upcoming technology in automobile sector

1.4 History of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle:

The concept of the fuel cell was first demonstrated by Humphry Davy in 1801, but the invention
of the first working fuel cell is credited to William Grove, a chemist, lawyer, and physicist. Grove's
experiments with what he called a "gas voltaic battery" proved in 1842 that an electric current
could be produced by an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen over a platinum
catalyst. English engineer Francis Thomas Bacon expanded on Grove's work, creating and
demonstrating various Alkaline fuel cells from 1939 to 1959.

The first modern fuel cell vehicle was a modified Allis-Chalmers farm tractor, fitted with
a 15 kilowatt fuel cell, around 1959. The Cold War Space Race drove further development of fuel
cell technology. Project Gemini tested fuel cells to provide electrical power during manned space

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missions. Fuel cell development continued with the Apollo Program. The electrical power systems
in the Apollo capsules and lunar modules used alkali fuel cells. In 1966, General
Motors developed the first fuel cell road vehicle, the Chevrolet Electro an. It had a PEM fuel cell,
a range of 120 miles and a top speed of 70 mph. There were only two seats, as the fuel cell stack
and large tanks of hydrogen and oxygen took up the rear portion of the van. Only one was built,
as the project was deemed cost-prohibitive.

General Electric and others continued working on PEM fuel cells in the 1970s. Fuel cell stacks
were still limited principally to space applications in the 1980s, including the Space
Shuttle. However, the closure of the Apollo Program sent many industry experts to private
companies. By the 1990s, automobile manufacturers were interested in fuel cell applications, and
demonstration vehicles were readied. In 2001, the first 700 Bar (10000 PSI) hydrogen tanks were
demonstrated, reducing the size of the fuel tanks that could be used in vehicles and extending the
range.

1.4.1 Japan

• Manufacturers and consumers alike have been reluctant to embrace hydrogen-powered cars. The
first Mirai model, launched in November 2014, sold just 11,000 units worldwide.
• The main impediment is the lack of hydrogen refueling stations, an issue that requires the
participation of oil and gas companies and local governments. But with such low sales numbers,
the incentives to build out such costly infrastructure are lacking.
• "Do we first have the cars from the industry, and then the infrastructure players think that it is an
attractive opportunity to invest in the station? Or do you first build the stations that have no
business case because they are not utilized?" said Bernd Heid, senior partner at McKinsey & Co.,
who leads the consultancy's hydrogen service line.

1.4.2 South Korea

• The country aims to sharply increase production of hydrogen-powered vehicles and electricity
generation by hydrogen, in an effort to use hydrogen as a major energy source for transportation
and power generation.

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 • "While de-carbonization remains a major consideration, South Korea's core priority relating to
hydrogen appears to be to establish technology leadership in fuel cell cars and large-scale
stationary fuel cells for power generation," Peter Godfrey, managing director for Asia Pacific at
The Energy Institute, told S&P Global Platts.
• "Current policy is geared towards building the necessary infrastructure for H2 production and
distribution."
• Hyundai Motor started operating its eighth hydrogen charging station. The hydrogen charging
station in Seoul has been built inside an LPG station run by the country's second-biggest oil refiner
GS Caltex.
• "We will continue to make efforts to supply hydrogen electric vehicles and expand infrastructure
so that South Korea can develop into a true hydrogen society," the company official said.
• Hyundai Motor also signed an agreement with the government in May to improve hydrogen
trucks' driving performance and safety features so as to supply hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks
in 2023.

1.4.3 India

• In mid-2020, the government floated a draft to include hydrogen as a fuel option.

• Hydrogen-powered electric vehicles do not require heavy battery packs, instead, working
through a fuel cell that provides electricity on demand.
• In a fuel cell, hydrogen gas is combined with oxygen to produce electricity for the motor
and the only byproduct is clean water.
• In 2019, Hyundai announced its plans to bring the hydrogen-powered Nexo to India.
• Latest document confirms registration of Nexo in India so the manufacturer may soon
commence testing.
• Hyundai India has received approval to import its hydrogen-powered electric SUV,
the Nexo. As per an RTO document, the government has approved the registration of the
green SUV and Hyundai can begin testing it. Back in 2019, the Ministry of Road,
Transport and Highways (MoRTH), floated a draft that suggested the inclusion of

13
hydrogen as an alternative green fuel. While manufacturers in India are working towards
electric mobility, Hyundai has started planning a step further.

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2. LITERATURE SURVEY

Principles of Fuel Cell:

There are various types of FC systems. However, the principle of their function is similar. For a
fuel cell system, three pillars are required: an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. FCs are
categorized by the type of electrolyte material used. An FC can be composed of hundreds of
individual cells, but each has the three same fundamental components. The electrolyte is located
between the cathode and the anode. depicts a schematic of a polymer electrolyte FC (PEMFC)
operation diagram This FC type is also known as a proton exchange membrane FC. The PEMFC
is what is most commonly used in mobile power applications, such as vehicles. While the
electrolyte material used varies depending on the type of FC, the general function of the FC is as
follows—fuel (pure hydrogen) is fed into the anode compartment of the fuel cell while air or pure
oxygen is fed into the cathode side of the fuel cell.
On the anode side of the cell, electrons are separated as the gas tries to make its way through the
electrolyte membrane. The membrane acts as a filter to separate the electrons and the hydrogen
ions while only allowing the hydrogen ions to pass through. In the cathode compartment, the
hydrogen ions that passed through the membrane combine with the oxygen atoms from the air
supply to produce H2O as a by-product; heat is also produced as a by-product Unlike internal
combustion engines, where the fuel is mixed with air and fuel, there is separation of the fuel and
the oxidant with no combustion of the fuel in an FC. Therefore, FCs do not produce the harmful
emissions that internal combustion engines produce.

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 Fig. fuel cell

2.1 Types of fuel cell:

1. Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells

2. Direct methanol fuel cells
3. Phosphoric acid fuel cells
4. Solid oxide fuel cell

2.1.1 Polymer electrolyte membrane:

Solid polymer membranes are used as the electrolyte in PEMFCs. The polymer membrane
is perfluorosulfonic acid referred to as Nafi on. This polymer membrane is acidic; hence,
the ions transported are hydrogen ions or protons. The PEMFC is fueled with pure
hydrogen, and the oxidant is air or pure oxygen. PEMFCs are low temperature fuel cells
+
that conduct hydrogen ions (H ), making them not fuel-flexible. These fuel cells are the
most widely used in the transportation sector because they are low temperature FCs,
operating around 80◦ C, thus they have relatively short starting and stopping times. Another
advantage to PEMFCs is that they have very high efficiency and These features are well-

16
suited to a vehicle power source where power density is desired and the dynamic power
demands are significant. Some of the drawbacks to PEMFCs include a higher risk of CO
poisoning and that they require cooling. The overall chemical reaction for PEMFC is:
+ -
H2 → 2H + 2e

The chemical half reactions for the PEMFC are as follows:

Oxidation reaction:
+ -
H2 → 2H + 2e

Reduction reaction:

½ O2 +2H+ + 2e- → H2O

The PEMFC in an electric vehicle is taking the role of the internal combustion engine in a
conventional vehicle, as it is the driving power source in the FC electric vehicle. Thus far,
the PEMFC is the only fuel cell found to be suitable for automobiles? By pairing PEMFCs
with rechargeable batteries, a hybrid vehicle is created that is competitive with both battery
electric and fossil fuel vehicles. The electric motor, the battery, and the PEMFC are the
three interdependent parts of this hybrid vehicle . Figure 3 shows the basic structure of an
FC-based electrical vehicle.

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2.1.2 Direct methanol fuel cells
Methanol can be directly employed as fuel in the FC in a DMFC system. Methanol is an
organic fuel produced from coal or agricultural products. In DMFCs, both the cathode and
the anode are platinum or platinum-adopted catalysts. The electrolyte solution used is
trifluromethane sulfonic acid.
A DMFC is an example of a low temperature non-fuel flexible fuel cell. These fuel cells
were initially implemented in small portable electronic devices, such as laptops and cell
phones. Compared to the PEMFC, the DMFC has lower density and efficiency.

2.1.3 Phosphoric acid fuel cells

PAFCs rely on an acidic electrolyte, as with PEMFCs, to conduct hydrogen ions. The
reactions in the anode and the cathode are the same as the PEMFC reactions. Phosphoric
acid (H3PO4) is a viscous liquid that is contained by capillarity in the FC in a porous silicon
carbide matrix. PAFCs are medium temperature fuel cells that conduct hydrogen ions; thus,
they are not as fuel-flexible as the high-temperature fuel cells that conduct oxidizing ions
− −
(e.g. O CO 3). While PAFCs are predominantly used for stationary power, they have also
been implemented in some large-scale vehicles, such as public buses. The overall reaction
can be characterized as follows:
½ H2 + O2 → H2O

The half reaction associated with the phosphoric acid fuel cell is as follows:
Oxidation reaction:
+
H2 → 2H + 2e

Reduction reaction:
½ O2 +2H+ + 2e- → H2O

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2.1.4 Solid oxide fuel cell

A common stationary power FC is a solid oxide fuel cell . SOFCs conduct ions in a ceramic
membrane at high temperatures. In SOFCs, the ceramic usually is a yttrium stabilized
zirconia (YSZ) that will conduct oxygen ions (O2), but other ceramics conduct hydrogen
ions. Solid oxide fuel cells operate at elevated temperature ranges, usually around
650–800 ◦ C. An advantage to an SOFC is that, due to the elevated temperature ranges and
−
oxidizing ion (O ) transport, these fuel cells can handle a variety of fuels . A common use
for these fuel cells is as backup power for cell phone towers.

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2.2 Literature review

Literature Review on the Viability of a Hydrogen Economy Abstract This paper is a literature
review on past and present knowledge of hydrogen fuel and fuel cell vehicles. The purpose is to
consider the possibility of both a global hydrogen economy (a system based on hydrogen fuel and
energy, rather than fossil fuels) as well as one within the United States. The paper attempts to
answer this question: what barriers exist for hydrogen fuel, what are the known and proposed
solutions for them, and is the technology ready for commercial use in the United States? The
review includes background on the technology itself, the production of hydrogen as a fuel, and
how it is used to power vehicles. Following is a review of studies, focusing on storage solutions,
existing bus programs, monetary costs, governmental support, and finally international support.
Then follows a brief section on differing opinions, which demonstrates that there is uncertainty
within the research. Finally, there is a consideration of further questions and areas that might spur
future research. Introduction Although most science agrees that there is a need, or there will soon
be a need, there is not yet a great alternative to fossil fuel and coal for producing energy and fuel.

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3. Hydrogen Storage in FCVs

Hydrogen Storage in FCVs Hydrogen storage is the one of the most important research issues in
the development of FCVs. Hydrogen storage systems are under development to introduce new
methods to meet the needs of customers. Due to hydrogen’s low energy-density, it is difficult to
store enough on-board a vehicle to obtain adequate driving-range without the storage container
being too large or too heavy. Figure 1shows a hydrogen FCV with on-board storage of compressed
gas. Hydrogen storage techniques and the required research in this area are summarized in the
following points.3.1. Pressurized Tank Storage Pressurized tanks of enough strength involving
impact resistance for safety in collisions are made of carbon-fiber wrapped cylinders. Compressed
hydrogen in such tanks has been illustrated at a pressure of 34 MPa with a mass of 32.5 kg and a
volume of 186 L, which is adequate for a 500-km range. The tank volume is about 90% of a 55-
gallon drum, which is large for individual automobiles. While the 6 wt.% goal can be obtained,
the tank volume is problematic. Pressures of 70 MPa have been achieved, and in 2002 in Germany,
Quantum Technology’s 10,000 psi (68 MPa) on-board storage tank ascertained. The office of
technology policy report says that Toyota and Honda vehicles available for lease in late-2002 use
hydrogen stored in high-pressure containers. Nevertheless, unlike other gases, enough hydrogen
cannot be stored in the tank because of its low density. Liquid hydrogen storage at low
temperatures is not appropriate for normal vehicle use, although research on this feasibility is being
continued at a low level by some manufacturers. Moreover, a liquid hydrogen storage system loses
up to 1% of its storage volume per day by boiling, and liquid hydrogen requires high refrigeration
to keep the hydrogen at 20 K.

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 Dia. Fuel cell vehicle with on-board storage

3.1 Hydrogen Uptake in Metal-Based Compound

Metal hydration can be employed to store hydrogen below 3 or 4 MPa at above room
temperature; however, the metals induce too much additional weight for most vehicles and
are also expensive. It has been found that lithium nitride can reversibly store large amounts
of hydrogen. This material stores hydrogen rapidly in the temperature range of 170–210◦C
and obtained a 9.3 wt.% uptake when the sample was held at 255◦C for 30 min. Under high
vacuum (10–9 MPa, 10–5 mbar) about two-third so the hydrogen was released at temperatures
below 200◦C. The remaining third of the stored hydrogen required temperatures above 320◦C
for release. The hydrogen was taken up as lithium amide (LiNH2) and lithium hydride (LiH).
The authors suggested that the related metal-N-H systems should be studied to find more
practical pressures and temperatures for a hydrogen storage system.

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3.2 Unitized Reversible Fuel Cell

Unitized reversible FC (URFC) is an energy-storage device that performs in water-

electrolysis mode (EC mode) to produce hydrogen and works in FC mode to generate
electricity. During the mode switching of the URFC, a reversible electrochemical reaction
takes place that causes the change in temperature. Research on URFCs found pre-reactant
switching, oxygen flow rate, hydrogen flowrate, and time interval length makes the URFC
more efficient and reliable. The water accumulation in URFCs is a major problem, as it
decreases the mass flow rate of reactants in FC mode. It also affects the mode switching in
URFC. The residual water left during EC mode and the water produced during mode should
be eliminated to facilitate smooth mode switching. Gas purging has been used to remove the
water at the proton exchange membrane at the end of the FC operation. Gas purge time
increases with a decrease in the cell temperature. The gas purge flow rate should be greater
than the purging time. Due to the high flow rates, the water droplets in the PEM can be pulled
away from it. In FC mode, the mass flow rate of reactants is affected by the water content in
the cell. To make the successful mode switching process from electrolysis mode to fuel cell
mode, enough time should be provided. Allowing adequate time for gas purging enhances the
mass flow rate, which helps the Start up. The water in the channel is pushed by the oxygen
gas, but the water in the oxygen side is still present due to the increased amount of time
required for water electrolysis to occur. Pre-reactant switching is the method where the
reactant gases (oxygen and hydrogen) are switched on before transitioning to the FC mode.
By supplying the oxygen to the FC before the current supply, the residual water stored in the
channels and the gas diffusion layer made during EC mode is eliminated. The gas must be
supplied 180 s before the current transition to FC mode. This will effectively consume the
residual water at end of EC mode.

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4. Construction of fuel cell

4.1 Working of fuel cell

A fuel cell is a lot like a battery. It has two electrodes where the reactions take place and
an electrolyte which carries the charged particles from one electrode to the other. In order for a
fuel cell to work, it needs hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). The hydrogen enters the fuel cell at the
anode. A chemical reaction strips the hydrogen molecules of their electrons and the atoms become
ionized to form H+. The electrons travel through wires to provide a current to do work. The oxygen
enters at the cathode, usually from the air. The oxygen picks up the electrons that have completed
their circuit. The oxygen then combines with the ionized hydrogen atoms (H+), and water (H2O)
is formed as the waste product which exits the fuel cell. The electrolyte plays an essential role as
well. It only allows the appropriate ions to pass between the anode and cathode. If other ions were

24
allowed to flow between the anode and cathode, the chemical reactions within the cell would be
disrupted.
The reaction in a single fuel cell typically produces only about 0.7 volts. Therefore, fuel cells are
usually stacked or connected in some way to form a fuel cell system that can be used in cars,
generators, or other products that require power.

The reactions involved in a fuel cell are as follows:

Anode side (an oxidation reaction):
2H2→4H++4e−
Cathode side (a reduction reaction):
O2 + 4H+ + 4e-→ 2H2O
Net reaction (the "redox" reaction):
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O
will likely lead to the near-universal application of diesel particulate filters (DPF) to control PM
emissions from new diesel LDVs and HDVs.

25
5. Progress in India

5.1 Running cars on hydrogen: What is India’s National Hydrogen Mission?

India has announced a National Hydrogen Mission that will draw up a roadmap for using hydrogen
as an energy source. The initiative has the potential of transforming transportation.Traditionally a
slow mover in frontier electric vehicle (EV) technologies, India has made an uncharacteristically
early entry in the race to tap the energy potential of the most abundant element in the universe,
hydrogen. Less than four months after the United States Department of Energy announced an
investment up to $100 million in hydrogen production and fuel cell technologies research and
development, India has announced a National Hydrogen Mission.

The proposal in the Budget will be followed up with a mission draft over the next couple of months
a roadmap for using hydrogen as an energy source, with specific focus on green hydrogen,
dovetailing India’s growing renewable capacity with the hydrogen economy, government officials
indicated.

And while proposed end-use sectors include steel and chemicals, the major industry that hydrogen
has the potential of transforming is transportation — which contributes a third of all greenhouse
gas emissions, and where hydrogen is being seen as a direct replacement of fossil fuels, with
specific advantages over traditional EVs. A handful of mobility-linked pilots are already under
way.

In October, Delhi became the first Indian city to operate buses running on hydrogen spiked
compressed natural gas (H-CNG) in a six-month pilot project. The buses will run on a new
technology patented by Indian Oil Corp for producing H-CNG 18 per cent hydrogen in CNG
directly from natural gas, without resorting to conventional blending.

Power major NTPC Ltd is operating a pilot to run 10 hydrogen fuel cell-based electric buses and
fuel cell electric cars in Leh and Delhi, and is considering setting up a green hydrogen production
facility in Andhra Pradesh.

IOC is also planning to set up a dedicated unit to produce hydrogen to run buses at its R&D center
in Faridabad.

26
As a supporting regulatory framework, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways late last year
issued a notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, to include
safety evaluation standards for hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles.

5.2 The case for green hydrogen fuel:

Green hydrogen has specific advantages. One, it is a clean burning molecule, which can
decarbonize a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation. Two,
renewable energy that cannot be stored or used by the grid can be channeled to produce hydrogen.

This is what the government’s Hydrogen Energy Mission, to be launched in 2021-22, aims for.
India’s electricity grid is predominantly coal-based and will continue to be so, thus negating
collateral benefits from a large-scale EV push as coal will have to be burnt to generate the
electricity that will power these vehicles. In several countries that have gone in for an EV push,
much of the electricity is generated from renewables in Norway for example, it is 99 per cent from
hydroelectric power. Experts believe hydrogen vehicles can be especially effective in long-haul
trucking and other hard-to-electrify sectors such as shipping and long-haul air travel. Using heavy
batteries in these applications would be counterproductive, especially for countries such as India,
where the electricity grid is predominantly coal-fired.

5.3 The problem of critical mass:

Despite its promise, hydrogen technology is yet to be scaled up. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called
fuel cell technology.
Globally, there were under 25,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road at the end of 2020; by
comparison, the number of electric cars was 8 million.
A big barrier to the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has been a lack of fueling station
infrastructure fuel cell cars refuel in a similar way to conventional cars, but can’t use the same
station. There are fewer than 500 operational hydrogen stations in the world today, mostly in
Europe, followed by Japan and South Korea. There are some in North America. Safety is seen as

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a concern. Hydrogen is pressurized and stored in a cryogenic tank, from there it is fed to a lower-
pressure cell and put through an electro-chemical reaction to generate electricity. Hyundai and
Toyota say safety and reliability of hydrogen fuel tanks is similar to that of standard CNG engines.
Scaling up the technology and achieving critical mass remains the big challenge. More vehicles
on the road and more supporting infrastructure can lower costs. India’s proposed mission is seen
as a step in that direction.

5.4 Govt notifies new standards for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

The road transport and highways ministry on Thursday notified new standards for safety evaluation
of environment friendly hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles.
“The ministry of road transport and highways has notified the standards for safety evaluation of
vehicles being propelled by hydrogen fuel cells through an amendment to central motor vehicles
rules, 1989," an official statement said, adding that these standards are at par with international
standards.
Prospective manufacturer and suppliers of such vehicles have the standards available for the testing
of such vehicles.
“This would facilitate the promotion of Hydrogen Fuel Cell based vehicles in the country which
are futuristic, energy efficient and environment friendly, while being compliant to international
standards," Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said in a tweet.

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6. Conclusion

I have learned from this seminar various country’s plans about hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and types
of fuel cell upcoming hydrogen cars in India. And also got introduced about Hydrogen Fuel cell
vehicles are currently being researched for their feasibility of widespread usage in automobiles
and other forms of transportation. • Hydrogen fuel does not occur naturally on Earth and thus is
not an energy source, but is an energy carrier. Currently it is most frequently made from methane
or other fossil fuels. • However, it can be produced from a wide range of sources (such as wind,
solar, or nuclear) that are intermittent, too diffuse or too cumbersome to directly propel vehicles.

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7. References

1. https://www.slideshare.net/24/hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle-71435675
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell_vehicle
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333446536_Hydrogen_Fuel_Cell_Vehicles_Cu
rrent_Status_and_Future_Prospect
4. https://www.livemint.com/auto-news/govt-notifies-new-standards-for-hydrogen-fuel-cell-
vehicles-11600960206293.html
5. https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-
headlines/japan-keeps-auto-industry-s-hydrogen-dreams-alive-
62160857#:~:text=The%20Japanese%20government%20is%20banking,for%20Hydroge
n%20and%20Fuel%20Cells.
6. https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/korean-hydrogen-vehicles-supply-highest-in-
the-
world20210429104342/#:~:text=From%202016%20to%202020%2C%20the,growth%20
at%20235%20per%20cent.
7. https://www.cardekho.com/india-car-news/car-news-that-mattered-2021-renault-triber-
launched-hydrogenpowered-hyundai-nexo-india-launched-tata-nexon-ev-controversy-
and-more-26874.htm

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