Hydrogen Energy System

Introduction
• Hydrogen (H2)is the first element on the periodic table. It is
the lightest and most explosive element on the earth.
• Hydrogen is a clean alternative to methane, also known as
natural gas. Estimated to contribute 75% of the mass of the
universe.
• Hydrogen energy
 resource is a new
renewable energy
resource. 
Why is hydrogen important as a future clean
energy source?
• A fuel is a chemical that can be ‘burnt’ to provide useful
energy.
• For many years, we’ve used natural gas to heat our
homes and businesses, and for power stations to
generate electricity.
• When natural gas is burnt, it provides heat energy. But a
waste product alongside water is carbon dioxide, which
when released into the atmosphere contributes to
climate change.
• When we burn hydrogen, the only waste product is
water vapor.
Hydrogen Production
Steam
reforming

Gasification Electrolysis

Biological Steam

H2
systems electrolysis

Thermal Thermochemical
water water splitting
splitting

Photobioloical Photoelectro-
chemical
Hydrogen Production
Methods:
• Most methods of producing hydrogen involve splitting
water (H2O) into its component parts of hydrogen (H2)
and oxygen (O). The most common method involves
steam reforming of methane (from natural gas), although
there are several other methods:
1) Steam reforming converts methane (and other
hydrocarbons in natural gas) into hydrogen and carbon
monoxide by reaction with steam over a nickel catalyst.
2) Electrolysis uses electrical current to split water into
hydrogen at the cathode (+) and oxygen at the anode
(-).
Hydrogen Production Methods Con.
3) Steam electrolysis (a variation on conventional electrolysis)
uses heat, instead of electricity, to provide some of the
energy needed to split water, making the process more
energy efficient
4) Thermochemical water splitting uses chemicals and heat in
multiple steps to split water into its component parts
5) Photoelectrochemical systems use semi-conducting
materials (like photovoltaics) to split water using only
sunlight
6) Photobiological systems use microorganisms to split water
using sunlight
7) Biological systems use microbes to break down a variety of
biomass feed stocks into hydrogen
Hydrogen Production Methods Con.
8) Thermal water splitting uses a very high temperature
(approximately 1000°C) to split water
9) Gasification uses heat to break down biomass or coal into a
gas from which pure hydrogen can be generated
Fuel cell
Fuel cell
• A fuel cell is a cell that yields electricity due to a direct chemical
reaction. Used in combination with an electric motor.
• a fuel cell can be used to operate a vehicle powerfully, silently, and
with zero carbon emission. Therefore, converting hydrogen gas into
electricity produces water as a byproduct.
• It was first invented in 1893 by sir William Grove.
• New ways to utilize the energy of hydrogen fuel
cells are being researched throughout the world,
so that, maybe someday the world can stop
relying on fossil fuels and move on to a more
renewable energy source: hydrogen.
Advantages of Fuel Cells
• High efficiency
• Quiet
• Non Polluting - no NOx
• Distributed
• Combined heat and power
• Load flexible
Fuel Cell Operation
Efficiency of Fuel Cell
• Conventional power plants generate energy at an efficiency
rate of 33 to 35 percent.
• while hydrogen fuel cell systems can generate energy at an
efficiency at a rate of up to 60 percent.
• Having this as a source of energy would help to meet the
demands of the earth's growing population well into the
future.