Hydrogen Energy As Fuel In New Technologies

Hydrogen energy as fuel in new technologies

Introduction

This work is done to make known about the new renewable energy technology such as energy from hydrogen, the main topics to be discussed are the evolution it has had from its investigations, which advantages and disadvantages presentsAccording to its uses and implementation that is called, it will also take into account which are possible challenges to which they have to face for their elaboration whether both infrastructure or security or social policy.

The objective of this research is based on the technologies that are generated through hydrogen as alternative energy and fuels .

Developing

Mainly this technology is based on hydrogen by its characteristics is a very simple element and can be found very abundantly throughout the universe since matter is constituted by 90% of this element, but most of this element do notIt can be found purely since it is combined with other elements within its components or chemical composition, such as water (H2O) and other elements.

Hydrogen is an element that in the environment is not toxic and can be inhaled or breathed without any danger since it is too light, 14 times more than air makes it quickly transported to the atmosphere from the earth’s surface. This element itself;It does not produce energy itself to other source to boost it.

According to the investigations to which the hydrogen has been advanced or already.

Hydrogen was discovered by British scientist Henry Cavendish, in 1776, who reported an experiment in which he had obtained water from the combination of oxygen and hydrogen, with the help of an electric spark.

As this elements, they were not known, he called them "supporting air of life" and "flammable air" respectively. French chemist Antoine Lauren Lavoisier successfully repeated the experiment in 1785 and gave the name of oxygen to the "sustaining air of life" and hydrogen to "flammable air".

Hydrogen is the most light, most basic and most ubiquitous element in the universe. When used as an energy source, it becomes eternal fuel. It never ends and, as it does not contain a single carbon atom, it does not emit carbon dioxide. Hydrogen is distributed throughout the planet: in water, in fossil fuels and in living beings. However, it rarely appears in a free state in nature, but has to be extracted from natural sources. (Frers, 2011)

The most common source to extract hydrogen is through water since its chemical components are (H2O) which consists of two hydrogen particles and one of oxygen which, by means of a chemical decomposition, you can separate particles, thisChemical decomposition process is called (electrolysis) in which an amount of electric current is injected into the water to separate both substances this electric current comes from an electric source whether renewable (such as solar, wind energy, biomass, photovoltaic, mareomotriz, etc. ) From this process both particles are separated to store the hydrogen since this can be stored in a liquid or soda manner by (Frers, 2011)

As the author Cristian Frers (2011) “the hydrogen obtained can be compressed and stored in cells for several months until it needs it can be. Hydrogen represents stored energy, you can burn like any fuel to produce heat, boost an engine, or produce electricity to a turbine."

Water electrolysis (H2O)

In water electrolysis, electricity is used to decompose water in its elementary components: hydrogen and oxygen. Water electrolysis is often considered the preferred method to produce hydrogen, since it is the only process that does not need to be based on fossil fuels. Using this method, in addition, we will obtain a final high purity product, and is feasible both at small and large scales.

The device that is used to carry out water electrolysis is an electrolytic cuba, which consists of a series of cells, each with a positive electrode and another negative. The electrodes are submerged in an electrolyte (electrically conductive water, adding the hydrogen ions, usually in the form of alkaline potassium hydroxide, KOH) to facilitate the migration of the ions.

The anode (positive electrode) is generally nickel and copper and is covered with metal oxides such as manganese, tungsten and rotenio.

The cathode (negative electrode) is generally nickel, covered with small amounts of platinum as a catalyst. Without the catalyst, the active hydrogen would accumulate in the electrode and block the flow.

The gas or diaphragm separator is used to prevent hydrogen and oxygen from mixing, although it allows ion -free passage. It is generally manufactured of asbestos -based material and tends to break when it is subjected to a temperature from 80ºC. (Ramos, Hydrogen Application of internal combustion engines, 2009, p. 67)

Advantages and disadvantages of energy from hydrogen

Advantage

• It is not toxic or polluting
• The universe can be found abundantly
• Your obtaining can be done through renewable energies
• Contains very high energy efficiency
• It can be stored
• It is very silent converted both energy and fuel
• Long duration of use and good power generator

Disadvantage

• At present there are no storage techniques
• Its price is very high when it is in its purest state since its obtaining is too expensive
• Your production needs other energies
• Cannot compete with conventional energies since it has a price too high
• There is no way that it is viable before fossil fuels

Possible uses of energy from hydrogen

In the automotive world, awareness of contamination with the gases emitted by vehicles traditionally;With what has led manufacturers to lookgasoline since this is used in combustion engines.

Hydrogen engines

History about hydrogen engines

In 1860 and 1870, Nikolaus August Otto (the inventor of the Otto cycle), used, as reported, a synthetic producer of gas for fuel, which probably contained hydrogen in 50%. Otto also experienced with gasoline, but considering that it was dangerous to work with that fuel, he decided to use soft drinks. The development of the carburetor, however, began a new era in which gasoline could be used in a practical and safe way, which collapsed interest in other fuels.

Several years later, when the airships began to be built, which were basically hydrogen balloons, German engineer Rudolph Erren worked in an engine for these devices whose fuel was hydrogen. He came to solve the problems of self-injurred in the carburetor through direct injection and, if not for certain events (the unfortunate accident of the Hindenburg) and by the discovery of large and accessible oil deposits, oil depositsto hydrogen.

Since then, hydrogen has been used extensively in the space program, since it has the best energy/weight ratio of any fuel. This, next to the space race between the old U.R.R.S. And the United States produced a great advance in hydrogen management. Hydrogen in liquid state is the fuel chosen for space engines, in addition to propelting several vehicles in various space missions, including Apollo Missions on the Moon, Skylab, Viking Missions on Mars and the Voyager Mission to Saturn.

Since then, hydrogen has been used extensively in the space program, since it has the best energy/weight ratio of any fuel. This, next to the space race between the old U.R.R.S. And the United States produced a great advance in hydrogen management. Hydrogen in liquid state is the fuel chosen for space engines, in addition to propelting several vehicles in various space missions, including Apollo Missions on the Moon, Skylab, Viking Missions on Mars and the Voyager Mission to Saturn. (Ramos, Hydrogen Application of internal combustion engines. UPC, 2009, p. 108)

Problems associated with combustion.

Hydrogen as fuel has several peculiarities that differentiate it considerably from other fuels.

The first problem that arises when using hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, especially in alternative engines, is the decrease in power. On the one hand, the energy content per unit of hydrogen volume is lower than that of other fuels;And on the other hand, its low density reduces the space available in the cylinder or in the combustion chamber for air entrance. With which, the use of hydrogen in an engine can reduce its power to 15%. To avoid this problem, a solution is to inject compressed or liquid hydrogen.

SAFETY AND SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

The safety in the implementation of hydrogen as fuel is an issue that worries, especially in its application to vehicles. Hydrogen is a colorless and odorless gas, hardly detectable by human senses. In addition, its wide rank of flammability and low ignition energy, favor the appearance of fires. The current hydrogen transport and storage systems already have strict security means to control these aspects, however, there is still a certain social rejection of hydrogen. In order to consolidate hydrogen as fuel, it is necessary to favor its social acceptance, informing the strict security control that exists, and educating in the important environmental advantages of its use. (DUFOUR, 2013)

Bibliography

• DUFOUR, J. (23 of 05 of 2013). Madrimasd. Obtained from Madrimasd: https: // www.Madrimasd.Org/Blogs/Energies Alternative/2013/05/23/132064
• Frers, c. (26 of 10 of 2011). Interempresas. Obtained from Interempresas: http: // www.Interempresas.NET/ENERGY/ARTICLES/57200-THE-HYDROGEN-THE-COMBUSTIBLE-DEL-FUTURE.HTML
• Ramos, m. F. (2009). Hydrogen application of internal combustion engines, page 67. Obtained from Hydrogen Application of internal combustion engines, page 67: https: // upcommons.CPU.Edu/Bitstream/Handle/2099.1/6533/Hydr%C3%B3Gen-Aplicaci%C3%B3n%20en%20Motores%20de%20combusti%C3%B3n%20Interna%20-%20MARC%20F%C3%A0BREGA.PDF?sequence = 1 & isalowed = y
• Ramos, m. F. (2009). Hydrogen Application of internal combustion engines. UPC, pag.108. Obtained from Hydrogen Application of internal combustion engines. UPC, pag.108: https: // upcommons.CPU.Edu/Bitstream/Handle/2099.1/6533/Hydr%C3%B3Gen-Aplicaci%C3%B3n%20en%20Motores%20de%20combusti%C3%B3n%20Interna%20-%20MARC%20F%C3%A0BREGA.PDF?sequence = 1 & isalowed = y