A Study of Energy, Fuel Cells and Energy Efficiency

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A Study of Energy, Fuel Cells and Energy
Efficiency

• RET Corps Member Dalia Zygas
• Workshop Attendee Group Members Yvette M.
  Burnett, Lynne El-Amin Waheed, Sueha Kayyal,
  Waclaw Kondratko, Billie J. Miller
• IIT Research Mentor Dr. Donald J. Chmielewski

This material is based upon work supported by the
National Science Foundation under grant No.
EEC-0502174. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National
Science Foundation.
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Overview of Module

• Topics Covered
• Balancing Equations
• Calculating Bond Energy
• Enthalpy ?H
• Efficiency
• Student Involvement
• 14 Middle and High School Students
• 100 Participation

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Pretest/Posttest Results
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Design Activity

• Brief Description To use a car which is powered
  by a hydrogen fuel cell and measure its
  efficiency in a manner similar to the Heros
  engine lab
• Defining Need Measuring efficiency of
  environmentally friendly engine (fuel-cell)
• Background research - - -

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ENERGY AND FUEL CELLS
Design Research

• Energy has been declared as the number one
  problem that humanity must face during next 50
  years. Hydrogen and fuel cells have been getting
  a lot of attention because they directly and
  efficiently convert chemical energy to electrical
  energy. Fuel cells based on hydrogen are
  environmentally friendly since water is the only
  byproduct. Fuel cells based on hydrogen as a fuel
  do not produce greenhouse gases such as CO2 and
  providing an environmentally benign power. If
  hydrogen should be used in future, the important
  issue is its inexpensive production and storage.

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Design Research
Mean Global Energy Consumption, 1998
Gas
Hydro
Renew
Total 12.8 TW U.S. 3.3 TW (99 Quads)
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Today Production Cost of Electricity
(in the U.S. in 2002)
25-50
Cost, /kW-hr
6-7
5-7
6-8
2.3-5.0
1-4
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POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGY
DESIGN RESEARCH

• Hydroelectric
• Geothermal
• Ocean/Tides
• Wind
• Biomass
• Solar

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Design Research Why Hydrogen ?

• 2H2 O2 2H2O -242 kJ mol-1
• Oxidation does not produce greenhouse gases
• Use in fuel cells is highly efficient
• The gasoline internal combustion engine could be
  replaced by hydrogen fuel cells in cars
• Can store excess energy produced by other means
• Unlimited supply, in principle, from renewable
  energy sources
• Key component of the post-petroleum world

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WHY HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELLS

• Fuel cells directly and efficiently convert
  chemical energy to electrical energy.
• Fuel cells offering significant environmental
  benefits and high electrical efficiency.
• With their promise of environmentally benign
  power, fuel cells are widely promoted as the
  electricity generators of the future.

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PROBLEMS WITH HYDROGEN

• Expensive-more energy is used to generate
  hydrogen than is released when it is consumed
• Storage 4.4 MJ/L (680 atm) ? 9.72 MJ/L
• Fuel cells 3,000/kW ? 35/kW (gasoline engine)
• Energy density (H2(l), 8.4 MJ/L) ? Energy density
  (gasoline, 31.6 MJ/L)
• Research is needed on hydrogen uptake and release
  in complex hydrides

Professor Michael Trenary, Department of
Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, ppp
7/6/2006. Source BES Hydrogen Workshop Report
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Priority Research Areas in Hydrogen Storage
Novel and Nanoscale Materials
Li, Nature 1999
Neutron imaging of hydrogen
Cup-stacked carbon nNanofiber
Nanoporous inorganic-organic compounds
Complex metal hydrides can be recharged on board
the vehicles
Theory and Modeling To Understand Mechanisms,
Predict Property Trends, Guide Discovery of New
Materials
H Adsorption in nanotube array
Chemical hydrides will need off-board regeneration
Professor Michael Trenary, Department of
Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, ppp
7/6/2006. Source BES Hydrogen Workshop Report
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Design Research Conclusion

• Cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells can greatly
  reduce our dependence on oil, if the hydrogen is
  generated renewably.
• Basic research is needed to achieve a hydrogen
  economy.
• Energy RD is poised for rapid growth in the
  coming years.
• Solving the worlds energy needs in a sustainable
  way is one of the greatest challenges of this
  century
• Scientists/Engineers will be the heroes of this
  struggle

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Design Activity

• Design Criteria
• The ability to measure H2
• Energy Efficiency
• Reduce CO2 emissions
• Test Redesign Modifications to
• Track Barriers, Surface and Location, Placement
  of Clips, Increased Mass,
• Inquiry, trial and error
• Materials Modifications Need for a different
  car
• Results

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Inquiry

• Inquiry One
• Brief Description Students were supplied with
  efficiency and work formulas, conversion factors,
  constants, tables, supplies/materials, lab
  procedure and examples on how to compute data
• Lessons Learned
• Process of collecting data and calculating
  efficiency and work formulas
• Joules, Work, Efficiency, Mass, etc.
• Inquiry Two
• Brief Description Using various chemical
  symbols and manipulative drawings to develop
  skills needed to balance combustion reactions.
• Students were given problem
• Instructors coached guided each group as they
  developed skills need to find the solution
• Lessons Learned
• Students learned the basic rules of balancing
  equations
• Based on test data, 30 of students gained
  knowledge need to balance combustion equations

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Ethics

• Brief Description Original module would help
  students redesign and item within their community
  to make it more environmentally efficient, cost
  effective, able to use renewable resources and
  reduce CO2 emission.
• Lessons Learned Based on informal observations
  - students learned
• H2 powered vehicle is not cost effective
• Public demand should pressure engineers to design
  a more efficient and cost effective H2 powered
  vehicle

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Modifications

• Elementary (K-3) Babies Driving Cars
• How things work
• What makes things go hydrogen, diesel, and
  octane
• Designing cars of the future
• Late Elementary (4-5) - Di-atomic molecules
• Use Bingo to introduce atomic symbols
• Use everyday items to describe physical
  characteristics some of di-atomic molecules
• Use construction paper and coffee stirs to build
  molecular models
• Fuel car activity used to demonstrate use of gas
  to power a car
• Middle (5-8) Will The Force Be With You
• Designing a method to measure the force between
  different magnets
• Examining Various Magnets
• Ethics of having magnetic devices
• High School (9-12) Food Power
• Use fuel cell car to introduce concept of
  efficiency
• Balance photosynthesis and cellular respiration
  equations
• Use meal planner to examine efficiency of meal
  choices (including obesity, sluggishness, serum
  glucose level, etc.)
• Create and support fast-food options for
  athletes, infants, expecting mother, construction
  worker, senior citizen