HydrogenNumber one element, number one fuel

Tim MaysDepartment of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of Bath

Government policy must ensure the provision of sustainable, secure and safe heat and power for

everyone

The aim of this talk is suggest how hydrogen may be used a a fuel to help solve looming energy and environmental problems

Aim

Outline The element hydrogen Energy and the environment Hydrogen energy Concluding remarks

The aim of this talk is suggest how hydrogen may be used a a fuel to help solve looming energy and environmental problems

Aim

Gro Harlam Brundtland

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Brundtland Report (1987)

Sustainable development

Hydrogen – Number one element

Simple model of a hydrogen atom, H, (above) and molecule, H2 (below) (Bohr, 1913)

More accurate models of hydrogen atoms from quantum mechanics (Pauli, 1925; Schrödinger,1926)

0.25 nm

Atomic and molecular structure

Isotopes …

… and Isomers

Occurrence

Consisting of the simplest, smallest and lightest of all atoms, hydrogen …

… and remains the commonest element in the observable Universe (75% by mass, 90% by number of atoms)

… was the first element formed in the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago …

Hydrogen on Earth

water(H2O)

biomass (– CHxOy )

fossilfuels (– CHx )

Hydrogen is the third commonest element on the Earth’s surface but almost all of it is contained in chemical compounds

18th/19th centuries CE Cavendish, Lavoisier, de Rivaz, Grove,

town gas

20th/21st centuries CE ammonia synthesis, Hindenburg,oil processing, hydrogen bomb,space shuttle, Honda FCX Clarity, …

Recent history

Yes, but water decomposed into its primitive elements,“ replied Cyrus Harding, "and decomposed doubtless, by electricity, which will then have become a powerful and manageable force, for all great discoveries, by some inexplicable laws, appear to agree and become complete at the same time. Yes, my friends, I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, of an intensity of which coal is not capable. Some day the coalrooms of steamers and the tenders of locomotives will, instead of coal, be stored with these two condensed gases, which will burn in the furnaces with enormous calorific power. There is, therefore, nothing to fear. As long as the earth is inhabited it will supply the wants of its inhabitants, and there will be no want of either light or heat as long as the productions of the vegetable, mineral or animal kingdoms do not fail us. I believe, then, that when the deposits of coal are exhausted we shall heat and warm ourselves with water. Water will be the coal of the future.

Literature

Jules VerneThe Mysterious Island (1874)

Yes, but water decomposed into its primitive elements,“ replied Cyrus Harding, "and decomposed doubtless, by electricity, which will then have become a powerful and manageable force, for all great discoveries, by some inexplicable laws, appear to agree and become complete at the same time. Yes, my friends, I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light, of an intensity of which coal is not capable. Some day the coalrooms of steamers and the tenders of locomotives will, instead of coal, be stored with these two condensed gases, which will burn in the furnaces with enormous calorific power. There is, therefore, nothing to fear. As long as the earth is inhabited it will supply the wants of its inhabitants, and there will be no want of either light or heat as long as the productions of the vegetable, mineral or animal kingdoms do not fail us. I believe, then, that when the deposits of coal are exhausted we shall heat and warm ourselves with water. Water will be the coal of the future.

Literature

Jules VerneThe Mysterious Island (1874)

Key facts

In normal conditions free hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, diatomic gas (H2); it is an asphyxiant in very high concentrations

Hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce water and energy(French: hydrogène, Greek: hydro = water, genes = to beget)

In normal conditions density of H2 is 0.08 g/L (air is 1.2 g/L)

Normal boiling point is -253 °C Density of liquid hydrogen is 71 g/L (water is 1,000 g/L)

Normal melting point is -259 °CDensity of solid hydrogen is 88 g/L (ice is 917 g/L)

H2 costs about 3x the cost of methane used to make it

I kg H2 contains about the same energy as a gallon of petrol

Chemical energy

hydrogen + oxygen → water + energy

2H2 + O2 → 2H2O

energy = 120-142 MJ/kg heat (combustion)

= 1.23 V electrical potential + 24 MJ/kg heat (fuel cell) +

Only material product of abovel reaction is waterCompare: hydrocarbon + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + …

A lot of energy per unit mass of hydrogenCompare: 40-55 MJ/kg for combustion of hydrocarbons

NOTE

NOTE

Production and use

About 50 million tonnes of H2 produced pa globally(compared with 1,950 million tonnes of natural gas)

90-95% made by high-temperature processing of hydrocarbons such as steam reforming of natural gas

CH4+ 2H2O → 4H2+ CO2

Some hydrogen made by electrolysis of water2H2O → 2H2 + O2

Main (current) uses are in chemical processing

conversion of crude oil to transport fuels

manufacture of ammonia and methanol

hydrogenation of oils and fats

International ThermonuclearExperimental Reactor (ITER)Caderache, SW France

Nuclear (fusion) energy

Outline The element hydrogen Energy and the environment Hydrogen energy Concluding remarks

The aim of this talk is suggest how hydrogen may be used a a fuel to help solve looming energy and environmental problems

Aim

6.7 billion now

World population 1950-2050net current growth rate about 9,100 people per hour

Economic growth

Increased energy demandenergy demand about 2.5 kW per person on average in 2008

World primary energy supply

SectorsIndustryDomesticTransportServices

Anthropogenic climate changeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC (2007)

WORLD: Kyoto Protocol (1997, 2005)… stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

Policy

UK: Climate Change Act (2008)A legally binding target of at least an 80 % cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, to be achieved through action in the UK and abroad. Also a reduction in CO2 emissions of at least 26 % by 2020. Both these targets are against a 1990 baseline.

UN Framework Convention onClimate Change

Peak oil … and coal, gas, uranium

Idea

Increased energy demand

Climate change

Running out of fuel

Energy security

Can hydrogen help?

Outline The element hydrogen Energy and the environment Hydrogen energy Concluding remarks

The aim of this talk is suggest how hydrogen may be used a a fuel to help solve looming energy and environmental problems

Aim

Basic principles

energyin

producehydrogen

store /distribute

energyout

electricityheatlight

radiation

waterbiomass

fossil fuels

liquid hydrogenhigh-pressure gaschemical storage

porous solids

combustionfuel cell

2H2+O2 → 2H2O

no CO2 atpoint of use

H2 easier to storethan many energy

forms

many available sources of

H2

many available sources of

energy

Production

Storage

Challenge is to store hydrogen in small volumes as it is very low density

Can use liquid hydrogen or compressed gas

Future methods could include: Chemical storage Storage in porous solids

Storage research at Bath

The heat from hydrogen when it is burned can generate power in an:

Internal combustion engine Gas turbine Jet engine Rocket

Electricity from hydrogen fuel cells can be used in vehicles in addition to the way electricity is used now

Fuel cells are intrinsically more efficient than heat engines but costs need to be brought down and reliability and lifetimes need to be increased

Energy out

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell

Hydrogen energy chain

geothermal, tides,(nuclear, fossil)

Hydrogen energy chainGosselink (2002)

Managing wind energy

Promoting UnstRenewable Energy

Scenario 2Centralised to mobile energyCentralised to mobile energy

Hydrogen canal boat

Many possible sources of hydrogen Hydrogen can only ever yield as much energy as was used to

produce it in the first place Hydrogen moves energy around (like electricity);

strictly it is an energy vector or carrier No CO2 at point of use Lots of energy per unit mass Creation of new industries and support of current ones

… but challenges remain including

Technical Sustainable production Storage and distribution End use

Socio-economic Cost and affordability Awareness and acceptability Safety, regulation, codes and standards

Issues and challenges

Courtesy: Air Products

Cost and affordability

Energy security means the provision of sustainable, affordable energy to society on demand

Hydrogen and hydrogen energy systems are currently expensive But can we afford NOT to use hydrogen and other sustainable

energy technologies?

The Stern Review (2006) claims that investment of 1% of GDP to manage climate change should be set against a likely 20% reduction in GDP if we do nothing

Awareness and acceptability

There is evidence (Flynn, 2007) that public awareness of energy and climate change is widespread

But not so with hydrogen which to many – even policymakers – is associated with the H-bomb and the Hindenburg if it registers

at all Hydrogen is better known in some areas (e. g., Teeside,

Birmingham, S Wales) where there are visible and well-known hydrogen activities

Where concern isexpressed, it is often aboutsafety

Clear need for information on,understanding by andreassurance of both the publicand policymakers on hydrogen energy Gillard (2009)

Safety, regulation,codes and standards

Hydrogen has wide flammable range 4% - 75% Natural gas is 4% - 15% Very low ignition energy Potential for detonation Nearly invisible flame Evidence of spontaneous ignition from venting Chemicals industry has been using hydrogen safely on a large

scale for many years. Has developed procedures and standards but may not be relevant

to new uses “New” industry may operate in less well-controlled situations

Outline The element hydrogen Energy and the environment Hydrogen energy Concluding remarks

The aim of this talk is suggest how hydrogen may be used a a fuel to help solve looming energy and environmental problems

Aim

Concluding remarks

We are facing an imminent energy and environmental crisis

Hydrogen technologies could be part of the solution

Energy management for renewables and as a “fuel” (in motor vehicles, canal boats, ships, aircraft, …)

Other technologies (e. g., batteries, fusion) may also be important

But we need to act quickly and decisively before it’s too late …

London

OxfordBath

Glamorgan

Birmingham

Swindon

A golden hydrogen triangle ?

Bristol

Nottinghamtwo groups

Cambridge

King’sCollegeLondon

UniversityCollege London

STFC /ISISOxfordBath

Glamorgan

Birminghamtwo groups

Salfordtwo groups

Manchester

GlasgowStrathclydetwo groups

Production

Storage

Socio-economics

EPSRC

SwindonManagement

£5.97m EPSRC / SUPERGEN funding £7.29m full economic cost 48 month project from 1 July 2007 17 UK research teams at 13 institutions 5 themes, 42 workpackages

Number Work monthsInvestigators 30 86Research staff 25 665Research students 8 288Support staff 8 85TOTAL 71 1,124

http://www.uk-shec.org.uk/

UK Sustainable Hydrogen Energy ConsortiumUK-SHEC

Acknowledgements

Brian McEnaney, You Fa Yin,Emmanuelle Alain, Toni Odunsi,

Yufeng He, Lacey-Jane Davis, Ian Gillard,Anna Neczaj-Hruzewicz, Nuno Bimbo

UK-SHEC colleagues

Last word