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Sustainable Energy Systems and Applications pp 519–632Cite as

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems

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Abstract

The hydrogen economy emerged as a potential response to two major problems that mankind faces today, namely, its dependence on fossil fuels and the high level of pollution associated with the fossil fuel combustion process. Indeed, the exploitable and proved fossil fuel reserves are limited. As a consequence of population growth and industrial development of the Asiatic continent (with countries like China and India counting over one billion people each), the rate of fossil fuel exploitation increases constantly together with their costs and the associated pollution levels.

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Abbreviations

C :

Cost, $ or concentration

CI :

Cost index

e :

Elementary charge, C

E :

Energy, kJ

EIRF:

Environmental impact reduction factor

ex :

Specific exergy, kJ/kg

Ex :

Exergy, kJ

D p :

Depletion factor

f :

Volume fraction

F :

Faraday constant, As/mol

G :

Gibbs free energy, kJ/mol

h :

Specific enthalpy, kJ/kg or heat transfer coefficient, W/m2K

H :

Enthalpy, kJ/kg

HHV:

Higher heating value, MJ/kg

I :

Solar irradiance, W, or current intensity, A

k :

Thermal conductivity, W/mK

LHV:

Lower heating value, MJ/kg

m :

Mass, kg

MR :

Mols ratio

n :

Number of mols

N A :

Number of Avogadro

P :

Pressure, bar

Q :

Heat, kJ

R :

Universal gas constant, J/molK

s :

Specific entropy, kJ/kgK

S :

Entropy, kJ/K

SI:

Sustainability index

T :

Temperature, K

U :

Overall heat transfer coefficient, W/m2K

V :

Voltage, V

W :

Work, kJ

\( \delta \) :

Thickness, m

\( \gamma \) :

Specific heat ratio

\( \Delta \) :

Difference

\( \lambda \) :

Excess ratio

\( \phi \) :

Compactness factor, kW/m3

\( \eta \) :

Utilization efficiency

\( \psi \) :

Exergy efficiency

\( \upsilon \) :

System volume, m3

0:

Reference state

C:

Condenser

Cmp:

Compresser

E:

Electrical

EL:

Electrolysis

FC:

Fuel cell

gen:

Generator

geo:

Geothermal

H:

Heating

hx:

Heat exchanger

hr:

Heat recovery

in:

Inlet

ins:

Insulation

m:

Material or mean

N:

Nernst

o:

Output

oc:

Open circuit

ohm:

Ohmic

ox:

Oxidation

OP:

Other product

PF:

Primary fuel

pmp:

Pump

red:

Reduction

S:

Salt

sc:

Short circuit

SF:

Synthetic fuel

SH:

Space heating

TH:

Thermal

TOT:

Total

W:

Wall

WF:

Working fluid

ch:

Chemical

thrm:

Thermomechanical

\( \mathop {{(\;\;)}}\limits^. \) :

Rate (per unit of time)

\( \mathop {{(\;\;)}}\limits^{-} \) :

Average value

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Oshawa, ON, L1H 7K4, Canada

    İbrahim Dinçer & Calin Zamfirescu

Authors
  1. İbrahim Dinçer
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  2. Calin Zamfirescu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to İbrahim Dinçer .

Study Questions/Problems

Study Questions/Problems

  1. 13.1

    What characteristics of hydrogen make it attractive for energy economy?

  2. 13.2

    Describe the idea of hydrogen economy.

  3. 13.3

    Categorize the methods for hydrogen production.

  4. 13.4

    Calculate the reaction enthalpy and the Gibbs energy of water decomposition reaction at 25°, 1,000°, and 2,500°C and compare the results.

  5. 13.5

    Calculate the energy efficiency of the system in Fig. 13.5 using the data from Table 13.3.

  6. 13.6

    Explain the concept of thermochemical water splitting.

  7. 13.7

    Calculate the reaction heat for Eq. (13.15).

  8. 13.8

    Describe the S–I cycle.

  9. 13.9

    What is the difference between fuel reforming and gasification?

  10. 13.10

    Calculate the reaction heats for Eq. (13.27) at 1,000°C.

  11. 13.11

    Describe the nuclear–thermal routes for hydrogen production.

  12. 13.12

    What are the envisaged hydrogen production methods coupled with nuclear reactors?

  13. 13.13

    Calculate the reaction heats for Eq. (13.37) at 1,100°C.

  14. 13.14

    Making reasonable assumptions, calculate the copper chlorine hydrogen production cycle in Fig. 13.21.

  15. 13.15

    Making reasonable assumptions, calculate the biomass-driven high-temperature electrolysis cycle in Fig. 13.29.

  16. 13.16

    Explain the principle of photocatalytic water splitting.

  17. 13.17

    Calculate the reaction enthalpy for Eq. (13.43) at standard temperature.

  18. 13.18

    Calculate the work needed to compress 1 kg of hydrogen from 1 bar pressure to 800 bar according to the process described by Eq. (13.46).

  19. 13.19

    Calculate the simplified Claude cycle in Fig. 13.44 under reasonable assumptions.

  20. 13.20

    Comment on the storage density of various hydrogen storage methods according to Fig. 13.45.

  21. 13.21

    Comment on the potential of ammonia borane for hydrogen storage. Investigate the sufficiency of natural reserves of boron.

  22. 13.22

    Compare the hydrogen utilization in Canada in 1983 with respect to 2010.

  23. 13.23

    Describe the fuel cell principle.

  24. 13.24

    Is the fuel cell operation benefited by high pressure and low temperature or by low pressure and high temperature?

  25. 13.25

    Present a classification of fuel cell types.

  26. 13.26

    Present a classification of fuel cell applications.

  27. 13.27

    Calculate the system in Fig. 13.50 under reasonable assumptions.

  28. 13.28

    Calculate the system in Fig. 13.51 under reasonable assumptions.

  29. 13.29

    Calculate the system in Fig. 13.52 under reasonable assumptions.

  30. 13.30

    Calculate the system in Fig. 13.54 under reasonable assumptions.

  31. 13.31

    Calculate the system in Fig. 13.56 under reasonable assumptions.

  32. 13.32

    Present a classification of fuel cell modeling techniques.

  33. 13.33

    Explain the equation of Nernst.

  34. 13.34

    Describe the type of energy losses in fuel cells.

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Dinçer, İ., Zamfirescu, C. (2011). Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems. In: Sustainable Energy Systems and Applications. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-95861-3_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-95861-3_13

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  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-95861-3

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