Hydrogen fuel cell cars are expensive and impractical. So why would we even consider them? With gasoline prices well over $4 per gallon and reduction of CO2 emissions a priority, all alternative fuels and future car technologies are getting a closer scrutiny these days. Not only that, if a proper infrastructure was created, Hydrogen could very well be the world’s next propulsion fuel. Its cheap and abundant. . . so what are we waiting for? What are they, and how do they work? Hydrogen can be burned in a combustion engine or be converted back into electricity through a fuel cell. In an internal combustion automotive engine, gasoline or hydrogen can be used in a dual-fuel system that will suffice until a widespread hydrogen infrastructure can be built. These dual fuel cell systems are much like the electric hybrids like Toyato’s Prius, yet they use hydrogen rather than electricity to supplement the gasoline. In the long-term, with an infrastructure in place, hydrogen-on-demand vehicles can use either a hydrogen compound for internal combustion, or a fuel cell can create electro-mechanical energy and water. A fuel cell isn’t as complicated as a conventional gas or diesel engine and isn’t subject to high temperatures, corrosion or some of the structural weaknesses found in other types of engines. This affords a flexibility and durability for Hydrogen fuel cells. Hydrogen is processed through the fuel cell and combined with oxygen to create electricity. This newly formed energy is sent to pistons to propel the car forward (or reverse if you like). These fuel cell cars promise zero emissions and pollutants, with the only tailpipe emission being water vapor. Fuel-Cells are basically a combination of a battery and an engine making them a very unique advancement in car propulsion systems. Every year more and more efficient fuel cells are churned out by engineers and factories propelling the hydrogen car possibilities forward. Fuel-Cell conventions and conglomerates abound and with more and more government grants focusing on Fuel-Cell and Hydrogen Car development, the future continues to get brighter for Hydrogen Fuel-Cell cars. While there is concern that putting hydrogen fuel cell cars on the road is as bad of an idea as was the ill-fated Hindenburg, experts say the two aren’t related, and recent advances in car technology include development of safe, on-board hydrogen storage systems. Infrastructure and hydrogen highways. If you’re not familiar with the term, a hydrogen highway is a chain of hydrogen-equipped filling stations along a road. What will it take to make it happen? Norway started the HyNor Project in 2006; Japan has several stations, as does Germany, and California now reports having 25 stations in place from San Diego to Sacramento. All of these stations will add to a momentum of change and will hopefully give rise to a new determination to improve on present Hydrogen powered vehicle prototypes in order to begin to switch our fleet of petroleum based cars. The Hydrogen car will arrive even if it takes time: The future is now.
Posts Tagged ‘Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars’
Fuel-Cell Cars: The Wave of the Future?
December 24th, 2009Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars – Great Advantages Of Using Them
December 13th, 2009The world is looking towards hydrogen fuel as an alternative source to power vehicles. Fuel cell technology has progressed a long way ahead and it views hydrogen as the best of the alternative fuels available for this purpose. Energy is generated by extracting the gas from the water and the process produces operate on hydrogen fuel cells.
General Motors has already manufactured the Chevy Equinox which operates on hydrogen fuel. It is a car which performs like any other vehicle but is different because it operates on hydrogen fuel cells. It is an amazing vehicle, great to look at and among the first to advocate the idea of using alternative fuel in American cars.
The Chevy Equinox is a SUV-type vehicle which can carry a maximum of four passengers and can achieve speeds of a hundred miles per hour. This car has been subjected to crash-testing and will confirm to all U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards applicable for 2007. This SUV has all the modern utilities like driver and front passenger head side air bags, anti-lock disc brakes including Traction Control, Stabilitrak Electronic Stability Control System, and OnStar. From the outside, the design is typically Chevrolet and they have used premium Tricoat paint, giving it a sleek look. The Equinox is an environmentally-friendly and customer friendly car.
Other car manufacturers are beginning to realize the popularity of hydrogen fuel cell cars and are making all efforts to use the the technology. It serves a dual purpose: it benefits the environment and also uses alternative fuel technology to reduce the burden of the country on oil imports, promoting overall economic growth.
Hydrogen fuel cell driven vehicles will reduce America’s dependence on oil imports from the Arab countries which at present dictate terms in the oil pricing, making the gasoline prices rise to unprecedented levels. Hydrogen fuel cell cars will be the future of the world and most car companies, realizing the benefits, are embracing this technology. We should opt for such ‘green vehicles’ rather than the toxic fuel emission spewing cars, as they will prove to be beneficial to the U.S. and also the world.
Looking ahead and keeping this trend in mind, President George W. Bush has used billions of dollars towards funding research towards making use of hydrogen fuel cells to power vehicles. The technology is new as of now and there can be further research to improve the technology to optimize benefits, so the sky is the limit!
By: Abhishek Agarwal
Hydrogen Fuel Cell News and Information Available Online
December 12th, 2009Hydrogen fuel cell cars are cars that have been converted to use water as a supplement to ordinary gasoline. This is achieved with the use of a DIY hydrogen fuel cell or (homemade hydrogen generator), a small device that provides HHO gas. This HHO gas is then mixed with the ordinary gasoline and air mixture in your cars engine. As this mixture of gases burns with a lot more efficiency and power it gives you fantastic gas mileage improvements. But what Are Advantages of The Hydrogen Fuel Cells? First of all, most clear benefit of using hydrogen fuel is increase in the miles per gallon. It is reported that drivers will be able to get around 50% to 100% boost in mileage using this system. It means if you are running 20 miles per gallon, you will be able to get boost in the mileage between 30 to 40 miles per gallon. Secondly, production of hydrogen fuel allows alternative choice for consumers. The sheer rise in the gas prices has caused demand for hydrogen fuel vehicles. These plans explain you how you can make hydrogen from the water that can be further used as the fuel in car engine. With increase in gas prices people are seeking for an alternative system for the vehicles. At first glance, it might appear that making use of tap water to run car is pure hard sell. Hydrogen fuel vehicle projects are actually a great achievement and an astonishing new product. Currently in United States you will find no hydrogen fuel vehicles that are produced for public; only some demonstration vehicles are found there on road. Traveler buses as well as long-haul trucks are mainly used to test and show fuel cells. Japan has recently made a hybrid fuel cell train that makes use of diesel engines for the two thirds of power, and two electric engines powered by fuel cells provide other third. The business is just starting to check and expand these vehicles; as a result there is no dependability data obtainable. It is as well too early to identify what the price of first production cars will be in near future. Absolutely, hydrogen fuel cell technology is a fantastic advancement. As limited resources are not enough to satisfy the huge demand for power, a new technology like this needs support to gain improvement.
