| What better way to get kids and teens | | | | (H2) and oxygen (O2). When a chemical charge |
| interested in alternative energy and physics | | | | is applied to water, the charge breaks the |
| than with a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car science | | | | chemical bond between hydrogen and oxygen and |
| kit? Not only will your future scientist have | | | | creates charged particles called ions. In |
| fun building learning how we can derive | | | | this case, positively charged hydrogen ions |
| energy from hydrogen, but they get a hands-on | | | | and negatively charged ions are formed. An |
| working hydrogen car building project. Will | | | | electrolyte, also called an electrolytic |
| they end up becoming one of the future | | | | conductor, is a conducting medium in which |
| scientists who help to make hydrogen a viable | | | | the flow of current is accompanied by the |
| energy source? Using a device called a PEM | | | | movement of matter in the form of ions. An |
| hydrogen fuel cell, such as the ones sold by | | | | electrolyser has 2 electrodes where the ions |
| Science Store for the Stars, the chemical | | | | form. One electrode, called the anode, is |
| energy of hydrogen can be converted into | | | | positively charged, and attracts the |
| electrical energy we can use. PEM means | | | | negatively charged oxygen ions. The other |
| Proton Exchange Membrane and is similar to a | | | | electrode is called the cathode and attracts |
| battery, which also converts chemical energy | | | | the positively charged hydrogen ions. But to |
| into electrical energy. However, a battery | | | | break the bonds of water requires energy. |
| has a fixed amount of chemicals inside it and | | | | |
| a hydrogen fuel cell can continuously have | | | | What makes Hydrogen fuel so attractive? As |
| hydrogen and oxygen added to it meaning no | | | | mentioned before, the only by-product is |
| recharging or throwing it away! The PEM dates | | | | water, so there is no carbon or other |
| back to 1839 when English physicist William | | | | emissions to harm the environment. It is |
| Robert Grove first demonstrated his "gas | | | | non-toxic, clean to use, and holds much more |
| voltaic battery." His experiments paved the | | | | energy per unit of weight than any other |
| way for the PEM fuel cell first developed in | | | | element we know. It is also the least complex |
| the 1960s by General Electric which provided | | | | and most abundant element of our visible |
| electric power and drinking water onboard the | | | | universe so we know we won't run out any time |
| Gemini spacecraft. | | | | soon! And Hydrogen may one day power not only |
| | | | our homes, but even small electronic devices. |
| Hydrogen fuel is a wide open field of science | | | | The limits are only in our minds. |
| as many alternatives to the current gasoline | | | | |
| model of vehicles are being studied and | | | | What are the downsides? The major downside to |
| experimented with. We consume conventional | | | | hydrogen powered vehicles is the energy |
| petroleum based fuels 100,000 times faster | | | | needed to create the hydrogen. Although a car |
| than they are being made available, raising | | | | than runs purely on hydrogen is not emitting |
| many questions about how long our | | | | any pollution, the hydrogen you just bought |
| conventional energy supplies will last. | | | | to fill your tank had to be created using |
| China, and possibly India, will soon surpass | | | | electricity in some form. If a coal, oil, or |
| the United States in energy needs meaning | | | | gas plant created the energy, then carbon |
| viable energy alternatives will become even | | | | monoxide was created to make the hydrogen. |
| more important. Could hydrogen power be the | | | | All of a sudden your "green" car isn't so |
| future? But before you get too excited, there | | | | clean, is it? If you're using a hydrogen |
| are still many hurdles to leap before | | | | gasoline hybrid, you'd use less gas, but |
| hydrogen cars become main-stream. Many of the | | | | you'd still be using gas. Also, PEM fuel |
| top scientists and engineers all around the | | | | cells don't create much energy. To get enough |
| world are in a race to overcome a number of | | | | energy to power a car, for example, engineers |
| commercialization and technical issues with | | | | must stack hundreds of fuel cells together in |
| hydrogen fuel cells and most automakers | | | | a series. This means a more complicated |
| including Toyota, Ford, Honda, and GM are all | | | | system with more ways for something to break |
| researching the potential of this incredible | | | | down. And how much are you willing to pay for |
| source of energy. | | | | a hydrogen car? Because the technology is so |
| | | | new and hydrogen cars are not being mass |
| The fuel cell in a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car kit | | | | produced, the price alone will be too much |
| is the same process used by passenger | | | | for the average American to afford, at least |
| hydrogen cars that will be available for us | | | | in the near future. Availability of filling |
| to purchase in the near future. With a | | | | stations is another issue. It will be very |
| hydrogen/electric hybrid car, such as the | | | | costly to install hydrogen filling stations |
| Toyota Highlander SUV, you'd head for the | | | | to the same degree as we currently have |
| nearest hydrogen filling station and fill the | | | | gasoline stations. Currently, the easiest |
| tank with hydrogen gas (H2) at about 10,000 | | | | places to find a hydrogen filling station is |
| pounds per square inch. As you drive around, | | | | in Orange County, California, Westchester |
| the electric batteries are charged by the | | | | County, New York, or Washington, D.C. Travel |
| hydrogen/oxygen chemical process and | | | | more than a hundred or so miles outside these |
| regenerative breaking (current gas/electric | | | | areas and you may get stranded. These are |
| hybrids also employ this) to charge the | | | | just some of the issues that are waiting to |
| batteries. The car itself actually runs on an | | | | be solved by a future scientist. |
| electric engine. As a matter of fact, there | | | | |
| are currently hydrogen busses on the road in | | | | What advancements are to there to be made? |
| some major cities. | | | | Plenty! Auto companies are looking into |
| | | | creating hydrogen without using carbon |
| So how does a hydrogen fuel cell work? The | | | | emitting sources like coal plants. Solar |
| Fuel Cell Car kits contain a reversible PEM | | | | power is one consideration being |
| fuel cell which means Proton Exchange | | | | investigated. However, solar panels are |
| Membrane. Being reversible, the fuel cell can | | | | currently not very efficient (another great |
| operate both as an electrolyser, producing | | | | scientific field of study) but would be a |
| Hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2) from water | | | | clean renewable source of energy to produce |
| (H2O), and also as a fuel cell (reverse | | | | the hydrogen if it can be done cheaply and |
| electrolyser) to convert the chemical energy | | | | efficiently. There is much advancement to be |
| of Hydrogen to electricity with the | | | | made in the fuel cell design itself. Honda |
| by-product being water vapor and heat. | | | | solved one problem simply by re-orientating |
| | | | the position of the fuel cell. Traditionally, |
| Let's first look at the process of turning | | | | fuel cells were placed lying flat under the |
| the hydrogen (chemical energy) into | | | | floor of the car which meant the water |
| electricity to power our car. This is the | | | | created as a by-product needed to be |
| reverse electrolysis or fuel cell. The PEM | | | | aggressively pumped out of the fuel cell |
| fuel cell consists primarily of four | | | | using more energy. Honda's FCX hydrogen car |
| components, the anode (negative electrode), | | | | has a vertically oriented fuel cell, allowing |
| the cathode (positive electrode), a catalyst | | | | gravity to do much of the work and saving |
| and an electrolyte. Hydrogen gas pumped into | | | | energy. Wasn't that a great idea? The size |
| the anode strikes the catalyst (a thin layer | | | | and efficiency of the hydrogen engines is |
| of platinum) and splits into hydrogen protons | | | | another area where future improvements will |
| and electrons. On the opposite side of the | | | | be important as well as better ways to cool |
| fuel cell, oxygen enters the cathode. | | | | the engine. |
| Sandwiched between the anode and cathode is a | | | | |
| thin electrolyte membrane that looks like | | | | As you can see there are a many opportunities |
| plastic wrap you'd find in your kitchen. It | | | | in the science field of hydrogen fuel cell |
| permits the positively charged protons to | | | | development, and it's a very interesting |
| pass through from the anode to the cathode | | | | subject. Although some of this may sound |
| but blocks the negatively charged electrons | | | | complicated, it becomes much easier to |
| which are forced to flow through an external | | | | understand when you're building, hands-on, |
| circuit to form an electric current. When the | | | | the actual Fuel Cell Car model. Hydrogen Fuel |
| electric current returns from doing work, | | | | Cell Car kits are popular for kids starting |
| such as powering an electric motor, it reacts | | | | at about age 10 and up and are great science |
| with oxygen and the hydrogen ions at the | | | | fair projects. Even many adults find them |
| cathode to form water and heat. That means no | | | | fascinating and they're a fantastic way to |
| smog-forming emissions or greenhouse gasses! | | | | participate in a project with your child. And |
| | | | whether they become the next great scientist |
| Now let's look at the electrolyser - the | | | | or not, it's just a fun way to learn science! |
| process of breaking water (H2O) into hydrogen | | | | |