| Fuel Cell cars are the cars of the future. A lot of | | | | for hydrogen fuel cell technology. Hydrocarbons |
| research has been done with electric cars, but | | | | are compounds of hydrogen and carbon. The |
| until the battery costs go down, the driving range | | | | leading candidates are CH4, which is methane gas, |
| goes up and the weight of the batteries goes | | | | a pure form of natural gas, and methanol, a liquid |
| down, this will not be an option for the general | | | | alcohol compound, CH4OH. Both methanol and |
| public, unlike the popular hybrid cars. A hybrid car | | | | methane can be converted to hydrogen gas using |
| has a gas engine and an electric engine. The gas | | | | a chemical reformer. Reformers have a drawback |
| can continually recharge the electric batteries. | | | | in that they lower fuel efficiency by as much as |
| In a fuel cell car, the fuel used is compressed or | | | | half. There is increased miniaturization of chemical |
| liquid hydrogen. A fuel cell converts hydrogen and | | | | reformers for automobiles. |
| oxygen to water, and produces electricity. Due to | | | | However, other compounds are being |
| ongoing problems with storing liquid or | | | | experimented with that are easier to catalytically |
| compressed hydrogen, currently, mostly buses | | | | convert to hydrogen for a fuel cell and can be |
| are using fuel cell technology. They can hold large | | | | more easily stored in a vehicle's fuel tank. An |
| tanks of compressed hydrogen on their roofs. | | | | example of the type of system that could work |
| The type of hydrogen fuel cell currently used for | | | | is being experimented on at Daimler-Chrysler. It |
| buses and cars is the Proton Exchange Membrane | | | | involves simple borate, borax, a compound |
| Fuel Cell (PEMFC). | | | | chemical that is produced and used for soap. A |
| The fuel cell uses a catalyst, which is a platinum | | | | running prototype minivan was displayed at the |
| powder or compound, to facilitate the reaction of | | | | North American Auto Show in 2002. The |
| hydrogen with oxygen. The catalyst is spread as | | | | hydrogen fuel cell can run on hydrogen that is |
| a thin coat on a large surface for maximum | | | | liberated in a simple chemical reaction from sodium |
| effect. | | | | borohydride. This chemical can be made in |
| Why are there problems using hydrogen as a | | | | refineries from a combination of borax soap and |
| fuel? Except at high compression, and/or low | | | | Hydrogen gas. The vehicle could run on sodium |
| temperatures, hydrogen is a gas. It is the lightest | | | | borohydride, which would be processed in the car |
| gas, and would tend to have high leakage through | | | | to yield hydrogen gas for the fuel cell. The only |
| pipelines. Due to its high energy content, it is also | | | | exhaust product would be water (H20). The other |
| very explosive. There was the explosion of the | | | | waste product would be borax (a form of soap), |
| Hindenburg in 1937 in New Jersey. That was a | | | | which would then have to be reprocessed to |
| hydrogen lifted dirigible which went on fire. Due to | | | | sodium borohydride, to refuel the car again. |
| the use of heavy safety equipment to compress | | | | Infrastructure to produce hydrogen from |
| hydrogen, this is why fuel cell technology is first | | | | methane or ammonia and then produce sodium |
| being used in buses. | | | | borohydride would be necessary at your local |
| Another option being developed is to use | | | | refueling station. |
| hydrocarbons that are hydrogen rich as the basis | | | | |