Hydrogen Energy Engineering

This introductory chapter describes the reasons and motivation behind realizing a fuel cell-powered hydrogen society. After describing recent development progress in fuel cells and hydrogen technologies, possible technological, industrial, and social paradigm shifts are considered, with possible roadmaps.

This chapter describes recent progress in fuel cells and hydrogen technologies, especially in Japan where real commercialization of these technologies is underway, including fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and buses, hydrogen fueling stations, residential and industrial fuel cell systems, as well as electrolyzers for hydrogen production from renewable power. Possible ways to realize a future carbon-neutral and carbon-free energy society are discussed in this chapter.

This chapter describes world-wide activities in the development, demonstration, and commercialization of hydrogen technologies in various countries, including the U.S., Europe, and Asian countries. Emphasis is given on the preparation of hydrogen filling station networks supported by central and local governments as well as private companies.

This chapter describes the long history of the development of hydrogen and related technologies starting in the sixteenth century. Various applications in the history of hydrogen gas are described including airships, aerospace power, electrolyzers, hydrogen combustion, and hydrogen transportation ships for global hydrogen energy networks. The consequent efforts are then described including the realization of hydrogen filling stations, fuel cell vehicles, and stationary fuel cells.

This chapter describes the history of fuel cells. Various efforts to develop fuel cell systems are described for aerospace, transportation, and stationary applications, leading to the recent progress in commercialization of residential fuel cell systems and fuel cell vehicles, especially in Japan.

This short chapter describes future technological directions of hydrogen energy technologies with respect to the prevention of global warming problem and the reduction of fossil fuel usage. The importance and perspective of technological development related to hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization are described.

This chapter introduces the basics of hydrogen production and sets up the topics for discussion in the following chapters, including steam reforming, alkaline water electrolysis, polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis, steam electrolysis, and photocatalytic water splitting.

This chapter introduces steam reforming, still the major method of large-scale hydrogen gas production. First, steam reforming of natural gas and its implementation as an industrial process is introduced. The combination of steam reforming with carbon capture is briefly discussed in order to make the process carbon-neutral. Finally, steam reforming of biofuels is considered.

This chapter introduces alkaline water electrolysis for hydrogen production from water splitting, beginning with the basic principles of operation. This is followed by discussion of the types of cell components in general use in commercially available devices. The use of alkaline water electrolysis in industry is discussed, and finally recent trends in research are explored.

This chapter introduces polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) for hydrogen production from water splitting, beginning with the basic principles of operation. This is followed by a discussion of the types of cell components in general use and in commercially available devices. The use of PEMWEs in industry is discussed, and finally recent trends in research are explored.

This chapter introduces steam electrolyzers for hydrogen production, beginning with the basic principles of operation. This is followed by a discussion of the types of cell components generally used and in commercially available devices, particularly the electrolyte and electrode materials. The efficiency is also explored. The use of alkaline water electrolysis in industry is discussed, and finally recent trends in research are explored.

This chapter deals with the topic of photocatalytic water splitting. Photosynthesis in nature is discussed leading into artificial photosynthesis in the lab. The basic principles of photocatalytic water splitting are introduced, followed by materials used for artificial photosynthesis, visible-light-driven photocatalysis, and dye-sensitized visible-light-driven photocatalysis, inorganic visible light-driven photocatalysis, and organic–inorganic hybrid systems.

This chapter describes fundamental knowledge indispensable for hydride-based hydrogen storage, including the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen, phase diagrams of metal-hydrogen systems, hydrogen-material interaction, as well as thermodynamic stability and the reaction kinetics of hydrides.

This chapter describes the formation mechanisms, specific characteristics and classification of interstitial hydrides. Several typical hydrogen storage alloys and their hydrides are selected to discuss crystal structures and hydrogenation/dehydrogenation properties.

This chapter describes syntheses methods, crystal structures, de-/re-hydrogenation properties as well as their improvement from both thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of typical non-interstitial hydrides, such as complex hydrides including alanates, amides and borohydrides, magnesium hydride, aluminum hydride and ammonia borane.

This chapter describes main hydrogen adsorption characteristics and key parameters closely related to the sorption mechanism of high surface area sorbent materials by highlighting two promising materials of nanostructured carbon and metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs).

This chapter describes key technologies for typical liquid hydrogen carriers, including the liquefaction process and storage vessel of liquid hydrogen, de-/re-hydrogenation properties of cycloalkane and heterocycle-based organic hydrides, as well as production process and thermal decomposition of ammonia.

This chapter describes PVT properties of compressed normal hydrogen (75 % orthohydrogen and 25 % parahydrogen) up to 100 MPa and its equation of state (EOS) derived from the measurement data of the Burnett method, along with the measurement methods and correlation of viscosity and thermal conductivity for compressed hydrogen.

This chapter describes development history and composition of four types of high-pressure tanks and their applications for stationary storage like hydrogen filling station and portable storage such as hydrogen trailer and fuel cell vehicle onboard storage, followed with a hybrid tank system that combines a high-pressure tank and hydrogen storage materials.

This chapter summarizes the preceding chapters on hydrogen storage, and provides an outlook for the future of these technologies in the larger hydrogen society landscape.

This chapter describes fundamental science to understand fuel cells from the viewpoint of electrochemistry and material science. Related experimental techniques and procedures which can be used in laboratories are also explained.

This chapter describes operating principles of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The fundamental components (electrolyte, electrode, and gas diffusion layer) are explained from the viewpoint of material science, followed by a description of cells and stack structures.

This chapter describes the operating principles of solid oxide fuel cells. The fundamental components (electrolyte and electrode) are explained from the viewpoint of material science. Typical types of cell and stack structures are also described.

This chapter describes the operating principles of alkaline electrolyte fuel cells. The fundamental components (electrolyte and electrode) are explained from the viewpoint of materials, followed by description of cell and stack structures.

This chapter describes overviews of hydrogen utilization for closed-system internal combustion engines (C-ICE). Basic reactions are explained with a simple H₂–O₂ combustion system, and hydrogen application to C-ICE is discussed in comparison to other conventional fuels, also followed by case studies of hydrogen combustion systems.

This chapter describes an overview of hydrogen safety related to hydrogen embrittlement (HE), hydrogen gas safety management, and hydrogen safety best practice. Blister fracture of rubbers caused by decompression of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen is also introduced.

This chapter describes the hydrogen gas safety management related to properties and combustion of hydrogen, hydrogen diffusion, and hydrogen sensor. Prevention method of hydrogen-related accidents and examples of the necessity of hydrogen dissipation are also introduced.

This chapter introduces the near miss reports at Kyushu University submitted from 2007 to 2013 in terms of system- or organization-related problems due to machine functions and safety measures and human errors due to unconscious behavior, impulsive behavior, incomplete recognition and knowledge, and disregard of rules.

This chapter describes the effect of hydrogen on tensile properties of metals, showing that the hydrogen-assisted fracture is more enhanced for a material with higher tensile strength. It is also demonstrated that the relative reduction of area of austenitic stainless steels strongly correlates with nickel equivalent.

This chapter describes the effects of hydrogen pressure and test frequency on fatigue life and fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviors of carbon and low-alloy steels. FCG behaviors of austenitic stainless steels and aluminum alloy in high-pressure gaseous hydrogen are also introduced.

This chapter describes fretting fatigue of austenitic stainless steels in presence of hydrogen. The fretting fatigue strength is degraded by hydrogen and its mechanisms are revealed based on surface analysis and observations of fretting fatigue cracks and microstructures changed due to adhesion.

This chapter describes various design methods of components in consideration for the detrimental effect of hydrogen. Based on the design method, fatigue life and leak before break assessments of Cr–Mo steel pressure vessels subjected to hydrogen-pressure cycling are performed.

This chapter describes future perspectives of the hydrogen safety achieved by combination of understanding hydrogen embrittlement (HE), hydrogen gas safety management, and hydrogen in practice. New materials having lower cost and higher resistance to HE and appropriate design methods in consideration for HE are introduced.

This chapter describes the development of the Toyota MIRAI, Japan’s first mass-production fuel cell vehicle. The MIRAI was developed as a pioneering vehicle for moving towards a hydrogen society. Specifications and various technological and design efforts are described in making fuel cell-powered vehicles reality.

This chapter describes the development and commercialization of residential fuel cell power units, based on polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The merits of cogeneration in residential applications are also described. The cumulative sales of such system in Japan are shown, approaching ca. 150,000 units in 2015.

This chapter describes stationary fuel cell applications for distributed power generation. After briefly describing the history of stationary fuel cell power systems development, experiences are given in developing industrial fuel cell systems with their demonstration results. Future perspectives are also described including the power generation with digestion gas and the trigeneration to supply electricity, heat, and hydrogen gas.

This chapter describes highly efficient power generation with larger-scale stationary fuel cell system. After describing the history of thermal power plant development with increasing thermal efficiency, concepts of gas turbine–fuel cell (GTFC), and coal-fired triple combined cycle power generation (IGFCs), and elementary technology for triple combined cycle systems are explained.

This describes fuel cell-based power generation using biofuels. After giving an overview of biofuels which are available, such as biogas, bioethanol, and biodiesel oil, hydrogen production and power generation with solid oxide fuel cells are explained based on cell performance data. Technological issues such as carbon deposition and impurity poisoning are discussed.

This chapter describes portable application of fuel cells. After a brief discussion on the advantages of fuel cells over batteries, recent efforts to develop portable fuel cells are summarized by the kind of fuels they use. Direct liquid fuel cells, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, and solid oxide fuel cells are discussed in this chapter.

This chapter describes hydrogen infrastructure for hydrogen energy society. After considering the energy supply chain using electricity, city gas, and gasoline, storage forms of hydrogen as an energy carrier are compared, followed by technological and economic analysis of hydrogen infrastructure.

This chapter explores business model analysis for the hydrogen energy sector. Hydrogen energy businesses are characterized from an economical viewpoint, as a large-scale capital-intensive business sector dealing with a commodity where long-term perspectives and governmental support are needed. Case studies are then described using a business model for hydrogen infrastructure for FCVs.

This chapter describes public acceptance of hydrogen energy, including sociopolitical acceptance, community acceptance, and market acceptance. Methodologies for quantitative assessment are explained. An overview on public acceptance study in various countries is given for fuel cell systems and hydrogen station.

This chapter describes possible numerical analysis for optimizing the distribution of hydrogen filling station. An algorithm is described to simulate the optimal geographical distribution of new hydrogen stations. A case study to specify possible locations of additional hydrogen filling stations in Japan is described, using statistical data on traffic flow, local employee numbers, and population in each region.

This final chapter considers educational activity for hydrogen energy engineering, including hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, hydrogen utilization with fuel cells, hydrogen safety, while social and industrial aspects such as energy policy and public acceptance should be taken into account. The concept, experiences, and educational activities are described in Department of Hydrogen Energy Systems in Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, where graduate students can have a clear overview on hydrogen energy and can learn related scientific aspects.