In the early 1990s, the energy industry estimated that nearly 100,000 cars powered by fuel cell engines would be on the road by 2004. Now that it's 2004, it's obvious that this estimate was too optimistic. The U.S. government recognizes the potential of fuel cell technology, with President Bush addressing the matter in last year's State of the Union address.
"A simple chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car producing only water, not exhaust fumes," Bush said.
A new projection for fuel cell powered cars prowling American highways has been pushed back 10 to 15 years. How could scientists have underestimated the difficulty in creating fuel cell powered vehicles?
Fuel cell technologies have been pursued for nearly 160 years, since Sir Robert Grove invented the fuel cell. These technologies had renewed interest during the 1960s Apollo space program.
According to Alexis Bell, of UC-Berkeley, "It is anticipated that present oil reserves will last for at least 40 years." With worldwide demand expected to increase by 50 percent over the same time, a new energy source must meet the gap.
One of the first problems with fuel cell powered cars is the fuel of choice. In Bell's opinion, "Hydrogen in many respects may be the ultimate fuel." To eliminate the need for a hydrogen distribution network required compressed gas, cars would continue to require a fuel similar to gasoline. This hydrocarbon would provide the hydrogen required for the fuel cell reaction. This has proven more difficult in practice to achieve.
Cars operated by traditional piston engines have two reacting systems, one to provide the energy, the other to clean the emissions for the environment. Fuel cells have the added difficulty of the hydrogen intermediate between gasoline and energy, requiring a total of four reaction systems.
Fuel cells are a very elegant-looking device. Chemical Engineering Prof. Ramon Espino conducts research to perfect them. According to Espino, these fuel cells "are no larger than a breadbox or large shoebox." Within the breadbox are many thin rectangular membranes, no thicker than tissue paper. As many as 500 membranes may fit into a box, each separated only by millimeters
Current research has focused on these membranes and the catalysts in the center of them. The center of these membranes has graphite carbon and a catalyst, like platinum, on one side. The other side has hydrogen, which performs the reaction that generates the power for these fuel cells. This reaction proceeds when the hydrogen ionizes and reacts with air, producing water and the energy to power a car.
"Currently, the membranes are suitable up to 80 degrees Celsius," Espino said. "We would like membranes that operate at higher temperatures, like 150 degrees Celsius."
Besides the membrane stability at higher temperatures, different catalysts also are being considered. As mentioned above, currently platinum is being used in fuel cells. Espino said that because platinum is a precious metal, other metal alloys, such as copper-nickel, are being considered to reduce cost.
Without fuel cells as a viable current option, auto manufacturers have turned to another alternative.
"The Japanese auto companies have begun to manufacture hybrid cars," Espino said. These cars lower pollution emissions and gasoline requirements by using an additional electric motor. While currently profitable for automakers manufacturing them, they aren't the clean power source envisioned by advocates of traditional fuel cell powered cars. For these, it appears the public is going to have to wait a bit longer, though 160 years seems long enough.
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