Hydrogen Energy Technologies Research Articles

Initiation of hydrogen energy system in developing countries

Since the fossil fuels are causing major environmental problems and since they are being depleted at an ever growing rate, it would be advantageous for developing countries to base their yet to be established energy system not on the fossil fuels but on the clean hydrogen energy technologies in general and the solar hydrogen energy system in particular. This paper reviews the pertinent background information, discusses the hydrogen technologies suitable for developing countries, debates the introduction of the solar hydrogen energy system, and recommends the establishment of three pilot projects, in Africa, Asia and South America.

Wasserstoff‐Technik

AbstractHydrogen technology. Hydrogen is used today on a large scale as raw material in chemical engineering and in the long term has tremendous potential as one of the most important secondary energy carriers. Hydrogen is produced with fossil and nonfossil primary energy sources from fossil and nonfossil primary raw materials. As an almost pollution‐free secondary energy carrier, which is storable and transportable on a large scale, hydrogen can be used with nearly all energy utilization techniques fueled at present by natural gas, and products of petroleum and coal. Decisive influence on the introduction of hydrogen as energy carrier is exerted by the status and further development potential of hydrogen energy technology, cost of hydrogen production, and safety of a widespread use of hydrogen in the energy economy.

Hydrogen energy—expected engineering breakthroughs

The worldwide-established energy trade system consists of fossil and nuclear elements. In quite a number of cases it has proved its capability to successfully balance out critical supply shortages or price jumps. Two inherent weaknesses, however, will force the transition to a new system in the course of the next century: the peak production of fluid fossil fuels in a few decades to come, and the environmental threat. A global hydrogen energy supply system with strong solar components offers the chance to replace fluid fossil energy; this is even more so the case, the sooner all external costs of the existing energy systems are entirely “internalized”.—All major solar and hydrogen energy technologies exist; an insight into their status and further development and perfection is given; examples for early niches' applications conclude this paper.

Korrosion und Korrosionsschutz in Systemen mit neuen Energieträgern und Brennstoffen

AbstractCorrosion and corrosion protection in systems utilizing new energy sources and fuels. New energy carriers such as methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, and biogas are of increasing interest for the substitution of the fossil fuels oil, natural gas, and coal. The analysis of production, handling, and use of such energy carriers with regard to materials and corrosion protection technology gives various results. Some of the problems can be solved by conventional technologies (production of ethanol and biogas). For others, further development work is needed (production of methanol; methanol and ethanol as substitute motor fuels). The problems encountered within the framework of a hydrogen energy technology are known and can be solved for the handling of hydrogen but they are still unsolved for special production processes (hybrid processes with sulfuric acid).

The international energy agency cooperative programs on hydrogen: Past achievements and future potential

Work under the Hydrogen Agreement of the International Energy Agency was started in 1977. A cooperative research and development program has evolved around the production of hydrogen by thermochemical, electrolytic and photochemical methods. There has recently been added a new subject area relating to storage, energy conversion and safety. The first five years of the IEA program on hydrogen have seen considerable progress made towards the common goal of developing cost-effective, high-efficiency water-splitting technologies for use with renewable or inexhaustible energy sources. The past achievements and present programs are described. The current perception of the potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier is examined to permit a critical appraisal of the relevance of the content and scope of the cooperative program. Possible new research and development activities are discussed along with other factors which impact upon the adoption and/or viability of hydrogen energy technologies. The desirability of continuing and expanding international cooperative activities is considered as well as the directions of such activities and the obstacles to them.

Properties and applications of metal hydrides in energy conversion systems

AbstractStructural, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties and phase diagrams of hydrogen in metals and alloys are presented in relation to materials development for the ‘hydrogen energy technology'. Among the materials considered special attention is paid to the hydrides of Li, Mg, Y, V, Nb, U, TiFe, and LaNi5. It is shown how these materials are utilized for the production of hydrogen by water splitting, stationary and mobile storage, heat pumps and heat storage, heat engines, fusion-reactor technology, and hydrogen-isotope separation.

Properties and applications of metal hydrides in energy conversion systems

Structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties and phase diagrams of hydrogen in metals and alloys are presented in relation to materials development for the ‘hydrogen energy technology'. Among the materials considered special attention is paid to the hydrides of Li, Mg, Y, V, Nb, U, TiFe, and LaNi5. It is shown how these materials are utilized for the production of hydrogen by water splitting, stationary and mobile storage, heat pumps and heat storage, heat engines, fusion-reactor technology, and hydrogen-isotope separation.

Hydrogen energy technology—Update 1976

Hydrogen, a chemical commodity and fuel now produced from natural gas, could, in the future, become a widely used fuel produced from water and diverse energy sources. Since the initial flurry of interest in “hydrogen economy” concepts, serious feasibility studies, technology assessments, and experimental studies have identified economic and technological problem areas. Production now appears to be the focus of most hydrogen research and development efforts as shown by a review of the technical papers presented at the First World Hydrogen Energy Conference. Specific industrial uses, electric power storage, and perhaps additions of hydrogen to supplement the natural gas supply appear to be near-term prospects for hydrogen utilization.