Hydrogen vehicle

An hydrogen auto doesn't distinguish from the traditional autos. What changes is the criterion of feeding. The hydrogen is a vector of energy, a sort of battery chemical able to preserve the energy and to release it when it is required. Hydrogen autos founds him on this principle. Making full hydrogen will last the same time that today fills a reservoir of methane gas or LPG. Currently there are service stations for experimental small fleets of hydrogen cars, often bought by public institutions and large corporations to facilitate the arrival of technology. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion, or electrochemical conversion in a fuel-cell: 1) In hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, the hydrogen is combusted in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. 2) In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce water and electricity, the latter of which is used to power an electric traction motor. Hydrogen internal combustion engine cars are different from hydrogen fuel cell cars. The hydrogen internal combustion car is a slightly modified version of the traditional gasoline internal combustion engine car. These hydrogen engines burn fuel in the same manner that gasoline engines do. Mazda has developed Wankel engines that burn hydrogen. The advantage of using ICE (internal combustion engine) such as wankel and piston engines is that the cost of retooling for production is much lower. Existing-technology ICE can still be used to solve those problems where fuel cells are not a viable solution as yet, for example in cold-weather applications. While fuel cells themselves are potentially highly energy efficient, and working prototypes were made by Roger E. Billings in the 1960s, at least four technical obstacles and other political considerations exist regarding the development and use of a fuel cell-powered hydrogen car.

Written by Stefano Salerno free12@itcgbianchi.it