Understanding How Hydrogen Powers Vehicles

Cars driven by hydrogen have always captured the attention of the world on account of zero carbon emissions. While supporters of hydrogen-fuelled cars highlight the eco-friendly byproduct released by it and the need to be independent of fossil fuels, the opponents criticize the move of ignoring the greater picture. Evaluating the pros and cons of hydrogen as a fuel is, indeed, more crucial to better understand the concept.

This article aims to highlight the different aspects of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

understanding how hydrogen powers vehicles

How does it work?

The conversion of hydrogen to provide torque for a vehicle can be performed in two ways. The first technique employs hydrogen internal combustion engines to burn hydrogen producing heat and water vapor. The burning of hydrogen also generates a small degree of other gases like oxides of nitrogen; but it is the zero carbon emissions that make hydrogen a popular alternative fuel.

Another way of employing hydrogen as a green fuel takes advantage of the fuel cells, wherein hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water and electricity, with the electricity forced to power an electric traction motor that powers the engine.

Advantages of hydrogen as a fuel

The advocates of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles throw the limelight on the capacity of hydrogen to provide the energy for powering the vehicle without producing carbon emissions. The byproduct of the reaction, water, can by no means cause harm to the environment.

Another fact that makes hydrogen popular is the abundance of hydrogen in the atmosphere. It can be found in water, fossil fuels, alcohols and many more sources, reducing the chances for its complete depletion. Moreover, as it is freely found in nature. There is no dependence for supplies from other countries as in the case when fossil fuels are absent.

Disadvantages of hydrogen as a fuel

Even though hydrogen is found in abundance, capturing of pure hydrogen is quite difficult. The property of hydrogen to bond easily with other elements makes the task of acquiring it in the pure form an expensive undertaking. For capacity to fuel vehicles, it has to be in its pure form to generate energy. Typically, electrolysis of water and reforming natural gas are the popular ways employed for separating it in its pure form.

Similarly, to power vehicles, hydrogen has to be compressed and stored in cylinders. With cylinders being bulky, many are not interested in this as a form of alternative energy. Moreover, as compressed hydrogen possesses less strength than in its liquid form, which is very expensive to generate, it adds to the disadvantages.

Today many companies like Ford and Renault-Nissan have withdrawn their efforts on developing hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Companies like Daimler and Hyundai, on the other hand, are on their way towards the mass production of FC vehicles that will hit the roads by around 2012.

A successful solution that will be capable of separating hydrogen producing maximum power will indeed be an essential breakthrough that this industry is looking forward to.