New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
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New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071112.../ussciencefuel
Mon Nov 12, 5:12 PM ET CHICAGO (AFP) - US researchers have developed a method of producing hydrogen gas from biodegradable organic material, potentially providing an abundant source of this clean-burning fuel, according to a study released Monday.
The technology offers a way to cheaply and efficiently generate hydrogen gas from readily available and renewable biomass such as cellulose or glucose, and could be used for powering vehicles, making fertilizer and treating drinking water.
Numerous public transportation systems are moving toward hydrogen-powered engines as an alternative to gasoline, but most hydrogen today is generated from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as natural gas.
The method used by engineers at Pennsylvania State University however combines electron-generating bacteria and a small electrical charge in a microbial fuel cell to produce hydrogen gas.
Microbial fuel cells work through the action of bacteria which can pass electrons to an anode. The electrons flow from the anode through a wire to the cathode producing an electric current. In the process, the bacteria consume organic matter in the biomass material.
An external jolt of electricity helps generate hydrogen gas at the cathode.
In the past, the process, which is known as electrohydrogenesis, has had poor efficiency rates and low hydrogen yields.
But the researchers at Pennsylvania State University were able to get around these problems by chemically modifying elements of the reactor.
In laboratory experiments, their reactor generated hydrogen gas at nearly 99 percent of the theoretical maximum yield using aetic acid, a common dead-end product of glucose fermentation.
"This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added in the process," said Bruce Logan, a professor of environmental engineering at Penn State.
The technology is economically viable now, which gives hydrogen an edge over another alternative biofuel which is grabbing more headlines, Logan said.
"The energy focus is currently on ethanol as a fuel, but economical ethanol from cellulose is 10 years down the road," said Logan.
"First you need to break cellulose down to sugars and then bacteria can convert them to ethanol."
One of the immediate applications for this technology is to supply the hydrogen that is used in fuel cell cars to generate the electricity that drives the motor, but it could also can be used to convert wood chips into hydrogen to be used as fertilizer.
The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Mon Nov 12, 5:12 PM ET CHICAGO (AFP) - US researchers have developed a method of producing hydrogen gas from biodegradable organic material, potentially providing an abundant source of this clean-burning fuel, according to a study released Monday.
The technology offers a way to cheaply and efficiently generate hydrogen gas from readily available and renewable biomass such as cellulose or glucose, and could be used for powering vehicles, making fertilizer and treating drinking water.
Numerous public transportation systems are moving toward hydrogen-powered engines as an alternative to gasoline, but most hydrogen today is generated from nonrenewable fossil fuels such as natural gas.
The method used by engineers at Pennsylvania State University however combines electron-generating bacteria and a small electrical charge in a microbial fuel cell to produce hydrogen gas.
Microbial fuel cells work through the action of bacteria which can pass electrons to an anode. The electrons flow from the anode through a wire to the cathode producing an electric current. In the process, the bacteria consume organic matter in the biomass material.
An external jolt of electricity helps generate hydrogen gas at the cathode.
In the past, the process, which is known as electrohydrogenesis, has had poor efficiency rates and low hydrogen yields.
But the researchers at Pennsylvania State University were able to get around these problems by chemically modifying elements of the reactor.
In laboratory experiments, their reactor generated hydrogen gas at nearly 99 percent of the theoretical maximum yield using aetic acid, a common dead-end product of glucose fermentation.
"This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added in the process," said Bruce Logan, a professor of environmental engineering at Penn State.
The technology is economically viable now, which gives hydrogen an edge over another alternative biofuel which is grabbing more headlines, Logan said.
"The energy focus is currently on ethanol as a fuel, but economical ethanol from cellulose is 10 years down the road," said Logan.
"First you need to break cellulose down to sugars and then bacteria can convert them to ethanol."
One of the immediate applications for this technology is to supply the hydrogen that is used in fuel cell cars to generate the electricity that drives the motor, but it could also can be used to convert wood chips into hydrogen to be used as fertilizer.
The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Part Time Hybrids
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 259
From: New England
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
Hmm Honda's new FCX could really go agaisnt the Volt if they could produce H2 this was and offer it nationwide.
I wonder which could consume more fuel and energy, A coal fired plant generating electricity for the Volt to run, or a coal fire plant making H2 to fuel an FCX?
I wonder which could consume more fuel and energy, A coal fired plant generating electricity for the Volt to run, or a coal fire plant making H2 to fuel an FCX?
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Posts: 244
From: Arlington Heights, IL (Chicagoland)
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
Hmm Honda's new FCX could really go agaisnt the Volt if they could produce H2 this was and offer it nationwide.
I wonder which could consume more fuel and energy, A coal fired plant generating electricity for the Volt to run, or a coal fire plant making H2 to fuel an FCX?
I wonder which could consume more fuel and energy, A coal fired plant generating electricity for the Volt to run, or a coal fire plant making H2 to fuel an FCX?
Engineering first
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,613
From: Huntsville, AL
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
. . .
The method used by engineers at Pennsylvania State University however combines electron-generating bacteria and a small electrical charge in a microbial fuel cell to produce hydrogen gas.
Microbial fuel cells work through the action of bacteria which can pass electrons to an anode. The electrons flow from the anode through a wire to the cathode producing an electric current. In the process, the bacteria consume organic matter in the biomass material.
An external jolt of electricity helps generate hydrogen gas at the cathode.
In the past, the process, which is known as electrohydrogenesis, has had poor efficiency rates and low hydrogen yields.
But the researchers at Pennsylvania State University were able to get around these problems by chemically modifying elements of the reactor.
In laboratory experiments, their reactor generated hydrogen gas at nearly 99 percent of the theoretical maximum yield using aetic acid, a common dead-end product of glucose fermentation.
"This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added in the process," said Bruce Logan, a professor of environmental engineering at Penn State.
. . .
The method used by engineers at Pennsylvania State University however combines electron-generating bacteria and a small electrical charge in a microbial fuel cell to produce hydrogen gas.
Microbial fuel cells work through the action of bacteria which can pass electrons to an anode. The electrons flow from the anode through a wire to the cathode producing an electric current. In the process, the bacteria consume organic matter in the biomass material.
An external jolt of electricity helps generate hydrogen gas at the cathode.
In the past, the process, which is known as electrohydrogenesis, has had poor efficiency rates and low hydrogen yields.
But the researchers at Pennsylvania State University were able to get around these problems by chemically modifying elements of the reactor.
In laboratory experiments, their reactor generated hydrogen gas at nearly 99 percent of the theoretical maximum yield using aetic acid, a common dead-end product of glucose fermentation.
"This process produces 288 percent more energy in hydrogen than the electrical energy that is added in the process," said Bruce Logan, a professor of environmental engineering at Penn State.
. . .
Ultimately, bio and solar power transportation will be rated in miles per acre.
Bob Wilson
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 302
From: Southern California
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
From the coal fire plant:
- generates electricity, transmit to power line, charges battery, discharge battery => miles driven
or
- generates electricity, produced electricity, truck in biomass, collect hydrogen, store hydrogen, ship and distribuite hydrogen, discharge hydrogen into fuelcell => miles driven.
I'd say the FCX loses.
- generates electricity, transmit to power line, charges battery, discharge battery => miles driven
or
- generates electricity, produced electricity, truck in biomass, collect hydrogen, store hydrogen, ship and distribuite hydrogen, discharge hydrogen into fuelcell => miles driven.
I'd say the FCX loses.
Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
Yes, the scaling up will be the tricky part. Over the past couple of years I've noticed similar reports about using microbes, algae, landfill gas and other sources for massive amounts of hydrogen, but I have yet to see massive amounts of hydrogen. I hope on day it does happen, though.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
This could be used at garbage dumps, waste water treatment plants, on farms and many other places. My concern too is the scaling up and refinement of this process. I've read several similar articles that are still in the research phase, but hopeful that commercialization is right around the corner.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 22
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
It great to produce hydrogen gas using biodegradable organic material which will be great that we are making fuel out of nothing .To produce Hydrogen is cool as it burns completely the emission of CO2 is also less .
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 36
Re: New technique creates cheap, abundant hydrogen: report
Hydrogen car is nice concept & it is new revolution in automotive industries. Which is running on hydrolyze fuel. But, hydrogen car is not perfect car, still few disadvantage having in hydrogen car. I think, automaker should be more work on hydrogen car.
